Carolina Spark | Winter-Spring 2024

INSPIRING, EMPOWERING & CONNECTING WOMEN OF THE CAROLINAS

Dynamic + Devoted

GRIEVING IN THE NEW YEAR -DR. SAMANTHA RUTH DR. CISSY MAJEBE

CONTINUES A TRADITION OF CHINESE MEDICINE IN WNC

WOMEN IN SURGERY

MISSION

HEALTH

EDITION 9 | WINTER-SPRING 2024

Shannon Trim PA-C, MPAS Evoke Vitality

Email: Welcome@evokevitality.com Office Phone: 828.222.0281 Office SMS: 828.222.0501 Facebook.com/EvokeVitality @EvokeVitality PHOTO CREDITS: BROOKE PARKER PHOTOGRAPHY HAIR & MAKEUP: FAB FLAWLESS MAKEUP ARTISTRY VENUE: THE MAIN EVENT

Shay Brown Shay & Company

Email: shay@shay-company.com Planning: 828.299.4513 Venues: 828.239.0928 Website: www.shaybrownevents.com Facebook.com/ShayBrownEvents @ShayBrownEvents Office: 45 South French Broad, Suite 144, Asheville NC 28801 PHOTO CREDITS: BROOKE PARKER PHOTOGRAPHY HAIR & MAKEUP: FAB FLAWLESS MAKEUP ARTISTRY VENUE: THE MAIN EVENT

Brittany Bettini The Main Event

Events@themaineventwnc.com Phone: 828-974-1281 Website: themaineventwnc.com Facebook.com/TheMainEventWNC @TheMainEventWNC PHOTO CREDITS: BROOKE PARKER PHOTOGRAPHY HAIR & MAKEUP: FAB FLAWLESS MAKEUP ARTISTRY VENUE: THE MAIN EVENT

Chris Clark Media Specialist

Cell: 864-230-9633 Website: www.ingles-markets.com Linkedin.com/Chris-Clark-2607a16 PHOTO CREDITS: BROOKE PARKER PHOTOGRAPHY HAIR & MAKEUP: FAB FLAWLESS MAKEUP ARTISTRY CLOTHES & ACCESSORIES: ROBINSONS OF EASLEY VENUE: THE MAIN EVENT

75 Shannon Trim - Evoke Vitality

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

73 Chris Clark - Ingles Markets

79 Shay Brown - Shay & Company

77 Brittany Bettini - The Main Event

2024 is here!

And so is the NINTH ISSUE of Carolina Spark Magazine. We can’t believe it’s already here, and we’re so excited for you to read it.

This is our Women’s Health issue, and it’s full of amazing articles–from traditional Daoist medicine to an article on Grieving in the New Year. And because this issue spans both Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, you’ll also find wine recommendations for the holiday of love and recipes from our writers’ mothers and grandmothers.

As we head into this new year, we’re thinking about goals. What do you want to change in 2024? How do you want your life to improve? What steps are you taking to achieve those goals? What matters most to you?

Here at Carolina Spark, our goal has always been to empower women in the Carolinas.

And that’s not changing. In fact, we’re even more committed than ever. We hope you’ll join us in our mission. Uplift the women in your life. Call a friend and reconnect.

Support woman-owned businesses like the ones featured in our Winter/Spring Issue.

Thank a woman who makes your life better.

And nominate a woman who inspires you for our Summer/Fall Issue, coming in July!

We look forward to hearing what you think of this issue. It’s been a labor of love, and we’re thrilled with the result. We hope you’ll visit us on Facebook to share your thoughts!

We’re wishing you the most amazing year yet in 2024. Thank you for bringing us along on your journey.

Rebekah McCubbins Rebekah@CrystalCMarketing.com

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Carolina Spark Magazine 2024

Brooke Parker Photography | Fab Flawless Makeup Artistry | The Main Event

EDI TI O N 9 | W I N TER-S PR I N G 20 2 4

Dynamic + Devoted

Crystal Pressley Publisher

Madi Balman Art Director

Meg Hale Brunton Editor

Rebekah McCubbins Editor

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:

Kristin D'agostino, Megan Garrett Bales, Madi Balman, Shantal Bowers, Sarah Dooley, Hannah Filos, Kim Gilliland, Andy Hale, Samantha Ruth, Kristy Whilden

Carolina Spark Magazine is a bi-annual publication of Crystal Clear Marketing, LLC Swannanoa, NC | 828.803.4817

Katy Brock Digital Marketing

Carolina Spark Magazine is distributed bi-annually throughout North Carolina.

CONTACT

info@CrystalCMarketing.com for information on putting your business in front of 25,000+ readers bi-annually.

table of contents 22

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10 CSM In the News 11 Mission Health FASHION & BEAUTY 14 Seasonal Makeup Tips 15 Skincare Marion-style: Q&A SPARK SPOTLIGHT 18 Welder Jenny Hickman 19 Artist Elyse Burns 20 Writer Angie Mizzell 21 Nurse Midwife Trish Hickling Beckman 22 First Responder Lt. Diana Loveland 23 Teen Grace Geoffrey WOMEN'S HEALTH 26 Daoist Medicine - Dr. Cissy Majebe 28 Grieving in the New Year - Samantha Ruth 30 Grief Inspiring Empathy - Melina Arrowood 32 Optimal Bio Hormone Replacement Therapy 33 MAPS

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EDUCATION 38 Professor Andrea Glover 49 Designer Nataliia Chorna - AB-Tech

FOOD & BEVERAGE 61 Jackrabbit Filly Review 62 Valentine's Day Wines Andy Hale

HOME LIVING 41 Interior Design - For the Love of Dog! 44 Home Gardening for Beginners

RECIPES 66 Egg Custard Pie 67 Mom's Greek Shrimp

TRAVEL & OUTDOORS 46 River Rock Wildlife Rehab 48 Beech Mountain BUSINESS & FINANCE 50 Maui Vang INSPIRATIONAL WOMEN 54 Excuse Us While We Succeed - Ashley Sandahl WOMEN IN BUSINESS 56 Holy City Hats 58 TSA Safety 59 Women Owned Products

FAMILY 68 Deaf vs. deaf - Kristy Whilden 69 The Bair Foundation

We're looking for our next cover women!

Contact us today to find out how to be our next cover feature!

COMMUNITY 71 Doors to Freedom 72 Homeschool Co-Op ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 74 Nicki LaRue 75 Cat Fly Film Festival COVER WOMEN 77 Chris Clark 79 Shannon Trim 81 Brittany Bettini 83 Shay Brown

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Q @carolina_spark_magazine | E @carolinasparkmagazine Order online or purchase our yearly subscription & save! CarolinaSparkMagazine.com CarolinaSparkMagazine.com

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IN THE NEWS Happy Mother's Day! Congratulations to our Art Director, Madi Balman on the birth of her son Jasper Wyatt Balman! & Happy Mother's Day to all of our wonderful readers who fill that role! Women take on so many caring roles in life, and if you are a mother in any sense of the word, we celebrate you.

From all of us here at Carolina Spark Magazine, we hope that your Mother's Day is joyous and filled with love.

CONGRATULATIONS to Holly & Blake Ellege, the winners of our Christmas Tree Contest!

ENTER OUR NEXT CONTEST! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to find out more about our next contest!

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JULY 2024 ISSUE DEADLINE: JUNE 3, 2024

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PHOTO CREDIT: BROOKE PARKER PHOTOGRAPHY

MISSION HEALTH WOMEN IN SURGERY

Dr. Pamela Meliski

Asheville Orthopaedic Associates | 828-252-7331 310 Long Shoals Rd Suite 301, Arden, NC 28704

Dr. Pamela Meliski is an orthopedic surgeon, who specializes in foot and ankle reconstruction. “My initial plan was to become a primary care physician, but I fell in love with the muscle skeletal system and its beautiful architecture,” she says. Originally from a small town in Vermont, Meliski came to Asheville, North Carolina at 17 to attend college at University of North Carolina Asheville, where she played on the women’s soccer team her entire four years. She attended medical school at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and graduated with highest honors. Then, she did her five-year residency at Wake Forest University. She completed her medical training by doing a one year Foot and Ankle Reconstruction fellowship at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore.

Thrilled to get the opportunity to return to Asheville to practice in 2009, Meliski provides surgical and nonsurgical management of foot and ankle problems, extending from athletic injuries, traumatic fractures, arthritis of the foot and ankle, and sequela from medical comorbidities. “I love creating a tangible product that directly helps patients achieve improved function, and an improved lifestyle,” she says. Meliski also loves creating relationships with her patients, and designed her clinics to provide the time for her to fully understand each patient’s issues and expectations. While this sometimes makes her run behind, Meliski feels it’s worth it to provide the best possible care to her patients. “I truly enjoy the journey that we share together and guiding them along the way.”

Dr. Elaine Chan

Mission Hospital | 828-213-1994 509 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801

Dr. Elaine Chan is an Acute Care Surgeon with Mission Hospital who found her love for medicine while volunteering in the emergency room. “Surgery was love at first sight,” she shares. Her specialties include trauma and emergency general surgery as well as surgical critical care. In her spare time, she works per diem at an inpatient hospice facility and also serves as the Clerkship Director for UNC’s Asheville cohort of third-year medical students.

Dr. Chan is a first-generation Asian American and the first in her family to graduate high school. She believes there is “no greater honor than being able to employ a unique skill set to help others who are less fortunate,” and attributes her success to her “ability to make spiritual connections, find and spread joy in the most unexpected places, and last, but not least, employ humor as a tool of medicine.” Although surgery is a demanding field, she encourages any woman to explore it as a career as it is infinitely more rewarding.

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Dr. Amy Alexander

Hope Women’s Cancer Center | 828-670-8403 100 Ridgefield Ct, Asheville, NC 28816

Gynecologic oncologist Dr. Amy Alexander has wanted to be a doctor for as long as she can remember. “I was attracted to the field because it allowed me to take care of people while solving complicated problems,” she says of medicine. “I love getting to take care of women in all walks of life and develop long-term relationships with the women I care for.” Dr. Alexander earned her undergraduate degree from Harvard University, and after a few years working as a clinical research manager, she received her medical degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine. She completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Pittsburgh, followed by a three-year subspecialty fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology at Northwestern University in Chicago. There she learned minimally invasive, robotic, and other advanced gynecologic surgery skills and chemotherapy for treating all types of gynecologic cancer.

Now Dr. Alexander performs surgery for cervical cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, and vulvar cancer, as well as for complex benign gynecologic conditions such as large fibroids and endometriosis. During her career, Dr. Alexander has performed hundreds of robotic hysterectomies, and countless other surgeries for these conditions. “It is very satisfying for women to come to me with a problem that I can often make better either with surgery alone or a combination of surgery and chemotherapy,” she says. “I feel privileged in every operation that the patient has trusted me to perform her surgery. And while no surgeon is perfect, we work very hard to care for each patient like they are a member of our family and give them the best possible outcome.”

Dr. Red Hoffman MD, ND, FACS Mission Hospital | 828-213-1994 509 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801

Acute Care Surgeon Dr. Red Hoffman describes her work as “a mix of trauma, emergency general surgery, and surgical critical care.” But she didn’t always plan to join the medical field. When Dr. Hoffman was 19 years old, her father was killed while on a business trip in Cairo, Egypt. Her subsequent health struggles led her to pursue training as a naturopathic doctor. While training, she found an interest in surgery and changed her education path.

“After 8 years of post-graduate medical training, I found the perfect job at Mission Hospital,” Dr. Hoffman says. Mission Hospital has allowed her to teach, lead, and more–all while continuing to operate. Dr. Hoffman is passionate about patient care. She runs Mission Hospital’s Inpatient Hospice program, co-founded the Surgical Palliative Care Society, and serves as Mission Hospital’s Associate Medical Director of Palliative Care. Beyond the hospital, she was recently chosen to speak at TEDx Asheville 2024, hosts the Surgical Palliative Care Podcast, and just launched her second podcast, The Surgical Soul with Red MD, a look into “the secret lives of surgeons, both inside and outside of the operating room.”

Dr. Michelle Kiser

Mission Children’s Hospital | 828-213-1740 509 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801

Pediatric Surgeon Dr. Michelle Kiser decided to work in healthcare because she “experienced, first hand, the effects of how disease and suffering in young people can change the course of their and their families’ lives, and how terrible it can feel to be unable to alleviate that suffering.” What sets pediatric medicine apart, she says, is that you don’t specialize in a part of the body: “Pediatric surgeons specialize in a population.”

Dr. Kiser is passionate about caring for people. When asked what she loves about the work she does, she says, “ I love love love the patients I take care of. I love interacting with families, and reassuring scared parents. I love explaining things and talking through how we will get through tough times. And I absolutely love being in the operating room, amongst a team of people devoted to one task, one person.” She also enjoys “the technical aspect, the problem solving, the art of surgery.”

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Dr. Lindsee McPhail

Mission Surgery | 828-252-3366 Option 2 14 Medical Park Drive, Asheville, NC 28803

Dr. Lindsee McPhail is a fellowship-trained General Surgeon who focuses primarily on robotic assisted surgery. She received her education and training at UNC-Chapel Hill. She is an expert in abdominal wall reconstruction, which she says means “I fix lots of hernias,” as well as foregut issues, like heartburn, and soft tissue diseases–what she calls “lumps and bumps of the skin.”

Dr. McPhail was drawn to the surgical field from a young age. “My dad was a general surgeon,” she says. “It’s in my blood.” She is passionate about her job, and says, “I get to use my hands to help people physically get better. And I get to meet new people every day.” She understands the importance of her role in patients’ health journeys: “I’ve had my share of surgery so I understand how it can be scary and overwhelming.” Dr. McPhail is committed to providing expert care to every patient, and says, “I am incredibly proud to work with the people at Mission Hospital, in our clinic, and at the ASC. We have built one of the strongest robotic surgery programs in the Southeast. I can’t think of anywhere else you can go that provides more clinical expertise and skill than we have right here.”

Dr. Ashley Case

Hope Women’s Cancer Center | 828-670-8403 100 Ridgefield Ct, Asheville, NC 28816

Gynecologic Oncologist Dr. Ashley Case is a fellowship-trained physician surgeon that specializes in cancers of the female reproductive system including ovarian, uterine, cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancers. Interested in the science aspect of healthcare from a young age, Dr. Case fell in love with treating and caring for women with gynecologic cancers. “I appreciated walking a path with these women from diagnosis through treatment strategies,” she says of her patients, adding that her work allows her to understand the impact of cancer (and its treatment) on all aspects of a woman's life including future childbearing, sexuality, physical and emotional well-being. “I also love that my work allows for continuity of care as I treat women from diagnosis through surgery, treatment, and survivorship stages.”

An expert in complex laparoscopic and robotic surgery approaches in treating women’s cancers and complex benign conditions, Dr. Case is also trained in using genetic and genomic testing to help identify personalized cancer treatment options and measure cancer risks for patients. She enjoys that her work involves a comprehensive multidisciplinary team-approach to diagnosing and treating women’s cancers that allows for leading-edge care. Today, Dr. Case has been practicing gynecologic oncology in Asheville for 14 years at Hope Women’s Cancer Center.

Dr. Sarah Sher

Mission Cancer Specialists | 828-213-2430 21 Hospital Drive Asheville, NC, 28801

Board certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Dr. Sarah Sher comes from a long line of medical professionals. Having both a father and grandfather that were general surgeons, as well as a mother who was a nurse, Dr. Sher found an early interest in surgery. After completing her surgical training at Georgetown University, learning from the leaders in breast reconstruction, Sher came to Mission Hospital to focus primarily on mastectomy reconstruction. “I work very closely with our breast surgeons to offer both implant and microsurgical tissue-based reconstructions at the time of mastectomy,” she explains. “My goal for any woman going through cancer is to feel whole at the end of the procedure.” She also cares for patients who are interested in breast reduction and surgery after major weight loss.

Dr. Sher loves getting to work with her patients and finding creative ways to help them. “I am a problem-solver and a people person, and through plastic surgery I am able to satisfy both of those areas and continue to learn and really focus on delivering excellent care to our patients,” she explains. “There isn't a one size fits all scenario for everyone so helping each person through their journey is a gift.”

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8 Seasonal Tips for Your Makeup Routine

BY SHANTAL BOWERS

Changes in the weather can affect the conditions of our skin.

Our makeup routines need to adapt with this cycle of nature to feel and look our best. Let’s discuss 8 tips that we can use during these seasonal changes.

Fall and Winter Makeup Tips Prep by Exfoliating Exfoliation is the removal of dead skin and debris that clogs your pores. To prevent dead skin cells from clogging and to minimize your risks for breakouts, it is important to exfoliate at least three times a week. Exfoliation leaves your skin soft and smooth, which ensures a smooth makeup application.

Wear Chapstick or Lip Balm Matte lipstick on dried lips is like paint on a chipped wall.

Prep your lips by applying lip balm that contains shea butter, petroleum, or coconut oil. These ingredients are great for hydrating and refreshing your lips. Applying lip balm before liquid matte lipsticks will lock in moisture and create a smooth finish.

Moisturize Did you know that not moisturizing can cause your skin to produce more oil and dead skin that can clog your pores? For drier skin, use a heavier moisturizer during colder months to hydrate the skin and help restore your natural skin barrier. Light moisturizers are best for people with oily, combination, or normal skin. Moisturizing before makeup applications helps prep the skin and helps your makeup last as long as possible.

Switch to a Liquid Highlighter Swapping out a powder highlighter with liquid highlighter during the fall and winter months will give your skin a flawless, long-lasting, lit-from-within look without drying out the skin. Apply a drop of a liquid to areas that catch light such as the bridge of your nose, inner corner of the 14

Carolina Spark Magazine 2024

eyes, and cheekbones. Next, damp your beauty sponge with your favorite setting spray and then gently blend in the product to achieve the perfect lifted look.

Spring and Summer Makeup Tips Set Your Face Setting your face during the hotter months will help your makeup last longer. After applying your foundation and concealers, apply setting powder on the areas where you crease the most. Allow the powder to sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then dust it off.

Use Light Foundation Have you ever experienced a makeup meltdown? It’s no fun looking like a melted candle. During hot weather, it’s important to choose a lightweight foundation. Less is always more, so simply replace your heavyweight foundation with a lightweight foundation.

Choose a Waterproof Mascara During the hotter months, the body sweats and increases blood flow to the skin to cool down faster. Waterproof mascara creates a bold lash look while preventing you from ruining your eye makeup.

Apply Setting Spray Setting spray is the holy grail for keeping a face full of glam intact during hot weather. Applying setting spray sets everything in place including your foundation, concealer, contour, highlighter, blush, and brows. Using setting sprays with SPF will not only keep makeup in place but also protect your skin from UV exposure.

When it comes to makeup there are many factors that influence your outcome, and the weather is definitely one of them. By incorporating these tips into your routine, you can be better prepared during seasonal changes to achieve the look you want and get a long-lasting makeup application.

Skincare Marion-style: How Local Estheticians Recommend You Care for Your Skin

BY MEG HALE BRUNTON We questioned the tag team of estheticians in Marion, North Carolina for their recommendations on skincare. Ashley Carson is a professional esthetician, full body waxer and owner of Glabrescent Waxing Studio. Jessica Hudgins is a licensed esthetician and owner of Meraki Skin Studio. Here are their tips for keeping your skin looking clear and youthful: 1. What skin issues do you encounter most?

J: I'd say right now with the social media craze, skincare has become at the forefront of our daily lives. I'd say the biggest issue I see regularly is my clients not knowing their skin type and not knowing how to properly care for it. Their skin has different needs than their favorite celebrity or their best friend... so using the same skincare as them based on their recommendation is definitely not the way to go.

Another huge issue I see regularly is the misinformation out there regarding skin, concerns and treatment. TikTok and influencers have become such a huge problem for Estheticians because so many people follow ‘said person’ regularly and get to the point where without knowing this person, they trust them. When this person is not a skincare profession (or is and gives bad advice) they get followed by the millions. Everyone just has to realize that they are special. Their skin is different than anyone else's and skincare is not a one-size-fits-all ‘cookie-cutter’ treatment. You need to see a professional to walk you through the daily ins and outs of how to treat YOUR skin.

A: I specialize in hair removal as an esthetician. Most of the skin issues I see are dry skin due to lack of water intake and lack of proper moisturizing, in-growns due to either being prone to them or lack of exfoliation, and also acne on the body. We are taught about skincare from the aspect of facial skin. Our body skin is actually about 2025% thicker or it can be as thin as our eyelid in areas that need movement, such as underarm, inner elbows, back of the knees, and even our bikini line. The palms of our hands and bottoms of our feet actually have a fifth layer of skin not found on other areas.

2. What treatment options do you offer?

J: I help transform my clients skin to its healthiest and most glowy state through product education and

professional skincare treatments. It's all about getting your skin through a progressive journey and not aggressive. It's all about getting your skin through a progressive journey and not aggressive. As far as skincare goes I offer 1-hour Customized Facials. With our facials, we together go over your skin concerns and your consultation form. Each facial will be completely different depending on what your skin needs and concerns aer at that moment. I also offer a lot of different facial add-ons to help us address each concern. Currently we offer Diamond Microdermabrasion, Dermaplaning, Enzyme Peels, Microcurrent Treatments, NanoInfusion Treatments, Back Facials and LED Light Therapy. We also offer other beauty add-ons such as Lash and Brow Tinting, Lash Lifts and Facial Waxing.

A: All of my waxes come with complimentary extractions and body oil moisturizing solution to help my clients skin bounce back. I work with body treatments at my studio because I feel that our bodies need just as much attention as our facial skin. I offer full body exfoliation and mud mask that I recommend for beginners and for when we come out of winter to help shed off excess skin.

Our back is often the most neglected and so I offer back facials with add ons such as LED or Microdermabrasion.

Brazilians are my #1 service, but for skincare I offer vajacial options either immediately after waxing or the halfway mark between waxes. This service is great for those prone to in-growns.

3. What key tips do you recommend to people to keep their skin looking great?

J: #1 WEAR THAT SUNSCREEN! Prevention with skincare is way easier than fixing an issue later. I have clients who come in daily after 30 years of not wearing sunscreen wanting their hyperpigmentation and fine lines gone in 2 treatments. If it took 30 years to get CarolinaSparkMagazine.com

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important to make sure the skin is properly cared for on a consistent basis. Skipping a day isn't going to hurt, but skipping a full week will through off your hard-working. Also, you esthetician will love you if you have a regular skincare routine.

If it took 30 years to get there, have

patience. It's going to take us consistency and alot more time to fix. #2 Go to an Esthetician and find out your skin type and how to treat it. Certain products and ingredients to someone with oily skin can be detrimental to someone with dry skin. #3 Learn that dehydrated skin and dry skin are 2 completely different things. Dehydrated lacks water. Dry lacks oil. You can have dry, dehydrated skin or oily, dehydrated skin. You treat them completely different. #4 Stop trusting things you find on TikTok and random Influencers.

They get paid by the thousands by sponsors to sell you an idea or product. Estheticians are looking out for your skin. We do not get paid by CeraVe to push products.

A: First would be getting enough water and a nutrient-rich diet. Skin needs to be hit from inside the body for proper stem cell functions in skin development. Second, always moisturize immediately after a shower. Pat any excess but don't dry off completely. Add a drop of jojoba or rose oil to a fragrance free moisturizer for best results. Third, Waxing isn't actually a natural process for the skin.

Removing hair goes against our natural evolution, so it's extremely 16

Carolina Spark Magazine 2024

4. With budget as a consideration, what skincare products do you recommend?

J: So many think that professional skincare products are going to be too expensive and that’s completely not true. I have my own professional, botanical-based line and it’s priced cheaper than most OTC skincare you will find at your favorite stores. The difference is that mine have been formulated to deliver results and you can only get it from a licensed professional because of the ingredient strength and delivery systems. I will not recommend any that will harm my clients skin. Each person’s skin is different and what works for one may not work for another.

A: Cerave and Cetaphil are base level lotions that are fragrance free and can be purchased just about anywhere. I personally use them with a drop of jojoba oil mixed in to use immediately after I shower.

Spark Spotlight HIGHLIGHTING BRILLIANT WOMEN IN THEIR COMMUNITIES

SPARK SPOTLIGHT

Welder Jenny Hickman Professional welder Jenny Hickman was born June 19, 1999 in Walterboro, South Carolina. She went to Colleton County High School and had one son named Matthew at the age of 17. She started welding when she was fifteen years old and has always been interested in welding and automotive. During her senior year of high school, Hickman placed in the top ten in the Skills USA competition for diesel mechanics in Greenville, SC. She followed up with welding after highschool, finding that she enjoyed it more than mechanic work. She has two incredibly supportive best friends (Jason and Delenn) who have been like family to her aside from her biological family. “It takes a village to raise a child, and being a single parent at such a young age, I quickly realized that,” Hickman says.

1. How did you get into welding?

When I was a sophomore in high school, I originally was looking for a class that I could pass easily. As I advanced in the class, I realized that I enjoyed it. I continued welding throughout my highschool career and after school, I decided to take my knowledge and experience with welding and continue on with it. I worked as a maintenance technician for a plant, and then later decided to try it out on my own.

2. What aspect of your job do you most enjoy?

With my job, I enjoy the flexibility I’m able to have as a single parent. I found out I was pregnant shortly after graduating highschool, and I was worried it would ruin my chances at a career with welding. However, it only made me push harder. I also enjoy meeting new people and the satisfaction of being able to step back after every job and admire what I’ve fixed or built.

3. What type/style/design of welding do you specialize in?

I specialize in Mig welding and stick welding. I know how to tig weld, but it just didn’t come as natural to me, and being able to feel comfortable while working is a big part of what I do. I’ve created art from my welding, I’ve helped business owners with their equipment, and I’ve been able to make things easier for some people who needed extra storage or stability on trailers, trucks, and vehicles.

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PHOTO CREDIT: JENNY HICKMAN

4. What is the most rewarding part of your job?

The most rewarding part of my job is probably the faces of my clients when they see that they have gotten exactly what they’ve asked for. I’m also able to help friends I have known for years with projects they felt defeated by. My six year old son (Matthew) has taken interest in welding and it makes me happy because I’ve never been able to pass my knowledge onto someone until now.

5. What would be your advice to other women thinking of going into welding?

My advice to any woman thinking of going into welding would be for them to go for it! You miss 100% of the chances you don’t take and even if it takes a while for you to learn how to do it, no one wakes up knowing things.

You have to learn everything. If you don’t like it or want to continue with it, at least you can say you have a shot and you learned something new. I’ve never been upset or regretted learning a new trade.

SPARK SPOTLIGHT

Artist Elyse Burns Elyse Burns started Elyse Breanne Design as a personal creative outlet, without a clue that it would change her life in more ways than one.

EBD began on her 18th birthday as an Etsy shop offering her original paintings and grew into a stationery and lifestyle brand as she attended college, graduate school, and law school. Building a business while attending law school, Burns began to feel burnt out. To destress, she made an intentional decision to keep creativity a central part of her life through painting and digital art.

“Prioritizing creativity in my life made all the difference in staying motivated as I struggled with many demanding responsibilities,” says Burns. “Balancing entrepreneurship while completing law school taught me the value of incorporating art into daily life.”

Now, after choosing my business over a career in law, I strive to help creative-minded people add art to their lives in practical and attainable ways. Not only do I aim to provide my own art on everyday goods, but also develop items ready-made to accessibly express your creativity through coloring, journaling, and painting. “My journey has taught me the value of creativity,” she says. “With a firm belief that art belongs in every day, my greatest hope is to bring more creativity into the lives of each of our customers.”

1. How did you become interested in art?

I’ve always been creative, and as a kid, I loved sewing, knitting, baking, drawing, painting, anything that allowed me to create! I first started painting when I was in high school and started selling my paintings on Etsy beginning on my 18th birthday—I could hardly wait to start and opened my Etsy shop the first day I legally could on my own. From there, I kept up with my Etsy shop through college, grad school, and law school. Then I was able to take my business full-time after I earned my law degree!

2. What is your favorite part or the work you do?

I have two favorite things about my business. First, I love having the time to draw. When I was still in school, I could barely keep up with all of my responsibilities and being creative fell lower on my priority list. Now that it’s my job, I have to do it, and I’m so happy that’s the case!

Second, I love that my art connects me to others! For one, my employees are my friends and family and I treasure getting to see them every day. I also love that I can share my work on social media and get feedback and ideas from my followers. As an extravert, it’s beyond rewarding to share what I’ve made with others!

3. Who or what is your biggest inspiration?

I’m definitely most inspired by nature. My favorite thing in the world is a calm, bright, sunny morning, so I love reflecting bright and light colors in my work. Nearly all of my art includes plants, animals, flowers and/or fruit. I am obsessed with organic shapes and concepts because they feel relaxing and approachable to me.

4. What is most important to you in your art?

Ultimately, I want my art to make people feel comfortable and happy. I want it to brighten up the spaces it’s in, which is why I love light and bright color palettes and organic shapes.

5. What do you think makes you different from other artists?

I love developing my distinct personal style and brand.

It is extremely important to me that my art is true to me, and I’ve worked hard to hone my style over the past decade. Essential to my style is evenness, balance, color cohesion and movement.

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6. What are some challenges you have faced in your work?

I am, to my core, a perfectionist. This has translated into my work through my attempts to make my pieces perfectly balanced in their elements and colors.

Sometimes, that has left me feeling paralyzed in the process of creating a piece. It is hard to finish any single work when I am constantly second-guessing the placement of each added element. I have tried to get over this habit, but I’m still working on it!

7. What are your goals for the future as an artist?

One of my biggest goals is to develop an even more cohesive portfolio of surface pattern designs that utilize every color of the rainbow! Right now, most of my pieces are in warmer tones, and I want to do my best to branch out from that!

SPARK SPOTLIGHT

Writer Angie Mizzell

"Girl in the Spotlight" examines a pivotal moment in Angie's life when she left her rising career in television news to pursue a path that felt more authentic and fulfilling. Angie takes a look back at how unprocessed childhood loss shaped her views of success, performance, and self-worth and highlights the turning points and realizations that led her to take a major leap of faith.

1. How did you become interested in writing?

My 9th grade English teacher made us keep a daily journal that we had to turn in at the end of each week for a grade.

I noticed that when I put pen to paper, my thoughts and feelings about what was going on behind-the-scenes in my life came easily. When I wrote, I felt a shift inside: I felt honest, free, and more like myself.

2. What style of writing do you most enjoy?

I've always gravitated towards personal essays and memoir. I like to share relatable stories about my life to encourage and inspire others and remind them that they're not alone.

3. Where do you find your inspiration as a writer?

In the midst of day-to-day living. I can be going about my day and something about the moment will illuminate—it starts playing out like a scene in my mind.

PHOTO CREDIT: JODY MACK PHOTOGRAPHY

Angie Mizzell is an author, speaker, and conversation catalyst who encourages women to break cycles of the past, pave their own way, and come home to themselves.

Angie connects with her community through her weekly newsletter Hello Friday, and her coming-of-age memoir "Girl in the Spotlight" was recently released by Publish Her press.

5. What is most important to you in your writing?

It's important that my writing "voice" closely reflects the truest and most honest version of myself. I try to give my ideas enough space to develop beyond my initial raw and unprocessed reactions, but I don't overthink it to a point that my words lose their vulnerability and relatability.

6. What are you currently working on?

I'm launching a podcast in early 2024 and it will be a 4. What is the most rewarding part of being a writer? deeper dive into the themes and topics presented in my When a reader tells me how my words helped them make memoir, "Girl in the Spotlight." It will be a mix of solo an important connection in their own life. episodes and interviews with guests.

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When it came time to apply for college I only applied to nursing schools. I enrolled in the nursing program at Georgetown University. When I got out of school and became a nurse I also became a bit of a rebel and took a job in the emergency department, deliberately parting ways with my mom’s plans. I then became obsessed with nursing on the front lines of war and found myself in El Salvador for a time. Upon my return, I took a job teaching childbirth classes in Spanish, which led me to finally fulfill the dream and fall in love with the idea of working with moms and babies. I became the labor and delivery nurse I was raised to be, and I learned the most important lessons ever by reporting to work at 3pm and getting reports from my mom as she passed her patients to me. I assumed their care, but my mom rarely ever left.

She stayed on in a support role to answer my questions and shepherd me into a lifelong love of nursing. It was a truly magical path now filled with some of the happiest moments of my entire life.

2. What was the most significant experience you had during your training/education to shape you as PHOTO CREDIT: CAROL SPAGS PHOTOGRAPHY a medical professional?

I remember as a nursing assistant there was an emergency happening and all hands were on deck to try SPARK SPOTLIGHT to help this young mother. She had high blood pressure while delivering her baby. Her case was very severe and had progressed into something called disseminated intravascular coagulation. She began heavily bleeding- a Trish Hickling Beckman has been a nurse since 1987 nose bleed, vaginal bleeding, rectal bleeding- it seemed and a nurse midwife since 1995. Currently, she works like quite quickly all of her body’s orifices began to bleed. as nurse midwife at Catawba Valley Medical Center in It was absolutely horrible. The doctors and nurses worked Hickory and a radiation oncology nurse at mission HCA. hard to start multiple IV lines and give lots of blood Growing up one of five (eventually six, through adoption), transfusions. I was there watching it all and remember Beckman says her mother instilled in her the knowledge thinking she seemed to have lost her personhood. She that she was meant to be a nurse. “She talked about it became at risk of severe illness or death and there were a lot and was very excited to watch me develop into the so many people helping her, yet she was all alone as no amazing nurse and midwife she just knew I would be,” one was addressing her fear and anxiety. Somehow I was says Beckman. In addition to nursing, Beckman does able to find a spot near the patient and look her in the eye a great deal of volunteer work, as a Buncombe County and tell her that she wasn’t alone, that all these people Guardian Ad Litem, board member for Different Strokes were going to help her and that I would not leave her. She Performing Arts Collective, and team member for the squeezed my hand and I squeezed back. That day I learned Catawba County Child Safety Team. that being kind and caring can make a tremendous 1. What initially caused you to become interested in difference in a person’s experience. Kindness and personal connection and attention became my creed and nursing pursuing a career in the medical field? became my vehicle to practice it.

By the time I was twelve, I was a candy striper at my mom’s hospital, volunteering on weekends. Then, I got 3. What is your favorite aspect about your job? my first paid job as a unit secretary and worked on the I have two jobs now. On weekends I work in Hickory, NC same unit (Labor and Delivery) that my mom was a part at Catawba Valley Medical Center. I have been a midwife of as a staff nurse. I later became a nursing assistant so there for 18 years. My patients include high school that I could help with patient care and work more sidestudents who find themselves pregnant when they least by -side with my mom. I had a front row seat to watch expected it, Hispanic immigrants that don’t speak English the incredible work of the nurses, supporting moms and and are overwhelmed trying to understand how our babies through labor and delivery. healthcare system works, women in jail during pregnancy

Nurse Midwife Trish Hickling Beckman

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and trying to navigate the criminal justice system, high risk women with complicated medical problems, and women who never sought prenatal care and are totally unprepared for the experience ahead of them. Each of these cases is an opportunity where kindness and support can truly turn a scary time into one of the very best experiences they could have had.

Radiation therapy clinic that isn’t so grateful for the approach and kindness of every single staff member.

When you have the chance to make a difference in people’s lives and to be as kind as humanely as possible, work is a joy, a privilege, and a calling. I am so fortunate my mother decided to raise me to be a nurse and give me the gift of so much human connection in my lifetime.

I also work at Mission Hospital in Asheville, NC in the Radiation Oncology clinic. There, I work with an amazing team of 6 brilliant and incredibly kind radiation oncologists and a team of nurses and radiation therapists who provide outstanding care in one of the kindest, most supportive hospital settings I have ever experienced.

At the radiation oncology clinic I see so many patients from all walks of life facing their cancer diagnosis with determination to fight for what matters most in life: time!

Each person’s values are important. The patients have the final say in all treatment decisions. The team works together to educate them on their options, support their decisions and equip them to have the best outcomes possible. I have never seen a patient at the Mission

4. What do you recommend to other young women who are considering careers in the medical industry?

I am a huge advocate for both men and women at any age to consider embracing nursing as their profession. It can look like so many different paths so almost everyone can find a fulfilling career in some form of nursing. And once your training is complete I would say from my personal perspective the most important thing is to find a job where it is very obvious that kindness is in the culture.

There is nothing more fulfilling than being treated with kindness and respect and offering those same gifts to all the patients you meet as you walk the path of your nursing career.

PHOTO CREDIT: ASHEVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT

SPARK SPOTLIGHT

First Responder Lieutenant Diana Loveland Lieutenant Diana Loveland attended Western Carolina University and graduated in 1999 with a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. In 2000, she was fortunate to be hired by the Asheville Police Department to attend the Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) program. This training laid the foundation for her career in law enforcement by equipping her with the necessary skills and knowledge to serve as a police officer. Once Loveland completed BLET, she was sworn in as a police officer, officially beginning her journey in the field. Over the years, she has had the privilege of working in various roles within the police department, including officer, sergeant, and lieutenant.

Each rank provided her with unique experiences and challenges, and she has grown both personally and professionally through these positions.

Loveland has had the opportunity to work in patrol and criminal investigations at each rank she held. This has allowed her to gain a comprehensive understanding of law enforcement operations from different perspectives.

In addition to her regular duties, Loveland has taken on additional responsibilities within the department.

She served as a field training officer, which involved mentoring and guiding new officers. She also had the privilege of being part of the Crisis Negotiation Team,

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where she worked alongside skilled negotiators to resolve high-stress situations peacefully. Currently, Loveland serves as the Team Commander for the Peer Support Team. This role involves providing guidance and support to fellow officers, ensuring they have access to the resources they need to maintain their well-being and mental health.

Throughout her career in law enforcement, Loveland has remained committed to serving and protecting the community she works in. “It has been a challenging but deeply rewarding journey,” she says. “I am grateful for the opportunity to impact people's lives positively.”

1. How long have you been in your position?

I began my career in law enforcement in 2000, initially serving on patrol. In 2006, I transitioned to the role of detective, and by 2015, I earned a promotion to sergeant.

In 2020, I achieved the rank of lieutenant, marking 24 years of dedicated service in total.

2. What initially caused you to become interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement?

I have always been interested in law enforcement and how the system works. Television looked very different from the interactions I had seen in real life, which intrigued me.

I wanted to be someone who could make a positive impact in times of need and stay informed about the happenings in my community. In school, a teacher shared a quote by Gandhi that deeply resonated with me: 'Be the change you want to see in the world.' This philosophy has been my guiding principle in every career choice I have made. It's not just about a job for me; it's about actively contributing to the betterment of my community and being a force for positive change.

3. What is important to you in your job?

During the tough days, it’s crucial for me to reflect on why I embarked on this career in the first place. My passion goes beyond wanting to assist citizens in their time of need; it extends to my desire to support my fellow citizens. Being in a leadership position allows me to contribute not only to investigations but also to support my colleagues. I believe in being there for both the community and the officers who tirelessly serve.

challenging times of their lives. My commitment revolves around offering compassion and empathy, with the ultimate goal of providing individuals the closure they need to move forward. Witnessing someone make a positive change in their life as a result is incredibly rewarding. It reinforces the impact of genuine support and the potential for resilience even in the face of adversity.

6. What do you want Spark readers to know about you?

While I serve as a police officer, it is essential to remember that officers are people, too. I wear many hats in life- I am a daughter, a sister, a wife, and a mother.

Despite these roles, I recognize that the world does not revolve around me. Instead, I see myself as someone who aspires to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Being a police officer is not just a profession; it is an opportunity to contribute positively to the community and be there for others in need.

7. What do you recommend to other young women who would like to get into law enforcement?

I wholeheartedly encourage women, regardless of age, to consider a career in law enforcement. Women bring unique perspectives and strengths to the field, drawing from their diverse life experiences. My advice is to prioritize education, focus on physical fitness, and actively work towards positive change they wish to see in their community. Embracing the challenges of law enforcement is not just a job; it is an opportunity to shape and enhance the well-being of our society.

SPARK SPOTLIGHT

Teen Grace Geoffrey

Grace Geoffrey is a senior at AC Reynolds High School in Asheville, North Carolina. Following her graduation this upcoming spring, she hopes to study musical theater and pursue a career in performing. Grace spends her time outside of school doing art, writing, baking, and babying her beloved cat Lyle. To her, theater and music are a 4. What is your favorite thing about your job? way of communicating with others and creating unity.

I find joy in interacting with people and walking alongside Grace hopes that she can achieve this and more when she them on their unique journeys. Each day in my role brings performs in the future. new experiences and the beauty that no two days are ever 1. What is your age and grade level? the same. The dynamic nature of my work allows me to I am seventeen, and a senior in high school. connect with individuals in a meaningful way, making every interaction an enriching experience.

2. What is your favorite subject to study and why?

My favorite school subject is ELA. I’ve been an avid reader 5. What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? ever since I learned how, so ELA has always come easy to In my line of work, I often find myself meeting people me and it introduces me to new books every year. on what might be the worst day or during the most CarolinaSparkMagazine.com

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5. What do you feel are the biggest challenges you’ve had to overcome?

I think the biggest challenges I’ve had to overcome were all related to social hierarchies within school. Safe spaces and people seemed to come and go very quickly, and holding on to those became extremely important to me because of their brevity.

6. Who are your role models and biggest influences?

One of my biggest influences/role models has always been my mom. She works in the theater industry, and growing up in that environment with her instilled a love of the Arts in me very early on. She and the rest of my family are my biggest supporters in everything that I do, and I owe the majority of my theater exposure to her.

7. What do you think are the biggest issues facing young people today?

I know this is a commonly preached issue, but I’m of the opinion that social media’s influence on youth is one of the biggest problems facing young people today. I enjoy scrolling through my socials as much as the next person, but it’s impossible to avoid being bombarded by images of “the ideal body” or other fake stereotypes. The images on social media perpetuate unrealistic physical standards, fabricated ways of living, and unhealthy relationships.

Growing up while constantly seeing these kinds of posts can be very damaging to mental health and can heavily influence the standards that kids (and adults) set for themselves.

3. What activities do you participate in outside of school?

I participate in a few choirs outside of school, as well as performing in community theater. I also enjoy baking, hiking, and spending time with my cat Lyle.

4. What field do you hope to go into after you graduate?

Musical theater!

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8. If you could change one thing about the world to make it better, what would that change be?

If I could change one thing about the world to improve it, I’d change the perception of women in society to have them finally be viewed as equals. Women should be able to hold more positions of power, respect, and influence, without the judgment that we have always been faced with. The public acceptance of women has come a far way and is still improving, but in this day and age we should not still be this far behind, and still suffering through daily prejudice based on gender.

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PHOTO CREDIT: STEVIN WESTCOTT

Dr. Cissy Majebe Continues a Tradition of Chinese Medicine in WNC

BY MEG HALE BRUNTON

When Dr. Mary Cissy Majebe founded the Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medicinal Arts (along with Rachel Nowakowski, Junie Norfleet, and Patricia Bernarding), the school had a total of ten students in one classroom. Today, it has grown to include three distinct programs and a student body of around 120. How did Dr. Majebe build such an impressive school and business together? She began by learning a strong work ethic from her mother.

a Sport Psychology PhD program. During her time at school, Majebe worked as a diving coach, and attended a health conference in Washington D.C. where the keynote speaker was renowned author and psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. The conference’s focus on spiritual healing, as opposed to physical healing, altered Majebe’s perspective and made her reconsider her aspirations to become an olympic diving coach. Instead, she finished out her contracted year with the school and opted to broaden her horizons by moving to France. While there, Majebe had a Shiatsu massage and began to understand the healing capabilities of massage.

After returning to the U.S. Majebe settled in Santa Fe, planning to attend massage school. After meeting the president of a local acupuncture college, she chose to study Chinese medicine rather than massage. “I signed up Majebe was one of four children, being raised by a single for classes, never having had an acupuncture treatment,” mother. Her father left her mother with no money, work laughs Majebe. After graduating in 1985, she moved to experience, or marketable skills. Nevertheless, her mother Asheville, North Carolina, where she opened the Chinese took a course in business education and was able to Acupuncture and Herbology Clinic. The business was support her family by becoming a social worker. “I’m very small, but offered a wide variety of medicinal and herbal proud of my mother. She is the biggest influence of my remedies, as well as acupuncture treatments. By 1989, the life,” Majebe says of her now 94-year-old mother. “That’s flourishing business had a client base of 1,700 patients. the person who basically made me who I am today.”

In June 1990, something happened to change Majebe’s The first in her family to graduate from college, Majebe career forever. Her business was raided by armed earned her degree in Sociology from the University officers from the NC state bureau of investigation who of New Orleans, followed by her Master’s in Exercise confiscated all of her patients’ medical records and shut Physiology from South Mississippi University, and then down her clinic. The medical board had filed a claim that attended the University of Virginia where she enrolled in Majebe and her team were practicing medicine without 26

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proper licensing. “My lawyers wanted me to say that I wasn’t practicing medicine; but I was. I was practicing Chinese medicine,” Majebe explains. So she sought out new representation, who advised her to go into hiding to keep from being arrested while they put together a lawsuit against the state and the NC medical board.

While traumatic for Majebe, she feels that the raid and subsequent lawsuit put her and about a dozen other NC acupuncturists in a unique position to assist in the creation of legislature and licensing for the acupuncture and Chinese medicinal field. The experience also showed Majebe what her business meant to the community. A group of her supporters started a fundraiser for Majebe’s clinic, raising over $30,000. Local doctors even wrote letters to the board in support of Majebe’s work, and Majebe’s patients went to the DA’s office, demanding the return of their medical records. “The Asheville community was amazing,” she says of her supporters. “Looking back, I was really blessed because of the community support.”

Afterward, Majebe began shaping her business to include Classical Chinese medicine (rather than just traditional), based on the teachings of 88th generation Daoist priest Jeffrey Yuen. Majebe finds that the classical perspective has a stronger focus on the spiritual and emotional component of Chinese medicine, while examining the whole person to determine causes of ailments and

treatment. “Everything determines what kind of illnesses we develop,” she says, referring to age, size, gender, lifestyle, climatic conditions, and familial roots as causes of illness. She adds that a major difference between Western and Eastern medicine is that Western medicine treats illnesses, while Eastern medicine treats patients who have an illness.

In September 2003, the Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts opened, offering Masters and Doctoral programs in Chinese medicine as well as a certification in Herbal Medicine. Majebe feels that the school’s curriculum gives their students the most comprehensive view of Chinese medicine possible, so that they can narrow their focus onto what aspect of the field they want to specialize in after graduating. While she acknowledges that people are becoming more comfortable with Chinese medicine, Majebe says that she hates to see people shy away from benign treatments like acupuncture for fear that they will be painful. She finds that (when practiced by licensed acupuncturists) acupuncture is an excellent treatment for depression, anxiety, gastric pain, respiratory condition, and even the effects of Long COVID, without causing serious side effects like Western pharmaceuticals.

Now 71, Majebe is very proud of her accomplishments, but says that no one gets to where she is professionally without lots of help. She says she feels so blessed to work with amazing individuals who have inspired and supported her, throughout her career. “I’m gonna stop soon, so I have enough time to snowboard, scuba dive and bike ride,” Majebe jokes regarding retirement. “I’ve had a phenomenal life. I can’t even begin to imagine that I could have had a better life.”

For more information on the Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts, visit their website: daoisttraditions.edu

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Grieving in the New Year

BY SAMANTHA RUTH, EXPERT GRIEF & ANXIETY COACH, FOUNDER OF GRIEFHAB

It’s 2024. The world of AI and the newest iPhone. Sports fans like me are talking about the Super Bowl, March Madness, and the Summer Olympics. It’s a leap year and a Presidential Election year. People are planning vacations and if you live in Colorado, like me, we’re looking at who plays at Red Rocks and when as we plan our 2024. Covid is all but forgotten for most. Not for those who lost someone to Covid. For them, it will never be forgotten.

For me, I do all of this planning, like the rest of the world - but, at the same time - I’m also observing. Like I’m watching a movie of myself and my own life. Jim and I should be planning our ten year wedding anniversary trip for this August. Going into my seventh year without Jim, my husband, my soulmate, my everything - no one thinks about these things that I live with every day. These invisible things that I live with every single moment. And as we enter into 2024.... As we welcome in another year, I watch myself and everyone else doing all of these things. I also watch the world not just ignore grief. I watch the world avoid grief. Actively avoid. I watch the world actively avoid grief. And the people grieving! As if we’ve done something wrong. All the people you’re avoiding have done is lose something. They’re hurting. Most of them are hurting silently. Grief is invisible. Grief. Never. Ends.

This world believes that it ends, that it’s temporary - because the world just avoids talking about grief altogether. It’s uncomfortable. Newsflash: So are many things in life until you adjust and practice and learn. It’s called life. But because grief is invisible, you only know if someone is dealing with loss if they choose to share their story. And for most people, in this world full of judgments and stigmas, that’s difficult. It’s frowned upon. It takes being vulnerable, something else that’s uncomfortable!

Something else that’s frowned upon.

I make it my mission to use my voice and make noise for everyone silently suffering. Because, for us, life is always uncomfortable. Every moment is uncomfortable. Healing involves sharing. I repeat - healing involves sharing. In order to move through the many complicated feelings that are a part of grief, we have to talk about those feelings. More importantly, the only way we can keep the ones we’ve lost with us.... the only way we can keep their memories alive, is by sharing. That might make you uncomfortable. It might bring up your own feelings of loss and sadness. That’s simply not our burden. We’re already 28

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dealing with so much, to also figure out how to communicate about grief - which we know makes the majority of people uncomfortable, well- that’s just too much.

So know this: grief is messy. It’s not a straight, clean line from a to z. It zigs and zags, goes up, down, round and round. It has a mind of its own. It’s also different for everyone. What works for one person might absolutely not work for someone else. What works one moment might not work the next. Healing is about gathering many things- for the many, many moments. The waves.

The ones you know are coming and you can prepare for, and the ones that show up out of nowhere and surprise you- until they don’t. Healing is about finding people who understand the waves, even though their storm is different. They understand the pain.

It’s scary thinking about letting people in, especially after loss - but it’s so important to find people who truly get it. People who get it without words on the days you don’t have any. People who don’t have any judgements or expectations. Or comparisons! Friends and family love us, but often meet us with the “You look good today,” which carries the comparison of all the days we don’t look good at all. We need people who just never say that. People who meet us exactly where we are - even when we don’t know where that is, or where we’re going. They don’t pressure us. They know the pressure we’re always facing - even to just decide what’s for dinner on some days!

Let the people in who lift you up. Who make life better.

Who take away stress rather than adding to it. The people who understand that decisions can be seriously overwhelming. Remember that it’s ok to let go of some people and things, too. I let go of everything toxic. Any and everything that makes me feel worse is a no. If it brings peace or comfort - it’s a yes. It becomes that simple. That’s a really easy way to make decisions and stop going back and forth in your mind. The grief guilt is real and while you’re worrying about whether or not you’re disappointing others, the person who matters- you! is very likely suffering the most. Are you sleeping? Are you staying hydrated? It sounds ridiculous, but how can we manage our complicated emotions if our physical selves are completely out of whack?

And they are. And they will be again. Always go back to the basics. Sleep. Hydration. Movement. Slowing down.

The things no one teaches us! I had an event at the end of 2023, Healing Together Through the Holidays - because the holidays are hard. But so are regular days, whatever those are. The event was in honor of National Grief Awareness Week - because the world doesn’t know it exists.... Yet! But everyone knows about Cinco de Mayo.

And hot dog day. Those days are fun. I’m all about fun, but I’m also all about what matters. This invisible population matters. These awareness days matter.

I got so sick of getting nowhere that Griefhab created our own awareness calendars - with all of the awareness dates the world needs to be acknowledging! With inmemoriam artwork designed by kids. It’s absolutely breathtaking - and says absolutely everything! You can get yours at https://buy.stripe.com/cN25lv9JEbeS3E428k and reach out about special bulk pricing! Please share with everyone and Be Part of the Change! Maybe when you look at it, you’ll remember to call a friend like me who lives alone and has gone through a traumatic loss. Maybe you’ll invite a coworker out to dinner who cares for aging parents. Maybe you’ll be more aware of people struggling, in general. Maybe you’ll ask more questions about their lost loved one and share more memories. Maybe the world will start having the conversations. And these invisible populations will deservedly become seen! Maybe people will be more comfortable talking about their loss and pain. Imagine! Maybe it will become acceptable and normalized. And people will feel comfortable getting the help we all deserve! “Grief is not a disorder, a disease or a sign of weakness; the only cure for grief is to grieve.” ~Earl Grollman

In this new way. I had to learn lots of new ways. I’m still learning. But Jim is with me every step of the way.

To access Healing Together Through the Holidays recordings, visit: www.eventbrite.com/e/healingtogether-through-the-holidays-hybrid-conferencetickets-747362550507

I still feel the feelings every day. I cry every day- but not uncontrollably. I write letters to Jim every day- and I have To learn more about Sam, visit samantharuth.com since the day I lost him. It doesn’t bring him back or make To learn more about Griefhab, visit samantharuth. the pain less- But it helps me to continue feeling connected. com/griefhab CarolinaSparkMagazine.com

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COO Melina Arrowood Lets Grief Inspire Empathy in Her Worklife

BY MEG HALE BRUNTON

Always interested in going into the medical field, Arrowood knew she wanted to become a nurse after a car accident dramatically changed her life. As a teenager, Arrowood was visiting her older cousin and her two small children in Kentucky. During the visit, they were involved in a head-on collision that claimed the life of her cousin and her new baby. Arrowood was pulled from the car and taken to the hospital. “I don’t remember what tests I had run on me after the accident, but I do remember the nurse that sat with me while I was waiting for my parents,” Arrowood recalls.

“That whole experience really drove me towards healthcare.

It created this space in me that gives me the ability to be more empathetic with others. When something like that happens in your life, you’re faced with a choice of which path you’re going to let it take you down. It can destroy you or it can help you grow. I let it thrust me forward into thinking about things differently.”

A mother at 19, Arrowood attended night classes and got her associate’s degree from South College. By the time she completed her Master’s degree at Western Governors University, she was a mother of four 30

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PHOTO CREDIT: PHOTOS SPECIAL TO CAROLINA SPARK

Last Fall, Mission Hospital opened a new campus of its hospital, Sweeten Creek Mental Health and Wellness Center (SCMHWC) in Asheville, North Carolina. After two years overseeing the construction aspect of the new 82,000 sq. ft. facility, Chief Operating Officer (COO) Melina Arrowood is finally getting to actually see the effect the new space has on its residents. “This place really takes it up a few notches. It gives me great joy, walking around and seeing the patients here,” Arrowood says. “Being here makes them feel important and valuable. Just seeing how they respond to the different environment proves that the space affects the whole experience, which is so cool to watch come alive.”

girls. She began her career as an ER Tech and secretary for Mission Hospital in 2007. “I loved being an ER nurse; it is truly the frontlines of medicine. It is a mixed bag, for sure, but it was an incredible experience,” she recalls.

From there, Arrowood became a bedside nurse, then was promoted to team lead, followed by nursing supervisor, then manager.

someone who struggles,” she says. “For some reason, if you have a mental health need, you’re supposed to be quiet, or be ashamed, which I refuse to do. We should be able to speak openly about mental health needs, like any other health need and get the same support. We have to make the care accessible, but also break down the stigma associated with getting help.”

Arrowood explains that her experiences working in a hospital helped her to cope with the grief of losing her cousin. “There was some peace for me,” she says of her work. “It is easy to forget that the person on the stretcher is experiencing something very traumatic for them. It was therapeutic in a way for me to be able to interact with families and patients, making sure that they felt comforted and that they saw kind eyes and had somebody to hold their hand.” Arrowood says that things that connect you to the patient, like a soft touch and a positive affirmation, are just as important as the medical skills, because they keep the patient from feeling vulnerable, scared and alone.

Besides her work as a nurse and COO, Arrowood is a successful blogger. She began blogging as a way to keep her extended family updated on their lives, with her blog Our Front Door. One night, after a particular rough shift in the ER, she blogged about her experiences as a nurse.

She was shocked when the blog was shared more than 200,000 times. The same thing happened when she blogged about her experiences as a trauma nurse, coming from a background of trauma. Then, she wrote a piece on being the wife of a paramedic that was picked up and published by The Huffington Post and read a couple million times. “What I am most proud of is that it seems to have touched a lot of people,” Arrowood says of her blogging. “I’m a voice for others, and helping others articulate their emotions. Other people feel connected to that, and felt like I was sharing what they didn’t know how to share with the world.”

In 2014, Arrowood accepted a position as operations leader for Transylvania Regional Hospital in Brevard. In her two years there, she also served as Interim President and CNO. In 2016, she returned to Mission Hospital as Director of Acute Care Nursing. In 2018, Arrowood made the move to Mission’s Behavioral Health department. In her role as COO at SCMHWC, Arrowood is essentially responsible for anything related to the facility, from environmental services, to food and nutrition, to staffing the physicians. “Whatever this place needs me to be is what I am,” she says. “It’s my responsibility to provide my staff with what they need so they can take really good care of our patients.”

One of the goals that Arrowood champions in her role at the center is speaking openly about mental health issues and helping to remove the societal stigma that often seems to accompany them. “Mental health needs touch all of us. Every one of us either struggles ourselves, or knows

Now 39, Arrowood feels extremely gratified by the work she does at SCMHWC. “It feeds different parts of my soul,” she says. The new $70 million facility boasts extensive outdoor activity areas, including basketball courts, gardening areas, and a youth playground. Though aspects of her past were painful, Arrowood feels that her grief has made her uniquely-qualified to help the patients under her care. “It has served me well. I show up as authentically me, and find my path as I go. Being able to understand human experience a little more on such a deep level, I think, gives me some insight into why people may struggle.

Everybody’s got a story that we don’t know about. So, I choose kindness and grace any chance that I can.”

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PHOTO CREDIT: SARAH MORREL PHOTOGRAPHY, LLC

Optimal Bio CEO Tylar Brannon Helps Build a Foundation of Health

BY MEG HALE BRUNTON

CEO of Optimal Bio, who specializes in Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT), Tylar Brannon always aspired to go into medicine. As a kid she used to go with her father on his hospital rounds and even saw her first C-section at fifteen. Unsurprisingly, when it came time to choose a college track, Brannon went pre-med and remained there until her junior year when she decided to switch to law. “There’s so much you can do with it,” she explains of a law degree. “I knew I wanted to be on the business side of things, but I didn’t know exactly what that meant.”

After earning her JD/MBA from the University of South Carolina, Brannon moved to Washington D.C. and worked there for two years. In 2018, she returned to Raleigh,and began working at Optimal Bio. Brannon began in the role of patient coordinator. While she originally only planned to work for the business for a year, she found she really enjoyed creating a company, and was highly skilled in running the business, and working with the staff. “Being able to be part of building something is incredible,” she says. “It is crazy, wild, and exhausting, but it is so fun!”

In just four years, the business grew from seeing twenty patients each month to over one thousand patients a month. The staff grew to 35 people, and continues to grow, and the business got additional locations in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. They will be opening another location in Austin, Texas in early 2024.

Since becoming CEO of Optimal Bio, Brannon has become the head of brand management, business development, training and team culture. She says her daily work life ranges from budgeting, generating spreadsheets, traveling among the offices, and hiring and training staff. She takes great pride in Optimal Bio’s 97% retention rate with their patients, and the fact that they are the only company in the country that specializes in hormones. “We’re not your average doctors’ office,” she says. “I know I’m biased, but we are the best with patient care. We have a great team and a great culture, and we work on that every single day because if you enjoy work, the patients are going to feel it.”

Brannon also learned everything about the hormone replacement process. “I think in order to get better, you have to do hard things and push yourself. I’m always learning more about the science of how our body works,”

she says. At Optimal Bio, they start with a consultation, discussing how the patient is feeling and what symptoms they are having. Then, they run a blood panel to see the patient’s hormone levels. From there, they create a personalized treatment plan (based on blood work, age, height, weight, symptoms, etc.) to balance out the individual’s hormone levels. “It’s all natural. It’s the exact same molecule our body produces, so it knows how to metabolize it. So, there’s no negative side effects.”

Brannon explains that most people don’t realize how important testosterone is to women’s health. She says that testosterone has over 500 functions in the human body, including preventing fatigue, brain fog, anxiety, and depression, as well as protecting the heart, brain and bones. She goes on to say that, after menopause, women’s bodies stop producing testosterone, which may be part of the reason women develop dementia more often than men. “When you go through menopause, your hormones can literally drop overnight, and our bodies can’t compensate for that,” Brannon explains. “Estrogen is a vasodilator; it keeps your heart pumping. Testosterone helps build muscle and protein synthesis, which in turn helps protect your heart, your brain, and keep them functioning as they should. It really helps keep you healthy as you age.”

Brannon goes on to say that the environmental toxins that surround us in our daily lives have caused our hormone levels to drop quicker, and that we have dramatically lower levels of testosterone than our grandparents did. She herself has strived to remove as many toxins as possible from her daily life (including air fresheners, cleaning supplies, candles, fabric sprays, and other products with added scents or dyes) and advises Optimal Bio’s clients to do the same. “Because of

environmental factors, our hormones are decreasing at a much quicker rate,” she says. “As a society, we’re getting sicker. We should be getting healthier from all of our advancements.” Brannon says that not only has a societal drop in hormone levels caused us to feel tired all the time, but also may have led to rising cancer rates, and increased onsets of autoimmune illnesses.

BHRT is used to treat fatigue, brain fog, trouble sleeping, anxiety, depression, osteoporosis, PTSD, migraines, and complications caused by menopause. For all of these reasons, Brannon (who is only 33) has already been on BHRT for over a year. Prior to starting the treatment, Brannon was tired all the time and suffered from regular bouts of nausea and migraines. “Because I know the preventative aspect of it, how could I not?” she says of starting the treatment. “The power of your hormones really impacts every single thing.”

“I could never imagine doing something different. I truly believe in what we do, and that keeps our standards high across the board. We are impacting people and we need to be the best that we can to help them.” Brannon says of Optimal Bio. She says that too often, people tell their doctors they aren’t feeling well, and have their symptoms dismissed as simply part of getting older, being stressed at work, or being a mom. At Optimal Bio, they vow to help their patients maintain a feeling of overall health as long as possible. “If you don’t have your health, other aspects of your life are going to suffer. We’re making that person be able to feel like them again. The fact that we can give a patient hope, or a solution to feel better is why I want to tell everyone about it.”

For more information on Optimal Bio, visit their website: optimalbio.com

Mountain Area Pregnancy Services Takes the Pregnancy Journey With its Clients

BY MEG HALE BRUNTON When she was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), lifelong Haywood county resident Michelle Fenton was told that she would probably never be able to have children. As she approached her mid-thirties, Fenton realized that her time was limited to get pregnant. She and her husband were able to conceive and Fenton went to Mountain Area Pregnancy Services (MAPS) at the 7-week mark to confirm the pregnancy. Their staff was warm, welcoming and supportive. From there, Fenton went to her regular OB-GYN to get her 9-week ultrasound. There, the ultrasound technician said that the baby appeared to have Down Syndrome, and began making arrangements for Fenton to discuss potential early termination options with a doctor.

Heartbroken, Fenton called MAPS to see if she could make another ultrasound appointment to ‘lift her back up’ as she began one of the hardest months of her life, waiting for the test results to come back confirming whether or not her baby had Down syndrome. MAPS got her in for an appointment within two days.

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Afterward, Fenton was stunned when one of the staff members from MAPS called to check on her. “They were so great. They called and checked on me every other day,” Fenton recalls. “They took it personally with you throughout the pregnancy. They wanted to make sure your pregnancy journey was good. You felt like they actually cared.”

Thankfully, Fenton’s baby’s test came back negative for Down’s syndrome, and on September 20th she gave birth to a perfectly healthy baby boy. “I hope nobody has to experience that,” she says of the fear she felt, waiting for her baby’s test results. “Once I got my results back and everything was fine, I feel like the rest of my pregnancy was smooth after that.” During the rest of her pregnancy, she maintained contact with MAPS and did all her checkups through them. MAPS even did a gender reveal for Fenton and had a gift for her filled with clothes and a bible for the baby, and chapstick, lotion, and bath bombs for her.

Fenton watched MAPS’s online videos on what to expect from each stage of her pregnancy (including breastfeeding, birthing plans, etc.), and took the quizzes afterward.

Watching the videos and taking the quizzes both earned Fenton points in her MAPS account that she was able to use to get free diapers, baby wipes, and a pack n’ play. She also attended the MAPS’s parenting classes, where the clients can get together, have lunch, watch a video, and share their experiences. “The videos were really educational. I’m still watching videos and gaining points with their program,” Fenton says. “It’s such a great place.

I cannot say enough about the place. They are absolutely the best!”

Fenton says she would recommend MAPS to anyone, and often does. “They’re amazing to me! I can’t tell people enough,” she says of MAPS. “I try to tell so many people about them, because people don’t know about them, or utilize them. I tell them, ‘You don’t understand the resources you have.’” Fenton says she has even reached out to women on social media who have posted that they suffered a miscarriage to inform them about the extensive support that MAPS offers for women who’ve lost a baby. They have support groups, counseling, and even provide a teddy bear with a recording of the baby’s heartbeat that plays when it is squeezed.

Now, Fenton is home with her healthy baby boy, Jasper.

She stays in touch with the staff there as well, sending them baby pictures and giving them updates. She is also still watching MAPS’s videos about the first year of a baby’s life. “As a first-time mom, I didn’t realize how much I needed to learn going into it,” she says. Fenton says that she plans to maintain her relationship with MAPS indefinitely, visit them, and maybe even work there one day. “I still plan to keep going by, visiting, and staying in touch with them.

Probably in the future, I wouldn’t mind volunteering as a support person for other women, when my son gets old enough that I have a little bit more free time.”

Fenton says that while MAPS has been a godsend for her, she feels it would be even more worthwhile for women who don’t have the strong support network that she has. “Having a group of women to step in and be your support system through your whole pregnancy would be amazing for someone that doesn’t have that,” she says. “The support, the videos, the whole experience is worth it.”

To learn more about Mountain Area Pregnancy Services, or to schedule your appointment today, visit their website: mtnpregnancy.com

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Carolina Spark Magazine 2024

Embark on a Culinary Adventure at La Rumba Restaurant Latino!

Discover the vibrant heartbeat of Latin cuisine at La Rumba Restaurant Latino, nestled in the heart of East Asheville. Immerse yourself in a culinary journey rooted in the authentic flavors of Mexican cuisine, where every bite tells a tale of tradition and innovation.

LUNCH MENU: MON-FRI 11AM-2PM FULL MENU: ALL DAY, ALL WEEK

MORE THAN A MEAL IT'S A F , IESTA!

828-505-2128 | 105 River Hills Road Suite C Asheville, NC near the Asheville Mall

Scent with Intent: How Laura McCann is Redefining Wellness and Beauty in Asheville In the heart of Asheville at the Grove Arcade, Laura McCann, the Founder & Chief Mood Booster of Adoratherapy, welcomes customers into a world where aura, chakras, and conscious beauty converge. This journey, however, started far from the tranquil setting of her shop.

From Stardom to Self-Discovery Born in Miami, Laura's life has been a kaleidoscope of experiences. From being a child actress to embracing the life of a French movie star in her teens, her early years were marked by glamour and attention. Her intellectual and artistic upbringing, however, planted seeds for a deeper quest. Moving to New York, Laura graduated from Parsons School of Design and launched her first company at 28. Her path was not just about professional milestones; it was deeply intertwined with self-discovery and personal growth. Laura received the Asheville Chamber of Commerce’s Woman’s Up “Best in Business Award” this year, her recognition is well deserved as she tirelessly supports other entrepreneurs through her mentoring and her community activism.

The Philosophy of Self-Adoration Laura’s shop is a sanctuary where customers experience her version of a metaphysical store, one in which essential luxury scents, body care and candles are combined with data driven aura readings and aromatherapy chakra balancing sessions.

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Laura’s philosophy centers around self-adoration as a key to wellbeing. Her store, adorned with crystals and scents, serves as a reminder to cherish oneself. The bespoke packaging of her products adds to the allure, but the essence lies in the message they carry — the importance of self-love and consciousness.

Aroma Perfume: Scent with Intent Adoratherapy’s “Made in Asheville” aroma perfumes are not just fragrances; they are tools for emotional and energetic balance. Laura emphasizes the importance of natural scents, breathwork and intention as a form of healing. Her products range from stress-relieving to mood-boosting, aligning with the concept of conscious beauty — a blend of external allure and internal wellness.

Asheville’s Unique Aromatherapy Bar Choosing Asheville for its unique blend of culture and charm, Laura finds it the perfect backdrop for her life’s work. Her journey from a high-powered CEO to a shopkeeper has been a transformative process, reflected in the shifts in her own aura and chakras.

Embracing the Role of Energy Worker Alongside her life partner, Jim, the Chief Aura Reader at Auratherapy, Laura delves into the realms of energy work.

They offer aura readings and aromatherapy consultations, guiding customers on their personal journeys of selfdiscovery and healing.

Invitation for a Transformative Experience Laura’s journey and the essence of Adoratherapy are an open invitation to anyone seeking a meaningful conversation, an in-depth aura reading, or a unique life coaching session. Her approach combines her rich life experiences with her dedication to helping others embrace their inner beauty and strength.

Visit Laura and Jim at the Adoratherapy Store at the Historic Grove Arcade, 1 Page Avenue, 145A, Asheville NC 28801. Book your aura reading at Adoratherapy.com.

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Professor Andrea Glover

PHOTO CREDIT: ANGELA HOPPER PHOTOGRAPHY

Empowers the Next Generation of Graphic Designers

BY REBEKAH MCCUBBINS

For Charleston Southern University professor Andrea Glover, creativity was the catalyst for a career in Graphic Design. “Always loving art as a child, always being drawn to design, and always being creative–that’s what drew me to it,” she shares. From marketing assets to hand-lettered artwork, Glover has spent her career building a portfolio of multidisciplinary design projects. Today, her talent, experience, and knowledge have led her to the world of academia.

When Professor Glover attended the University of South Carolina (USC), they didn’t yet have a Graphic Design program. “I majored in advertising, but I had a degree in journalism and mass communications, and my minor was business administration,” Glover says. “I had a professor at USC, Dr. Keith Kenney, [who taught] a Visual Communications course, and he really helped me with growth. I think that was the first introduction to Graphic Design. [He] would always use my assignments for examples, and I realized how I could tie my creativity to an actual job. I knew you could be an artist, but I wanted to see if I could do a 9-to-5 [while] being creative.”

After building a career in the Graphic Design industry, Glover had the opportunity to begin teaching. “I think I just wanted to help others. I wanted to share my knowledge with other young designers, especially after I had experience in the field. It’s really rewarding to help other people,” she explains. Glover is passionate about mentoring the next generation of designers. At Charleston Southern University (CSU), she has the opportunity to help students hone their craft while teaching them the professional skills they need to forge successful careers in the growing field of Graphic Design.

That ability to mentor students was one of the reasons Glover chose CSU. “The program was just beginning,” she explains. “When I came to CSU, it was kind of a fresh program. Being able to help with the curriculum, and implement a lot of my skills, implement a new program and share my ideas–that’s the biggest thing for me.” The brand-new program provided room to foster new ideas and create an environment where students thrive.

And Professor Glover’s students are achieving massive success in their careers. She shares her pride at their myriad of accomplishments at every opportunity. Some of her students are entrepreneurs who have clients all 38

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over the nation. Others are working with prestigious employers, from nonprofits to sports organizations.

“They always say it takes a village to raise a child. It takes a lot of people to help someone get all the way up to the college level. When you have a little part in that, you feel like you’ve become part of their village.”

Professor Glover’s love of the craft shines through in her teaching. “I really love typography,” she shares. “The study of typefaces, and how you set them and arrange the letters and words.” Glover emphasizes these building blocks when teaching her students: “I don’t think people realize how important it is to select a typeface that’s appropriate for the job. It makes a difference in how we communicate. It makes a difference in what we read. If the wrong typeface is used for a book or a poster, it can throw off the design or affect our readability,” she says.

“We see them everywhere, and we just don’t realize how important it is to how we communicate, and how it helps us to navigate throughout our day.”

But Glover isn’t satisfied with simply being a good educator. She’s committed to being a part of the bigger picture. She shares that she keeps in contact with many of her students beyond graduation, offering advice and support in their careers. She believes that diversity is

vital to creating an environment in which every student feels supported. “Diversity is very important to me, and I’m always open and willing to share my knowledge with all people. I think that’s what I’ve been put here to do,” she says. Glover serves on CSU’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council. She says their goal is to communicate that “we are a university that loves everyone, and that we are all children of God. We just want to make sure that people feel like they’re welcomed, like they’re making a great choice by coming to CSU, and they’ll receive a great education.”

Her desire to continue learning and growing has led Professor Glover to explore innovative ideas at CSU. This year she spent time at a school in Belize, teaching Graphic Design to students alongside another CSU educator. She recalls thinking, “if students can go do a study abroad program, could teachers go to our sister schools and teach?” She approached the Director of Global Education, pitching the idea of visiting another school to teach a “crash course” in Graphic Design. They began planning, but Glover says “it just wasn’t coming together.” Today she views that as a blessing, as the COVID-19 pandemic soon halted international travel. “I’m thankful, because I probably would have been stuck somewhere.” This year, they revisited the idea, and made plans for Professor Glover to visit Sacred Heart Junior College. She and her colleague, Spanish professor Dr. Hannah Sullivan, spent two weeks teaching Graphic Design to local students.

“The Belizean people treated us like royalty. They went above and beyond,” she says. “They treated us with so much respect. They had a ceremony at the end of the class to give students certificates. The students in the course had businesses. They already knew a little bit of Graphic Design, but they were able to brush up on Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. They were so thankful, because it really helped them in their businesses there. That was another way of promoting diversity. Going global. Taking my teaching from here, and being able to go to another country, learn about the culture, and work with the people.”

PHOTO CREDIT: HANNAH SULLIVAN

PHOTO CREDIT: CORBIN DAVIS

When asked what she would say to women considering entering the world of academia, her answer is simple: volunteer. “Volunteer to teach in your community, or do workshops. Maybe find a mentor who is an instructor.”

She suggests finding a teaching apprenticeship or a professor at a local school who can serve as a mentor.

Glover also recommends that you use the resources available to you, both online and in your community, to learn about teaching.

Outside of CSU, Glover continues to create, both as a graphic design professional and an artist.

Her work can be found at andreaglover.com.

PHOTO CREDIT: ABNER ESCARRAGA

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For Ukrainian-born A-B Tech Student and Fashion Designer Nataliia Chorna, Embroidery Signifies Home

BY KRISTIN D’AGOSTINO

When leaving the Ukraine in June 2022 with her 10-yearold son, A-B Tech student Nataliia Chorna, 42, had to carefully choose what to pack. “We could only take one bag on the plane,” Chorna says, “Another would have cost $300.” Among the carefully chosen objects was a dress her grandmother lovingly hand-embroidered back in 2014.

A deep silky purple, embroidered with tea-colored roses, the dress now hangs in Chorna’s West Asheville home, a reminder of a long-held dream: After a year-and-a-half of challenges and transition, Chorna, a fashion designer by trade, stands poised to launch her own business embroidering women’s clothing and bags.

to do this for twelve years, though she says it lacked both creative and financial fulfillment. The dresses were all similar and the money fell short. For fun, she began making and machine-embroidering over-the-shoulder cotton tote bags with traditional Ukrainian designs.

“Everyone needs bags,” she says, “It was something useful and also creative… I like cross stitching very much.”

When the Russians bombed Kyiv in February of 2022, Chorna had to leave her business behind. While Maksym stayed, hoping to join the war effort, Chorna fled the country with Slava, ultimately landing in a refugee shelter in Slovakia, where she found a job at an IKEA factory.

It was a difficult life working for low wages and Chorna, Traditional folk embroidery has been found on Ukrainian clothing excavated from cities dating back to the First Century. who is fluent in English, hoped for more. In May, she Chorna’s grandmother Svetlana taught her how to machine posted an ad on Facebook seeking sponsorship in the United States and a woman from Fletcher, North Carolina embroider at age six. “She looked like Scarlet O’Hara,” Chorna recalls. “She wore beautiful dresses. And she sang answered. Chorna and Slava moved to America just two Ukrainian songs on the radio; her voice is a rare soprano.” weeks later. Maksym joined them last December and is presently working as an engineer technician. These days, Chorna quickly went from sewing doll clothes to Slava, now 12, is settled at Rainbow Community School. embroidering stars and cross designs. In ancient Her oldest, Bodhan, is attending college in Germany.

Ukrainian folk culture, every symbol had a meaning After studying English at A-B Tech, Chorna was offered and each was believed to protect the wearer from harm, a part-time job as “greeter” in the Transitional Studies to bring happiness, love or fertility. The cross design department, where she now helps international students, signified protection and success; flowers, prosperity; including the college’s large Ukrainian population, the star, harmony. “Today traditionally Ukrainians wear navigate classes and registration. embroidered clothes on important days like wedding Nearly finished with her accounting certificate, Chorna days, anniversaries and christenings,” Chorna says. “In ancient times, a girl would give an embroidered shirt to a can finally focus on feeding her creativity. She hopes to work as an accountant while launching her embroidery boy. It would take about a year to make by hand.” business online and at local farmers’ markets. In the During high school, Chorna made clothing for herself meantime, she’s fast building a solid reputation as a and friends, adapting store-bought skirts to custom fit. designer. Thanks to her sponsor, she found work assisting After graduating, she went on to study fashion design local fashion designer Gigi Fasano at her Lexington and construction in Kyiv at the University of Technology Avenue shop B. Nomad, where she created jackets, pants and Design. By the time she was 30, Chorna had met her and pillowcases in natural fabrics like silk and cotton. engineer husband Maksym and had her first child. She “She can do anything,” Fasano says. “Her work is impeccable, juggled motherhood along with accounting work for her and she goes the extra mile with everything she does.” husband’s business and soon began a clothing design business of her own. Her niche was affordable dresses for Lauran Holt, an English Language teacher at A-B Tech, was gifted one of Chorna’s bags last Christmas after dancers with nonstandard figures. Chorna continued 40

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PHOTO CREDIT: KRISTIN D'AGOSTINO

when Ukrainians wear traditional embroidered blouses and clothes. These designs are important, Chorna said, because this type of clothing was taken away by the Russian regime during WWII and women were forced to Since then, Chorna has created a collection of colorful wear plain dark dresses. “They sent the men to Siberia and hand-embroidered bags which she is selling on Etsy. It’s made the women work the men’s jobs. They tried to take not been easy, however, to find a local factory willing and away our identity,” Chorna says. Since the start of the war, able to machine cross stitch her designs. Luckily, she soon many Ukrainians have turned to traditional embroidery won’t have to grapple with local factories. She’s recently as a sign of defiance, and vyshyvankas or embroidered acquired an industrial embroidery machine of her own, blouses are worn to show national pride. which she will soon set up in a backyard studio space Since she fled her home country, Chorna has talked she’ll share with her landlord. Having a large machine to her grandmother, 88, on the phone every two of her own will also enable her to do clothing with more weeks. Although her small village in central Ukraine is expansive cross stitch designs. occasionally bombed, Svetlana has chosen to remain In the future, Chorna hopes to have a shop and a factory rather than start over elsewhere. As time passes, the dress of her own. For now, she’s content to work when energy, she embroidered so many years ago takes on new deeper time and space allow at a sewing machine set up by a meaning. “Every time I see it, I feel warm,” Chorna says, window at home. Because her cozy apartment lacks a her hazel eyes tearing. “I think of home.” closet, the dress her grandmother embroidered hangs on To find Chorna’s work visit: www.ukie.store a hook on the wall. Chorna saves it for special occasions like Christmas or Vyshyvanka Day, a holiday on May 16, having her as a student. “It is the colors of the Ukrainian flag,” Holt says. “I love that bag. It’s sturdy and the seams are clean. I feel like I could own it for the rest of my life.”

Interior Design: For the Love of Dog!

BY MEGAN GARRETT BALES, PRINCIPAL CO-FOUNDER OF DOLCE DESIGN CO. Being an extreme dog-lover comes with its fair share of challenges. More than 70% of our clients have dogs, and the fear that they all share is that they will have to design only for and around their dogs, and not themselves. Many delay getting a new design or “nice furniture” due to the presence of doggos in the home. I’m here to tell you that while you certainly need to design with your fluffers in mind, you do NOT have to sacrifice a beautiful home to do so.

There are a myriad of simple techniques and products that you can use to create a gorgeous room (and home!) that is a safe and happy place for you and your four legged friends.

Considering a new design in your home? You have the benefit of making the wisest choices at the beginning of

this journey, which is great news! If you hire an interior designer, they will be able to assist you in finding these solutions, and helping the investment in your home work for you and your fur family. These are a few of the key elements to consider for the selection, protection, and maintenance of your furniture and your design for a happy fur-loving household: The fabric that you choose is paramount. AND JUST SAY NO TO MICROFIBER! Try a Performance fabric! There are several performance fabric manufacturers these days that create incredible, durable fabrics that are pet friendly.

A new kid on the block is Revolution fabrics, which are bleach cleanable, made of recycled materials, and have the CarolinaSparkMagazine.com

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switch out the coffee table for a big soft ottoman. I have found that my pups tend to gravitate towards the ottoman instead of the sofa when movie time comes, clearing up the sofa for humans. It also provides a comfy resting place for your tootsies, and a soft surface that boisterous pups (and kiddos) are less likely to knock into.

Invest in quality if you are able! Poor quality pieces will not stand up to the wear and tear that your household is sure to inflict upon it. A knee jerk reaction of petowners is typically to avoid investing in nice pieces “because of the dog”. But this just leaves them with toxic, uncomfortable,and ugly furniture that wears out quickly and is a beast to maintain. American-made and European made upholstery are the way to go. Not only to look of natural fibers. If not going with a performance keep dangerous chemicals out of your home, but to create fabric, choose synthetic fabrics that are dark in color comfort, and beauty, and minimize the maintenance it so that smaller smudges aren’t as apparent, and can be cleaned without damaging the cloth. Getting fabrics that requires to keep your pieces looking their best. If budget are in similar color tones as your fur babies is also helpful. is a big factor, It’s better to get a used high-quality piece, than a brand new “throw away” piece.

Choose fabrics that have a small and tight weave, this way paws and claws don’t get caught on them and pull the individual fibers.

If you have an opportunity to use a pattern, DO IT! Patterns will hide fur and small indiscretions much more easily than solids. While you may not want a pattern on a large piece like a sofa, it’s great for accent chairs and ottomans. Use heavy fabrics instead of lightweight fabrics, especially if you have big paws encountering your furniture pieces. This will maximize the wear that your upholstery can handle without looking phased.

Find fabrics with a surface that will not hold onto your particular texture of fur baby’s hair. The best way to test this is to take a swatch of fabric and rub it on your dog for a few seconds, and see how easily the hairs come off with just a pat or a wipe. If the hairs are sticking into the weave, it’s gonna be a nightmare trying to keep fur off of your pieces.

If you’ve ever had a large dog (or dogs) on the sofa, you know that it’s your job to find a place to acrobatically squeeze into whatever space remains. To counter this,

If you’re already working with existing pieces, an easy solution to dog-wear on your upholstered pieces is to use a decorative blanket to cover their “usual spot”. This will help immensely in preventing uneven wear based on favorite napping zones. You can use durable throws that can easily go in the wash and rotate them, but for ultimate protection I personally adore Paw.com’s pup blankets. They’re thick on the base so they prevent claws from poking through, and are liquid proof. They have gorgeous styles that look sexy with any decor.

Whether getting new pieces, or working with what you have, protect your furniture! Aside from performance fabrics, most fabrics require additional protection to keep looking their best and prevent staining. Not all protection is created equal, so be sure to research before you select your method, as many can contain dangerous

toxins. Fiberseal is a great non-toxic fabric protection that can be applied once the furniture is in your home.

This will basically add the protection and durability of a performance fabric.

Specific flooring selections can make your life easier with puppy friends! Water-proof or water resistant flooring is key. Flooring companies make gorgeous luxury vinyl and luxury laminate flooring these days that is water-resistant and looks like real wood. Not only are these beautiful and sustainable solutions, but they will prevent any liquid accidents from completely ruining your floor. A great nontoxic flooring solution is Pergo waterproof laminate.

It comes in many natural wood finishes, and is water resistant enough even to use in bathrooms and kitchens!

Rugs are another area where selection is very important.

If possible, use darker rugs or rugs with pattern on them to hide smaller indiscretions. A cut pile rug instead of a looped pile will prevent claws from catching and pulling the fibers. Added protection like Fiberseal is also recommended for rugs in the home, and makes cleanup a breeze. Rug pads are PIVOTAL, as they will prevent wear, and keep your rugs in place while pups happily scrabble around or run on them.

For older dogs, wood, vinyl and tile floors can be very slippery and hard to navigate. So if you have a senior or

slip-prone doggie in the home, it is important to have soft surfaces every few feet to ensure that they have grip.

Runners are a great way to add this assistance in hallways, and in smaller rooms. Decorative stair-runners are another must have for doggo parents, because they are beautiful and keep pups (and humans!) from slipping and sliding down otherwise dangerous steps.

It is possible to be a real-life human being who can have nice things AND have dogs! With a bit of consideration, you can have a home that looks and feels amazing for you and your pups. Too many people think you have to sacrifice comfort and quality or style if you have pets, but it's just not true. Do your research and make informed selections that align with you and your fur family’s needs. If you follow these simple techniques of selection, protection, and maintenance, everyone can have a nextlevel space that’s ready for playing, snuggling and booping with their furry friends!

Dolceinteriordesign.com megan@dolceinteriordesign.com 321 E Chapel Hill St #203 Durham, NC 27701 Insta: dolcedesign.co Facebook Dolce Design Co.

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From Turf to Garden:

Home Gardening for Beginners

BY HANNAH FILOS

A major trend right now is ‘getting back to a simpler time.’ This is especially true when it comes to how we use the land we own or rent. More and more of us are drawn to home gardening and creating lush outdoor spaces.

January Project: Decide whether to plant in the

ground or in pots. I chose pots!

• Buy or collect large and small planters.* • Start up a compost bucket (there's no reason to wait!).

But for some, this doesn’t seem doable. A beautiful, February Project: Design! functional yard garden can feel like something only • Draw your yard and where you want your planters. people with excess time or money can accomplish. But if Start placing them around your yard. you put your mind to it, almost anyone with even a small • Get your soil and collect small tools like a spade and yard can make their outdoor space useful and beautiful. snips.*

Create a Plan

March Project: Collect plants!

• Start getting your seeds, cuttings, tubers etc. in The first step to creating a garden from scratch, as with order.** most things, is making a plan. Write a list of all the things • Start planting what you can in early spring. you wish your yard could be. You might include vegetables, herbs, flowers, birdbaths, large pots, or raised beds.

April Project: Upgrade your garden layout.

Dream big! Even if you're a renter, giant pots and certain • Draw your yard again, this time adding any walkways, types of raised beds can be transferred when you move. fences, or other hardscapes you want to create in the future.

Next, create a calendar for yourself. Start with a one-year • Collect stones or bricks to create that classic garden plan, giving yourself a project each month. In a year, you’ll path look. A pine straw path can also be an affordable have 12 completed projects! This might not sound like a start. lot, but even if every project is just one new plant in the • This is a great time to get dirty. Grab a shovel and ground, it will be a huge change from a yard full of turf. start taking out the turf where you want your paths.

Once you've chosen your projects, break each down into • Lay down your paths (this may take time, don't rush it). smaller tasks. These may be tasks you work on for 30 minutes every night, or weekend projects that you spend May Project: Hone in on your plants. a few hours on at a time. Either way, this will allow you • Keep collecting seeds and plants where you can.** to make progress without getting overwhelmed.

• Focus on weeding, fertilizing if needed, making lists Everyone’s calendar will look different, but here is of plants you want to get, and daydreaming about the an example you can use as a template: future of your garden.

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•

Assess which plants are working and which aren't.

Research plants similar to the ones you have luck with! You'll want more of those.

PHOTO CREDIT: HANNAH FILOS

June Project: Groundcover.

• •

Find groundcover vines, junipers, etc. that can replace the old, needy turf grass. These will give you a more old-school garden feel.

Plant these in your yard in small amounts. They'll spread over time with care.

July Project: Make your garden feel like home.

• •

Spend time finding birdbaths, birdhouses, hummingbird feeders, and wind chimes.

Decorate your garden in a way that feels like you, and be sure to install things correctly so they won't fall or break.

August Project: Start a second round of planting space.

• •

Find more planters, or get into the ground itself, and get to work cultivating larger plants that will last through the years.

Make lists of plants that should be planted later in the year, and make a dream board of future plants that you can't afford yet.

September Project: Mulching.

•

Now that you have some groundcover plans, create some mulch beds from wood chips or pine straw to keep weeds from growing around your pots and plants.

October Project: Update your seasonal plants.

• •

Take out any annual plants that are sad or dead, and replace them with new seeds or seedlings.

Before planting, make use of that compost bucket and amend your soil to help your winter plants get what they need.

November Project: Organizing •

•

Find a special spot for all those seed packets, gloves, spades, and unused pots. Store them neatly so that when spring rolls around you're unphased by the clutter!

Donate any plastic pots that your plants came in if you don't plan to reuse them.

December Project: Plan your calendar!

• •

It's time to make a plan for next year! You now have a garden where there used to be none. Start thinking about what, if anything, could make the space better.

Write yourself a list, and give yourself a pat on the back! You deserve it.

If you have questions about starting your home garden, you can email me at hannahrfilos@gmail. com and I would be happy to talk with you about all things plants! *Thrift stores, yard sales, estate sales, and seasonal sales at stores are great places to find these items you otherwise might not afford. **Most people who grow plants love to share! Find local gardeners through Facebook groups and flea/farmers markets. Try to find people who will not only share seeds and plants, but also knowledge! This will prove more valuable than anything.

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River Rock Wildlife Rehab is a Home-Away-from-Home for Animals

BY MEG HALE BRUNTON

Hannah Simmonds, Founder and President of River Rock Wildlife Rehab, was born and raised in Connelly Springs, North Carolina. During her childhood, she definitely developed a love of nature, and the abundant wildlife in her area. “I was always interested in animals,” she shares, continuing that she aspired to become a veterinarian, but instead earned her Associate’s degree in Environmental Sciences.

on caring for wildlife, in order to receive her permit from the NC Wildlife Resource Commission to take in other animals. She also did volunteer work with other animal rehab facilities. In 2017, she received nonprofit status and opened up River Rock Wildlife Rehab, a sanctuary dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of wild animals. “We just started and we want to help as much as we can,” Hannah says.

After getting married, Hannah moved with her husband to England where the couple remained for five years.

Arguing that the weather was considerably better in WNC, she convinced her husband to return with her to Catawba County in 2005. In 2015, they bought a 20-acre property with a barn, a river, and plenty of forest.

River Rock Wildlife Rehab takes in animals who are sick, injured, orphaned, or in need of some other level of care.

According to Hannah, most of their work is done with bunnies, squirrels, skunks, raccoons, opossum, foxes, and deer. They are not permitted to take in birds, because birds are federally-regulated. The rehab is also home to horses, pigs, emus, cats, dogs, and their ambassador animal: Victor the ball python.

One night, their dog alerted them to a baby raccoon that was alone near the river’s edge. Hannah brought it inside with her to try to save it. She made a few phone calls, and did web searches to find someone who rescued wild animals, and found no one. So, she endeavored to raise the raccoon herself. “I just enjoyed every minute of it,” Hannah recalls of bringing up the raccoon, whom she named Ziggy. When she tried to get Ziggy any medical care, or vaccinations, she found herself hitting a brick wall. “I decided I needed to get my license.”

Once Ziggy was grown and healthy, Hannah released him into the wild. After that, she began taking classes 46

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Hannah says she begins every day (after multiple cups of coffee) by feeding the ‘tinies’ that she has in an incubator.

She says that seeing the little ones fall asleep in her hand with full bellies is her favorite part of the job. Then, she checks on her assortment of patients and residents out in the barn. She spends the main part of her day, dealing with calls, assessments and in-takes. People contact her about an animal in need and either bring the animal to her, or she (or a volunteer) comes to fetch it. From there, she figures out the level of care the animal needs,

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF RIVER ROCK WILDLIFE REHAB

sets up an enclosure, and begins treatment. When the animal is well, Hannah does what she calls ‘a soft release’ in which the animal is released onto an enclosed part of her property. “I keep feeding them until they feel comfortable,” she explains. “So, they know they have a home to come to if they need to.”

stick with those and still educate others on how to coexist with wildlife.”

In 2019, Hannah was diagnosed with breast cancer, and required multiple surgeries over the following year. She was worried that she would have to close the rehab, but found that support from her volunteers enabled them to keep the facility up and running. Recently, Hannah Hannah admits she has a love/hate relationship with releasing the animals who have been under her care. “It’s had her final surgery, is now cancer-free, and thrilled heartbreaking raising them from babies then letting them to be back working with her animals, particularly baby go, but very rewarding,” she explains. Sometimes, Hannah squirrels. “They can heal with me. I can watch them grow says, the animals come back for a visit, or she’ll see them so they can take my mind off it,” she says of the squirrels. out in the wild. Often, she can recognize them from their “They are so precious. They seem to be my calming markings, or behaviors. Or sometimes she will make one animal.” of her call-noises and the animal will respond to her. “It’s Besides maintaining and growing the business, education such a heart-warming feeling.” is paramount in Hannah’s plan, both for herself and others. “I try to stay up-to-date with what’s going on in Hannah says she absolutely loves what she does, but the wildlife world,” she says, citing that she attends a acknowledges that it is financially-challenging to run wildlife symposium in Raleigh every year. She also has her business, since River Rock is entirely funded by several apprentices who are anxious to work with animals, donations, or out-of-pocket. Hannah even took a third especially baby ones. “I want to get more education shift job, working with dementia patients, just to make and more rehabbers out there, get people interested in ends meet. With money being tight, and the need being constant, Hannah is conscious of making sure she doesn’t wildlife.” get overwhelmed. “I’ve been to that burn-out stage before To make a donation to River Rock Wildlife Rehab, and I know not to get there again,” she explains, adding or to volunteer today, visit their website: that she knows precisely how many skunks she can www.riverrockwildlife.com handle at a given time. “I learned my limits; I’m trying to CarolinaSparkMagazine.com

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PHOTO CREDIT: BEECH MOUNTAIN TDA

Achieving a Year Round “Beech Body” At the dawn of a new year when health becomes a top priority, Beech Mountain is the perfect destination for those looking for a more active vacation. As the highest town in Eastern America, it is the perfect place for both mental wellness (mountain vistas) and physical fitness goals.

Beech Mountain offers a wide array of activities year-round to keep visitors moving and healthy. From outdoor adventure to indoor classes, there are plenty of options for guests to achieve that “Beech Body” during a getaway.

For the first few months of the year, the ski resort at the center of town, Beech Mountain Resort, offers winter sports where participants can get in a full body workout. The resort offers 17 slopes on 98 skiable acres with plenty of runs for every skill level. Skiing and snowboarding burn 300 to 600 calories per hour depending on the intensity of the courses. The resort offers 17 slopes on 98 skiable acres with plenty of runs for every skill level, with two terrain parks for snowboarders. For those who prefer a quieter and less intense winter option, adventurers can embark on a frosty snowshoe hike through Beech Mountain’s 30 miles of maintained trails. Snowshoeing is fantastic for endurance and agility yet can still burn up to 1,000 calories per hour. Adventurers can embark on a frosty hike through Beech Mountain’s 30 miles of town-maintained trails.

PHOTO CREDIT: KRISTIAN JACKSON

During the warmer spring, summer and fall months, Beech Mountain’s hiking and biking trails give outdoor enthusiasts scenic views and challenging paths. For the mountain biker, Beech has a wide range of biking adventures for all skill levels: 51 miles of designated routes for road cyclists; seven miles of trails for cross-country mountain bikers; and the highest liftserved park east of the Rockies for downhill bikers. Biking burns anywhere from 650 to 1,400 calories per hour, depending on intensity. Hikers can explore some of the same trails at a slower pace. The Emerald Outback offers a myriad of overlooks to enjoy the unobstructed views of the North Carolina mountains with seven miles of trails designed to accommodate all experience levels, from a leisurely stroll to enthusiasts looking to reach new heights. A walk in the woods can provide views of views, flowers and wildlife while burning 400 to 500 calories an hour.

Another thrilling activity offered during these seasons is kayaking/canoeing where visitors can explore glistening lake waters while working core muscles of both the upper and lower body and improving cardiac health. The Buckeye Recreation Center offers free kayak and canoe rentals to residents and visitors alike to burn those 200 to three hundred calories per hour.

During the summer, Beech Mountain has additional seasonal recreational options with disc golf and Mile High Yoga.

PHOTO CREDIT: BEECH MOUNTAIN TDA

PHOTO CREDIT: MICHELLE LYERLY

For a peaceful workout with breathtaking views, Mile High Yoga gives participants all the benefits of a traditional yoga class in an untraditional setting as instructors lead through a cycle of asanas to ensure an increase in strength, posture, relaxation, and inspiration, burning 200-400 calories per hour. While yoga is more of a solitary activity, disc golf provides group competition for friends and family. The Resort’s 18-hole course spans the entire length of the slope, starting at the top and winding its way down, burning 300 calories per hour.

A great outlet for access to indoor recreational pursuits is the 22,500 square foot Buckeye Lake Recreation Center which boasts a fitness center, weight room, basketball

and pickleball courts, and a variety of daily classes such as pilates, Zumba or spin. Outdoors, visitors can enjoy hiking trails, kayaking, tennis and basketball courts and guided programming.

With all these options for challenging fresh air activities and the natural relaxation of a scenic, mountain getaway, Beech Mountain assures travelers an authentic wellness retreat. For a seamless trip, the town offers lodging options for groups of all sizes from condos, chalets, and private homes to quaint inns and lodges and is a short drive from most major cities in the Southeast.

For more information, visit www.beechmtn.com

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Maui Vang, Entrepreneur from Finance to Fitness

BY MEG HALE BRUNTON

Entrepreneur, financial advisor, and founder of Uphora Dance Fitness studio Maui Vang came to America as a toddler, when her Hmong parents fled the violence and persecution in Laos after the Vietnam War. By the time Maui was ten, she had six younger siblings, and her parents opened their own grocery store, followed by a restaurant, then a video production business. “That serial entrepreneurship lifestyle was imbued to me at a young age,” she says, adding that her parents also pushed their children to succeed academically. “That is a pretty foundational part of my story and eventual trajectory into becoming an entrepreneur.”

At eighteen, Maui married the son of a family friend her mother knew in Laos. The couple moved to North Carolina, where Maui attended NC State University and graduated in 2009 with a degree in Business and minor in Finance.

Since she graduated during a financial crisis, Maui found that finance jobs were hard to come by. Eventually Maui got a job at a tech startup in Raleigh. “I didn’t know anything about tech. I didn’t fully grasp the startup world,” she admits.

In 2011, Maui and her husband (along with their new baby) decided to move to Asheville to help their church build a new location. After working remotely for a while, Maui stopped work to focus on being a mom. “Being a stay-at-home mom brought to light how hard it was to build a family off of one income,” she says. “It opened up my eyes to the world of personal finance, and in particular a financial planning career.”

Maui began taking online classes at Florida State University and earned her financial planning certification in 2015.

She found the role of financial advisors to be fraught with conflicts of interest, and that they only took wealthy clients.

“When I learned about this, it made me even more driven to enter this world and do it the right way,” Maui explains, saying that she wanted to work with hardworking families who had not accumulated wealth. “I want to work with people who need good advice to get on their feet.”

She got a job with a small financial planning firm in Asheville. Though she admired their client-centric business model, Maui found that the job was demanding yet the services offered were not accessible to many people. “I’ve got to find a way to create another solution for offering financial advice affordably to people who are trying to get somewhere,” she remembers thinking.

Through research, Maui discovered fintech (the use of technology to automate financial work). Thinking this option could make financial planning accessible to people of all wealth levels, she began putting together a fintech-based business model that would help consumers get rid of debt, refinance loans, and increase net worth. After working with startup support organizations like Hatch Innovation Hub, and attending programs at UNC-Charlotte and NC Idea Labs in Durham, Maui had startup fever. “It was like drinking from a fire hose!” she says of all she learned about technology and business models. “I was fully on the startup journey.” Unfortunately, Maui never found investors for her company or connected with a cofounder. In Fall 2019, she took a sober look at her business and decided to shelve it, with the hope of returning to the world of fintech one day.

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She joined a financial planning firm based in Florida and after working remotely for a couple of years through the pandemic, Maui was introduced to a businessman who was looking for a CFP to cofound a new firm. Impressed with the company’s mission, Maui partnered with him to co-found Tilly, Inc., a financial advisory firm focused on providing affordable, accessible financial advice. Though the business shared many of Maui’s goals, it lacked the momentum she felt was needed to effect change in the industry.

Maui eventually felt stuck, so she began taking on other hobbies. She started working out regularly and taking dance fitness classes. “It was like therapy to me. Dance was healing, restoring wholeness,” Maui explains. Before long, she was attending ten classes a week in various styles of dance from Zumba to hip hop.

In August 2022, Maui learned that a local ballet studio had closed its doors unexpectedly. She took the initiative to pay the business a visit. “That’s what entrepreneurs do; they just hustle to find a way,” she says. Maui met with the landlord, shared about her business background, presented an innovative business model and ultimately, convinced him to rent the space to her. The idea of founding a dance studio was an unexpected but welcome change for Maui from the world of finance. So she decided to leave Tilly to pursue the studio business.

In October 2022, Uphora Dance Fitness studio opened its doors (originally called Revel Dance Fitness). With Uphora, Maui’s vision was to create an affordable, inclusive studio where people of all levels of dance can come together and share transformative experiences.

“Dancing is filled with joy and self-actualization.

I always wanted to help people achieve a sense of self-agency in life and feel like they can flourish and thrive,” she says.

Uphora offers adult dance classes in everything from latin dance to hip hop, and even belly dancing classes, with drop-in availability. Maui delights in witnessing the energizing effect that Uphora’s classes have on their clientele. “I just love seeing people dance and be joyful and progress over time. It creates confidence and that confidence leaks over into other realms of life. It’s the same thing with gaining control of one’s personal finances.” Although Maui’s business endeavors may change, she remains grounded in her values: creating a more equitable and thriving community for all.

To learn more about Uphora Dance Fitness, visit their website: www.UphoraDance.com

Nonprofit Founder Ashley Sandahl Finds her ‘Tribe’ in Saluda

BY MEG HALE BRUNTON

Having a child shortly after moving to a new town, Sandahl found it difficult to connect with people for either work or a social life. Naturally, the COVID 19 pandemic only made things harder, and more lonely.

Knowing that other women had to be experiencing the “Why can’t people talk about that stuff?” asks Ashley same challenges she was encountering, Sandahl wished Sandahl, founder of Excuse Us While We Succeed. After there was a place for like-minded women to get together having her first child, Sandahl found herself being discouraged by other women to talk about the challenges and discuss ways that they could help one another. “In a world where men are still trying to rule, we need to stick she encountered as a mom, like balancing work and together and be able to lift each other up,” she says. “The motherhood, and experiencing postpartum depression. original idea for the group was to create the tribe with a “I don’t want to have to sit in a room and pretend that everything is going great. I wanted to be able to talk about women’s networking group.” that and let other people know that they are not alone.”

Sandahl began planning a networking event for Longing for a space where women could ‘be real’ with one professional women at Earthly Minds Art Gallery in another, she created the nonprofit Excuse Us While We Saluda, called Excuse Me While I Succeed. She thought Succeed as a way for women to network on a professional it would be a small, simple Saluda gathering, but the level, and connect on an honest level. event drew an attendance of over thirty women. It grew Born in Massachusetts, Sandahl utilized the freedom and to a full-scale entrepreneurial women’s event, complete gumption of her twenties and early thirties to frequently with live music, food and a keynote speaker. Seeing that she wasn’t alone, Sandahl updated the name to Excuse move all over the country, working in restaurants, and Us While We Succeed (EUWWS) and began taking making time for snowboarding, horseback riding and steps to convert the group to a nonprofit organization. mountain biking. Somewhere in there, she also got her “Having this group changed my life, for sure. I made so certification as a wine sommelier. “I would just blow in many amazing friends. It was truly life-changing” she the wind,” she recalls of that period. “I just love to travel says. Through some of her EUWWS contacts, Sandahl and see things.” When it came time to settle down, connected with the Mountain Page Theater, where she Sandahl sought out a funky, dog-friendly, foodie town in became facilitator, website manager, and ticketmaster, the mountains. In 2017, she found all that she wanted and more in the town of Saluda, North Carolina. “I fell in as well as one of the leaders of the theater’s afterschool love with Saluda,” she says, “I feel like I was meant for this program. Last November, she even played the lead in town, like I’ve just been waiting my whole life to find this their production of “Mary Poppins.” amazing little mountain town of my dreams.”

Through the group, WNC women were able to help Sandahl worked as a bartender and wine rep in Asheville, each other on a professional level, but Sandahl wanted but later enrolled in real estate school and got her license to help them on a personal level too. EUWWS began hosting events that focused on women’s wellness, in 2020. At first, she found the real estate industry to be cold and cutthroat. Then, she joined Looking Glass Realty artistic expression, education, and emotional wellbeing as well. “Anything where we can get women to feel more as a luxury listing agent and found that their firm had a community-oriented, family environment that was much empowered and excited, healthy and happy to be alive,” more positive to work in. “I wish every realtor could be in she says of the group’s focus. This March, EUWWS will host an empowerment and health event, with free a situation like this,” Sandahl says. “It should never have massages and facials in the women-owned wellness been about competition, especially among women.”

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PHOTO CREDIT: ASHLEY SANDAL

space above Thompson’s Store in downtown Saluda. In the future, Sandahl hopes to begin utilizing the group to fight for necessary changes to issues like maternity leave, affordable housing, and other challenges facing women.

Her dream is to buy a large plot of land to build a village of small, affordable homes for single moms. “I want to do so many things, but where do I find the time to do it?”

“We have 90,000 jobs we’re supposed to be doing at all times,” Sandahl says of women’s roles. “Society just assumes that women are going to take care of it.” She goes on to say that it can be hard for women to be candid with one another, because of societal pressures to appear perfect all the time, and that women need a safe space where they can be true to themselves. To further her efforts to encourage authenticity among women, Sandahl created the EUWWS podcast with co-host, entrepreneur Brittany Bettini. The podcast did an entire season on women’s issues, inviting women to share their stories of motherhood, and interviewing other successful women.

Sandahl says that one of the key lessons that she has learned from her experiences with EUWWS is that women have to create their own definition of success based on what is most important to them. She acknowledges that there are a lot of judgmental people that define success as having a lot of wealth, a new car, and expensive shoes. For herself, Sandahl wants to continue fostering her own independence, and growing her relationships in her mountain town.

“My heart is very full,” she says. “I don’t have a million dollars lying around, but I feel successful. I have a beautiful daughter, a great career, and just a great little town.”

For more information on Excuse Us While We Succeed, visit their website: www.excuseus.org CarolinaSparkMagazine.com

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A Custom Approach to Charleston Fashion: Holy City Hats

BY REBEKAH MCCUBBINS

For Hayley and Emily, the duo behind Charleston fashion brand Holy City Hats, starting a business together was an organic extension of their friendship. In fact, the idea came to them while traveling together. “We went to our best friend’s wedding in San Miguel, Mexico. Everybody was coming home with these custom hats; there were these little shops that were all over the streets there,” Emily explains. On their way home, they realized, “this would be great for Charleston. People local that live [here], but also being a tourist city.”

The concept behind Holy City Hats is simple: customdesigned hats made using quality materials, while maintaining an affordable price point for their clients.

They work from their home studio for online orders, as well as participating in local pop-up events and booking private, exclusive events.

Emily feels the same, sharing, “I didn’t grow up here, but my whole adult life has been here. Becoming an adult, becoming independent. Going through different career paths. Taking risks,” she explains.

The two had no background in fashion prior to founding Holy City Hats. Hayley works in radiation therapy, and says that with her current employer, “I now do mostly travel into clinics, and work from home when not.”

Emily spent 10 years teaching in Charleston County and Berkeley County schools, and now works in graphic design for an education company. While their career experiences diverge significantly from the work they do in their business, their shared passion for creativity has helped them become successful entrepreneurs.

But that doesn’t mean that starting a business has been easy. The two aren’t afraid to share the challenges of Each person they work with has a unique style and vision, entrepreneurship, including the unique pressures of being a women-owned business. “It feels almost more and Emily and Hayley love the collaborative nature of their process. “A lot of our ideas have sprung from actual important, because you’re representing women and trying to break that glass ceiling. We’re trying to be a good requests from others,” Hayley says. Emily echoes this sentiment, sharing the story of a custom hat they created example,” Hayley says. “And we really do like to take on everything and do it all ourselves, which I think is really for Brian, guitarist for Charleston band The Midnight good–to show you don’t have to have other people to run City: “he sent us some [examples] that he really liked, [which] gave us some ideas. We also used some inspiration your business successfully. Any time we think we don’t unique to him. We sewed into the hat one of his guitar picks and hand burned their band’s logo onto the bottom.”

Beyond learning from each new custom order, they also get inspiration in their daily lives. “We could be walking around and see a material, and go, ‘oh my gosh, that could be really cool on a hat,’ or ‘we should really try doing something like that on a hat,” Hayley shares.

Charleston is more than just the inspiration behind their name. For Emily and Hayley, Holy City Hats wouldn’t exist without ‘The Holy City.’ It’s where they met, in the gym they both attended. And as Hayley puts it, “I grew up here, in a way. I came here when I was 24. I’ve been here seven years now, and I really do feel I’ve built my life here.

It was a time when I really became independent and built a life for myself. So I definitely have a connection here.”

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know something, or it’s something new, we try to educate ourselves and do it ourselves, and know when to ask for help.” Emily says that owning a business is “a learning experience. You’re trying to research and empower yourself to learn those tools. But we’ve also learned that there are so many people out there, too, who want to help you.”

Hayley and Emily are excited for the future of Holy City Hats. “Steady, slow growth” is the goal, Hayley says. “We have been blessed to be invited to a lot of different events, and opportunities [that have allowed us to] spread our branches in different things. I would love to be able to do that more. We love what we do in our 9-to-5 jobs, so just being able to grow our business and still keep that balance is important to us.” Emily shares that uplifting the community through mentorship is another important goal for their company: “Once we get to a point where we want to take on more customers, possibly getting someone who’s in high school or college, interested in running their own business, or wants to learn more about marketing,” is a part of their plan for the future.

They’re also excited to take on more private events, where Hayley says a group can be “a much bigger part of making their hats than when someone comes to a pop-up.” They encourage anyone interested in collaborating to reach out.

You can find Holy City Hats online at holycityhats. com or on Instagram at @holycityhats_chs.

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Transportation Safety Apparel Leads Sustainability Efforts in Their Industry

BY REBEKAH MCCUBBINS

The commitment to their customers is what led TSA to develop an exclusive line of sustainable hi-vis safety apparel. Trimble shares that she is very proud of this venture. One of TSA’s long-term clients, a national leader in the waste management industry, has a full-circle vision for sustainability. Their goal is to upcycle the waste that they manage. This led TSA to utilize REPREVE®, the world’s leading brand of recycled performance fiber.

The apparel created using these sustainable materials now keeps their clients’ employees safe on the job.

Sustainability has also become a major focus for TSA in their own internal practices. From the apparel they carry, down to biodegradable bags, clay moisture absorbers, and packing materials, they have been steadfast in minimizing their environmental impact. The company’s sustainability practices are going so well, in fact, that they’ve exceeded their own expectations. The company’s goal was to reach 90% sustainability by 2024, and they had already achieved that goal earlier this year. Today, Trimble says, “that number is closer to 100% today.” One of their final steps is to move the manufacturing of their products to North America.

Trimble says their success is a result of listening to the needs of their customers. Over the years, they’ve found that clients appreciate working with TSA over larger competitors in the industry because they value the human connection they get working with TSA’s smaller team. “We have clients that have been ordering from us for 20 years. Many of our customers and employees refer to each other on a first-name basis.

We are very proud of that,” Trimble shares. In these interactions, TSA’s team has learned the needs of their customers, which allows them to collaborate in the creation of new products. For instance, after listening to their clients, TSA has expanded their offerings to include corporate uniforms, as well as promotional products.

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appreciate that TSA is a woman-owned business, certified through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

WBENC works to certify woman-owned businesses and provides resources and benefits to businesses like Trimble’s. She says that being a woman business owner is easier now than when she first began, and that other businesses and banks have become much more receptive and willing to work with, and support, minority businesses. “It’s nice to see a growing presence of women in this industry,” Trimble says.

Trimble also believes in the importance of supporting other women in business, sharing that she is personally focused on getting more involved in mentorship. She wants women who are considering entrepreneurship to know that they won’t be on their journey alone. She says, “It’s a risk. You are going to make mistakes.” She also remarked on seeing other women-led businesses fail before even taking off, due to the concern of not having everything perfect. “It’s a learning experience,” she says.

“You’re not going to know everything when you begin, and that’s okay. Don’t be afraid to start, and reach out to others for help along the way.”

As for the future of the company, Trimble says that she plans to “expand into other markets,” diversifying their product offerings and clientele. “There’s so much opportunity,” she says, that it’s “almost overwhelming at times.” As they grow, TSA will continue to prioritize sustainability and maintaining their relationships with their current and future clients. You can find Transportation Safety Apparel online at tsasafety.com.

PHOTO CREDIT: BRITTNEY BARTELL

Carolinas-based safety apparel brand, Transportation Safety Apparel (TSA), has built their reputation on aboveand-beyond customer service. This year they are proudly celebrating their 20th year in business. Founder and owner Beverly Trimble is passionate about meeting the unique needs of each client in what is generally a maledominated industry. “We’re constantly seeking ways to meet the changing needs of our customers,” she explains.

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MUST-HAVE Local, Woman-Made Products For more information, descriptions and photos of our featured artisans, please visit CarolinaSparkMagazine.com

Southern Laurel | southernlaurelnc@gmail.com Take any handwritten recipe and turn it into a piece of artwork to treasure for many years! Starting at $75 Exquisite serving boards made from black walnut and epoxy resin. Customize with a number of colors, wood species and laser engraved personalization.

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Jackrabbit Filly:

The Perfect Eclectic Date Night in Charleston, SC

BY MADI BALMAN, CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF MAE CREATIVE Everyone has one of those perfect food spots they miss from their hometown, and I am no exception… especially while nine months pregnant. One of my favorite places back home in the beautiful Charleston, South Carolina is the contemporary, share style, Chinese-American restaurant called Jackrabbit Filly. Located just outside Park Circle, this restaurant is all the rage. They have rotating guest chefs and a rotating menu, along with all the same best-selling favorites each time you come in.

You’re sure to be greeted with a smile and a meal that’s 100% worth the wait.

My husband and I celebrated welcoming my new baby boy into the world with a seat at the bar (I’m so sad I couldn’t try a new drink!) and no wait. Since it’s a shared style restaurant, you order multiple plates and everyone at the table tastes each dish. This time around, we ordered Karaage (essentially fried chicken with a lemon mayo sauce), Pork and Cabbage Dumplings, and Garlic Krab Fried Rice. The food came to us within fifteen minutes of ordering - which is almost unheard of for most restaurants in Charleston!

My mouth is watering just thinking about our personal favorite, the Karaage. Their Karaage is a perfect, crispy outside/moist inside fried chicken with a ponzu and lemon mayo sauce that is both sweet and savory. I could eat four orders of it, myself. I added that to my plate first, naturally. Second, I bit into the Pork and Cabbage Dumplings, which were soft, tender, and tangy yet packed a little bit of a crunch from the peanuts and heat from the chili oil sauce. My husband even let me have the last one! The Garlic Krab Fried Rice was absolutely perfect to pair with the Karaage and Dumplings because of how it balanced everything out - a neutral, perfectly seasoned rice dish with veggies and imitation crab.

All in all, I was most impressed by the waitstaff & how amazing the service was from start until finish. Jackrabbit Filly is absolutely the perfect spot for an intimate date night with amazing food in an eclectic atmosphere. www.jackrabbitfilly.com Instagram: @jackrabbitfilly Takes Reservations | Open Monday-Saturday 5pm-9pm, Sunday with limited menu 11am-2pm

This Valentine’s Day, Treat Your Sweetheart to a Sweet Wine

BY ANDY HALE, CSW

I know, I know, you’re probably saying “Yuck! I don’t drink sweet wines” right now. I feel like sweet wines are the pariah of the fine wine world right now. Probably the biggest criteria my customers request in my wine shop is something “on the dry side.” They will tell me, “I can’t stand ANY sugar in my wine,” while they are walking around the shop drinking a soda.

and creates a lovely sweet and spicy combination like hot and sweet mustard. Pair an off-dry Gewurztraminer with spicy curry dishes and Rieslings with spicy stir-fry’s. Believe me, this pairing works better than you might expect!

Desserts

I know that I’ve mentioned this before, but have you ever had Champagne and wedding cake together and enjoyed the combination? The sweetness in the icing contrasts the acidity in the Champagne and makes the cake taste too sweet and the drink tastes like battery acid!

Why do we crave sugar in most aspects of our culinary life, but abhor the idea of sugar in our wine? Why do we feel like uncultured rubes at the thought of drinking an off dry wine? Do we need a snobby wine expert to say that When you are pairing with desserts, the rule is to it is ok to drink an off-dry wine? Let’s see if this helps. match or exceed the sweetness in the dessert with your “It is ok to enjoy drinking sweet wines.” wine. The sugar in the wine balances the sugar in the

-Andy Hale dessert and they both seem milder together. With the Champagne example, try substituting a slightly sweet There, now you can blame me. Do we feel any better?

My first real wine experience was when I was 19 years old Champagne instead for a much more harmonious and studying abroad in Germany. I went over to learn the experience. Pair sweeter wines with sweeter desserts and less sweet wines with less sweet desserts. But don’t go too language, but I mostly learned to drink there since I was dry or your wine will taste bitter by comparison. of-age in Europe. We were mostly stationed in the Mosel Valley, probably the most famous area for Riesling in the world. I was lucky enough to be able to attend several wine festivals while I was there and I fell in love with gorgeous, high-acid and lightly sweet Riesling.

Chocolate

Ok I know a lot of you will disagree with me on this, but I don’t think that dry red wine and chocolate are a great pairing. Unless the red has so much jammy fruit that it I still have a love for Riesling, and a relatively large part of almost tastes like a dessert itself, or the chocolate is one my small wine cellar is devoted to Rieslings and dessert wines. of those bars that have such a high percentage of cocoa A lot of people seem surprised that I enjoy them though, like that they taste like bitter coffee, the sugar in the chocolate as an expert in wine I should only drink dry wines. will just make the wine taste awful by comparison. Again, match or exceed the level of sugar in the chocolate.

Now I’m not suggesting that I drink off-dry wines nightly.

I mostly drink wine with my meals and I’m a compulsive Make friends with Banyuls, the little known dessert wine food and wine pair-er. What I’m eating GREATLY affects from the South of France, and maybe the most perfect what wine I open with my meal, and off-dry wines don’t pairing with most chocolates. Banyuls is made from red work with all foods, but there is definitely a time and grapes, slightly sweet and at around 16% alcohol, it’s place for them on the dinner table. quite a bit less boozy than Port, which generally is around 20%. That being said, Ports are fantastic with chocolate as Hot and Spicy well, just make sure you are someplace safe or prepare to A syrupy sweet Riesling might not be an ideal pairing for call an Uber! your chicken dinner or steak night, but how about the next time you have spicy Thai? Spicy foods, especially Really Sweet Desserts Southeast Asian cuisine is an excellent time to break open If you are going for those delicious chocolate bonbons a bottle of sweeter wine, especially with zippy acidity. The that are stuffed with caramel and other wonderful sweet little bit of residual sugar contrasts the spice in the food, things, you have to really step up the sugar in your wine 62

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to pair with those. Try one of my favorite dessert wines, named Pedro Ximenez.

Pedro sometimes goes by his initials, PX, but you should be able to find him in the Sherry aisle. Pedro Ximenez is the name of the grape, they are dried in the sun like raisins, which concentrates the sugars and caramelizes them, and the resulting juice is then aged oxidatively.

The wine itself looks like motor oil, but tastes like coffee, prunes, spice, and molasses. It is absolutely delicious with your seriously sweet desserts like bonbons, but also bread puddings, crème brûlées, etc.

Sweet things are bound to come out this Valentine’s Day, and if you want to pair wine with them, remember the words of this snobby sommelier: It is ok to enjoy drinking sweet wines!

Andy Hale is a Certified Specialist of Wine and was a professional Sommelier in Charleston until he moved to Asheville. He is now the Education Director at Metro Wines.

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Mamaw’s Old Fashioned Egg Custard Pie Recipe

BY KIM GILLILAND, OWNER FACB CATERING

Below is a precious recipe my “mamaw” and I used to make together especially at the holidays. I still make them exactly like she did. Her name is Viola Andrews. She passed away at the young age of 98 in 2017. She played a huge part in my love for Cooking.

Old Fashioned Egg Custard Pie 3/4 cup sugar 2 T salted butter Cream together.

6 eggs (fresh is best) 2 cups cold milk Add eggs one at a time, beating well.

Stir in cold milk.

Pour into 9” Deep dish pie crust (unbaked) Sprinkle with ground nutmeg and bake at 375 for 40-45 min DON'T overcook; center should still shimmy.

Let cool and enjoy!

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Mom’s Greek Shrimp

BY SARAH DOOLEY

1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined Zest of 1 lemon 1 tbs butter 1 tbs olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 C scallions, chopped 3 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded, cut in wedges 1 tsp oregano Salt/pepper 1 lb feta cheese, crumbled 3/4 C sherry Angel hair pasta Dry shrimp. Sprinkle with oregano, salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Set aside.

Melt butter at medium high in a large skillet. Add garlic, scallions, and tomatoes. Add shrimp and cook until pink. Add feta and sherry. Bring to a boil and cook 3 minutes until cheese melts. Serve over angel hair pasta.

PHOTO CREDIT: SARAH DOOLEY PHOTOGRAPHY

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Deaf vs. deaf

BY KRISTY WHILDEN Deaf is an identity and culture that has been around for centuries. The Deaf world is a beautiful place that I thankfully have found during my struggles with my diagnosis of progressive sensorineural hearing loss. They are a welcoming community of amazing people who feel that deafness is not an impairment, but something to be celebrated. In American Deaf culture the primary method of communication is American Sign Language.

People in the Deaf culture were generally born into it and ASL was their first language and many of them attended Deaf schools. CODA, or Child Of a Deaf Adult, is a term used for hearing children born to deaf parents.

In many instances these children grow up to be bridges between the Deaf and hearing worlds and interpreting for their parents. These children learn ASL first and many times need speech therapy in school to help hone in on their English skills. However, did you know that according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders 90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents? This is where the small, “d” deaf the frequency (pitch) from lowest to highest measured comes in. in Hertz. To better understand frequency and intensity imagine a piano. If you press the keys from left to right The usage of deaf generally pertains to a medical diagnosis then you would be starting with the lowest pitch, such and not a culture. People who identify as deaf usually as a truck engine, and working your way to the highest were raised thinking their deafness was a medical issue pitch, such as a bird chirping. Now how hard you hit those in what the Deaf community call the hearing world. They keys (intensity) whether softly or loudly will determine also were mainstreamed into hearing schools and taught at what intensity would be needed for someone to hear a to speak and not to sign. English is their first language. specific pitch.

Often when a child is born deaf the parents look for ways to “fix” their child such as getting cochlear implants or With that being said, now look at my audiogram. The red have them wear hearing aids. This also pertains to people O’s are my right ear (my “bad” ear) and the blue Xs are who lose their hearing later on in life, also known as late my left ear (my “good” ear.) So, if you look at everything deafened adults, just like me. below the red O’s, that is what I can hear out of my right ear. If you look at the blue X’s, that is what I can hear I decided to see an Audiologist when my children started out of my left ear. So for example I cannot hear birds to complain that the music in my car or the TV was too chirping, whispering, rustling leaves, and dripping water. loud. I found myself questioning what others were saying But I can hear an airplane, a rock band, a jack hammer, to me more often than not. When I arrived at the office I a chainsaw, motorcycle, and a piano (except the top few was put into a soundproof booth and given a hearing test. notes if they are played too softly.) You also see a bright I was asked to listen for a series of beeps to which I had to yellow section known as the speech banana. I can hear push a small button if I heard one. After the Audiologist some speech sounds in my left ear but not many on my spoke small words and phrases at different tones to right. If someone speaks clearly and to my face I can record what I can and cannot hear onto an audiogram. who generally understand what is being said and can For educational purposes for this article I decided to plot fill in a bit with lip reading. I cannot hear anyone that my results on a child’s audiogram with pictures to show stands behind me on my right side. I prefer to fill in the exactly how big of a spectrum hearing loss actually can be. blanks with ASL. Hearing aids do help me but can be very When you look at an audiogram all of the numbers to painful and disorienting. I do like that they have an app the left represent the intensity (loudness) of a sound where I can control how loud they are and turn down any measured in decibels. The numbers across the top are background noise.

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If you were to take one thing away from this article I wish for it to be a better understanding of how vast the spectrum of deafness can be and the difference of deafness as an identity and culture vs. a medical diagnosis. My name is Kristy Whilden and I identify as small “d” deaf with a moderate to severe loss. I may have lost most of my hearing at the age of 34, but I have decided to embrace this, “Loss,” and learn as much about the Deaf world as possible. I now have a degree in Deaf Studies and ASL and try to surround myself with the Deaf community. I have met some of the most amazing people who are now my great friends.

Kristy Whilden is a #1 International Bestselling author for her book Dear Younger Self : From Shelter to CEO. She is the Co-Founder and CEO of Hands Up Silent Theatre. At Hands Up they encourage the d/Deaf to learn more about the performing arts and encourage the hearing to learn ASL and interact with d/Deaf/HOH peers. Together they create performances for the d/Deaf/HOH and hearing communities to enjoy as one! Kristy is a Rutgers and Rowan College at Burlington County graduate and is currently earning her MFA at Southern New Hampshire University where she is specializing in writing novels with diverse characters. When she’s not reading and writing, or her feet aren’t on the stage, she’s hanging with her three kids, family, and guinea pig.

PHOTO CREDIT: AMY BOND PHOTOGRAPHY

The Bair Foundation Helps Foster Families Fit Together

BY MEG HALE BRUNTON There are over 120,000 children and teens in the foster care system today. It is the greatest goal of The Bair Foundation Child and Family Ministries to help these children find a sense of belonging and a loving home. A large portion of their efforts to build strong children, strong families and a strong community begins with finding and empowering strong foster parents.

Founded in Pennsylvania in 1967, The Bair Foundation is now in nine states across the country, and has three offices in North Carolina alone (Asheville, Raleigh, and Wilmington), each covering a 75 mile radius. Bair State Director, Dani Walker-Novi has been working with children and families in human services for ten years. While Bair is a national organization, Walker-Novi finds that it is still able to forge close relationships with the families it helps, and make connections on a local level all across the state. “I love that I have the opportunity to be a part of all areas of North Carolina services that have an impact on our families and children we serve,” she says. “I am blessed to be able to learn about different areas of the states and identify and support needs specific to individual communities.”

Intake Coordinator Toni Houlihan says that a big part of her role is recruiting foster parents. She attends a multitude of events, where she gets the opportunity to speak with the public about all of the foundation’s fostering options. “I love getting to know folks, going into their homes and seeing the possibilities. I love doing events and seeing these families, ready to open their heart and their home to a child in need,” she says. “Actually seeing these kids adopted. To me that’s the goal. I want to see them adopted and going to their forever home.”

Houlihan takes pride in the phenomenal support that the foundation’s staff provides to their foster care parents. They offer a free extensive six-week training program to ensure that the foster children are receiving the highest level of foster care. “We call our foster parents, ‘treatment parents.’ We teach them how to be professional parents,” she says of the graduates of their program. “We want to make sure everyone is safe and gets supported.

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Our goal is to help the kiddos with the most needs, and get them the treatment that they need.”

feels there will be more opportunities to make a positive difference in a child’s life.

The program (called Intensive Alternative Family Treatment) trains its attendees in therapeutic foster care to help children with mental health issues, behavioral challenges, or who are medically fragile. “With being a Therapeutic Foster Care agency our families are provided with additional training to provide care in their home to children who may have extensive medical and behavioral health needs,” says Walker-Novi.

Though often rewarding, Houlihan acknowledges that working in foster care is often emotionally draining and that one has to be able to rely on a strong team connection. “We all really support each other here. We try to laugh because you’ve got to have a sense of humor, and focus on the positives,” she says of the nine people on her team. She adds that, while hard, the reward for the work they do is overwhelming. “We really want the best outcome for the child. I can’t wait to see the families that I’m training adopt one day. It will make all the horrible stories worth it.”

The foundation also helps coordinate Foster to Adopt options, so that foster parents can legally adopt the child they are caring for if the biological parent terminates their rights. There is also an option called ‘Share Parenting,’ in which the foster parent and biological parents stay in touch and discuss the wellbeing of the child under the foster parent’s care until the biological parent gets on their feet. Parents can also sign up to do respite care, to give full time foster parents (or foster children) a break. Other than round-the-clock support for their foster families from treatment coordinators, the foundation also hosts monthly support groups, as well as events where families can get to know each other.

While there are always children in need across the country, Houlihan states that the Covid-19 pandemic did increase the amount of kids in the foster care system, and that every NC county is currently struggling to find places for them. Houlihan regularly speaks about foster parenting to church groups, citing that if just one family from every church in the country took in a foster child, there would be no kids in the foster system. She clarifies that anyone, regardless of race, religion, background, ethnicity, marital status, or sexual preference, can qualify to become a foster parent. “We try to purposefully fit the kid with the parent. We want to make sure that child gets in the right home, that it’s a good fit for them and a good fit for the family because every disruption could cause more trauma to the child,” Houlihan says. “It only takes one caring adult.”

Both Houlihan and Walker-Novi have spent years of their professional lives, working in the many roles of assisting families, from crisis units, to in-take at hospitals, to private agencies, to child protective services.

“My personal and professional values align with The Bair Foundation mission of providing quality care and To learn more about The Bair Foundation Child & services dedicated to the treatment, restoration and Family Ministries, or to sign up as a foster parent, empowerment of children, youth and families,” explains Walker-Novi. Houlihan concurs, adding that she is excited visit their website: www.bair.org to be working on this side of the equation because she

Doors to Freedom: A Safe Space for Survivors of Child Sex Trafficking

BY REBEKAH MCCUBBINS

At Doors to Freedom, Sharon Rikard has created a safe space for survivors of sex trafficking to heal, grow, and transition into their new lives. “I believe providing safe places is essential to being able to provide other therapeutic services for this population,” Rikard explains.

She founded Doors to Freedom in 2011 after learning about the widespread problem of child sex trafficking.

“Several years ago, I was able to travel to Central America, South America, and even over to Nepal. Everywhere I went, I saw little girls who had been abused,” she remembers. “I didn’t realize it was trafficking, until I watched a documentary on trafficking and thought, ‘wow, that could have very well been a child who was being trafficked.’ Then in 2011, I heard a woman speak at a conference who had provided housing in India for children of prostituted women who did not want their children to be raised in a brothel. They took their kids out of the red-light district and provided their children a safe home. As she [shared] statistics of trafficking in the United States, I just knew I had to do something.”

Rikard quickly realized just how great the need was. “I started researching trafficking in the US and found that there were [about] 100 beds in the United States for survivors of sex trafficking. I was appalled by that,” she shares. “I just thought, ‘that’s their greatest need–a place to heal. So I will attempt to do that.’”

Rikard says that in the United States, sex trafficking happens by “more psychological manipulation.” She shares that common risk factors for trafficking in the US include poverty, mental illness, being raised by a single mother who has to work outside the home, and past abuse. Ultimately, she wants people to understand that the girls she works with are victims of an adult exploiting them: “Of all the kids I’ve worked with, I’ve never talked to a kid who told me she dreamt of being prostituted one day.”

When a child is placed with Doors to Freedom, they go through an initial interview, which Rikard says is “more her interviewing us.” She explains that, “our goal is to provide a place of healing for these kids. We have a home-like environment; it’s not institutional at all. And we want this child to be able to get to know us, to ask us questions. So we call them pre-placement interviews, because she’s actually interviewing us.”

About 98% of the children they interview choose to join their program. From there, they create a safety plan tailored to the child’s needs. They spend the first few weeks assessing the child, identifying gaps in her education and skill sets so that they can fill those gaps. “It’s a beautiful thing to watch a kid discover that she’s not dumb, but able to learn and dream again for her future,” Rikard says.

Doors to Freedom is focused on long-term healing, and Rikard shares that a girl’s average stay in their program is anywhere from 9 months to just over a year. Each child’s needs are different, but she explains that, “when you have children who have been sexually abused–say starting at six or seven years old–that’s a lot of layers of abuse to process. You can’t put a time limit on that, because we all process trauma so differently.” Doors to Freedom also works with the families of the children in their care, setting up family Rikard says that one of the challenges they face at Doors therapy if needed, and providing education around to Freedom is the inaccuracy of the information about sex trafficking so that the children are returning to homes trafficking that circulates in the general public. “It’s been where they will be supported. a little bit of an upward battle, due to the general public As they work to continue helping survivors, Rikard not realizing that trafficking is happening to our kids,” says that there are always needs that the community she explains. “Most people believe it’s young people or adults coming abroad into our country. That does happen, can help meet. “Of course, financial support. With but the majority of trafficking is happening with domestic all the services that we provide, it is costly, but it’s absolutely worth it for these kids,” she shares. minors in our country.”

Since founding Doors to Freedom, Rikard has created a space for survivors that is more than just a bed. “We have a licensed LISW-CP (social worker) on staff, and she helps provide support in between therapy sessions for our kids. We also have a healthcare team that ensures all medical needs of our girls are met, from dental to eye, and general medical exams,” she says. “And then through the child advocacy centers, they are able to do the forensic interviews and forensic medical exams.”

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“A lot of community organizations will collect gift cards for us. Many children come to us with the clothes on their back. Having gift cards empowers her to choose what kind of clothes she likes.” Doors to Freedom has an Amazon wishlist for more specific donations on their website. They also work with volunteers. Rikard says, “People always ask me how they can volunteer, and I always ask them: what

are the gifts and talents that you have? Because there are so many ways that the community can get involved.”

South Carolina’s Homeschool Moms Are Creating Community Through Co-Ops

learning styles, and putting extra emphasis on the subjects they show interest in. And this approach extends to the co-op itself. They plan classes that allow the students to expand their understanding of core subjects through real-world applications. “Our upper class are actually working with someone who has a forensic science degree. Last month they [learned about] fire and arson; the month before they did blood spatter analysis; they’ve done fingerprint analysis,” she says. They also plan a diverse range of field trips, including farms, state parks, and the local serpentarium.

BY REBEKAH MCCUBBINS For Elizabeth Rheam, building community has always been an essential part of homeschooling. She didn’t set out to homeschool her kids. Her homeschooling journey began as a necessity when she realized that her oldest daughter’s educational needs weren’t being met in South Carolina’s traditional public school setting. “When she started kindergarten, it was the same curriculum as it was in pre-K. She was getting in trouble for not sleeping, and for reading during naptime,” Rheam shares. “I didn’t see the point in her getting in trouble for reading.”

As her family adjusted to homeschooling, finding new ways to socialize with other kids and find community was a natural part of the process. Today, she is an active member of a co-op homeschooling group, Colleton County Homeschool Co-Op. The co-op organizes classes, events, and activities for homeschool families in their community.

Rheam says that homeschooling empowers the parents in her co-op to craft each child’s education around their unique needs: structuring lessons around their preferred

You can learn more about Doors to Freedom, donate, view their Amazon wishlist, or apply to volunteer at doorstofreedom.com.

Parents who homeschool their children are often asked about socialization. But Rheam says that in her experience, many homeschooled students have richer social lives than their publicly-schooled counterparts.

“In public school, you’re not on recess for the eight hours you’re sitting there. My kids get up at 6 o’clock in the morning, and they’re done [with their lessons] by 10 o’clock,” she explains. “And then they have the rest of the day. Whether they go to a job, or to co-op, or a sport, there’s so much opportunity for them to meet other people.” Rheam says her children stay busy, taking jiujitsu and career technology classes, participating in team sports, and more.

But the community their co-op is building isn’t only important for their kids. The regular meetings give

homeschooling parents an opportunity to connect with each other. “Everyone has different ideologies,” Rheam shares. “But that’s just everyday life.” The co-op structure means that parents are expected to be involved, sticking around while their children participate. “Because it’s a mom-led group, the parents stay and talk; they socialize and mingle; they get to know each other,” she says. “And there are moms inside the group that click. They hang out, and do other things. That’s what I like. They’re able to get together, their kids get together, and it’s good.”

Socialization isn’t the only misconception about homeschooling families. Rheam says that she wants people to know that, “it’s not that we don’t trust the school system; it’s just that we know there’s something better for our kids.” Her children still participate in certain activities through the public school system. “It’s not necessarily [about] the adults that are in charge. It’s just the overall generalized standard testing; what they’re not teaching them. And I’m always open to talk and compare notes. I do look at the grade levels, and where the kids should be, and make sure mine are there or past it.”

To parents considering homeschooling, Rheam says, “Take the jump.” She believes that successful homeschooling is all about getting to know your child.

“Every child learns differently. They’re not all going

PHOTO CREDIT: ELIZABETH RHEAM

to learn the same.” She acknowledges that there are challenges, but that if it’s the best option for your child, it’s worth it. “It’s going to get hard,” she says. “It’s going to get frustrating. You’re going to want to give up. Your child’s going to want to give up. Y’all are going to argue.

And you’re going to change your curriculum, and change the way you teach. Because you’re going to learn how your child learns best.”

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Nicki LaRue Builds PropsAnd her Own Community

BY MEG HALE BRUNTON

Assistant Production Manager for Asheville Community Theatre (ACT), Nicki LaRue tried to deny her own creativity in order to find work in a more reliable industry.

“I was really hard on myself then,” she admits, thinking back on her early years in theatre. She spent five weeks in cosmetology school to become a hairdresser, and tried working in retail and business development jobs. But her art wouldn’t be denied.

Originally from Pennsylvania, Nicki was always a ‘movie nerd’ and longed to do something creative. At age 24, she enrolled in renowned special effects wizard Tom Savini’s Special Makeup Effects Program at the Douglas Education Center just outside of Pittsburgh, where she earned her Associate’s degree in Specialized Business.

After graduating, she worked doing effects for a few horror plays. “That was so silly and fun,” Nicki says of the corny prosthetics she designed, referencing a two-sided costume piece she designed that made it look like an actress had a hook through her chest. She also did hair and makeup for less gory shows, like ‘Hairpspray,’ and apprenticed at a marionette theatre in Lancaster. Nicki knew she would need to relocate in order to enter the film industry, but felt hesitant to make the move. “I was anxiety-ridden. I thought, ‘I don’t know how to succeed in this.’ I just didn’t feel like I had the stuff.”

“I ran away from my own creativity for a good, solid fifteen years,” Nicki says. In 2015, she moved with her partner to Asheville, North Carolina, hoping for a new start. Six weeks after making the move, she lost him to suicide, leaving her traumatized and alone in a new city. Feeling like her entire life had been flipped upside down, Nicki got into an unhealthy relationship, moved to Florida, and began abusing addictive substances.

Eventually recognizing the dangerous road she was on, Nicki returned to Asheville in 2019 and got a job in production at Moog Music Inc. Nicki moved up quickly at Moog, shifting first into order processing and then, business analytics. Starving creatively, she began to reach out to local theatre companies, volunteering her services. Her first Asheville show was ‘Bloodbath’, a play written by local director Jamie Ridenhour and performed at the Magnetic Theatre. Shortly after, she heard from Jill Summers, ACT Production Manager, offering her a contract job doing makeup, hair, props, and puppets for their production of ‘Fight Girl Battle World.’ Nicki recalls she and Jill had an 74

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instant rapport. “Our aesthetics align really well. We’re not afraid to say ‘no’ to one another and push each other,” she says. “I feel so grateful to have someone like Jill to create with.”

At ACT, Nicki found her community. “I’m building my own family. That’s what it feels like,” she says of working with the staff and volunteers at the theater. “This theater took me in. I’ve been able to point out things that I think could be better. All my creativity is acknowledged. There’s just a feeling of collaboration, growth and compassion in this space. You’re gonna have to offer a lot to get me out of here.” In her role, Nicki does prop fabrication, puppet creation, hair, wigs, and makeup.

In Fall 2020, she began working part-time in their box office, and the following spring, she moved backstage into the position of Production Coordinator. Last summer, ACT made Nicki Assistant Production Manager. “I’m here with the hot glue, gaff tape, glitter, and the feathers, and the fur,” she says, adding that she can do almost anything with hot glue. “It’s so much better than working in an office.”

Last year, for ACT’s production of ‘Pippin,’ Nicki took on a new challenge- that of assistant director. She says she was so excited to get the opportunity to learn from the show’s director Bob White, and now aspires to direct her own production in the next few years. She has already discovered an unexpected love of musicals, which she thought she hated until recently. “It’s different when it’s your kids,” Nicki says, comparing theatre to parenthood.

She looks back on the first musical she worked on at ACT, and recalls being moved to tears during every performance.

“The family is here, and they did such a great job.”

Outside of makeup, hair, and props, Nicki is in charge of coordinating ACT’s volunteers, scheduling auditions, and planning the theater’s semi-annual volunteer events. “I feel pretty much 50/50 between volunteer coordination and artistic production,” she says. “It’s really important that we’re providing opportunities for people to try something new, or develop their skills. There’s just so many talented people, and they don’t always know it.”

Nicki says she loves that her job gives her the opportunity to build up other’s confidence in their own abilities.

While Nicki admits the road that brought her here was far-from-easy, she has learned a valuable life lesson about how to approach the challenges life throws your way. “I’m not always great at living in the moment, but I’ve gotten better at taking each day at a time,” she acknowledges. Nicki also says that she will never try to live without theatre again. “I think theatre probably is my end all; anything else would feel like going backwards.”

For more information on Asheville Community Theatre, or to volunteer with them today, visit their website: ashevilletheatre.org

Cat Fly Film Festival Brings Indie Filmmakers Together

BY MEG HALE BRUNTON

Before Brittany Jackson founded the Cat Fly Film Festival she was working in the office of a local screen printing shop, as well as doing some freelance work, filming short films and music videos. “I got into film because I love music, but I’m not very good at playing music. So, while my friends were picking up guitars, I was like, ‘How can I play too?’ So I picked up a camera,” she recalls. “The rest is history.”

After earning her degree in Mass Communication from UNC-Asheville, Jackson worked on an independent film project out of Atlanta for a movie called, “Good Hair.”

When the film’s directors decided to take the film on the road across the southeast, Jackson offered to host them in Asheville (since several cast and crew members were based there) and helped plan a screening of the film at Habitat Brewing in Asheville. The experience left her thinking that she should put together a local festival

showcasing all the filmmaking talent in the area. In April 2017, at only 25 years old, Jackson orchestrated the first Cat Fly Film Festival, funding it with her tax return money. “It blossomed into a three-day festival,” she recalls. “We were fully prepared to be the band at the empty venue with nobody listening, but the community really turned up.” All three nights of the event sold out, and Jackson was able to pay herself back with enough extra funds to roll into another event. Named for Jackson’s love of cats, Cat Fly evolved into an annual festival.

The following October, Cat Fly got its second yearly event after they hosted a Halloween Fest at UpCountry Brewing. “Indie filmmakers love scary movies,” Jackson says of how the idea for the event came to her. Besides their two main annual events, Cat Fly also created a Summer Series to showcase other local filmmaking skills, CarolinaSparkMagazine.com

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including a projection installation and live scoring. For the third installment of the series, Cat Fly partnered with Charlotte filmmaking group Films on Tap to screen local indie films, with a paired local beer flight that matched each film’s tone.

she says, laughing. “I’m very extroverted, so I love making new friends. A new friend is a chance for not only a lifelong collaborator, but also authentic connections.

Those connections just make for a richer life.”

For the future, Jackson wants a lot for Cat Fly. This year, she hopes to achieve 501 c3 status for the organization.

After setting a daunting pace of festivals and events, the Covid-19 pandemic forced Jackson to slow down a bit. Cat Besides the festival itself, she hopes to expand the Fly still managed to host a virtual festival in March 2020, organization and make it become more of a resource hub for area filmmakers. Jackson would also like to host a which garnered excellent audience response. “We got so wellness-centered filmmaker’s retreat, as well as a film much engagement. Everybody was behind the keyboard, tour across the Southeast. One day, Jackson would even talking about the movies,” she remembers. Since the like to be able to give grants to local filmmakers and fund pandemic, Cat Fly has hosted their fifth annual festival, Indie films. “We’re hoping to be more than just the fest,” and two Halloween events, with proceeds from the most she explains, adding that this is the reason they recently recent one going to Binx’s Home for Black Cats. changed their Instagram handle from Cat Fly Film Fest to Jackson feels that one of the main things that make Cat Cat Fly Indie Film. She also states that films being made Fly’s festivals unique is its noncompetitive, communityin Asheville creates more local jobs. “I want to spread built nature. When choosing the films to screen, a panel the love too. I want to help my fellow collaborators and of judges grades the submissions based on their individual community members. I want to help uplift Asheville’s film qualities, including direction, writing, cinematography, community, and showcase Asheville.” sound mixing, production quality, originality, and Now at 32, Jackson is trying to pace herself and adopt regional relevance. Jackson tries to use the festival to a motto of: Go slow, but don’t stop. Though neither bring filmmakers together who seem to have similar sustainable, nor relaxing at this point, Jackson says she interests. “I like to play professional matchmaker. We loves that she is doing what she is passionate about and want to introduce collaborators who will become best friends and work together forevermore,” Jackson says. “I feels that Cat Fly has a bright future. “I’ve done many, many things because I know time is of the essence. I feel like if we can all uplift each other, we’re all gonna do just want to live a really full life. This is what makes me better. We should work as a team, come together, help soar,” she says of working with artists. “Running the each other, and not see each other as competition.” organization is like being in a relationship. Sometimes it’s For every festival, Cat Fly receives anywhere from 50-150 hard, sometimes me and Cat Fly fight, sometimes we have submissions of feature films, shorts, and music videos. to compromise. At the end of the day, it’s worth it.”

As the frontwoman and programming director for the For more information on the Cat Fly Film Festival, festival, Jackson sometimes finds aspects of her role challenging, but loves the artists she gets to interact with. or to book your tickets for their next event, visit their website: www.catflyfilmfest.com “Public speaking is hard, but I love a captive audience,” PHOTO CREDIT: 2021 48HR FILM PROJECT

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Ingles Media Analyst Chris Clark Enjoys her Role as ‘Grocery Girl’

BY MEG HALE BRUNTON

Media Buyer and Analyst for Ingles Markets, Chris Clark was born and raised in Easley, South Carolina. The oldest of four girls, Clark grew comfortable in leadership, ‘alpha’ positions. After eleven years living in Charleston, she was excited to move back home in 1999. “I love my community. I’m an Easley girl,” Clark says, joking that her heart bleeds green. “My circle is never closed for people who can make a difference in my life.”

Clark attended Anderson College (now Anderson University) and got her associate’s degree in Fashion Merchandising. Though she did not go into Fashion, Clark says she learned many skills that she uses in her current role at Ingles. “Just let me say, I would not dress anyone, or buy clothes for anyone. That’s just not my thing,” she says of fashion. “I did enjoy what I learned there, as far as this job that I have now.” Clark goes on to say that the merchandising aspect of her degree has been helpful in her career, and that her classes in Sociology have constantly helped her in understanding people.

After graduating, Clark got a job with Liberty Life Insurance where she remained for five years. She then got a job as a receptionist at an ad agency called David L. Rawle Associates (which became Rawle Murdy Associates). Through their support and training, Clark says the management at the agency shepherded her onto the media buying and analytics track. “I landed in a place that trained me well,” Clark says. “I think a lot of people don’t understand that you can still land well.

It takes hard work, and you have to pay your dues. I worked very hard and I still work hard.” She quickly became the agency’s media department assistant and subsequent media buyer.

After moving to Easley, Clark was contacted by Leslie Advertising for a contract media buyer position working primarily on the Bi-Lo and Mayfield Dairy accounts. With her previous experience with Piggly Wiggly and Bi-Lo, Ingles cemented her niche. “Grocery marketing is really kind of my specialty,” she explains. “I call myself ‘Grocery Girl.’” After working for years with Ingles Markets at the agency level, in 2012 Clark accepted a contract position with them as their in-house media buyer and analyst.

“I just study the viewing patterns of people,” she says of the tricks of her trade. Clark handles all the television, cable and some digital marketing purchases for Ingles Markets across the Greenville/Spartanburg/Anderson/ Asheville, Knoxville, Charlotte, and Atlanta areas. “I look at each market that I buy and determine how much money I can spend. I look at numbers, share of market, how many thousands of people are watching TV within

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that particular programmatic scheme, and the ratings.

All of this is based on demographics.” Clark explains that the majority of the demographic target for groceries is women ages 25-54, but goes on to state that everybody buys groceries.

which Clark refers to as ‘informative awareness spots’ are what she feels connects Ingles with the public. “We need people to understand what Ingles offers, not only as a product, but as a community partner,” she explains.

“That’s where we come together in the placement of media.”

Clark says that she values building relationships with the stations that will not only secure a fair price but also provide opportunities for extended partnerships. “I believe in relationship marketing and I have good relationships with my reps.” she says, adding that she has found that when you buy from your friends, they take better care of your business and stand by you when times are hard.

“I just feel like you get more when you treat people with fairness, integrity, ethics, honesty, and kindness. I hold people accountable to that, especially myself.”

Now 60, Clark has no interest in retiring anytime soon.

“I’m not looking to retire. I love my job and I love what I do. As long as I’m able and they’re willing to have me, I’ll be ‘Grocery Girl’ for a while,” she says, adding that since her position is remote, her schedule is workable. She says that this flexibility makes time for spending time with her husband of 35 years, her two grown children, and her parents who still reside in Easley. Clark is also very active in her church, loves attending rock concerts, and follows Clemson football. “I’m part time, but always available.

I can take my computer anywhere. I can do my job wherever. It’s not that my job is easy, but I’m comfortable with my job.”

While she is not directly involved in the production of Ingles’ commercials, Clark says that she does get to be creative in her placement of spots based on the tone, message, and products featured in it. These commercials,

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Evoke Vitality Founder Shannon Trim Finds the Artistic Side of Medicine

BY MEG HALE BRUNTON

The walls of the Evoke Vitality practice are covered with a breezy, beautiful mural design, painted by founder and solo practitioner Shannon Trim, PA-C, MPAS. Though she always felt a pull toward medicine, Trim feels that is not necessarily a pull in the opposite direction of art. In fact, she finds that there is a great deal of artistic expression in the work she does.

Trim’s mother was a self-taught artist and imparted some of her skills onto her daughter. Despite this, Trim always planned to go into either dentistry or psychology.

“I definitely wanted to be in medicine in some way,” she recalls. “When I found aesthetic medicine, I thought, ‘It’s like sculpting a face.’ Like art, it’s all about balance and composition.” Trim earned her bachelor’s degree in math/ science education and went on to school to become a Physician Assistant. In 2014, she graduated from Wingate University in Charlotte, North Carolina where she focused in integrative medicine and dermatology.

Trim was surprised to find that she was the only PA student at her school who chose integrative medicine as her elective, and worried that it could be a detriment to her career before it had even begun. “I was a little daunted at coming right out of school to do something so in-the-face of Western medicine,” she says. Trim opted to become a surgical physician assistant, specializing in colorectal surgery and acute care. “It was a really great experience, but I always knew that I wanted to get back into integrative medicine, specifically working with women approaching menopause.”

In 2017, Trim began to really delve into the world of regenerative medicine. She worked in medical spas, learning everything about peptides, supplementation, serums, pharmaceuticals, and other functional medical treatments to help people look better, feel better, live longer, and be more vibrant. “I was given a lot of wonderful tools and direction from the people I studied with and worked with, but there was a little more I wanted to achieve with patient care,” she explains, adding that she also enjoys more autonomy on her own. “I wanted to make sure that patients’ true expectations were being met. When a patient came in, I wanted to really listen to them and hear where they were coming from.

Helping people figure out what their true drive is and

what they really want, and then meeting that expectation is my goal.”

In March of 2023, Trim founded Evoke Vitality, a medical spa in downtown Asheville specializing in metabolic health, wellness, and aesthetic medicine. “I want to evoke the vitality inside each individual,” she says of where the name of her business came from. Through Evoke, Trim says she hopes to challenge many of the accepted negative expectations that come with menopause, including gaining weight, having low energy, and no longer enjoying sex. “Most of my patients come here because they’re tired of not being heard. They're tired of someone throwing a pill at a problem. I always say that most Western medicine is reactionary, and I like to be proactive with health.”

Besides making people look and feel younger, Trim says that her treatments can actually help prevent surgery.

Once a Greensboro Roller Girl, she learned the healing power of regenerative medicine firsthand when she tore her ACL and meniscus during a roller derby bout, and treated it with regenerative PRP injections in her knees.

“A lot of times, we can avoid things like surgery if we CarolinaSparkMagazine.com

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rebuild the tissue with stem cells and your own growth factors,” Trim says. “A lot of people don’t realize your body can heal itself if given the right raw materials.”

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) fights inflammation, and stimulates healing, repair, and regrowth throughout the body without causing tissue atrophy like cortisone injections can. At Evoke, Trim uses PRP procedures for sexual health, hair regrowth, joint repair, and aesthetics.

“I usually don’t have a patient that remains in one realm, because I look at each person as a whole,” Trim says, explaining that her patients will often come in for one treatment, such as a filler, and make an appointment to start on bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, or begin treatment for joint pain. “It’s kind of like a onestop shop, essentially. I strive to get people feeling like they’re eighteen again.”

Trim is board certified in aesthetic medicine by the American Academy of Procedural Medicine, as well as certified in Biote bioidentical hormone replacement, and peptide therapy. She has done extensive study on functional medicine and IV therapy with A4M. She has also been trained on PRP procedures, and has trained other physicians in advanced filler techniques. Recently, Trim has been partnering with Sensorium Neuro Wellness to help treat PTSD, depression, anxiety and even autism without using medication. She hopes to continue working with them to develop more holistic approaches to overall health.

Getting to know many of her patients, Trim finds it especially rewarding when they bring their friends and family to her for help. “When they bring someone they love to me, that means that I’ve made a difference in their life and they want to share it with people they care about,” she says. Besides being a medical practitioner, a wife, and a mother of five, Trim says she remains very much an artist. “It’s so intermingled. Art is medicine.

The way your mind thinks and can come up with creative solutions- it really helps to be both, I think.”

For more information on Evoke Vitality, or to book your treatment today, visit their website: evokevitality.com If you want to learn more, check out her podcast: Metabolic Wellness, Health, & Aesthetic Medicine

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Entrepreneur Brittany Bettini Throws Herself into the Professional Fire

BY MEG HALE BRUNTON

Entrepreneur Brittany Bettini feels she has come full circle. In a span of less than ten years, she has gone from needing assistance from local nonprofits, like Safelight Family Advocacy Center and The Storehouse, to starting her own nonprofit to give back to organizations like them.

Her nonprofit, Bettini Community Charities, is only one of four businesses that Bettini started. She says the key to her success is hitting her personal bottom, recalling the night she had to get a trunk load of groceries from the Henderson County Food Pantry so she could feed her kids. “I thought, ‘I could lay down and let this beat me, or I could take back what I wanted to do and what I knew I could do.’”

Bettini grew up in an affluent family of entrepreneurs in Hendersonville, North Carolina. “I hated that everyone’s life seemed to revolve around their businesses,” she explains. Like a lot of kids, Bettini had no desire to walk the same path as her parents and planned to go into either journalism or law and move to New York City.

“Pretty much, my life goal was to be a member of the cast from ‘Sex & the City’.” Instead, Bettini studied graphic design and business administration, got a job working for a local bank, and rekindled an old flame with her high school sweetheart. The couple got married and had two children. Rather than an HBO series, Bettini’s life turned out more like a Hallmark movie… until things changed.

When Bettini’s marriage turned abusive, she was forced to leave and take her two small children. In financial ruin, losing her car, her home, her credit, and finding herself unable to support her family, Bettini reached out to her parents for help. They owned a janitorial business called Clean Streak and gave Bettini a job cleaning banks and medical facilities at night. She also got a day job with a collections call center. When one of Clean Streak’s office employees suddenly quit, Bettini jumped at the opportunity to take on the role, and learned everything she could about managing the business. In no time flat, Bettini had scaled the business so well that she was able to ‘retire’ her parents and take over as Clean Streak’s COO. Working primarily from home during the pandemic, Bettini took online courses to increase her own financial literacy and learn how to repair her credit.

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Seeing that there were other people in need of the same skills and assistance, Bettini started Bettini Financial Solutions, which she was able to operate out of her home.

“Credit repair helped me get back on my feet when I lost everything,” she says. “It helped me so much that it was a logical business for me to start.” As her business grew, Bettini began outsourcing some of the day-to-day aspects of it to virtual assistants (VA) in The Philippines.

She found this to be a life-changing and cost-saving way for a business to improve their productivity. She quickly implemented VAs at Clean Streak as well.

her women’s empowerment group, Regroup. Bettini formed Regroup as a way for women to get together, not only to support one another, but just to be honest about what they are going through. “It’s not like a lot of those hoity-toity women’s events; it’s very transparent,” she says. “We let our guard down, talk about how much of a hot mess we are, laugh together and know we are not alone.”

Now 33, Bettini is remarried and even has a three-year old baby. While she has a hard-working team and an incredibly supportive husband, she attributes a great deal In July 2021, Bettini started her second business, I Need of her achievements to being stubborn. “I owe so much of a VA, a staffing company to connect businesses with my success to the fact that I am spiteful. I would say 90% qualified virtual assistants. Bettini changed everything of my success is owed to my abusive ex-husband, because in her brand to be focused on team-building and staffing. almost everything I’ve done has been to show him that She even sold Bettini Financial Solutions so that she could I’m not what he said I was,” she says. “The growth that I’ve focus all her energy on I Need a VA. Bettini says that she experienced in myself in the last seven years- I don’t even herself has five VAs that maintain her hectic schedule. recognize myself. I just kind of threw myself into the fire.”

“I can be in five places at once,” she says, explaining that To learn more about Brittany Bettini, go to her website: her assistants set her appointments, correspond with brittanybettini.com or themaineventwnc.com vendors/customers, and manage her online presence and social media. “Entrepreneurs who have a team have double the amount of hours in a day. I make it look very manageable because it’s not just me. I couldn’t operate without my amazing team.”

Last August, Bettini decided to push her skills as an entrepreneur even further by opening The Main Event, a 10,000 sq. ft. event space on Main Street in downtown Hendersonville. Bettini admits that she had to learn a lot about the event business, and about opening a brick-andmortar location. She also found it triggering to go into debt again, after so many years debt-free. “I was on top of the world. I think I needed to be knocked down a couple pegs,” she acknowledges of her professional confidence. “I realized when I did this that I knew nothing. It was so humbling.”

“I wanted to have a space that was the heart of my community,” Bettini says, stating that she didn’t want The Main Event to just be a wedding location. Besides being a convenient and beautiful space, The Main Event location will always hold a special place in Bettini’s heart because it is the former location of Safelight’s domestic violence shelter, Mainstay. Bettini says it has been extremely fulfilling to restore the building and to use it to partner with the charities that she credits with saving my life. “It feels really, really good to be bringing something in my hometown back to life in a really cool way.”

One of the ways she is already utilizing the space to help the community is by offering it at no charge for nonprofit community events, and making it the meeting place for 82

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Brown states that her passion has always been to create and that she has the vision to transform a space. “Making people happy, seeing things come together, and creating an atmosphere that makes people enjoy themselves is very fulfilling,” she says. For Brown, this passion started with her planning small events for local community groups after she made the life-changing decision to leave her first career. Brown realized that the skills she had learned as a lobbyist, combined with her love of working with people, had made her uniquely qualified as an event planner. Brown created her own event planning business in 1999, which she called Shay Brown Events.

She rebranded the business in 2023 as Shay & Company, because the company had grown to be more than just event planning and is managed by a wonderful team.

Shay Brown: A Day in the Life of Event Planning

BY MEG HALE BRUNTON

Shay Brown was raised a country girl at heart on a working farm in Western Carolina and North Georgia.

She contributes those values daily to the company that she has grown for the past 23 years. As the owner of Shay & Company, Brown knows it takes determination, organization, and hard work to organize an event that makes an impressionable mark in this community.

“Growing up on a farm, I had a different work ethic than a lot of people,” she recalls. “I worked very hard, and I still do to this day. Early to rise and late to bed, rings true here.”

After earning her degree in criminal justice from Western Carolina University, Brown got a job right out of school as a probation officer in South Georgia. From there, she became a lobbyist for the Department of Transportation and ultimately Vice President for CSX Transportation in Atlanta. “You had to be the early bird if you wanted to get bills through the house or the senate,” Brown explains,

Shay & Company is now a leading event planning company in WNC. Brown attributes the company’s success to her amazingly dedicated team and the longstanding relationships she has forged with the area’s most qualified vendors and community leaders. She says that many people envision wedding planning as an elegant job, but in reality, it is rarely glamorous. “We move tables, set up from start to finish, and at times have to clean toilets if that is what it takes to make the event perfect,” Brown says. “It is not an easy job but it is a fulfilling one.”

Brown says that working with so many creative people in her community and bringing people together is truly why she does what she does. “Collaborating with so many brilliant minds and seeing an event come together changes people’s perception,” she says. She goes on to say that it never ceases to amaze her how the power of bringing people together can remind everyone what is important in life. “I have seen so many families that have been so separated, rebuild relationships. Seeing all those people come together and forgetting all the family drama, and seeing the happiness and the love is remarkable.”

When asked about Shay & Company’s growth over the years, Brown reveals that every business owner should have a ten-year plan to re-evaluate their business and move it forward in some fashion. In 2010, Shay & Company expanded to include venue management services and now manages eight venues in the Asheville, Marion, and Brevard areas. In 2019, she added planning for large-scale festivals and events to the company's portfolio. For Brown, expanding Shay & Company to CarolinaSparkMagazine.com

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support the causes she champions in her community was a huge move forward. “It’s eye-opening, if you set goals and strive to achieve them, what you can do,” she explains. “I love creating a beautiful day and event for people. I love ensuring that the family or client is taken care of and the guests are happy and that the space is gorgeous. This is true for weddings, festivals, and big celebrations for the community.”

Brown says that her role sometimes requires her to push herself and her staff to maintain their professional standards, or to meet a deadline, but that they are always so grateful to one another after putting together a beautiful and successful event. “What we do can be hard; I can be very demanding,” she admits. “But I am always very thankful for the long hours, hard work, and dedication of my team.” Along with her dedication and tireless work ethic, Brown puts trust, integrity, dependability, and gratitude at the forefront of everything she does at Shay & Company, having learned the importance of these qualities long before starting the business. Her professional journey and experiences, along with the support of her family and friends, have certainly paved the way to a successful career.

After 23 years of building a successful event planning company, Brown admits she does aspire to take more days off to travel and spend time with her family. “People don’t understand with planning that not only do we work a 9-5 job Monday through Friday, but almost all events take place on the weekend when people can travel,” she explains. “The team does not ever get time off unless we take that time off, and that is very important to have For more information on Shay & Company, or to a balance.” To maintain her own sanity with her busy schedule your event today, visit their website: schedule, Brown has kept up her ritual of getting up by 5:30 every morning. Only now instead of heading straight shaybrownevents.com to work, she takes a quiet moment to reflect and enjoy her morning, surrounded by her beloved animals.

PHOTO CREDITS: BROOKE PARKER PHOTOGRAPHY HAIR & MAKEUP: FAB FLAWLESS MAKEUP ARTISTRY VENUE: THE MAIN EVENT

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