Discover Caswell January 2022

DISCOVER EDITION ONE

2022

FREE ISSUE

CASWELL

THINGS TO DO in Caswell County

Caswell Co. Area Transportation System Caswell Co.Area AreaTransportation Transportation System Caswell Co. System Caswell Co. Area Transportation System

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CATS

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*Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm

• Parks & Recreational Dept.

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CATS Caswell County.

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Services County The Community 206 County Park Road •Wide...To Box371 371••Entire •Yanceyville, Yanceyville, NC 27379 206 County Park Road • P.O. P.O.Box Box 371 Yanceyville, NC 27379 206 County Park Road • P.O. NC 27379 206 County Park Road • P.O. Box 371 • Yanceyville, NC 27379 TDD/TTY Users Dial 711 1-800-735-2962 Fax336-694-1144 336-694-1144 206 County Park Road • P.O. Box 371 • Yanceyville, NC 27379 TDD/TTY Users Dial 711 1-800-735-2962 •••Fax TDD/TTY Users Dial 711 • •1-800-735-2962 Fax 336-694-1144 TDD/TTY 1-800-735-2962• •Fax Fax336-694-1144 336-694-1144 TDD/TTYUsers Users Dial Dial 711 711 •• 1-800-735-2962 *Services may still *Services may beFREE! FREE! Ifnot, not, still *Services may be be FREE! If If not, still aa *Services may be FREE! If not, still a low-cost alternative public low-cost alternative topersonal personal or public low-cost alternative to to personal oror public low-cost alternative to personal or public transportation. transportation. transportation. transportation. *Services may be FREE!onIfanot, still a *Services are *Services arefee-based fee-based avarying varying *Services fee-based aonvarying low-costare alternative toon personal or public *Services are fee-based on agroups, varying scale - for individuals, small groups, etc. scale for individuals, small groups, scale for individuals, small etc. transportation. scale - for individuals, small groups, etc.

Rates may change There are Rates may change asneeded. needed.

There are Rates may change as as needed.

There are *Services are fee-based on a varying Rates may change asOut-of-County needed.

There are also In-County Rates. also In-County and Out-of-County Rates. also In-County andand Out-of-County Rates. scale - for individuals, small groups, etc. also In-County and Out-of-County Rates. * Disability services are available. * Disability services are available.

Rates mayservices change are as needed.

There are * Disability available. * Disability services are available. also In-County and8:00am Out-of-County *Monday - Friday --5:00pm *Monday - Friday 8:00am 5:00pmRates. *Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm *Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm * Disability services are available.

336-694-1424 336-694-1424 336-694-1424 336-694-1424 336-694-1424

*Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm

HEALTH CARE WITH

PRIMARY CARE URGENT CARE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH & PSYCHIATRY LAB SERVICES MOBILE HEALTH SPECIALTY CARE

OMPASSION COMPASSION COMMITMENT INTEGRITY EXCELLENCE EQUITY

Staff EDITOR/WRITER Debra Ferrell

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Amanda Hodges, Mike Floyd

DESIGN LAYOUT Jess Ingram

GRAPHIC DESIGN | ADVERTISING Mary Beth Wellborn, Amanda Meadows, Jasmaine Motley, Lindsey Mason

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Art Gallery with more than 60 artists from Virginia & North Carolina

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION, CONTACT: Debra Ferrell

336-694-4145 editor@caswellmessenger.com Discover Caswell Magazine is published throughout the year by Womack Publishing Company, the publisher of The Caswell Messenger.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: THE CASWELL MESSENGER 137 Main Street, P.O. Box 100 Yanceyville, NC 27379

PUBLISHED BY WOMACK PUBLISHING COMPANY ©2021

COVER PAGE: Debra Ferrell/Discover Caswell Getting snow most every weekend in January provided countless opportunities for sledding down rolling hills all over the county.

(336) 694-1120 Fax (336) 694-1221 Toll Free (866) 702-1125 scarscadden@htk.com

Browsing welcome • All mediums for sale

Milton studio Art gallery

239 Broad Street • Milton NC • 434-713-1783 Friday & Saturday 11am - 5pm • Sunday 1pm -5pm

Carscadden Financial Services Stephen Carscadden Insurance and Investment Services Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) Chartered Advisor for Senior Living (CASL)

PO Box 221 133 Main St. Yanceyville, NC 27379

Registered Representative of, and Securities and Investment Advisory services offered through Hornor, Townsend & Kent, LLC. (HTK) Registered Investment Advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC. 980 Woodstock Parkway, Suite 210, Woodstock, GA 30188. (770) 649-8100 Carscadden Financial Services is independent of HTK

CONTENTS

5 7

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

A WELCOME FROM CASWELL COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

10

WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER

14 18

IT’S ALL ABOUT CASWELL

SISTA’S TOUCH

20

ROYALTY ADULT & PEDIATRIC HOME CARE

22 25

LEASBURG GROCERY

DC SERVICES PROVIDES CRITICAL AID TO CASWELL COUNTY

26 28

TODD HODGES

INSPIRED BRINGS VARIETY OF TECHNOLOGY TO THE COMMUNITY

Pictured above from left, the Parks and Rec in Yanceyville was a great place for sledding on January 18 as eight-year-old Ariana Kilmer bundled up for some fun. She loves the snow and sledding with her mommy and daddy. She cannot wait for more snow! Photo submitted. Cori Lindsey and her son Langston Lindsey had fun on the balmy evening of December 3 as they played in the street in front of the Historic Courthouse that glowed with beautiful colors for Christmas. This event was held for the annual tree lighting when vendors were spread out around Town Square. Lindsey is the Caswell County Economic Development Executive Director and runs CoSquare. Photo by Debra Ferrell. US Army Colonel Eugene (Gene) J. Davis gave listeners a lot to think about in his special address at the November 11 Veteran’s Day program held at the Town Pavilion in Yanceyville. Davis is joined on the right by Fred Smith, Commander of the VFW Post 7316. Photo by Debra Ferrell.

A NOTE

FROM THE EDITOR Although some folks love cold, snowy weather, it’s

It rightfully earned the nickname of the “Valentine

certainly been taking a toll on the area as we seem to get

Storm.” But take heart, springtime is just a few weeks away

hit by snow/ice every week! Enough already, this is not

and will bring warm weather and flowers blooming. These

Colorado although it feels like it sometimes.

cold winter days will be a thing of the past.

The cold is often hard to take and many organizations are continuing to help the needy all they can with warm

Truth be told, it gives us something new to complain about heat and humidity!

clothing, food, help with utilities, etc. Places like Caswell

Thanks go out to all of the businesses and homes that

Parish and County Outreach Ministry continue to be a vital

participated in the annual Christmas lights event in the

part of the community to help keep things going.

county. There are actually a few lights still up around town

Although the holidays have come and gone, Valentine’s Day is here. Does everyone remember the horrible storm

and along the roads. They provide a cheery sight on these long, dark nights.

that hit Valentine’s weekend last year? Electrical lines

Last year, lights could still be found here and there on up

were torn down all over the county with fallen trees most

until the end of February. It made Christmas get here that

everywhere you looked. Some of them took months to

much quicker for the next go round!

clear away.

Everyone take care and we’ll be seeing you. Be safe!

Debra Ferrell

Editor, Discover Caswell CASWELL | DISCOVER MAGAZINE | 5

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HELLO! Welcome to ‘Discover Caswell’ Winter edition. Thank

you to The Caswell Messenger for inviting the Chamber of Commerce to once again provide an introductory letter.

Memorial Tree to honor those the community has lost in the past few years.

The CoSquare shared working facility was open for visitors

The holiday season provided a great opportunity for the

and the Mercantile stayed open late and featured a local

community to join together and enjoy some of the festivities

nursery providing poinsettias for purchase. Estimates for

that were planned for the citizens of Caswell. If you were

visitors were around 3000 Friday evening and on Saturday,

able to participate, you may have enjoyed the twenty plus vendors at the Holiday Art and Vendors Market coordinated

by Executive Director, Denise Burnette of Caswell Council of Arts.

The larger number of vendor participants enabled The Square to be used for the market area. With Santa arriving on a large ladder fire truck, courtesy Yanceyville Fire Department, he took his place in front of the Historic Courthouse where the children were able to visit and share their Christmas requests. The festivities included live music by the Miles Anderson Band. We were appreciative of this group’s last-minute assistance, as the planned Retro Band cancelled just before Friday.

Tasty food was available by the stage area and after the opening ceremonies of the tree lighting countdown,

the ‘parade of trees’ sponsored by Duke Energy, drew hundreds of spectators as it made its way down main street.

Because of a statewide fire ban, the Veterans and Scouts were not able to host the annual flag retirement ceremony at the parade conclusion.

As in years gone by, it was the work of our county Fire Marshall, Vernon Massengill and his daughter Melissa, that truly make this event come to life in town. And of course, there are many others that assist, and the coordination and cooperation of groups, organizations, businesses, and participants all made this ‘Hallmark moment’ for Yanceyville.

Thank you to the county, the Caswell Arts Council, Town of Yanceyville, the Caswell County Historical Association, the Lights Committee, and the Chamber members.

the crowd continued to grow steadily. Complimentary

As we usher out 2021 and look to 2022, the Chamber

hot chocolate and cookies were available at the Caswell

invites the community’s businesses and individuals alike to

County Historic Association Richmond Miles Museum yard

share your visions of how you’d like to see Caswell moving

where custom Caswell Christmas Ornaments were also for

forward so that we can be a part of bringing a prosperous

sale. A new addition to the activities included the Caswell

2022 to our beautiful county.

Happy New Year,

Amanda Hodges Executive Director Caswell County Chamber of Commerce CASWELL | DISCOVER MAGAZINE | 7

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We are all in this together W

orking together in a community is very rewarding but it is challenging work. Whether a government entity, a town or county committee or commission, a non-government nonprofit or small businesses with owners in the community, each has its own goals and objectives that are its first priority.

Ideally, we all are working toward a similar goal of servicing our customers, constituents, clients or patrons and to be good and honorable representatives of the responsibilities we have been entrusted to in our individual roles. Working together for the greater good of the entire community while also accomplishing specific organizational goals takes work, hard work. It takes committed and often patient individuals working together to make it happen.

The more involvement there is from the citizens, the better these efforts can match what the citizens want and need. Although people do not always agree on everything, that’s ok. Differences of opinion help us to better understand each other while also seeing other possible alternatives. Continuing to work together regardless of these situations, is what is making the Caswell community stronger.

The community has received praise from groups outside of the area at both state and regional levels acknowledging that what our community leaders and members are doing is good, positive and benefiting all. Following is a recap of initiatives so you can learn more about how Caswell County has been leading the way in key areas of collaboration, growing the community economy and just plain good old fashioned, working together, to get to a better place for all.

10 | DISCOVER MAGAZINE | CASWELL

HELPING THE COMMUNITY WORK BETTER TOGETHER PARTNERSHIPS: Caring for Senior Citizens - Caswell Senior Center Tirelessly continuing on during COVID times, this organization provides food for our county’s seniors needing assistance via Meals on Wheels. With the power of a volunteer force that is resolute in their dedication to this, our seniors continue to be served.

Caswell Veterans Having already served our community and nation to provide us the freedom for our way of life here in America, they continue to serve our community still. These individuals have rallied our community to join together to plan, raise the funding and build the Caswell County Veterans Memorial that was dedicated November 11, 2020. Even in the midst of a pandemic, these tireless individuals overcame the odds to get the project completed and dedicated. This group meets monthly at the Caswell County Senior Center on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 9:00 am for breakfast and all are welcome.

Broadband for Caswell With the need of county wide broadband brought front and center with COVID, the pressure in getting the access needed here, especially for the children of Caswell has never been stronger. Receiving attention from our legislative representatives in both Raleigh and Washington, DC, Caswell County government and community leaders have been working to leverage the current situation to push for changes faster. The partnerships for broadband actually exist in all of the areas shared in the update as the citizens and organizations are all pushing together for more attention to this matter.

Caswell County Cooperative Extension Caswell County Extension has a complete team in place that has grown to provide our agriculture-based county more support.

Caswell farmers have dedicated agents here to help; all is needed is for people to ask. The NC Department of Agriculture, VISIT NC FARMS app, is operating in Caswell County. We have several farms and ag businesses signed up and doing well there. This past fall two of the top 15 most visited sites were from Caswell County!

Volunteer Fire Departments These groups have worked together to set higher standards for the county’s safety allowing Caswell residents to experience lower rates for insurance because of the hard work and partnership across the county in all fire districts meeting and exceeding set standards. The safety of our communities depends on these dedicated individuals and for that we are grateful. The community is always in need of additional firefighters so please keep that in mind should you have any potential folks in your circle of family and friends that would be interested in helping their community in this way.

Piedmont Triad Visitor Center Although a state owned entity, the PTVC is located in Caswell County in the Pelham community and is a wonderful asset to our community. The center is partnering with the Chamber to be more proactive in introducing and sharing the center with the community and all it has to offer. If you have not been by for a visit lately, please stop in to see this beautiful facility that positions Caswell County so positively to both visitors to our county or to those just passing through.

Nonprofits, Government/Municipalities & Small Businesses Children: Assisting the Children of Caswell County, the Caswell County Partnership for Children works closely with the area elementary schools and early educators as well as volunteer community members to build a solid foundation for the critical formative years of Caswell children.

Healthcare: Compassion Health Care (Caswell Family Medical Center) and Piedmont Health Services both have partnered with the Chamber of Commerce to provide discounted health care visits for employees of Chamber Member companies.

This is not health insurance but does provide employees of Caswell County Chamber Members the opportunity to visit the medical center of their choice and receive quality health care at a reduced rate.

Towns of Yanceyville & Milton and the County Partnership Based on conversations with long time members in the community, the work these groups are doing together to better serve the citizens of the towns and the county have been moving more smoothly in the past few years than ever before. The evidence is showing up in the projects and positive vibe among the community.

CASWELL | DISCOVER MAG AZINE | 11

HELPING THE COMMUNITY WORK BETTER TOGETHER PARTNERSHIPS (CONTINUED): Digital/Online Presence Partnerships Caswell County, The Towns of Yanceyville and Milton, Caswell Economic Development and the Caswell Chamber all partnered together developing a digital communications plan for the county. Because of the collaboration, a grant was awarded and websites have been built for each of the groups that form the communications infrastructure that the county needs to grow in various ways.

Caswell County and Milton: www.caswellcountync.gov Caswell Chamber of Commerce: www.CaswellChamber.org Town of Yanceyville: www.YanceyvilleNC.gov Caswell Economic Development: www.AllInCaswellNC.com CaswellCares.com is another element of the digital infrastructure. It is a project of the Compassion Health Care that provides updated information on various programs and resources to all of the residents of Caswell. The community is invited to include their information here to share as well.

The Caswell County Chamber of Commerce partners with its member organizations as well as the community at large to include the county and towns of Yanceyville and Milton in sharing commerce opportunities and ways to market and grow the local business community both digitally and via traditional marketing means. Working as a partner on various county committees, the Health Collaborative, collaboration with other area nonprofits, and The Caswell Messenger, the Chamber strives to connect the commerce of area while also encouraging a positive outlook on all things Caswell.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT PARTNERSHIPS: CoSquare Shared Workspace Shared workspaces (coworking spaces) are workstations rented by remote employees, entrepreneurs, freelancers, gig workers, consultants, and anyone else who may not have a central office. With the new CoSquare space, our community is leading the way among rural areas in having the foresight to provide a facility like this for citizens. This project is the result of the county and the Town of Yanceyville working together with others in the community to make this a reality. The facility has already become the new home for several organizations as well as numerous individuals that are benefiting from the shared workspace.

Center for Education and Agriculture Development (CEAD) The Center for Educational and Agricultural Development (CEAD) is the future home of Piedmont Community College’s (PCC) Agribusiness Technology Program and a center for economic development in Caswell County. The campus will be located in Pelham, NC and include agricultural education, economic development, and community resources.

A food hub, an incubator farm, health clinic, and potential future retail opportunities will build opportunity for Caswell County farmers, food entrepreneurs, and other community members. Educational opportunities through PCC and Cooperative Extension will provide the fundamentals of agriculture, with emphasis placed on entrepreneurial and field training, as well as the basics of our economic system and government policies and programs relating to agriculture, while community facilities will encourage community health and wellness.

The combination of these elements are designed not only to promote Caswell’s farm community but also to drive economic development that attracts new investments, builds new jobs in Caswell, and expands the county’s community and economic opportunities.

A groundbreaking ceremony will be held in 2022 to announce the beginning of the work on the 79-acre site that is expected to include a 15,000 square foot educational building including emergency shelter; a 6,000 square foot food hub; and a 10-12 acre incubator farm.

Second Saturday’s in Downtown Yanceyville This past summer a concentrated focus on the organizations open in Downtown Yanceyville was promoted on the second Saturday of each month. Caswell Arboretum, Caswell Arts Council and Lee Fowlkes Gallery, Caswell Mercantile, Chamber of Commerce, CoSquare, Evelyn’s Take Out, Gunn Memorial Library, Richmond-Miles Caswell Museum, Veterans Memorial, Whiskers Stitching, and the Yanceyville Museum of Art featuring Maud Gatewood in the Yanceyville Municipal Building were all open. Due to the success of the promotion, the program will likely be featured again in 2022. Check the Caswell Arts Council web site for more details. CaswellArts.org.

12 | DISCOVER MAGAZINE | CASWELL

THE CASWELL CHAPTER OF THE HEALTH COLLABORATIVE (CCTHC) PARTNERSHIPS: Understanding that the challenges facing Caswell are too complex for any one organization to tackle alone, a crosssector group of Caswell residents and professionals have come together to improve the health and wellbeing of our community. Residents, local government employees, church leaders, healthcare leaders, education leaders non-profit leaders, the Caswell County Chamber of Commerce and small business ownersare involved. Community members are invited to participate. More information regarding meetings and conversations can be found on CaswellCares.con or the Caswell Cares Facebook page.Following are several of the key areas where CCTCH is working: Healthy Eating:

Strengthening the Local Food System: Cross sector asset mapping and gap analysis revealed a tremendous capacity issue within our community’s food safety net system. In addition to limited volunteer availability, local food pantries have extremely limited space for dry and refrigerated storage of foods, making it more difficult to access fresh produce and other available food supplies. Further analysis revealed several local congregations and other community groups have a desire to address food insecurity within their community. Community partners are moving forward with plans to develop a mobile pantry program that make it easier for congregations and other groups to host regular pantries across the county without it becoming a significant burden on any one congregation of group’s resources.

Such great work not only requires space, which is being developed as part of CEAD, but also a strong backbone organizational structure. Local volunteer leaders are working to reimagine Caswell County Local Foods Council to serve as such a structure to create capacity for the local food safety net in addition to the existing Farmer’s market, and other components of the local food system.

Healthy Spaces:

Youth Opportunities: In 2020, numerous youth serving agencies in Caswell, Rockingham, Alamance, and Danville began meeting with local community members, faith-based organizations, and other civic groups to identify and promote ways the community can best support students, families, and educators during the upheaval created by the pandemic. A year later, in June of 2021, Caswell’s Youth Council was launched with 12 local students ranging in age from 12 to 22. The students are using a shared leadership model to consider how youth can best inform and participate in the decision-making processes that impact them most. The Council is hoping to launch some special youth programs in collaboration with local partners in the summer of 2022.

Leadership & Capacity Building:

Measuring Impact: As the community embraces cross-sector collaborative efforts and building upon our existing assets, many Caswell and Dan River Region partners are exploring new ways of measuring long-term success and impact across sectors.

The Health Collaborative’s 2021 Health Equity Report will be released in January 2022, creating a baseline for selected indicators. That data, which has been collected by UNC-Greensboro will serve to not only inform future community projects but also provide invaluable trend data to help us guage our effectiveness.

As you can see, the work to make Caswell County a great place to live, play and earn a living is moving forward with even more excitement building as key projects are now in full motion. It is a good time to be in Caswell and if we can continue our momentum and respect for each other as we continue to work together, move through the challenges and embrace upcoming opportunities, we will help Caswell continue to be a place where we will all be proud to have our children and grandchildren call home.

Information compiled by the Caswell County Economic Development Department, Caswell County Chapter of the Health Collaborative and The Caswell County Chamber of Commerce. • CASWELL | DISCOVER MAGAZINE | 13

The Tooth Fairy in Disguise (Lori Wilson) hands out some dental cleaning advice to youngsters attending the Tree Lighting ceremony in Yanceyville on December 3.

14 | DISCOVER MAGAZINE | CASWELL

It’s All About Caswell Written by Amanda Hodges

‘I

t’s all about Caswell’ says Lori Wilson, also known as the Tooth Fairy in Disguise. It is always fun to run into people who are excited about Caswell County and shining a positive light on the community. And a bright light it is. Maybe you have heard about or seen the Caswell County tooth fairy lady around from time to time.

On several occasions I have had the opportunity to see the Tooth Fairy in action. Once at a meet and greet, once at a pre-baseball game exhibit area and then at the Gunn Memorial Library where a large crowd of children and parents attentively listed to the presentation all about good dental health.

Who would have thought that such a sometimes ‘not so fun’ subject was welcomed by the children with laughs and giggles? It sure would have been nice to have had someone like that talking about dental health when I was growing up as thoughts of going to the dentist and being fearful were pretty traumatic from what I remember.

At first glance, you may wonder, ‘what in the world?’ or ‘I could never do that’ or ‘wow that’s different.’

But when you visit with Lori more, you soon discover a heart full of love for kids, positivity for Caswell County and our rural roots and a desire to help others to shine their own lights. It is so rewarding to see someone who has discovered their truly unique niche in this world and that is going full speed ahead with that passion that no one can steal.

Lori is a Pediatric Dental Assistant

by trade and for years she worked in a professional setting where she would provide children with their first encounters with dental health. Now she is a true ambassador for our county, the children, and the dental industry as well as quite an entertaining educational opportunity for kids and adults alike.

And the Tooth Fairy in Disguise really is about Caswell. Lori has written a few books. The first one was ‘The Tooth Fairy in Disguise,’ the second one ‘Kindergarten Graduation Smiles - The Adventures of the Tooth Fairy in Disguise’ and the third, ‘The Adventures of the Tooth Fairy in Disguise, Meet Mr. Richard.’ A fourth one is now on the way.

After years of exploring and wanting to bring her pediatric dental assistant career to life in a different way, Lori investigated the process for writing a book by attending a course at the Gunn Memorial Library lead by Wayne Drumheller who worked with Lori to publish the first book. That experience gave her the courage to talk a step forward and to make good on a wish her late mother had for her, to publish a book.

The illustrations in her books are all connected to Caswell as well.

The first book was illustrated by Hannah Thompson, local Bartlett Yancey graduate and softball star and now college athlete. Hannah’s work brought the books to life in vibrant color with her imaginative illustrations. Sharon Tatum was called upon for the two most recent books. Sharon brought Mr. Richard to the readers with an ingenious

and fresh approach with her drawings.

Others contributed to the effort as well.

Caswell native and local educator, Lisa Wilson, was extremely instrumental in getting the third book into print.

Lori is quick to share that it is truly a group effort and that the credit for the books’ success goes to a group of dedicated Caswell folks.

The reach of the Tooth Fairy has extended beyond Caswell. In fact, you may have seen Lori on ‘Roy’s Folks” on FOX8. She has also been recognized as the 2019 Alamance Community College Distinguished Alumni and also was listed as a ‘Remarkable Woman of the Triad.’ Pretty impressive for a tooth fairy, don’t you think?

The Tooth Fairy in Disguise is also a member of the Chamber of Commerce and has been a valuable member to assist with our functions and promotion the work of the Chamber. We are honored to have such a great performer in our county that not only provides a positive slant on something to make our children’s lives better, but also gives us the chance to be proud of one of our local citizens!

The talents in this county never cease to amaze me and when you see people discover their unique niche that can help them fill their life purpose while assisting others, what better joy is there?

The Tooth Fairy in Disguise is available for presentations and book readings.

Email her at Lwilsontoothfairy@gmail. com for customized programs and package details. •

CASWELL | DISCOVER MAGAZINE | 15

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SISTA’S

Touch

Written by Amanda Hodges

O

Jazmere Mimms

Anisha Hollway

18 | DISCOVER MAGAZINE | CASWELL

n a Sunday afternoon, an appointment was made by Sista’s Touch Salon owner, Pennie Allen, me and two of Pennie’s newest team members, Anisha Hollway and Jazmere Mims.

The purpose of the meeting was to visit with these two new graduates from Piedmont Community College having recently completed their cosmetology program certificates to interview for this short article. It was a great way to spend some time on a Sunday afternoon as these two young professionals left me with a very positive outlook on the youth in our community.

These young ladies, no strangers to already working hard, are at the present gainfully employed at other part time jobs – one at McDonald’s and the other at CVS, but are beginning a big adventure into the world of being hair stylists too.

It was not your typical course of study as the two young ladies began the program and stuck with it through the COVID situation. We talked about how some classes just do not work via Zoom! Can you imaging trying to learn how to style hair without being hands on? Wow! Have our students had to endure some challenging times with online learning.

Aside from discussing the challenge of reaching the end goal of the program completion, we had a great conversation about how important it is to learn about your customers and how to provide the best possible service to them. It was very refreshing to see these young ladies so poised and professional as they shared how they became interested in this profession and how family members and friends are such a big

part of their decision. Jazmere shared how both her mother and sister had been encouraging her to move forward with the training as they had experience in the industry. Aisha had initially thought she wanted to venture into the medical assistance field or criminal justice, but decided this was a

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Assisting someone with their hair style and personal appearance is no light matter. Being able to communicate with the customer and deliver a style they are happy with is very important shared Anisha. It is very personal work,

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and sometimes things do not always go perfectly. Jazemere shared one instance with a customer wanting faux locs where she had to work carefully with the customer to be sure she

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understood how to care of the new style.

The ladies have plans for their careers. With the use of technology, they are already using both Facebook and Instagram to showcase their work and to provide an easier way for customer to book appointments with them. Jazmere is hopeful in a year or so she may be able to leave her part time job in food service and be a full-time stylist.

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as we had a great visit about her new venture in opening the business. Now a year later in the midst of one of the most challenging business times ever, she managed to keep the business running, provided substitute teaching assistance at PCC and still continues to give back. Not only by hiring the youth of the county, but as a member of the nominating committee at the Chamber of Commerce, Pennie is assisting

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in the Chamber in recruiting new board members to the organization for 2022. Thank you for the dedication of folks like Pennie and the patience of the community as we all help our youth begin their careers and find their passions in the world.

And as a side note, when I was in visiting, to set up the meeting with Pennie’s new team, one of the customers in with her son struck up a conversation with me about living in Caswell. The patron shared how friendly everyone in Caswell is and how pleased she and her family are about their decision to move here from the Raleigh area to a more quiet

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Article & photo by Amanda Hodges

A

s the baby boomers continue to age and need care in

they found many in Caswell County needed their help too.

the final years, there is a greater demand for care for our

So in 2019, the decision was made to open a satellite office

elders. Thankfully not all need to be in a nursing home

in Yanceyville so local people could be hired and have short

and many desire to remain at home but need some additional

commutes to and from work while also caring for those

assistance during the day to help with day-to-day activities.

in need in the area. Quentyn Pennix, the administrative

According to RuralHealthInfo.org, approximately 30% of

assistant of the office, visited with the Chamber recently and

older adults receive caregiving for health or reasons such as

shared how the new business has continued to grow here.

household chores or transportation, and adult children were

Quentyn is a young professional that got her start in the

the largest group of caregivers. When there are no adult

hospitality industry working at the front desk of a hotel in

children or the adult children are not close by or have other

Atlanta. She made a career change a few months ago and has

responsibilities and are not able to assist, the need for a home

not looked back. She enjoys the slower pace of Yanceyville

care service is required.

and loves the kindness of the people in the community.

Enter, Royalty Adult & Pediatric Home Care. Alicia Parker

Community is a big part of Royalty Care. Their mission

began the home care agency in 2013 in Rockingham County.

statement to provide quality care for aging and disabled

The need for the services they offer continued to grow and

clients allowing them to remain at home by supporting

20 | DISCOVER MAGAZINE | CASWELL

Quentyn Pennix and “Granny” enjoy some quality time together at the breakfast table.

independence, dignity, and individualized care.

Royalty hires Companions, Sitters, Experienced Caregivers,

Quentyn shared that she is really enjoying the various

and CNAs on both part time and full-time basis. They are also

aspects of the work in the business. Her responsibilities

seeking a Client Care Coordinator (RN). There are positions

include running the daily operations in the Yanceyville office.

open in Caswell and Rockingham County. Many of these roles

She is also the key individual responsible for the outreach and

are ideal for seniors that are seeking a part time opportunity

public relations in order to get the word out about Royalty

to get outside of the house for a few hours while making extra

Care being in Caswell County. You may have remembered

spending money.

seeing them in the parade back in 2019 where they first

In addition to the care for the elderly, Royalty also has

entered the scene here. The organization has had no trouble

pediatric services as well as services for disabled patients. If

obtaining new customers. The greatest challenge is recruiting

you are interested in being considered for an open position,

and hiring good employees.

please contact them at (336) 623-2547.• CASWELL | DISCOVER MAGAZINE | 21

Leasburg Grocery Written by Mike Floyd

Kristi Yeatts Slaughter is shown above pausing next to Leasburg Grocery that her grandfather, Leslie Yeatts, owned, It was her favorite “playground” (and snack bar!) while she was growing up in the 70’s and 80’s.

H

alfway between Yanceyville and Roxboro, on I-158, there stands a cool little country store that has been there for generations. You can’t miss it!

It is called Leasburg Grocery and is located right down memory lane in the rich history of Caswell County. Leasburg and its neighboring community to the south, Prospect Hill, have long counted on the convenience of this stores’ groceries, gas pumps, and cold drinks.

Some things never change.

One-hundred years ago, Alexander R. Foushee chronicled this same commercial area in his letters printed in Roxboro’s only newspaper.

22 | DISCOVER MAGAZINE | CASWELL

The following is from his Reminiscences: A Sketch and Letters Descriptive of Life in Person County in Former Days (1921) at 50-52. This was a collection of his letters to the editor of the Roxboro Courier.

“For a town (Leasburg) of its size, it had a large trade, having several stores of good size for that day, run by popular merchants; it had also wood shops, blacksmith, harness and saddle shops, a hotel (old Gordon Hotel in Milton?), a tailor shop, a shoe shop, a picture gallery, tan yard, besides the two large schools. “Source, (Caswell County Historical Association)”.

Clearly intrigued with local history and what growing up around the Leasburg Grocery was like, the Caswell Messenger sought out Kristi Yeatts Slaughter for her personal recollections.

It was her grandpa’s store and even though her family lived some two miles away (south down Ridgeville Rd.), young Kristi made daily visits to that bustling little market.

Now living in Allensville, NC, Ms. Slaughter recounts what it was like for her and cousins back in the 70’s and 80’s.

“I was lucky enough to grow up in a time where days were spent hanging out with grandparents and cousins, and weekends were with parents. I would not give anything for the memories I have with my grandparents, Leslie and Ruby Yeatts. They called him Poppa Les. Poppa and grandma had three sons, Jerry, Michael (Mickey), and Dennis from oldest to youngest. My dad, Mickey, married to Karen, had myself and Maurica (Rica). Dennis, married to Connie, had Matthew and Tabitha. Jerry, married to Karen, had Jeremy, Crystal, Tara and Carrie.

Grandma (Ruby) watched me and my sister (Rica), and the younger brother, Dennis’ kids Tabatha and Matthew every single day. We spent our days building huts or helping grandma bake desserts inside when it was raining and playing outside in the woods and near the creeks every day the weather was nice.

The oldest brother, Jerry, lived in Anderson, so we did not get to see our cousins as often, but we were always excited when they came over. (Just fyi) My dad, Mickey, also served in the Army. In fact, while serving they made a great friend, Maurica, who was from the Philippines. They promised her if they ever had another girl, they would name her Maurica after her.

I remember the mornings, Grandma would always fix Poppa eggs, bacon, toast and a cup of coffee. Poppa would finish his eggs and bacon and then use his toast to sop up the coffee.

Then Poppa was off to work at the store. Me, my sister, Rica, Matthew and Tabitha would play hard, then grandma ALWAYS took us to Poppa’s store. We made at least one trip every day, and most days we would make two trips. I remember seeing gas .97 cents a gallon, it could have been lower, but that’s the price when I decided to notice. I do know that EVERY single trip, each grandkid (so always the four of us, sometimes eight when Jerry’s kids visited) always got to pick out a candy bar and a drink. When the Dukes of Hazzard bubble gum cards came out, I always got a pack of cards, candy and a drink. I do not know how Poppa made any money, because us grandkids were spoiled rotten. I never remember being told no to anything we wanted at the store. I grew up drinking several Dr Peppers’ and Grandma’s Lipton tea every day, and eating lots of Milky Way, Snickers, and Chic o Sticks – I loved those things.

Sometimes Poppa would close the store and come eat lunch with us. I always enjoyed when he came home because we would play checkers. I was so happy when I finally got good enough to beat him.

A sketch by Alexander R. Foushee found from his Reminiscences: A Sketch and Letters Descriptive of Life in Person County in Former Days.

Poppa was known for running the only store in Leasburg; he was also known for fixing lawn mowers. Poppa would work on the mowers when the store was slow. Poppa LOVED to play Rook (card game) and he taught us how to play. I played many a game of Rook with Poppa. He was notorious for bidding 140 without even looking at his hand, and more than not, he would win the hand. Poppa was a really good Rook player. Grandma said that a lot of the men from the community used to meet up at Poppa’s store and play cards. I really love to hold on to that idea. Leasburg had so many amazing men, I was so lucky to grow up in this community.

The whole time my poppa ran the Leasburg store he never had a modern bathroom. There was an outhouse behind the store. Inside the store that was a room to the left where he had one of the nice ten-ton pool tables. My dad used to be good at pool, they would go up there and play all the time.

I remember when my poppa passed and listening to the brothers, they found an old steno note pad that was filled with names of people who had needed items but did not have the money, so Poppa had written them down so they could pay later. The book was filled with names that were never crossed off, but this was my Poppa, he would never let anyone go without, or turn someone away if they could not pay.

I have so many wonderful stories of life with my grandparents, and one very fond moment was our daily trips to Poppa’s store. These trips were not just about a never-ending supply of Dr Pepper and candy, but they involved many life lessons learned along the way. We learned what true love looks like from watching our Poppa and Grandma, there was never one without the other. We learned about community, and importance of taking time to stop and talk. We also learned CASWELL | DISCOVER MAGAZINE | 23

about a community who always stands together through good and bad times. To me, Leasburg began with Poppa’s store.”

This little market has its own special niche here in Caswell County. The new Dollar General, three blocks east, is much more modern but lacks the “legacy” of good, old Leasburg Grocery. Yes, it’s possible that prices are a little bit better, but it doesn’t have the working gas, propane and diesel pumps that a real “country store” does.

Plus, Leasburg Grocery is where you can get the King of Convenience Store Pizza, Hunt Brothers, to go with that ice cold six-pack or 16. oz Mountain Dews. Recently, store clerk Alice Murphy verified that the grocery also sells hot chicken wings and wing bites along with the pizza pies. Murphy added that on a good day, “they can sell around 35 pizzas!”

Good gracious!

Maybe the next time you’re cruising through Leasburg, pull over and check out the good folks and what’s on the shelves at Leasburg Grocery. Get yourself a cool drink and a pack of Nabs (peanut butter crackers) and enjoy true Americana as Kristi Slaughter once did.

Leasburg Grocery, owner Jack Stephens 7306 US Highway 158 E, Leasburg, NC 27291 (336) 599-3031 Open: Monday-Saturday, 7 am-8 pm, Sunday, 10 am-7 pm. •

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E

DC Services provides critical AID to Caswell County Written by Amanda Hodges Daniel Crisson is pictured above with his wife, Brittany, and sons, Austin and Jackson.

T

he heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) industry is growing rapidly and statistics show that future trends for continued growth is certain. With this increase in demand there is an equally significant need for professional technicians that can provide quality customer service in a timely fashion. From heat pumps to ventilation and air conditioning, there is a wide range of skills and services required in the HVAC industry.

Daniel Crisson began his career in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) industry working for a company in Burlington, NC. For several years, Daniel continued to have more and more requests from the community for assistance

with various challenges with HVAC systems especially in modular and mobile home systems. After work and on the weekends, he would assist people in the area with their air and heating issues. Daniel began to think that he could probably start his own service and specialize in the modular and mobile home niche. It was a big decision as Daniel and his wife had two very young children at the time, but he made the move and began DC Services.

Since its humble beginnings, DC Services has steadily grown, and Daniel keeps very busy creating satisfied customers. Happy by his quick response time and very competitive pricing, Daniel says that one of the reasons DC Services has been so successful is that he does not charge for the travel time to get to the job site. This has been a real winning practice for his business.

Daniel enjoys the work he does and says the best thing about it is that he is instrumental in being able to turn a stressful situation where someone is very uncomfortable and frustrated in their home to a situation where things transition into a very positive and happy place.

This satisfaction received from his work has propelled Daniel to grow the business more. His typical day involves repairing various units in the Caswell area while also receiving calls for additional jobs. He often has to adjust from working on a unit to change gears and making a trip to acquire replacement parts for the job. The end of the day the paperwork including invoicing, paying bills and following up on other details must be completed. Daniel shared that in the current digital world he is having more and more customers prefer their bill being sent to them via email or even texted.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects a 15 percent increase in jobs in the HVAC sector by 2026 which is a much higher than normal growth rate. This expansion will open the door for many people to learn a physical trade and earn a good living wage. According to Trend Statistics, the competition in the sector will improve the quality of customer service and the craft. There is no experience necessary for entry-level workers who join the field however if individuals want to be certified as an HVAC technician, there are affordable programs available right here in Caswell. At Piedmont Community College, HVAC Technician certification programs are available.

According to FieldInsight.com, with regular servicing you can ensure your HVAC unit keeps on performing at its best. Not only will your HVAC unit last longer with maintenance, it can also help your monthly electricity bills be lower. DC Services is insured and ready to be of service to you in this capacity. The company offers a special $60 diagnostic overview to have your unit serviced for the winter. Daniel shared that this is one of the best things you can do to save money and frustration in the long run. You can reach them at DC Services (336) 380-9519. • CASWELL | DISCOVER MAGAZINE | 25

TODD HODGES

C

aswell County has many unique businesses that bring something new to the table.

One of those is Locust Hill Farms which first purchased Gelbvieh cattle in 2001. The cattle operation began after the “home” farm converted tobacco fields into pastures.

Today, the farm has over 250 brood cows. “Our breeding program includes extensive artificial insemination (AI) and embryo transfer which allow Locust Hill to have the highest advanced genetic cattle possible,” says owner Todd Hodges.

“Our goal is to produce the highest quality seed stock for the cattle industry. This includes breeding bulls and heifers. All this to help cattle producers establish sound, productive herds with our high-quality genetics.”

Gelbvieh and Balancer cattle are well known throughout the beef industry for their maternal strengths and superior growth. With attributes such as more pounds of calf weaned, added fertility, greater cow herd longevity and heavier carcass weights, just to name a few, Gelbvieh and Balancer offer genetics that work for the commercial cattle business.

Balancer cattle are registered hybrid seed stock that have documented pedigrees and expected progeny differences (EPDs). Balancer animals are 25 to 75 percent Gelbvieh with

the balance of Angus or Red Angus. Balancer cattle combine the Gelbvieh growth, muscle, leanness, fertility, longevity and low yield grading ability with the carcass qualities of Angus.

Balancer cattle offer a simple and powerful way to maintain hybrid vigor and a profitable blend of British and Continental genetics without a complicated crossbreeding system. These cattle fit well into all aspects of the beef industry including commercial cow/calf operations and on the rail.

In addition to Gelbvieh cattle, Hodges raises Angus (black and red) and Balancer cattle. “We cross breed Gelbvieh and Angus to produce the Balancer Cattle. Balancer is a hybrid breed of beef cattle, a combination of Gelbvieh and Angus.

These cattle are bred for their hybrid vigor, resulting in a higher growth rate and better-quality meat. The Benefits of Balancer Cattle include their superior reproductive traits and their excellent growth trends. They retail a high-quality yield of beef. Plus, they have higher pregnancy and weaning rates, helping farmers bottom lines,” he explains.

Readers may have seen a few recent ads about an upcoming production sale. “Locust Hill Cattle Co., LLC is offering on Saturday, February 19, 2022, the first production sale at the farm. This will allow cattle producers the opportunity to

The Locust Hill Cattle Oakhaven location, shown above, is a great place to live and raise cattle.

26 | DISCOVER MAGAZINE | CASWELL

purchase Locust Hill genetics for the first time at auction on the farm. This offering includes sound bulls ready for breeding, bred heifers and open heifers. The offering will include the Balancer genetics along with some select Gelbvieh and Angus cattle.

The sale also includes the 2021 Supreme Champion Bull from the NC State Fair. Locust Hill Cattle Co., LLC was honored that our bull LHC “Ricky Bobby” 0183H was honored as Supreme Champion. ‘He Sells’, says Hodges. Also in the offering is LHC ‘Chucky’ 0165H, the North American International Livestock Expo Grand Champion Balancer Bull.

There will be approximately 30 bulls and 20 heifers/cows at the sale taking place at the Oakhaven facility on Feb. 19, 2022. Cattle will be available for viewing on Friday, February 18. On Friday, Hodges will also offer an educational program provided by the local Extension Service. Locust Hill will be having a Cattleman’s social Friday evening including dinner,” he shares.

For more information call 828-442-6869. • Pictured above, Todd Hodges and Greg ‘Bubba’ Anderson with awards for NC State Fair 2021 Grand Champion Gelbvieh Female & Grand Champion Gelbvieh Bull.

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CASWELL | DISCOVER MAGAZINE | 27

INSPIRED

brings variety of technology to the community Written by Mike Floyd The inside of the INSPIRED bus contains plenty of room for books for the public to enjoy and promote better reading.

Photo Submitted.

A

nybody that travels around Caswell County knows how many “drop-off zones” there are. Areas on Highway 86 and Highway 62 are notorious for inconsistent service. That is a real issue when it comes to emergency calls for first responders - “911 callers” and on down to general communication. So, Kelly Chapman was really on to something. That “many additional uses” listed by Cradlepoint was her heads-up and their system would be a perfect fit for their mobile unit and new business, INSPIRED. INSPIRED realized a long-term goal of mine to have a non28 | DISCOVER MAGAZINE | CASWELL

profit or a business in the county to help people to bridge gaps and INSPIRED was a name I was interested in. It had already been taken at the Secretary of State level. So, our business name is an acronym for ‘Individualized Support for People In Rural, Economic Districts,’” explains Chapman.

“Our goal is not a handout program, but a hand-up that will encourage and inspire people to make improvements in their lives, their families, and our communities.”

She goes on to elaborate, “There are special antennas that allow us to pick up better signals than your telephone

or hot spot. It goes back to the power of the antenna and the Cradlepoint device (mobile router and server) that can be placed anywhere and at any time. The device is controlled by software that runs the unit. I’ve had this idea for quite some time based on trying to work remotely. I’m notorious for thinking and being outside of the box!” adds Chapman.

“We are very excited. We have only had limited inter-face with people to this point. We’ve served about 50 people, total. We are ready to roll out our services. We could offer this service not only to individuals, but to groups who want to have a meeting or some type of teleconference. We can take that broadband system and even if they’re not inside our mobile unit, they can utilize its technology.”

While the INSPIRED team members were working on purchasing their Cradlepoint unit, Caswell County had begun to distribute hot spots for children that were in remote learning classes due to COVID 19 restrictions.

Chapman began hearing feedback from people, who were in the hot spots, that service was very poor. With the students and so many people working from home, the Wi-Fi transmission wasn’t very good. There was too much “pull” on the system with an already limited capacity bandwidth.

“As far as INSPIRED’s market, I have answered a lot of questions. Our market is anybody from pre-school through age 100. What we want to do is not just to be one type of service to people, but to be a bridge to already existing services. Also, to fill the gaps at what’s non-existent in the county.”

She goes on, “In my opinion, after years of teaching and interfacing with small business people, farmers, and so forth in the area, it’s not just one problem that needs to be fixed for people to bridge their gaps. We hope to communicate with people the services, perhaps, or connect them with things that already exist. Also, to determine what is missing and then to provide what is needed.”

When consulting with prospective clients, the INSPIRED team sits down and determines what they can do for the client, offering them options and solutions. Recently Chapman was talking to a diesel mechanic service about what kind of IT technology his business would need for his mobile service unit. Chapman discussed computer options like a laptop, or a desktop, or how to take payments remotely at the point of service.

“There are 22,000 people in Caswell County, and I would say there should be a couple of thousand people that we should be able to help. We hope to help small businesses, people with job skills, and we can do that with the mobile unit or possibly offer support for students enrolled at colleges

like PCC,” she says.

INSPIRED is blessed to have several well-respected educators “on board” to help tutor young people and bridge the gaps left by COVID. Karen Chandler has dedicated many hours to purchasing the book collection. Donna Kimbro is a BOD member and hopes to help with tutoring, enrichment planning, etc.

Each INSPIRED team member brings unique skills to the mission. For example, Beverly Huffines designed the logo, Hannah Shumaker Lynch established the website and Facebook page, and Richie Richmond and Shawn Pennix bring a small business owner/employer viewpoint to their services. Becky Gammon is an expert in finance and banking and Amanda Hodges offers connections to other organizations throughout Caswell.

“We are a member of CoSquare to make it easier to meet with people from other organizations. We want to provide a safe, trusted space that people feel like they can ask for help and at least connect them with whatever other help they need besides us.”

She adds, “We have served about 50 citizens since we began. These services included book check out, science enrichment (led by NC State University Engineering School), and small business support. We hope to serve all ages.

If residents are interested in broadband access, literacy (reading, math, science, business, technology), job finding skills, volunteering, donating, other items you see on our website, or collaborating with us, please contact our team.”

You can follow INSPIRED on Facebook, the website, and in the Caswell Messenger.

To learn more: E-mail: INSPIRED4communities@gmail.com Website: INSPIRED4communities.com •

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CASWELL | DISCOVER MAGAZINE | 29

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