Elk River Living | Volume 05 | Issue 10

ELK RIVER LIVING

Little

Jarrett Tincher, age 8, brought home the championship trophy on Sunday, August 6, 2023, in Hurricane,TN, at the Loretta Lynn Motocross, on his Cobra CX5E.

HELLO & Welcome Back!

There are so many great things to share with you in this October issue! First, ERL’s feature story recognizes a familiar Elk River face, but you may not recognize her without a paint brush in her hand! Quincy Potasnik, Clay County artist and owner of The Tiny Sparrow, Art Studio and Happy Place, is known for her painting events all over West Virginia. Follow her journey in this month’s issue, and learn more about her painting classes and unique ability to inspire others with her positive and uplifting spirit.

Speaking of uplifting, ERL would like to introduce you to 8-year-old Jarrett Tincher of Elkview, the 2023 MICRO-E Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Champion! Only the best of the best are chosen to race at the famous Loretta Lynn MotoCross Track and Jarrett did not disappoint! He has been riding since he was 3 ½ years old. ERL is very proud of this young man and his championship accomplishment. Check out his story and his gorgeous victory smile.

Also, Affiliated Financial Group is at it again! This time, along with ANR Construction, they have teamed up with 97.5 WQBE and Herbert Hoover High School to help the Mountain Mission Food Bank. The Hoover classes are competing to collect canned goods with the help of the community, and the generous grand prize is $2,500+ toward the winning class’ Project Graduation. Randy Young and his staff take great pride in giving back to the community and their project this year is amazing.

As I read through this welcome, I see the words positive, inspire, uplifting, champion, accomplishment, giving back, pride, generous…words that describe our wonderful people and businesses on the Elk River. When a community comes together, there is no stopping the great things that can happen.

Take a walk on the trail, breathe in the fresh autumn air, and be thankful for this wonderful place we call home! We are indeed blessed! Stay safe my friends!

Operations Director / Josh Tawney

Cyndi Tawney Editor In Chief / Ken Tawney

Creative Director / Printer / The Printing Press Charleston, WV

Layout & Design / Katheryne E. Popp

Little Secret Design Co.

Photographer / Scott Abbott

Scott Abbott Photo

ON THE COVER

and owner of

Elk River Living is published monthly by CJT Publishing, LLC, Elkview, West Virginia 25071. All rights are reserved. All contents are copyrighted by CJT Publishing, LLC; reproduction in whole or part without written permission from CJT Publishing, LLC is epxressly forbidden and punishable by law. Elk River Living is not responsible for unsolicited materials. All opinions expressed within Elk River Living belong to the feature’s author and are not necessarily the opinions of the publishers of CJT Publishing, LLC employees. Elk River Living and CJT Publishing, LLC reserve the right to refuse any idea, material or subject matter. Throughout this issue, trademarked names are used. Rather than denoting a trademark symbol in every occurrence of a trademarked name, Elk River Living uses the names in an editorial fashion, with no infringement. All trademarked names are still fully protected, and anyone who uses them without permission will be prosecuted.

This magazine depends on our advertising partners! Production, printing and mailing costs are offset by the participation of our valued local businesses. It is how we provide this service at no charge to you. Please take the time to review our Sponsors Page, and if you are in need of a product or service they provide, we ask that you give them a shot at earning your business. And let them know you saw their ad in Elk River Living!

Our ERL photographer, Scott Abbott and guest photographers who care about our communities and help make this magazine possible: Scott Abbott, Aubrie Abbott, J. Craig Allison, Tim Cunningham, Janet Six, Jill Moles Mullins

Meet Quincy Potasnik, Clay County artist

The Tiny Sparrow, Art Studio and Happy Place. Her shop is located at 614 Elk St., Gassaway, in Braxton County.

Aubrie Abbott

Tim Cunningham

Scott Abbott

Janet Six Jill Moles Mullins

J. Craig Allison

ABSOLUTE ASPHALT

304.548.7707

#WV-061163

ADVANTAGE VALLEY

304.352.1165

1045 Bridge Rd., Charleston advantagevalley.com

AFFILIATED FINANCIAL GROUP

304.935.2230

4950 Elk River Road, S. Elkview.

ANR CONSTRUCTION

304.741.0377 | 304.546.6510

Randy Young, Jr. & Andrew Young

ARMSTRONG LAW, PLLC

304.300.9663

dan@wvlegalhelp.com

624 Elk St., Gassaway

BECKY’S PET PARLOR

304.951.9162

Rebecca Briles & Kaitlyn Truman

BILL’S USED CARS

304.548.4727

Rt 119 Elk River Road

BLANCH’S FAMILY DINER

681.230.2088

9 2nd Ave.,Clendenin

BLUE CREEK HEATING & COOLING

304.965.9148

contact Bill Ross or Roy Crist

BOWEN DENTAL

Chas: 304.342.0146

Clay: 304.587.7495

contact Stacy or Gary Bowen II

BOXDROP MATTRESS & FURNITURE OUTLET

304.590.6094

2777 Pennsylvania Avenue, Charleston (Mink Shoals Exit 1)

CANTRELL’S FLORIST

304.548.7700

7484 Elk River Rd, Clendenin

CENTRAL WV AGING SERVICES

304.965.9081

Local Charleston Office

CLENDENIN PHARMACY

304.548.5451

Bill Ore and Linsay Matuszkiewicz

CREDE TRACTOR

304.965.1666

contact William Crede

DEAN JEFFRIES, STATE FARM

304.965.7024

85 Credes Landing, Elkview

DOOR DECOR & MOORE

304.965.2447

4952 Elk River Rd.,Elkview

EDENS BODY WORKS, INC.

304.965.5900

102 Neville Rd, Elkview

ELITE ROOFING

304.989.4792

2614 7th Ave., Charleston

www.eliteroofingwv.com

ELK FAMILY DENTISTRY

304.965.6661

contact Joey Adkins, DDS

ELK RIVER AUTOMOTIVE

304.965.7501

contact Gary W. Pauley II

ELK RIVER AUTO SUPPLY

304.965.5312

contact Glenn Pauley

ELK RIVER BAKING COMPANY

304.548.7474

12 Main St., Clendenin

ELK RIVER BOUTIQUE

304.549.8778

3 Main Street, Clendenin

ELK RIVER CHIROPRACTIC

304.965.2458 | Dr. Scott Collias

4710 Chimney Dr., Ste. D

ELK RIVER COMBAT SPORTS

304.940.2480

514 Quick Rd., Elkview

ELK RIVER GET-A-WAY

304.993.0006

16544 N. Elk River Rd., Clendenin

ELK RIVER HOTEL & CAFE

304.402.2121

616 Main Street, Sutton

ELK VALLEY ELECTRIC

304.419.5337

www.elkvalleyelectric.com

ELK VALLEY PHYSICAL THERAPY

304.965.7979

contact Andi Geary, MPT

E.L. ROBINSON ENGINEERING

304.776.7473

elrobinsonengineering.com

5088 Washington St W, Charleston

FIRST SECURITY INC.

304.744.5233 | Steve Booth

512 Chestnut St., S. Charleston

GABBY’S SEWING & MORE

304.935.2360

4506 Penn. Ave, Charleston

gabbyssewingwv.com

GINO’S PIZZA & SPAGHETTI HOUSE

304.965.7031

Order online at ginospizza.com

GIOVANNI’S - CLENDENIN

304.548.7002

giovannispizzapower.com

GLO’S BEAUTY BAR

304.553.6603

8 Maywood Ave., W. Clendenin

Gloria Treola

GOOD FAMILY PHARMACY

304.935.4812

249 Pinch Rd., Elkview

GOOD LIFE APOTHECARY

304.345.8600

3212 Penn. Ave., Charleston (Crede)

HAFER FUNERAL HOME & MYER’S CHAPEL

304.965.3331 | 304.965.3341

haferfuneralhome.net

HARDING'S FAMILY RESTAURANT

304.344.5044

2772 Pennsylvania Ave., Charleston

HOLSTEIN INSURANCE

304.965.9941

holsteininsuranceagencyinc.com

INDIAN LAKE

304.965.5661

1111 Indian Lake Drive, Elkview

JIFFY J’S INC.

Portable Restrooms

800.256.8657

JONES AUTO & TRUCK REPAIR

304.965.6180

jonesautotruckrepair@gmail.com

JONES EXCAVATING

304.965.6180

jonesexcavatingofcharleston.com

KEITH'S AUTO PARTS

304.548.7627 | 1-800-RACE-A-VW

VW Specialists

6328 Elk River Rd, N. Clendenin

KN CONTRACTING

304.965.9088

5146 Elk River Rd., Elkview

KNIGHT VEHICLE LICENSING

304.548.4726

knightinsurance@frontier.com

KNIGHTHORST

877.474.7332

www.knighthorst.com

LAUGHTER & LACE

304.382.1791 Call or Text

Rebekah Kersey, Seamstress

LITTLE SECRET DESIGN CO.

304.427.6797

www.littlesecretdesign.co

MATICS FUNERAL HOME

304.548.6611

maticsfuneralhome.com

MAVERICK GYMNASTICS CLUB

304.925-3004 • maverickgym.com

3510 Venable Ave., Charleston

Maverick Gymnastics Club, Inc.

MEADOWBROOK ACRES

NURSING CENTER

877.474.7332

www.meadowbrookacres.net

MITCH’S 24 HR TOWING

304.965.6646

contact Mitch Young

MOSS TREE SERVICE LLC

304.965.8095

www.mosstreeservice.com

MOUNTAINEER AUCTION

304.548.4056

contact Roger Mullins

MT. PLEASANT BAPTIST CHURCH

304.965.7062

mpbcwv.org

NALU’S STYLE STUDIO LLC

304.343.2049

2777 Penn. Ave, Charleston

NANCY KUHL

SEWING & ALTERATIONS

304.965.0747

Text 681.340.0409

PADDLERS BAR & GRILL

681.230.2061

PATRIOT PRESSURE WASHING

304.840.4833

patriothousewash.com

PEGGY WHITE, REALTOR

Old Colony

304.395.0619

POCA VALLEY BANK

304.965.7730 | 1.844.782.2651 pocavalleybank.com

PUZZLED PISTOLS BOUTIQUE

4636 Penn. Ave, Ste 2, Charleston

www.puzzledpistolsboutique.com

RIVER CITY YOUTH

BALLET ENSEMBLE

Michelle Rader Simon

www.rcyb.org

ROGERS HARDWARE

304.965.1077

BIll Rogers

RODNEY LOFTIS & SON

304.342.8200 & on Facebook

95 Casdorph Rd., Charleston

SCOTT’S SERVICE & AUTO REPAIR

681.230.2151

311C Elk River Road, S., Clendenin

SLEEP INN

304.345.5111

2772 Pennsylvania Ave., Charleston

SMITH'S FURNITURE & APPLIANCE

304.965.7600

Elk Shopping Plaza, Elkview

SOLID ROCK CONTRACTING

304.444.4288

contact Phil Shaffer

SPENCER’S HARDWARE

304.548.6995

8290 Elk River Rd. N, Clendenin

STARCHER LAW

304.541.9120

723 Kanawha Blvd., E., Suite 200, Charleston

THE SWINE BARREL

304.885.4691

1009 Main St., Elkview

TUDOR’S BISCUIT WORLD

304.965.7769

1083 Main Street, Elkview

WALKER CREEK FARMS & CABINS

304.286.5200

230 Nebo Walker Road, Nebo

WALLY'S SUPERIOR PARTS & SERVICE

304.935.2287

5100 Elk River Rd., N., Elkview

YAK HOUSE RENTALS

304.941.2229

403 Elk Ave., Clendenin

Reservations: yakhouserentals.com

XSPEC POWER

304.746.1139

contact Emily Canterbury

THOUSANDS

GIVE OUR SPONSORS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE YOUR BUSINESS, they care a great deal about you and the Elk River community! There’s

AT THE LIBRARY

LIBRARIES ARE MORE THAN JUST STORES OF BOOKS & KNOWLEDGE. THEY ARE THE CORNERSTONE OF NEIGHBORHOODS & COMMUNITIES.

OCTOBER LIBRARY EVENTS

Brick Builders Club

Jump into Storytime Playgroup at the Library Machine Sewing

SpheroBot Zombie Maze

STEM Afternoon

Harry Potter Book Day Fabric Pumpkins

Jump into Storytime

Playgroup at the Library CLOSED for WV Book Festival Halloween Party at the Clendenin Community Center Halloween Painting

Oct

Learn to Crochet Tuesdays

Jump into Storytime

Stay & Play

Family Fun: Puppy Paw-ty Patrol Party

Learn to Crochet Tuesdays

Jump into Storytime

Stay & Play

Kids Paint: Spooky Window Sunset

Elk Valley Book Group

Teen Time Tuesday

STEM Wednesday

Learn to Crochet Tuesdays

Jump into Storytime: Halloween Stay & Play: Halloween Costume Parade

Oct

Night of the Boo Bash

THE ELK’S COOKBOOK

CELEBRATING OCTOBER & EVERYTHING PUMPKIN

This month Walker Mtn Eats shares a delicious recipe for pumpkin spice cookies. Gabi Strickland Walker said, “When Ash was little, she was able to make this easy three-ingredient recipe (with assistance from little sister, Pae, of course) with very little help. It’s a great fall baking activity for the kids and the cookies are yummy!”

ASH’S PUMPKIN SPICE COOKIES

the Kitchen of Gabi Strickland Walker

INGREDIENTS

• 1 box Spice Cake mix

• 1 15 oz can pumpkin purée

• 1 container of Cream Cheese frosting

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350• | Bake 13-15 Min

STEP 1 Preheat the oven to 350°. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.

STEP 2 Mix the pumpkin puree and dry cake mix together in a medium bowl until there are no more lumps.

STEP 3 Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until the edges start to golden.

STEP 4 Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on your baking sheet. Transfer to a wire rack or wax paper to finish cooling. Frost with cream cheese icing and if the kids are decorating them, you know you will need some sprinkles on top!

From

LITTLE BUT MIGHTY!

actually made it (42 riders in each class). West Virginia was represented by 6 riders, and only 1 of those 6, Jarrett Tincher, qualified in the MICRO-E class and then captured the national title.

We'd like to thank everyone who came out and supported Jarrett at our benefitfishing tournament on July 23rd to help with his tournament expenses. We are SO proud of the new 2023 Micro-E Champion, Jarrett Tincher!

– Chris Veltri, Owner of Indian Lake

The Loretta Lynn Motocross track is a lofty goal for young riders. Kailyn explained, “Only the country’s best 42 riders who qualify at area and regional races between April and June can compete at the Loretta Lynn Motocross track.” The track is named after country music legend, Loretta Lynn, and was her homeplace for many years. Most of the year it is a horse ranch, except for the first week of August when it houses motocross riders and fans for some of the most amazing racing you will see by amateurs.

Kailyn stated that Jarrett started racing when he was just 3 ½ years old .”My husband rode, but he never rode competitively,” she explained. “Our neighbor was selling a

yearoldJarrett&hisdadJohn

dirt bike for a great price, so we bought it--even though it was too big and still a year prior to him being able to ride!”

A year later, Jarrett did indeed start riding in his backyard and he also began watching motorcycle racing on television, and he was totally intrigued. Kailyn said, “The closest track to us was in Mason County and Jarrett rode his first race there with training wheels. He came off the track and said “I don’t want to race again with training wheels.”

His parents then bought him a PW 50 and he learned how to ride it in their neighbor’s yard. Sure enough, he rode it by himself without training wheels. This year is his third year attending the national championship. His first year he placed 12th in the PW 50 class (2021) and then in 2022, he won his first ever moto at Loretta’s and placed 4th overall. This year he competed in the MICRO-E class, where he placed 6th place, 1st place, and 2nd place, which put him as the overall first place champion.

It was the first time the bike he was riding, the Cobra CX5E, ever won a national championship. Kailyn said, “The bike just came out last year and it won a national championship its first year out!”

Jarrett is a third grader at Elk Elementary Center. He practices riding in Ripley on a track that his karate teacher actually created for him. Kailyn explained, “His karate teacher used to ride and when he saw Jarrett’s passion, he volunteered to create a practice track for him. Jarrett goes on Wednesdays and any weekend he isn’t racing to practice.” He also loves his karate and is a brown belt, black stripe, and attends twice a week at the WV Karate Academy in Sissonville.

His next race will be in Gainesville, Florida, over Thanksgiving break, where he will race the Cobra CX5E for the last time. Jarrett will then be honing his skills on the Cobra 50SR and Cobra 65 as he prepares for next year’s competition for The Road to Lorettas 2024!

Jarrett wins Micro-E Class Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship.

& brushstrokes

CONFIDENCE IN OTHERS

QUINCY POTASNIK INSPIRES MEMORIES OF

Quincy Potasnik, Clay County artist and owner of The Tiny Sparrow, Art Studio and Happy Place in Braxton County, can help bring out your artistic talent, even if you don’t think you have any!

She shares her artistic expertise through a variety of guided group painting events, private and group painting and drawing lessons, and specialty workshops to name a few. You can walk into one of her painting sessions thinking “I can’t paint anything,” only to leave feeling proud of what you accomplished in just a couple of hours.

Quincy began her journey as an adjunct art history instructor at WVUIT-Montgomery. She had already taught multiple art classes at another college in North Carolina, so she was familiar with techniques and how to teach students to apply them. When a group of students approached her, asking her to teach a guided-paint class, she was apprehensive as she had never picked apart a painting in order to put it back together again. “It was like another language that I had to learn overnight and present the next day, all the while appearing to know what I was doing,” she laughed, and then explained how “that hesitance melted away when her students responded with a positive vibe.”

Her guided-paint class experience prompted her to start a business of “creating happy people.” She ran a mobile studio for six years and traveled throughout West Virginia and Ohio teaching classes. She hosted painting classes at local churches, clubs, businesses, etc. She said, “I really wanted

Photos provided by Quincy Potasnik & Jamie Tanner

to plant roots somewhere. One day when I was babysitting my niece in Gassaway, I happened to turn left, which was the wrong way, and there, I saw that big FOR RENT sign in the window of a shop on Elk Street. I was told later that it had been there for a long time, but for some reason, it was meant for me to see it at that very moment!” She contacted the owners, and when she explained what she had planned for the location, they agreed it was a perfect match. The flagship store for The Tiny Sparrow, Art Studio and Happy Place was born!

Originally, Quincy wanted a place, not so much for the public, but a place for her to paint...to create. “I was looking for a place of quiet, my space, a place of happiness, my Shangri-La,” she explained. “The beauty of being the new person in a small town is that I had people dropping by telling me how happy they were to have me join the businesses on Elk Street, and they encouraged me to offer painting classes to the public a couple of days a week.”

As a result, Quincy now offers guided painting classes on Friday evenings and sometimes schedules another day during the week in addition to hosting off-site classes. She teaches a class to homeschoolers once a month, helps raise money for people in need through her painting FUNdraisers, and works with various mental health programs to promote positivity. She encourages people to check her schedule on Facebook/The Tiny Sparrow, Art Studio and Happy Place, each week to see what classes she has scheduled for the week and the month. “If one person drops in for class, we paint--if 10 drop in, we paint. Class isn’t about the number

(even though I do have to pay the rent); it is about people getting together, laughing, and having a good time. Those memories and that confidence walking out of my front door are priceless.”

Quincy said she loved to draw, even at an early age. “I used to lie under my grandmother’s coffee table and draw on the underside with crayons when I was little.” She explained that she loves painting, especially signs, landscapes, and homesteads on antique saw blades. “One time I painted a 52” saw blade for a farm in Calhoun County,” she giggles. “I almost cut off my toe rolling that thing through my house,” she exclaimed, but then quickly added that “a little bit of pain is well worth the sacrifice to see a client satisfied, even if she does bleed ROY G BIV.”

It’s hard to believe Quincy once started out as a student in microbiology and was nearing graduation. She said, “I am very science and math minded, but health issues emerged that changed my career path to obtaining a BA in Studio Art from Campbell University in North Carolina.” She still recalls her college advisor looking at her transcripts and saying, “Whoa, you aren’t what we normally see," to which she replied, “Yeah, I’m not your normal human being!”

Quincy said, “My talent-filled ancestry is as deep as our majestic mountains are high. My great-grandmother was a valued seamstress in her day, my grandmother and sisters followed suit and were also artists, my dad could draw, my Aunt Becky Proctor is an author, and the lot of them were vocalists.” She gives credit to those who passed down the genes that would make her who she is today, and she always gives credit to God.

After graduation, she taught elementary art through the North Carolina Schools Lateral-Entry program until 2012 when her grandfather back home in Clay County tragically passed away in an ATV accident. “I had been gone for 20some years, lived all over the US and in Europe, and I knew I would be needed back home, so I packed up my infant child, my dogs, cats, and chickens, and transplanted my roots once again where my life began. Those rivers and streams that ran through my veins never left me. Breathing that mountain air gave me insight as to what I needed to do, and that was to share my knowledge of the arts with whomever would accept it.”

This past winter, she experienced a pulmonary embolism, followed by a mild heart attack, assumedly caused by Covid-19. It could have been the end of her studio and her mission, but Quincy is not one to take “no” for an answer.

The outpouring of love from supporters and the care from her sister, Amber, kept the studio open during her downtime, and in June 2023, amid the long road to healing, she renewed her lease. In Quincy's words: “Never give up, never back down, and always check to see if there’s more paint in the bottle because you can keep going on just one drop.”

For Quincy, her art is more of a glorified hobby, one where she doesn’t expect to become rich; she loves painting, drawing, sculpting…whatever makes people smile, and that is worth its weight in gold. She does commissioned work, teaches art classes, and loves inspiring others. “I really like doing classes at local businesses,” she says. “It’s great to introduce businesses to people in the community with my painting classes.”

In September she had a class at the Elk River Baking Company in Clendenin, and she has a second class scheduled there on October 6. Also, she just completed a gorgeous collage mural, designed by Sandy Greene, at the new Lil Dudes and Divas Children’s Boutique in Gassaway, and she held an Antique Window Painting class at the small but expressive Party With Sass in Servia. At the end of September, she headed up a painting FUNdraiser at the Country Kitchen in Big Otter to help flood victims in Calhoun County who were affected by the August 28 flash floods that hit the area. She has conducted classes this summer at the Summit Center in Weston, Boomer Baptist Church, and the Burnsville WV Public Library, where she was part of a cohort designed to

bring communities together, which was sponsored by Estée Lauder and the American Library Association.

Quincy emphasized that when her mobile studio and these businesses join forces, it brings in people who might not otherwise know that these businesses exist. Customers discover trendy and sometimes rare gifts that might not be seen if she had not teamed up with those businesses. “When we were painting at Elk River Baking Company, we had a fantastic crowd of 14 artists who had also enjoyed a scrumptious dinner and a delicious frosted cake, made by Debbie Samples herself. Art and eating, that’s the way to spend the perfect evening! How else can we spread the good news that there are some fantastic places in the nooks and crannies of our great state?”

Quincy’s life journey, with its twists and turns, has truly been a blessing for our Elk River and surrounding communities. Her compassion for art transcends all ages as she inspires others to pick up a paint brush and create. She says, “I encourage people to drop in and relieve some stress. We don’t judge here; we laugh and create. We mess up and start

You don’t have to be an artist to learn how to draw…let me teach you.

– Quincy Potasnik

again. You know, paint is VERY forgiving. If you’re wary or too much of a perfectionist, you’ll understand by the end of class how spectacular you really are and how minute those worries were in the first place.”

Quincy offers super-easy, everybody-friendly classes for all ages, and she walks with you every step of the way. People can expect to see pumpkins, gnomes, and some ghosts make appearances in the upcoming fall classes. Also, she says to look out for the holiday and winter months, packed full of scenery, landscapes, and trendy bulbs with glitter (we do love glitter during the holidays!). “It’s so much fun to display your creations according to the seasons down through the years,” she added.

Her classes draw attendees from other areas in WV, including Charleston, Parkersburg, and Morgantown, from neighboring states like North Carolina and Virginia, and from the Midwest and the West Coast, not to mention from Europe as well. She smiled and said, “Painting events are a perfect way to get friends and families together and to introduce new people to our wonderful communities through the arts. They’re not for professionals. They’re for people who claim they can’t draw a stickman.”

New to her studio are Drawing 101 and Drawing 102 as new offerings to her classes. She said that starting off drawing is a “great way to learn the basics of pencil and charcoal drawing. Just bring a drawing pad, a #2 drawing pencil, and a white-polymer or gray-kneaded eraser, and I will get you started!” Also soon, watch for new oil, acrylic, and watercolor classes and specialized classes such as Color Mixing and Mixed Media art.

• October 6 at Elk River Baking Company in Clendenin at 6:30 PM

• October 13, 20, and 27th at 6:30 pm at The Studio in Gassaway

• October 20 at 10:30-12:30 at The Studio in Gassaway

Watch her Facebook/The Tiny Sparrow, Art Studio and Happy Place, for more classes and drop-in and paint dates. Instagram: thetinysparrowartstudio

The winter months can be long and dreary, so make plans now to include something new and inspirational. A new skill with new friends! Laughter for the soul with an extra helping of self-esteem boosting! The Tiny Sparrow, Art Studio and Happy Place, 614 Elk Street in Gassaway, WV (304) 549-8203.

Quincy Potasnik resides in Nebo, Clay County, with her husband, Bradley Cable, daughter Sparrow, and 93-year-old grandmother, Marlene.

A preview of her October Friday Guided Paint Classes:

WINNERS OF THE ELK RIVER RAIL TRAIL MARATHON

The Elk River Rail Trail Marathon/Half Marathon/5K was even bigger and better this year, doubling the number of runners compared to last year! It is one of the concluding events at the Clay County Golden Delicious Apple Festival and runners were lined up and ready to go on Sunday, September 17 at 8 AM despite the pouring rain! The runners ran along the Elk River Trail starting from/returning to the J.G. Bradley Campground in Clay, WV, with full marathon runners running all the way to Ivydale before reversing course.

The Elk River Trail Foundation would like to thank Ricky and Caren Campbell and the Appalachian Timing Group for organizing and managing the event, and the Central Appalachian Empowerment Zone (J.G. Bradley Campground) and the Clay County Little League for permitting use of their facilities, making this year’s second annual marathon/half marathon/5K a huge success. A debt of gratitude is also owed to the volunteers from the Mountain State Wheelers and the Elk Valley Trail Foundation who spent a long day making safety and aid bike rides along the 26-mile course and manning the water and aid stations for the runners. There were 250 participants registered from 20 states, from as far away as California, Arizona and Nevada! Credit to Elk River Rail Trail Foundation and Appalachian Timing Group.

This year’s winners include:

OVERALL FULL MARATHON WINNERS

Males - Trent Crofut (3:41:23.

Females - Eliana Agudelo (4:07:52.6)

OVERALL HALF MARATHON WINNERS

Males - Sawyer Dobbins (1:28:10.4)

Females - Beth Carson (1:47:27.5)

CONGRATS TO OUR OVERALL 5K WINNERS

Males - Marc Radcliff (20:15.4)

Females - Marissa Atha (23:26.5)

Photo credit to Elk River Rail Trail Marathon

Overall 5K Winners

Overall Full Marathon Winners

Overall Half Marathon Winners

NEW SIGNS ON THE ELK RIVER WATER TRAIL

There are new mileage marker signs being installed on the Elk River Water Trail. Barry Curry, Lois Cole, and Mike Shamblin of the Elk River Trail Foundation are leading the effort to have signs posted every mile along the Elk River Water Trail from Sutton Dam to the Kanawha River. The signs were purchased with grants from TC Energy and The WV Department of Environmental Protection, The Stream Partners Program. The signs will enable kayakers/boaters/users to plan trips and will provide first responders with a better location in case of emergencies. The Elk River Trail Foundation has also applied for another grant from The Stream Partners Program to place signs at each public river access site because they are not always easily identified from the river.

Beer/Wine

THE ELK’S JOURNAL

ALYCE FAYE BRAGG

Alyce Faye Bragg is the oldest of seven children and was born on Big Laurel Creek in Clay County, West Virginia, in 1935. She is the mother of six children, grandmother of 22, and greatgrandmother of 23.

Bragg was born and raised in the country and still lives on the same farm where she was raised. She has a sincere love for nature and the beauty of the hills. She began writing in 1981 for her county newspaper, The Clay County Free Press. She then started writing for her state paper, The Charleston Gazette, in 1991. Bragg has three books published, “This Holler is My Home,” “Homesick for the Hills” and “Laughter From the Hills.”

“I love to write, and my main desire is to describe things in such a way that the reader can see it too. God has given me a talent for description, and permitted me to live in a part of the country where there is a wealth of natural beauty. Also, He has blessed us with a huge family where there is always something happening!”

Description of Laughter From The Hills from WV Book Company

Laughter from the Hills is the third book written by popular West Virginia newspaper columnist, Alyce Faye Bragg. Mrs. Bragg, who has many children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, is a keen and honest observer of family and nature in the hills of West Virginia.

Often her observations are funny, but unaffected and down-to-earth. Easygoing, she and her family can laugh at themselves as much as anything. This comes in handy when an account of an embarrassing moment appears in the newspaper or one of her books! But she can’t help writing about them; Bragg is a born storyteller. And

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behind that storytelling ability is her tendency to count her blessings. She thanks God for her beautiful surroundings, the seasons, simple pleasures, friends and family. Bragg writes:

“Grandchildren and grandparents are made for each other. By the time most of us have grandchildren, we also have the time to slow our steps to match those of a child; to wait while the little one examines a busy anthill; or to go search for the last few ripe raspberries. Young grandchildren think their grandparents are perfect, and we know the grandchildren are.”

Mrs. Bragg says that she likes to read things which make her feel good when she’s finished, so she tries to write that way, also. Bragg’s humor and warmth evidently extend to both her writing and her home. A friend of Bragg’s wrote the following to The Charleston Gazette:

“I know for a fact that the life she lives is as true as the words in her articles. In my heart, mind, and soul there is nothing that can replace those cool, crisp mornings at Alyce Faye’s home with a fresh pan of buttermilk biscuits, gravy and bacon on the table. Her heart and home are always open. Alyce Faye’s articles do something to the mind and spirit.”

To order your copy of Laughter in the Hills or one of her other two books, This Holler is My Home or Homesick for the Hills, visit West Virginia Book Company at wvbooks@wvbooks.com.

ERL believes in sharing the rich written heritage of West Virginia. From published works to personal essays to poetry, we welcome your submissions in adding to the Appalachian canon.

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A FLASH OF SUMMER

As we say goodbye to the summer season, Tony Wayne Davis of Elkview shares a few of his beautiful photographs of a Zebra Swallowtail butterfly, photographed in the New Hope Road area of Elkview, WV.

Submitted by Tony Wayne Davis

Craig

Phone:

WAY TO GO ELK ELEMENTARY ELKHOUND ARCHERS!

The archery season for the Elk Elementary Elkhounds Archery Team closed the weekend of August 10th with a Runner-up Championship title in both the 3D Outdoor Worlds and the 3 Star Challenge for teams who placed in three national/world tournaments (total combined points of Nationals, Indoor Worlds, and Outdoor Worlds).

Coach Jeremy Mullins said, “In June these talented archers headed to the Myrtle Beach Convention Center in South Carolina for the NASO World Championship and emerged victorious as World Champions. This last tournament was just like the indoor tournament but it was held outside in Berkeley Springs.”

Individual placements were:

3D OUTDOOR WORLDS

Andrew Allen - 3rd place

Allie Childress - 6th place

Mason Bayes - 10th Outdoor

3 STAR CHALLENGE

Jackson Blankenship - 3rd place

Andrew Allen - 4th place

Allie Childress -5th place

The Elkhounds IBO Team #2 won the National IBO (International Bowhunting Organization) Championship and received championship jackets and a belt buckle for their hard work, and the Elkhounds Team #1 placed 3rd overall in the IBO Championship.

Coach Mullins and the young archers are excited and have their sights set high for another successful, winning season.

WAIT!! IS THAT DELICIOUS CHILI I SMELL!?

There’s nothing like the enticing aroma of homemade chili simmering on the stove to put you in full autumn mode! What better place than the Chili’n on the Elk 2023 Chili Cook-Off & Craft Beer/Wine event on October 6 in Clendenin to get your fill of some delicious, awardwinning chili!

This is the third year for this ICS- (International Chili Society) sanctioned event, where the winner automatically qualifies for the World Championship Chili Cook-off ® held in 2024. After the cook-off contest, be ready to enjoy the craft beer and wine festival on Main Street the rest of the day! Featuring local craft beer and wine, tickets start at $25. Also, be prepared to enjoy music on the river at the Dr. O.M. Harper stage at the end of Main Street in Clendenin.

The event includes a 5K run/walk, complimentary Kid’s Zone, craft vendors and live music. Proceeds from the event benefit the Town of Clendenin and the Elk River Trail Foundation. While the rail trail system was developed through the Division of Natural Resources, the Elk River Trail Foundation’s mission is to assist in developing, maintaining, expanding, and promoting both the rail trail and the Elk River Water Trail. Town representatives have worked tirelessly to promote and enhance Clendenin and monies raised through the events are used for beautification and promotion of the Town. Last year the festival brought hundreds of people to the area, despite the rainy weather, and the Chili'n on the Elk event was able to raise over $14,000 for the programs!

Bring the family and enjoy a great day in Clendenin. The streets will be filled with family and friends! Free live music, arts/crafts vendors, and children’s area. Visit www. chilinonelk.com or see them on Facebook/chilinonelk.

THE ELK’S STUDENTS

HHHS FOOTBALL

Meet the new HHHS Mascot, Meeko, a 5-year old Siberian Husky. Owners are Cayla and Justin Withrow who are both proud Hoover Alumni and the owners of The Complete K9 of West Virginia. This incredible shot of Meeko leading the HHHS football team out of the tunnel was taken by Aubrie Abbott of Aubrie Abbott Photography.

Hoover went on to defeat Class AAA Hedgesville 41-15. Also, Hoover’s Dane Hatfield, HHHS Junior, earned the Lootpress Kanawha Valley Player of the Week for week three.

HHHS CHEERLEADERS

Have you heard the news!! The HHHS Cheerleading squad qualified to the UCA 2024 High School Nationals. The competition will take place in February in Orlando, FL!

HHHS VOLLEYBALL

Congrats to Kaili Casto on achieving her 1,000th career dig!

HHHS GOLF

The Herbert Hoover Golf Team came out swinging this season! Senior members include Noah Sergent, Chloe Painter, Colin Lindsay, and Gabe Deel. Noah Sergent made All Cardinal Conference at the Cardinal Conference Golf Tournament for the second consecutive year. And congrats to Noah and Colin on their All Kanawha County selections as both golfers finished +3 on their round.

MARCHING HUSKIES

First competition of the season brought home multiple second place awards in Drum Major, Color Guard, Percussion, and Band.

Chloe Painter Senior ‘24

Gabe Deel, Senior ‘24

Colin Lindsay senior ‘24

Noah Sergent Senior '24

KICKING HUNGER WITH THE HUSKIES

by Randy Young, Owner of Affiliated

WQBE 97.5 and Herbert Hoover High School have teamed up to help the Mountain Mission Food Bank stock their pantries.

We are looking for additional sponsors to join us to help this wonderful cause. The monetary donations from sponsors will be a “write off” because of the 501c3 tax status. These monetary donations will be used to purchase additional canned food and perishable food items and some will go to Hoover athletics.

The sponsors will receive recognition over the Hoover Jumbo Score Board at home games that are being played this fall at Hoover. They will also receive recognition on Hoover’s Social Media platforms as well as WQBE’s social media platforms. Contact Affiliated Financial Group at 304.935.2230 or visit them at 4950 Elk River Rd,, Elkview for more info.

1. Each class (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Seniors) will be collecting canned food for the Mountain Mission Food Bank at each of the home games beginning on September 15th.

2. Beginning on Monday, September 18th, they will also be collecting canned food at the school. Each class will compete against each other to see who can collect the most cans for the Mountain Mission Food Bank. Family and friends can bring extra cans to the home games or drop off at the school to help support their favorite class. Every week, cans will be counted and collected. Every two weeks, the class with the most cans at those counts will receive $500 for their PROJECT GRADUATION. On November 3 at the end of the first quarter of the Hoover

vs. Logan home game, the class that collected the most cans overall will receive an additional $2,500 for their PROJECT GRADUATION.

3. At the last home football game on November 3, a student chosen from each class will compete against each other in the Husky Challenge. Each class representative will toss footballs into giant cans. The student that tosses the most footballs into giant cans in 60 seconds will win $2,500 toward their PROJECT GRADUATION.

4. On November 3, Coach Richard Parsons, Athletic Director, will be attempting a field goal from the 13-yard line during halftime. If he makes it on his first try, then the class that won the most cans and the class that won the Husky Challenge will evenly split a $3,500 prize. If he does not make it, he gets one more try. If he makes it on his 2nd try, then each winning class will evenly split $2,000.

5. Monetary donations can be made in lieu of cans. A $2.00 donation is equal to 1 can of food. Donations can be made to the GoFundMe Kick Hunger With the Huskies account. Also, there are several donation barrels located inside HHHS and at the gates of the Husky Stadium during home games.

Scan to donate

So how about some Husky Spirit!!!! Let’s keep those canned goods rolling in through November 3!!!! Show your support for your favorite class and help them have a great Project Graduation and support our Mountain Mission Food Bank!

9/20/23, 4:47 PM Fundraiser by Kick Hunger With The HUSKIES Young : KICK

Financial Group Inc.

The Huskie with Chris Akers, Administrative Office Mgr. of Mountain Mission Inc.

THE ELK REFLECTS

A RESTING PLACE FOR SFC US ARMY WARREN MARSHALL ERVIN

This veteran’s grave marker was found in a crawl space under a house in the Clendenin area. We would like to help return the marker to his family and are asking for help from our Elk River Living readers. If anyone knows a family member of SFC US ARMY Warren Marshall Ervin, please contact Richard Bashlor at 304.965.6596. This proud veteran served in both the Korean and Vietnam wars. We would like to have his grave marker home with his loved ones for the holidays.

According to Ancestry.com, Warren Marshall Ervin’s life was captured by the 1940 U.S. Census. When Warren Marshall Ervin was born about 1930, his father, Warren, was 21 and his mother, Estelle was 18. In 1940, he was 10 years old and lived in Greenbank, WV, with his father, mother, and two sisters.

OCTOBER IS FOR PUMPKINS & APPLES

By Laura Boggess Shafer

TO CAN ANY PUMPKIN

- Cut into pieces & peel.

- Steam or boil until tender.

- Pack & process 180 minutes in boiling water bath or 80 minutes for quarts and 60 minutes for pints at 10 pounds pressure in pressure canner. (Times are from Kerr canning books.) An average 25 pound pumpkin will yield 7-8 quarts. Save those pumpkin seeds from canning or carving pumpkins for Halloween to roast. They are a delicious snack.

TO ROAST PUMPKIN OR SQUASH SEEDS

- Separate the seeds from the pulp. Kids will love doing this; it’s slimy & gooey!

October is for pumpkins and apples. We didn’t raise pumpkins this year but I’m sure the farmer’s markets will have plenty. One year we raised a lot of the orange jack-o-lantern pumpkins. Everyone told me they couldn’t be canned. Well, I proved them wrong. We canned quite a few quarts, and they make delicious pumpkin pies!

- Rinse thoroughly and blot dry.

- Soak seeds in cold salted water for 15-30 minutes (1 teaspoon salt for 2 cups of seeds).

- Drain & spread out on an ungreased baking sheet.

- Bake at 250 degrees for about 1 hour or until roasted. You can also roast squash seeds.

AN APPLE A DAY!

Apples are an abundant crop in October, too. Applesauce and apple butter are a great way to use those apples. I used to make apple butter in crockpots (some used electric roasters). Now that Frank is retired, he has enjoyed making apple butter the old-fashioned way in a copper kettle.

We wash and core the apples and then cook with only a little water to keep from scorching. We then run it through a victorio strainer. (It puts sauce to one side and peels out another) This way there is no waste or time peeling. The sauce is also thicker. We normally make applesauce one day, then apple butter the next.

The copper kettle sits over a fire and the apples are cooked in it most of the day, but it has to be stirred constantly. So make sure you have plenty of help if you choose this method! Once the apple butter has cooked down some, Frank starts checking to see if it’s thick enough by dipping out some on a plate to see if it “runs.”

When thick enough, he adds sugar to taste. It’s hard to know how much sugar to add with the different types of apples and the amount of applesauce. You just have to sample it and adjust according to your personal taste.

After your apple mixture cooks down, add oil of cinnamon to taste. Some add cinnamon candy for color, but due to allergies to red dye, we do not add them. Once it tastes like you want, remove the kettle from the fire (or move the fire-kettle is heavy). Ladle into jars, wipe rims of jars, put on lids (that are in boiling water) & rings. As the apple butter cools the jars will seal. This is when you really need help with a good assembly line. NOTE: Crockpot apple butter is made basically the same way but it takes around 24 hours to thicken up in the crockpot.

When we make apple butter, we have a get-together with older friends who are experienced at apple butter making and invite the younger friends who want to learn. Everyone brings a covered dish and we seem to eat all day, visit, and take turns stirring the apples over the fire. We love it because it also helps preserve our family traditions so that they are not lost.

We will leave you this month with one final apple butter tradition: Old timers put pennies in the apple butter kettle to help keep apple butter from sticking. One aunt shared that they used one silver dollar years ago as well. Whether you use a crockpot or an outdoor kettle, maybe it’s a good time to invite in your family and friends and start your own apple butter tradition.

THE HEALTHY ELK

Physical Therapists Implore You to Break Your Sitting Addiction

Submitted by Andi

Geary, MPT,

Cert. MDT, ATC, owner of Elk Valley Physical Therapy. Andi has been the owner of EVPT since 2010. She is a 1996 honors graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in sports medicine from University of Charleston and she graduated from WVU with a Masters in Physical Therapy. She is a proud HHHS alumnus and is very active in Elk River athletics and youth programs.

For National Physical Therapy Month we want you to celebrate by putting down your smartphones, getting off your derrieres and making a commitment to your health. With the advent of wearable devices to track fitness levels and so many other resources to safely add more activity into our lives, there really isn’t any excuse for falling victim to a sedentary lifestyle.

Statistics show Americans spend an average of 11 hours a day sitting on their rumps. That’s an alarming amount of time considering sitting for as little as two continuous hours has been shown to increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, cancer, and numerous orthopedic problems.

Physical therapists, trained to identify asymmetries, movement compensation, and risk for potential injury, are an often-overlooked weapon in the battle to spend more time vertically. A sedentary person’s capacity for exercise is an important consideration. A PT can create a plan of care to reduce pain, teach healthy postures and movements, and increase activity level.

October is National Physical Therapy Month, so I have chosen a topic that we do a lot of education on…sitting. We’re rapidly transforming into an out-of-shape nation. Most Americans spend the bulk of their days driving a car, working on a computer/smartphone/tablet, eating meals and watching TV. What’s the common thread in all of these activities? Sitting.

Increased activity levels can lead to a healthier and happier lifestyle as well as a longer life, according to an article published in The Journal of the American Medical Association. Many think of physical therapy services when an impairment or injury pops up, however, PTs can be a real asset to those trying to become more active. Despite attempts to educate people on proper movement and nutrition, our society is more overweight and obese than ever and a staggering number of people are suffering from pain and injury. But let’s not settle for that! Make October your month to get moving.