March & April 2012
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Pride and Purpose Go Hand in Hand Things to Do...
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FEATURES March & April 2012
Things To Do - 31 -
FLOC Outdoor Center A Wonderful New Reason to FLOC to the Mountain
- 77 -
Royalicious Bagel Bakery New York City Eats Arrive in the Panhandle
Places To Go
- 56 -
On The Cover March & April 2012
- 81 -
Red Fox Creamery Lovely New Location
E M A G A Z I N
- 87 -
The Purple Iris More than a Banquet Hall ose Pride and PurPHand Go Hand in
People To Know
Things to Do..s.
Royaliciou FLOC Outdoor Center
- 25 -
Double T Homes Come in as a Customer, Leave as a Friend
- 56 -
Paul Pfau Music Direct to the Soul [4]
Places to Go..le. Iris
The Purp Red Fox Creamery
People to Know...
$2.99
Paul Pfau Allen Truax
- 13 Manuel Washington, owner of Groves Cleaning Services
Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
contents 6 8 11 13
52 Our Top Ten
Dear Readers
Reasons the American Future is Female
All About Us Photo Contest
56 58 62 64
Manuel Washington
19 Caption Contest 21 James Rumsey
Technical Institute Educating the
25 Double T Homes 31 FLOC Outdoor
Rely on Rick Volunteerism
For a Better You and a Better Community
Healthy Living
Get Your Plate in Shape
Center
72 City National Bank 77 The Unknown Eater
36 Berkeley County Public Safety Building
39 Eastern Panhandle
104
92 Capitol Rehab 96 Apples & Oranges
Bomb Shelters
100 Superior Walls 102 Blue Ridge
Watershed Coalition
Royalicious
81 Red Fox Creamery 84 Lending a Hand
Warming Hands & Hearts
Turn - Recipes
44 Decker & Co 87 The Featured Eats 48 WVU Robert C. Byrd The Purple Iris Health Sciences 90 Now It’s Your Center
- 84 -
Veterans’ Voices
68 Panhandle
Workforce Since 1970
Right Here Right Now
Paul Pfau
- 87 -
You Can’t Afford to Miss CLIP & SAVE
www.AroundThePanhandle.com
Great Savings at Local Businesses
[5]
THE
{ x Around o b l i {Ma PANHANDLE March/April 2012 | VOL 3 | NO 6
Dear Readers: I feel like we were bringing in January one minute, and finally breathing the necessary end-of-the-year sigh of relief—followed by some champagne, a few weeks of football, the GOP debates, the Italian cruise ship disaster, unemployment subsiding slightly, Lin-sanity replacing Tebow-mania, Valentines Day—and wham! It’s March. (Don’t forget, we go to print about a week before we’re actually in your hands, so hopefully the world’s still in one piece while you’re reading this.) March is a big month for ATP; we also like to come “in like a lion” alongside the Eastern Panhandle Home Builders Association’s Annual Home Show, at the Martinsburg Mall. Covering three days from March 9th11th, the Home Show offers more than fifty-five thousand visitors a chance to locate builders, remodelers, banks and lenders, landscape companies, heating and air contractors, and much more. If you have an interest in any aspect of the home building and products industry, you need to be at the Home Show. And be sure to stop by and visit us at the ATP display! Our March issue is as packed with information about local people, events, destinations, and business as we could possibly make it. And we can’t wait for you to check it out. Writer Deb Cornwell gives you an intimate peek inside The Purple Iris, one of Martinsburg’s premier restaurants, located within Hartwood Mansion on Winchester Avenue. As always, you’ll probably be drooling on the page before you can get ahold of yourself. Deb also brings us Capitol Rehab and Paul Pfau—two distinct names in the Panhandle that represent people doing what they were meant to do, and doing it extraordinarily well. Bonnie Williamson contributes a lovely assortment of articles this month, as well, including a tasty feature on one of Charles Town’s hottest new walk-ins: Royalicious Bagel Bakery. Don’t say we didn’t warn you; you may end up like the rest of us—standing in line every morning (at least it’s almost spring). Bonnie also brings us an inspiring piece on a true Panhandle pioneer—Manuel Washington, of Groves Cleaning Services—who earned our cover spot, and deservedly so. Victoria Kidd, among a host of engaging features, outlines the details for the new Berkeley County Public Safety Building in Martinsburg, and takes us on a tour of James Rumsey Technical Institute. There’s a lot more going on at James Rumsey than you might think, and Victoria does a great job bringing us up to speed. Claire Gibson Webb and Rick Hemphill take us into the mountains for two wonderful endeavors in Jefferson County. FLOC (For Love of Children—Outdoor Education Center) and BRWC (Blue Ridge Watershed Coalition) might be known in the area by their acronyms, but the services they offer to the public are anything but abbreviated. These two stories truly represent people in the Panhandle striving to make the community better. And, of course, we’re just getting started. Thanks for being such a vital part of our success. We’ve done our best to bring you another dynamic issue of ATP. Enjoy
PUBLISHER
Mike Hornby
ASSISTANT PUBLISHER
Victoria Kidd
EDITOR
Mike Chalmers
EDITORIAL DESIGN
Mike Hornby James Schaffner
WEBSITE
Hornby Publishing LLC ProDesign , Brian Jolliff www.professionaldesign.com
WRITERS Mike Chalmers Eli Andersen The Unknown Eater Claire Gibson Webb Debra Cornwell Dana DeJarnett Victoria Kidd Rick Hemphill Bonnie Williamson PHOTOGRAPHY
Eric Fargo - Fargofotos.com All Photos unless otherwise specified are by Eric Fargo
ADVERTISING DESIGN
Hornby Publishing Orchistrated Design
PRINTER
Panhandle Printing & Design
BUSINESS & CIRCULATION Kresha Hornby SEND MAIL TO
PO Box 1254 Martinsburg, WV 25402
CONTACT US AroundThePanhandle.com [304] 874-3252 Around the Panhandle is a bimonthly publication of Hornby Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The magazine is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or photos. Distributed through subscriptions, advertisers, online and at ROC’S convenience stores throughout the Panhandle.
Mike Hornby Around The Panhandle Magazine 304-851-7461 mike@aroundthepanhandle.com Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AroundthePanhandleMagazine
Subscription price is $16.99 per year. Single issues $2.99. To subscribe, send check or money order for $16.99 payable to Around the Panhandle; PO Box 1254, Martinsburg, WV 25402 or subscribe online and pay by credit card at www.AroundThePanhandle.com.
Hornby Publishing LLC | PO Box 1254 | Martinsburg, WV 25402 | 304.851.7461
[6]
Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
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s U t u o b A l Al A little
at makes
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e to life.
age com p y r e v e d n a each
Debra Cornwell Debra is a freelance and ghostwriter, contributing articles to several regional publications, including Around The Panhandle and Around Harrisonburg. She is an active community volunteer and fundraiser who enjoys entertaining, cooking, antiques, fashion, equestrian activities, and history. She is currently writing a book on entertaining and celebrations in Charles Town, with her husband and son. Visit www.DebGhostWriter.com. Rick Hemphill Rick was born in Hagerstown, MD, in 1953, and graduated from Hagerstown High School in 1971. He received his BA from the University of Maryland Baltimore County in 1976, and went on to work in public service for the state of Maryland for thirty years—issuing marriage and business licenses and even performing civil marriages. Along the way, he has also developed several businesses that include: computer programming/integration, political consulting/printing, and video/film production. He continues to toil away within all of these mediums today, in various forms. He has been married to his lovely wife, Suzanne, for twenty-five years, and they proudly claim two very talented children: Kathryn, 21, and Alexandra, 15. Rick published Disloyal Union in 2010, a Civil War book with a focus on Lincoln and McClellan at the battle of Antietam. Mike Hornby Mike was born in Chiredzi, Zimbabwe, where he spent his first nineteen years, before immigrating to the U.S.A. A 1993 Graduate of St. Johns College—with a major in fine arts and minors in mathematics and English literature—Mike worked for ten years in the restaurant industry on the West Coast. He moved east in 2007, where he met his soulmate, Kresha, in the mountains of West Virginia. They currently live in Hampshire County with their three children: Matthew(17), Dexter(2), and Karli (7 mos). Mike is the proud owner and publisher of Around the Panhandle and Around Harrisonburg Magazines, as well as The Hornby Marketing Group. Victoria Kidd Victoria is the co-director of OMP Consulting Group LLC, a copywriting and editing firm in Winchester, VA. The business provides a forum for her to express her passion for writing, and she spends much of her time creating résumés for individual clients or designing written materials for corporate accounts. In addition to an impressive professional and academic history, she is proud of her volunteer efforts with several local social service agencies that serve returning veterans and persons living with terminal illnesses. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her friends, family, and four cats (Godzilla, Cuervo, Casanova, and Attila the Hun). Secretly, her prize possession is a metal comic book stand that dates from the late 1960s. Detailed information about Victoria can be found by visiting her website at www. VictoriaKidd.com. Jimmy Schaffner Jimmy is the lead designer and right-hand man at Panhandle Printing & Design. He grew up in Martinsburg, where he currently resides with his beautiful wife, Donna, and eight children: Caleb, Ian, Kyler, Briana, twins Madison & Hannah, Brayden (a.k.a Monkey), and Collin. When his unbridled passion for coaching youth athletics gives him time for anything else, Jimmy finds himself helping Mike Hornby design the pages of ATP until the wee hours of the morning.
[8]
Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
Eric Fargo Eric was born in Wheeling, WV, in 1969, and moved to Charles Town in 1973. He graduated from Jefferson High School in 1987 and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1990. He earned a degree as an Aerospace Physiology Specialist from the Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine. In 1994, he earned a Regents BA from Shepherd University. He pursued careers in the family insurance business, as well as home building, before settling on his true passion, photography. He considers his job with Hornby Publishing to be a match made in heaven. Eric’s other passions are his photography company— www.FargoFotos.com—and his two children: Kylie, 19, and Brady, 16. Bonnie Williamson Bonnie has been a writer and editor for more than twenty years, writing for newspapers, radio, television, textbooks, and newsletters. She was previously an editor and writer for Platts/McGraw Hill in Washington, D.C., writing newsletters on the electric industry. She spent more than eight years in New Jersey state government, first as Public Information Officer for the New Jersey State Senate, then as speechwriter for the Commissioner of Transportation. She also authored the novel Hard to Dance with the Devil on Your Back. In addition, she teaches ballet, tap, and jazz to students of all ages. Claire Gibson Webb Claire was born and raised in the Panhandle until she went off to college in Philadelphia, PA. After earning a degree in urban development from Eastern University, she joined AmeriCorps and served in both Atlanta and Washington, D.C. To support her travel habit, Claire became a substitute teacher, and spent time looking for adventures in countries near and far. These adventures included learning Spanish, climbing volcanoes, visiting the Great Wall of China, eating strange things in Myanmar, enjoying sunsets on Zanzibar, and watching cheetahs hunt for lunch in Tanzania. To support her writing habit, Claire is now a full-time teacher for Jefferson County Public Schools, and enjoys teaching as much as she does her travels. Mike Chalmers Mike graduated from Martinsburg High School in 1993, and Shepherd University in 1997, with a degree in communications. He has been a freelance writer and editor since 2006, and joined Hornby Publishing while sitting at a table in a coffee shop, in 2008. Before devoting all of his attention to writing, a little over two years ago, he spent the previous decade in education, in both WV and VA. He now pulls double duty, living as a freelance writer/editor and physical trainer, in both WV and Chicago. Locally, he is the editor of Around the Panhandle and Around Harrisonburg magazines, as well as the co-owner and creator of www.WeAreYep.com. In his spare time, he mostly daydreams about how he might one day become as cool and good looking as Eli Andersen. Eli Andersen Like his hero, Mike Chalmers, Eli splits time between Martinsburg and Chicago. A freelance print and digital writer for over ten years, he works in wind energy and photography, in addition to writing full-time. Eli graduated from Northwestern University and is currently finishing his first novel Kristen LeMaster Kristen is the owner at Orchidstrated Design, established in 2009, and is a 2008 graphic design graduate of Shepherd University. Kristen enjoys working tirelessly for her clients, from initial concepts and designs to the final stages of the printing process. She is married to her husband, Tim, and her baby girl, Naomi, is her pride and joy. Kristen likes to relax by spending time with her family and friends, shopping and dining out, and watching TV shows that involve food, home decorating, and design. She helps Mike Hornby create all the personalized marketing plans for ATP’s advertisers. Brian Jolliff Specializing in website design, development, search engine optimization, and web hosting for local and national small- to medium-sized businesses, Brian graduated from WVU in 1994 with a BFA in graphic design (Go Mountaineers!). He worked professionally as a graphic artist in the newspaper industry for nine years and has over thirteen years professional freelance experience in both print design and website design. Visit www.ProfessionalDesign.com for more information.
www.AroundThePanhandle.com
[9]
o t o Ph
Do you have an eye for photography?
Show off your photo skills to the world and you could be our $50 lucky winner (one per issue).
Winner In Flight by John Russell Barr — I love this photo of the Hummingbird Moth. Great color and nice job on getting it in action—not always easy when it comes to Mother Nature.
Honorable Mention(s) Twin Bridges by Dan Smith — This is a great photo and I love the depth of field. It looks like you were on the water. Must have been a great day. Martin Luther King Memorial by Karen Moss — Solid photo of one of the great Americans in history. The shot is clear, crisp, and center-framed. Next time, try the rule of thirds, and don’t always put the subject smack dab in the middle third of the photo. Keep on shooting folks!
Submit your photos at AroundThePanhandle.com or email mike@AroundThePanhandle.com. [Don’t forget to read the important stuff] All photo submissions must include name and contact information and must be the original work of the submitter. Photos must be at least 300dpi and in .jpg or .pdf format. All pictures will become property of Hornby Publishing LLC. www.AroundThePanhandle.com
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Where Pride and Purpose Go Hand in Hand
— By Bonnie Williamson
Hard work and a dedication to family and community have made Manuel Washington one of the most successful African American businessmen in the Eastern Panhandle. And Washington is not shy about discussing what he calls “the race card.” Washington, a lifelong Martinsburg native, owns several businesses located at 1798 Winchester Avenue in his hometown. These include Groves Cleaning Services, a janitorial and cleaning service; Janitors Closet, a distribution/retail store for janitorial products and equipment; and Unique Consultants, Training and Seminars—a consultant and training service for new business owners and others. “Being black has never been a stumbling block,” he asserts. “I learned from an early age to treat www.AroundThePanhandle.com
people the way I would like to be treated. When you don’t, it’s detrimental to your future, your character. People in this area have been very supportive. Education is key, too. “My business is known for its honesty, reliability, high-quality work, and high regard for integrity. My employees are highly trained. We go into homes and businesses, so trust is essential.” Groves Cleaning Services has twenty-one employees and an eight-vehicle fleet. “Sometimes we have as many as thirty employees because of seasonal work. Often, real estate agents will call us in to fix up homes they want to sell.” Washington’s employees clean law offices, medical offices, retail facilities, churches, and government
offices, as well as private residences. Services for private residences can include window washing, junk removal, lawn services, upholstery cleaning, handyman services, and pressure washing for houses and decks. “We offer an excellent, high-quality service,” Washington assures. “My employees deliver what I offer to the customer in a highly professional manner. My staff represents me so I want them as highly trained, motivated, and at the highest levels of professionalism possible.” His efforts have received numerous awards in the past, such as the West Virginia Small Business Development Center Successful Entrepreneur Award, Senate of West Virginia Certificate of Recognition of twentytwo years of business community service, the State of West Virginia
[ 13 ]
office of Chief Executive Certificate of Recognition, and the Certificate of Recognition from Governor Joe Manchin. Several years ago, Groves Cleaning Services was one of three minority-owned businesses honored by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) at a ceremony in Destiny Baptist Church in Martinsburg. The Reverend Carl Hickerson, pastor of Destiny Baptist Church and president of the NAACP’s local chapter, was quoted at the time in the Martinsburg Journal as saying, “There have been several minority businesses in my five years in Martinsburg that have sprung up and died. When you see these three that have stood the test of time, they are the rising tide that will float the boats of other minority businesses. Their survival is a testament to the quality and integrity of their operation.” Washington didn’t start out running his own business. He worked as an auto fleet mechanic and mechanic leader for twenty years at Allegheny Power Company. He started working part-time for Groves Cleaning Services when Charles Groves owned it. Groves started the business in 1966. “He offered to sell the business to me in 1988,” he remembers. “We built on what he had already planted. It’s a great sense of accomplishment. I was able to offer more people jobs and expand the business to the seminar service and the janitorial retail store.” Washington says he is dedicated to making sure his employees get the best training possible. This training is especially imperative when it involves a cleaning service that has very difficult challenges: cleaning up after a crime scene. “We get about five to seven calls a year to clean up crime scenes. These can involve suicides or homicides. It’s gruesome but it must be done,” he admits. “I have three employees who are qualified to do this work. I am always part of this kind of job. You get the job done and get out of there. You don’t leave a trace of the trauma that was there.”
[ 14 ]
Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
Groves Cleaning Services employees normally cover a fifty-mile area, including Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan Counties in West Virginia, as well as parts of southern Virginia and Maryland. Cleaning assignments have been done as far away as Beckley, WV. One of Washington’s favorite activities is running training seminars around the country to help custodians to do their jobs better. “I would like to show the difference between handing a new employee a mop and saying, ‘Now you’re a janitor,’ versus professionally training someone to do the job right. It’s practical training and motivational training. I want them to feel proud about what they’re doing.” As a member of the Professional Speakers Association, Washington has presented numerous seminars across the state for the West Virginia school system, as well as seminars in Kentucky, Virginia, and North Carolina. He affirms, “I’d like to do more and more seminars in the future.” Washington takes custodial work very seriously. He says it best in his seminar brochure where he states,
www.AroundThePanhandle.com
“Custodians are very important people. They are more important to the success of business, industry, and institutions than most people realize. Having knowledge or skill and using it doesn’t always go hand in hand. The cleaning and building maintenance industry is filled with opportunities for those who seek advancement and back up their desire with a positive attitude and professional performance. The support you give to your custodians can produce the desired results.” He has also helped many individuals get their own businesses started and continues to advise business owners with his consulting services. Washington belongs to a number of community organizations, including the Professional Cleaners Association of Martinsburg and the International Rotary Club. He also serves on local community, civic, and educational boards, like the United Way, the American Red Cross, and the Berkeley County Board of Education Diversity Committee. He was previously a board member of the Martinsburg/Berkeley County War Memorial Parks Association. He is also an elder in his church—Supreme Council of the House of Jacob. Family and the Eastern Panhandle
are both integral parts of Washington’s life. He was the second of twelve children and his parents died young. He and his wife Patricia have four children of their own, and raised four of his brothers and sisters. “I’m a big believer in education. My children are pursuing careers in medicine and law, as examples.” He attended local schools, graduated from Martinsburg High School, and attended Shepherd University. Washington has no desire to move from the Eastern Panhandle. “There is a richness to this area, and friendly people. I love the mountains and clean air. I don’t like the hustle and bustle of the city. I love the sereneness of this area. All of our friends are here,” he smiles. The Eastern Panhandle is fortunate to claim such a wealth of business diversity, as well as a collection of phenomenal business owners. Manuel Washington is one of the area’s truly dynamic entrepreneurs, and a shining example of why the Panhandle continues to thrive. For more information on Groves Cleaning Services, as well as any other services offered by Washington, call 304-267-8596.
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#1017
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#1018
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James Rumsey Technical Institute Educating the Workforce Since 1970
— By Victoria Kidd
Employers know that one of their biggest staffing challenges is finding candidates who not only have the required education, but also have the key skills necessary to perform the work. Recognizing this, the James Rumsey Technical Institute— known locally as JRTI—employs a unique method to ensure that their graduates are fully prepared for the requirements of either a future employment or subsequent educational pursuits. This unique method involves the use of local professionals to shape the instructional offerings of the school. These professionals are experts in their fields, many even owning their own businesses in their respective professional areas. They participate in what JRTI calls “craft committees.” www.AroundThePanhandle.com
These committees are segmented by industry and are comprised of more than 100 professionals who can provide insight into the exact skills needed for someone to succeed in that field. JRTI educators can then use this information to develop curriculum and projects that give their graduates valuable experience. Committee members also participate in SkillsUSA, a JRTIsponsored competitive event that utilizes craft committee participants as event judges. (Editor’s Note: The state SkillsUSA competition will be held at JRTI this year on March 31st. Craft committee judges will help judge more than 500 adult and high school students in numerous competitive events from various WV schools. Winners go on to national competition. It’s an event that truly
shouldn’t be missed. Contact JRTI for more information.) Think of the craft committee as a collaborative effort between local professionals and educators. “Our goal is to assist the program instructors by helping them to design a program that benefits the student long after graduation,” says Dick Snyder, a building materials expert who has experience in commercial materials sales, as well as practical experience building homes. Snyder is proud to be a part of the unique program, and he says that he and his fellow committee members have also helped instructors obtain materials, design special projects, and judge competitive events. The feedback and support provided [ 21 ]
by the committee members directly helps students develop their skills and grow as professionals. Tom Davis, production manager for Sensel Signs, and a dedicated graphic design committee member, sees an equal value to the personal interactions between professionals and students. He further explains, “Our participation is valuable because it gives the students realworld experience working with people in their field.” Vicki Jenkins is the school’s director and principal. She has witnessed how the craft committee advisors have shaped the school’s programming. “These committees help us to ensure that our curriculum will meet the needs of local employers and contribute to the student’s ability to succeed in whatever their post graduation pursuits may be.” A perfect example of how this collaborative method has impacted the program in a positive way is what happened recently with the institute’s truck driving program. Committee members evaluated the instruction offered through the program and suggested an important addition to the planned educational exercises. “They recommended a night driving exercise, and based on their recommendation, we added it,” Jenkins explains. “We believe that the people working in those fields are able to best evaluate industry needs, and the committees really do help us to design education that best prepares our students.” Using this collaborative model, JRTI continues to provide the quality education and training that has been shaping the Eastern Panhandle’s workforce for forty-two years. Jenkins believes that it is not only craft committee involvement but also a commitment to quality programming that creates JRTI’s success. “We have high standards for our students,” she affirms, “and we do not compromise on minimum expectations in our programs. Our graduates receive a top-quality education here, and employers often seek out JRTI graduates because they are familiar with that quality.” The quality of James Rumsey graduates is indeed
[ 22 ]
Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
recognized by many area employers, and several large employers recruit JRTI graduates directly. The institute strives to ensure that area businesses remain interested in hiring program participants by making certain their curriculum is relevant to employer needs. High school participants and adult learners who receive training from the school benefit from a curriculum that is respected throughout the Eastern Panhandle and beyond. Demonstrative of that respect is their placement rate. “We have a ninety-nine percent placement rate for our graduates,” Jenkins says. “That includes students who enter a trade or go on to post-secondary institutions.” In effect, this suggests that JRTI graduates have a distinctive competitive advantage in the workforce and in later academic endeavors. Should a graduate have difficulty finding work, JRTI offers placement assistance for life. “We offer the placement assistance because we care about the success of our students. Whether they are students who graduated last year or ten years ago does not matter. We want students to have every competitive advantage available.” Their classrooms exemplify that commitment to providing a competitive advantage. Not only are they staffed by dedicated teaching professionals, but they’re also outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment much like that which will be used by the students post graduation. Jenkins maintains, “Offering students an education that gives them the skills that are in demand is paramount to everything we do. We focus on resources that really matter, and that includes top-quality classroom equipment, as well as program development efforts designed to build programs in areas with anticipated employment growth.” Current program offerings for high school students include everything from automotive technology, Cisco, law enforcement, childcare, game design, and robotics. Post secondary programs include truck driving, culinary arts, HVAC and refrigeration, surgical technology, and, beginning in the fall of 2012,
www.AroundThePanhandle.com
massage therapy. They also have a highly competitive licensed practical nursing program. These programs, as well as the institute’s entire curriculum, utilize a real-world approach to learning. This approach develops the key skills needed for career success or provides the foundation needed for achievement in subsequent institutions of higher learning. Building skills within the local workforce is central to the institute’s mission. In addition to offering a wide-range of programming aimed at getting dislocated workers back to work, they also customize training programs to improve workforce capabilities within area businesses. As a well-respected local institution, JRTI has developed training partnerships with more than seventy-five local businesses, meaning that their instructors have directly contributed to economic growth in the Eastern Panhandle. The instructors and staff at James Rumsey are dedicated to advancing the long-term career opportunities for all students. Their dedication has contributed to them being recognized as a West Virginia School of Excellence, and they were honored with an Outstanding Business and Industry Involvement Award from the West Virginia Department of Education in 2011. Accolades aside, the institute remains committed to their original mission of “enhancing the quality of life for students of all ages by setting standards of excellence in technical and academic education.” Their use of innovative craft committees, coupled with their high program quality and strict academic standards, has fueled forty-two years of success. For more information regarding this North Central Association Accredited institution, call 304-754-7925. Better yet, check out their full program listing by visiting www. JamesRumsey.net. If you, your student, or your employees could use additional training, or simply desire a competitive advantage, don’t hesitate to consider the James Rumsey Technical Institute.
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Come In As A Customer, Leave As a Friend Double T Homes in Berkeley Springs, WV — Bonnie Williamson
Doing things the right way helps you maintain a good reputation and produce a quality product. Allen Truax of Double T Homes, Inc., in Berkeley Springs (WV), operates his business and his life by those words. “Reputation is everything,” he believes. Truax started out in the housing business more than twenty years ago, working with his father Dale. He did excavation for schools and homes, operating heavy equipment. He learned the ins-and-outs of what it takes to construct a well-built home. Along the way, he gave his time to the community by serving as a volunteer fireman for twentyeight years—an endeavor that he describes as “the greatest occupation on earth.” A lifelong resident of Berkeley Springs, his strong religious background added to his concern for the welfare of his neighbors and those with whom he did business. He became involved with modular homes in 2002. The excavating business and modular home construction all came under one umbrella in 2006. The name Double T came from combining Truax and Tracey, his wife’s name. His company maintains fourteen employees. Initially, business was slow because of the problems within the housing market. However, in 2011, Double T was able to hire six more employees. Truax says modular homes are built better than stick-built homes. They can also be ready in half the time, and fit almost any budget. Customers can have their home ready in three to four months. “We can also custom-build and customdesign homes,” he assures. “It’s not just a take-it-or-leave-it situation. You have more options. You give me a plan, I can build it.” Modular homes are houses that are divided into multiple modules, or sections. They are manufactured in a remote facility and then delivered to a site. They’re assembled into a single residential building, using either a crane or truck. Independent building inspectors are on site to supervise the construction and ensure that all building codes are adhered to during assembly.
www.AroundThePanhandle.com
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“The modular parts have to be lifted by cranes and shipped to a site. They have to be stronger to go through that process,” Truax adds. Lower prices for modular homes can be attributed to numerous factors. Because they’re assembled indoors, they aren’t subjected to the weather, which increases work efficiency and decreases damage to building materials. The large-scale manufacturers of modular homes can bargain more with suppliers and get discounts on materials. In addition, less waste is generated from modular homes. With similar plans being consistently built, the manufacturer has records of exactly what quantity of materials are needed for a given job, so waste is minimal—whereas waste from a sitebuilt dwelling may fill several large dumpsters. Truax offers modular homes in a variety of styles—even log homes. “The most popular model is the chalet—sort of a vacation-type home. The next would be Cape Cods.” Double T also offers Econo Homes that can start at about $81,500.
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These homes are base-priced with crawlspace foundations, a $12K well/pump and septic allowance, baseboard heat, and standard excavating. There are very limited changes available on these homes, hence the lower price. Styles available are Ranch and Cape Cods. Green homes are also available, which are more energy efficient and utilize recycled materials. The location of a home rarely presents a problem for Truax. He recently worked on a home sited on the side of a mountain. “It was way out there—no power lines or anything. We work with Potomac Edison and other agencies to get the job done.” Truax says he is involved with every aspect of a project. He works with people he trusts to build it the way it’s supposed to be built. “We’re a full-turnkey operation, a onestop shop,” he contends. “We get everything ready for you to move in. Most companies don’t offer that. Here, you don’t deal with multiple contractors. It’s one person.” Unfortunately, his commitment to quality has worked against him. “Different counties have different
inspection criteria, or don’t require inspections at all. We need a more even playing field. I’ll lose jobs in the bidding process because others cut corners. I won’t. I want the homeowner to have peace of mind.” Despite the many challenges in the housing market, Truax says Double T Homes is doing well, with plenty of work already scheduled for the future. But he does believe that much of the housing market is in need of an overhaul. “You fix the housing market, you fix the economy.” Home appraisals are contributing to problems in the housing market, he believes. A home appraisal is an opinion of its market value. Since home appraisals are required by lenders to proceed, either with the purchase of a property or refinancing of a property, problems with home appraisals can put the brakes on a transaction. After a homebuyer and seller agree on a price, the buyer applies for a mortgage. The lender then orders an appraisal to ensure the value of the property. The large number of foreclosures nationally has caused problems. To determine what a home is worth, the appraiser compares prices of similar homes
Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
that were recently sold in the area. If the property appraisal comes in below the agreed upon price, the buyer usually has to make up the difference, and may instead walk away. Truax remains optimistic and enthusiastic about his work and his customers. He is especially proud of the fact that people trust him. And they do. He has repeat customers, as well as people coming to him to correct problems other builders created in their homes. He also keeps the communication lines open, and stays in touch with his customers to make sure they are satisfied. Recent praises for Double T’s work are listed on its website. Larry Robinson, the owner of Mountain Home Real Estate and Twin Mountain Construction says, “I began working with Allen Truax about three years ago, when a business partner and I contracted with Double T Homes to build a modular home on our lot. We were very happy, not only with the quality that Allen delivered, but also with his follow-up customer service. We have since worked with Allen on several projects, and the quality and service are still excellent. It’s always good to know there are people around who can not only deliver good work, but also stand behind it.” Les and Winona Jackson of Berkeley Springs say, “We purchased a Double T Home form Allen Truax in October of 2007. We asked for a few modifications to the original floor plan and Allen made the changes easily and quickly. Our home was priced right, delivered on time, and completed to our satisfaction. Allen and his staff were a pleasure to work with and they stand behind their work one hundred percent.” Truax stands by his company’s philosophy, too. “We have a motto here at Double T Homes: Come in as a customer, leave as a friend.” If you’re interested in considering a modular home from Double T Homes, visit their website at www. DoubleThomes.com or call 304-258-0001.
www.AroundThePanhandle.com
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A Wonderful New Reason to FLOC to the Mountain
— By Claire Gibson Webb
Most people enjoy finding out a good secret, and I am no exception. Which is why, when asked, I accepted the invitation to visit one of the Panhandle’s bestkept secrets on the non-profit scene. On a glorious fall afternoon, one in which the sun was beginning its majestic dip towards the horizon, and the foliage was still boasting a few vestiges of color, I was headed to a retreat that, although just under thirty minutes from my home, felt like a world away. For Love of Children Outdoor Education Center (FLOC) graced the sign when I pulled in; welcome to relaxation, I thought. FLOC began its operations in Washington, D.C., in 1965, where it served public schoolchildren in our nation’s capital. In 1971, the vision to take those children out of the city and into the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains was www.AroundThePanhandle.com
implemented in Harpers Ferry. The Wilderness School was the vehicle for learning and living in a vastly different environment, and it touched the lives of many innercity youth for nearly two decades. When it closed, a different vision was implemented on the same site. Nancy Van Scoyoc created the Outdoor Education Center (OEC) in 1987 to provide hands-on learning through a variety of activities. Since 1987, OEC has been serving the needs of many organizations, businesses, and community groups. Recently, I was able to get a birds-eye view of an OEC teambuilding program in action at a local area school. I was impressed; the facilitators are patient, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable, and the students were truly enjoying each challenge put before them. When Director Todd McKinney invited me to visit them
on-site, I was happy to do so. After printing off his directions (GPS won’t help you here), I met him in his office and we ventured out for a tour of the OEC facilities. As a non-profit, there are two main components of services offered. First is a program called “Leaders in Action,” facilitated in conjunction with some Jefferson County middle schools. This program is designed for 6th-8th graders and there are four focal points: reconnecting kids with nature, educating them about healthy lifestyle choices, teaching them to become more active and engaged in their community, and assisting them with strategies to make good decisions. The program evolved after a needs assessment was completed and the results highlighted, amongst other issues, the struggle of West Virginia youth with obesity. A curriculum was developed and Leaders in Action [ 31 ]
was born. The program runs once a week at each school involved, and the services of outside agencies are utilized to reinforce the focus points. For example, Jefferson Memorial Hospital will sponsor fitness tests, or Claymont Farms will host activities around gardening and healthy eating. Students have opportunities to be involved in the community throughout the school year, and at the end, if they have participated consistently throughout, then each one can participate in OEC’s ten-day summer camp. What kid doesn’t love summer camp? Especially one focused on a variety of positive life skills and fun activities—from team-building on the high ropes course to learning about watersheds and alternative energy through backpacking and overnight canoe trips. The OEC facility also boasts several environmental learning centers (i.e. a compost station, solar hot water station, gardening, and different wildlife and wetland activities), designed to get people of all ages out into nature, looking at bugs and getting their hands dirty. “Kids get enough lecture in schools; we want to be the avenue where they can be hands-on,” stresses McKinney. Most importantly at these formative ages, the summer camps also have a social education component to them—activities are designed to encourage learning how to get along and work with other people. And the best part for parents? All programming is completely free of charge—funded by private donations, grants, and foundation giving. Currently, there are thirty students participating, but there is always space for more. The future vision for Leaders in Action is to begin offering it in all of the Jefferson County middle schools, with a continuing program on the high school level. “We don’t want to just send kids off, but want to continue the relationship as they pursue college careers,” adds McKinney. The second type of service presented by FLOC OEC is offered primarily to offset the costs of [ 32 ]
Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
running programs like Leaders in Action. Public programs are offered for a nominal fee to groups of all sizes and kinds—church, college, athletic, Girl/Boy Scouts, and even some business organizations. “We can work with anyone; we are open to any demographic from anywhere,” McKinney asserts. They’ve hosted groups from Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and will be hosting a group from California this summer. McKinney hopes to involve this area in as much of the process as possible in the future. “We would love to expand locally to draw on Panhandle groups and resources.” One of the most popular public programs is the full-day course designed to encourage teambuilding. Groups arrive in the morning, and are then split into smaller groups with various facilitators. Each facilitator makes use of games and low ropes initiatives to reinforce crucial components of successful group dynamics—from communication and cooperation to consensus and active listening. Lunch is provided in the dining hall, and afterwards, it’s on to the real fun: the high ropes course! It’s not just offered for sheer enjoyment, however. There’s an educational philosophy behind the ropes challenge: the practices and principles learned in the morning sessions bring the groups together with a monumental task to accomplish. The course is not designed to force each member to accomplish it; rather, it will encourage each individual to push past his or her comfort zone, set a goal, and achieve it. To that end, the next three hours are spent having fun, working through each thirty-five- to forty-foot rope challenge, and learning more about how the team works together. The day concludes with a group debrief, discussing all the lessons learned from beginning to end. If more than just a day is desired, it can be expanded to one or more overnights, adding additional components, such as rock climbing, mountain biking, canoeing, backpacking, and more. Any or all of these can be included in a www.AroundThePanhandle.com
customized itinerary for any group wishing to take advantage of all that the OEC has to offer—any time of the year. Some organizations simply use the site for their own summer programming, but the OEC has exclusive summer options available, as well. The possibilities are endless on the mountain! If no programming at all is desired, and instead, a simple retreat away from life is more appealing, the organization offers their space to enjoy in whatever manner your group wishes to utilize. The lodge sleeps eighteen, with a full bath and full kitchen, as well as a cozy fireplace. There are eight rustic cabins, which can sleep up to forty-four collectively, and certainly provide an authentic wilderness experience. For those who wish to camp, tent space is also available. All meals are provided in the full-service dining hall. The organization operates on 350 acres, but has access to 1,400 acres in the immediate surrounding area, with over thirteen miles of trails for public hiking and biking. FLOC OEC is on a mission to continue finding grants and partners within the Panhandle community. If additional information is desired on programming, partnering, or both, contact Todd McKinney at 304-7250409, or via email at tmckinney@ floc.org, and don’t hesitate to visit www.FlocOutDoors.org. If you’re interested in participating in their second annual fundraising Harpers Ferry Half Marathon, check out the website at www. HarpersFerryHalf.org. All proceeds benefit FLOC and another local non-profit. “We had four hundred and fifty runners last year and we want to double that this year, so come one come all!” McKinney encourages. Now that ATP readers are in on the secret, take advantage of it. Plan a retreat, send your kid to camp, or sign your group up for a team-building event. As always, the Mountain awaits!
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Now Accepting New Patients! General Surgeons Jessica E. Johnson, DO, and John J. Thomas, MD, have joined University Surgical Associates and are on staff at WVUH-East at City Hospital. They are dedicated to providing high-quality service, responsiveness and excellence to the patients of the Eastern Panhandle.
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North Berkeley Chapel Spring Mills, WV
The New Berkeley County Public Safety Building - Meeting the Needs of a Growing Community
— By Victoria Kidd
Berkeley County is not only experiencing rapid growth by West Virginia state standards, but is also among the fastest growing areas in the entire United States. County departments have had to continually expand to keep up with the growth, resulting in many situations where expanding workforces have outgrown facilities. One such example is the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department, which is comprised of fifty-eight uniformed officers and many other support staff persons. Recognized as the secondlargest sheriff’s department in the state, they have far exceeded the reasonable capacity of the current Emmet Rousch location. The remedy for this situation is coming from an unlikely source: the old Martin’s grocery store located on South Raleigh Street, in Martinsburg. The South Raleigh Street building, now owned by the county, sat empty [ 36 ]
for nearly fourteen years. Its parking lot had been used for overflow parking from the neighboring judicial center, county offices, and the Blue Ridge Community and Technical College. The project to transition the property into a modernized public safety building was one that arose out of necessity and ingenuity. “We are a growing county,” says Doug Copenhaver, Jr., a council member, “and we have to think creatively to meet the challenges of a growing community, while continuing to be good stewards of the county’s finances.” While evaluating the problem of overcrowding at the sheriff’s office and the county’s central dispatch locations, the council recognized an opportunity to use surplus county property as a solution. Using the South Raleigh Street location, which actually sits on fiveand-a-half acres of land, seemed
like the ideal way to use surplus property for the benefit of the taxpayers. In effect, the council found a way to turn a liability into an asset. Alan Davis, the deputy county administrator, says, “If the council had decided to auction that property, we would have lost the acreage, the two buildings on that property, and 299 parking spaces. It just made sense for the departments involved and the community as a whole.” While the community benefits from the financial savings associated with using existing resources, the sheriff’s department will directly benefit from the dramatic expansion of available space. Their current location at 802 Emmet Rousch Drive has been home to the department for nearly twenty years. It provides little more than six thousand square feet for the department to use. That square footage is unquestionably inadequate Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
when you consider the need for offices, meeting rooms, interrogation rooms, evidence processing areas, equipment storage, and other needs. The new 34,500-square-foot location provides an ideal space for this particular project. “It was a grocery store, so it’s a completely open space that can be shaped to fit the needs of the department,” explains project architect Adam Rouse. “We have worked closely with Sheriff Lemaster to examine those needs and design a layout that creates a long-term solution to the issue of inadequate space.” To provide an example of how much more room the new location provides, consider the amount of room necessary for evidence storage and processing. The new evidence storage room alone will occupy a space that is thirty by ninety feet, and that space is augmented by multiple evidence processing areas. In contrast, the current space allocated for evidence storage is less than one half of that size, resulting in large quantities of evidence having to be stored off-site. Storage spaces aside, this project stands to have a dramatically positive impact on the working environment for the department’s officers and support staff. Officers currently share crowded workstations, and every available space in the building has been used for something. Some officers are even reduced to using little more than a small countertop mounted on short filing cabinets for a workstation. In addition to increased office space, the new building will provide locker rooms, firearms training areas, exercise areas, and more. Sherriff Kenny Lemaster applauds the council’s efforts, calling them essential to the department’s ability to best complete its mission of service to this community. Not only will the move improve operations by increasing efficiency, but it will also impact deputy morale. “Moving to this location is part of a long-term effort to improve deputy morale and retention in this department,” he says. “The current working conditions are inadequate, and I am personally grateful that the council recognized our needs and acted on them.” The new location will provide
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ample room for current staff, but it is also large enough to provide room for the department to grow. “This is not a short-term fix,” explains County Administrator Deborah Hammond. “The new building allows for growth and relieves issues that directly impact morale, but almost more importantly, it makes an impression on the public. We are increasing our ability to serve the public, while creating a purposefully outfitted space in which to provide that service.” The council sees their efforts as proactive, providing a solution to immediate problems while allowing room for subsequent expansion. Additional deputies cannot be added to the current force without the space for their workstations that will be afforded by the new building. This is an issue of great importance to county residents, since scaling the force to meet the county’s needs ensures that the public is better protected. Furthermore, the project will eliminate equipment storage issues that impact response planning and deployment. A working sheriff’s department requires a wide variety of equipment in order to be prepared for any public safety concern that may arise. Specialty equipment, such as ATVs and watercraft, may be stored in locations throughout the county. Centralizing the storage of such equipment will create efficiencies in maintenance processes, and will also enable responding personnel to quickly locate, obtain, and deploy whatever piece of equipment is required to serve the county’s residents. Equipment storage is only part of the current space availability issue. Traditionally, file and evidence storage availability also meant that personnel had to leave the office and drive to another location to obtain needed records or evidence. The new public safety building eliminates that wasted time. That time can be repurposed for community service projects, education efforts, and direct response to the needs of the county’s citizens. While the sheriff and his department benefits from this effort most directly, the
community is certainly the indirect beneficiary of this project. “This is all for the benefit of the taxpayer,” says James “Jim” Thompson, clerk of the works. “Every part of this project has been done with the taxpayers in mind.” The council has reused resources and materials wherever possible. They’ve utilized the skills available within the county’s workforce, as well as labor available through Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) programs. Avoiding the need to hire external contractors has been an integral part of project planning. “It has truly been a collaborative effort among the council, the sheriff’s office, and several other county departments,” Thompson adds. “We have even had a few of our local fire engine teams out here moving equipment. Literally, everyone has chipped in to make this project a success and to curb financial costs.” Keeping the project costs low is extremely important to the council, as cost management falls in line with their overall commitment to doing what is best for Berkeley County residents. “The council made a commitment to this community,” Copenhaver says. “This project is part of a ten-year plan to make this area the hub of county leadership. We feel strongly about this project, and you will find that anyone connected with it is committed to making it a success. We are confident that the building is going to be applauded by the community when it opens.” The public doesn’t have to wait long for that opening. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the council anticipates that the building will be ready by early 2013. Individuals who are interested in learning more about the project can contact the Berkeley County Council by calling 304-264-1923. You can also visit their ever-expanding website at www.BerkeleyWV.org. For more information on the Berkeley County Sherriff’s Department, call 304-264-7000 or find them online at www.BerkeleyCountyComm.org/ officials/sheriff.cfm.
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Now is the time to do business in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. A group of dedicated volunteers and community leaders have joined together to create a new initiative entitled “Eastern Panhandle Right Here, Right Now!” (EPRHRN). Statistics show that housing starts and purchases stimulate the general economy of a community, so the focus began with the study of housing data. According to 2008 figures from the National Homebuilders Association, building 100 new single-family homes in one year creates over 324 local jobs and $21.1 million in income. The committee recently had presentations from the Eastern Panhandle Board of Realtors and the Eastern Panhandle Homebuilders Association on statistical housing data of the Eastern Panhandle. The
www.AroundThePanhandle.com
median price of a home in Berkeley County, West Virginia, in September 2011, was $130,000. This price point results in a payment of around $900 per month. The median rent price for the same county and time was $1,200 per month. The resulting savings for buying versus renting are approximately 25%, without income tax savings. The nationwide comparison of buying versus renting is a savings of around 15-20% for homeowners. The savings in Berkeley County are higher for homeowners than the national average. Prettyman Broadcasting is contributing to the initiative by running testimonials from homebuyers as public service messages. The message is clear— that buying a home in the Eastern Panhandle is a financially sound decision. One of the testimonials is from Brandon Clark, who says, “...
convenient...great community...I just felt like I would be throwing my money away in renting; right now they offered me a good rate.” EPRHRN will be presenting this initiative to city and county governments in the Eastern Panhandle, inviting their support. The committee encourages community participation in this initiative. For more information please contact the Eastern Panhandle Board of Realtors at 304-263-8512 or the Eastern Panhandle Homebuilders Association at 304-267-4710. Some 2012 plans for the initiative include a media breakfast and a Buyer’s Seminar at the 2012 EPHBA Home Show. For more information contact: Doug Montgomery at 304-263-8512
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Need Some Help With the Numbers? Problem Solved! — By Bonnie Williamson Certified Public Accountant (CPA) David Decker, the owner of Decker and Company, of Martinsburg, is more than happy to account for himself and his profession. “I really enjoy what I’m doing. I enjoy helping people. Accounting isn’t for everybody, but if you like math and problem solving, it’s a good career.” Sometimes people will come into his office with a box full of receipts, asking for help filing their taxes. “That’s where a love of problem solving helps,” he admits. Decker, a lifelong Berkeley County resident, didn’t start out longing to be an accountant. He originally [ 44 ]
wanted to be a mechanical engineer, but after one semester of engineering at (then) Shepherd College, he says, “It just wasn’t for me.” He found that with accounting, he would be dealing with a variety of different people and businesses, from nonprofits to local governments, each having their own particular needs. He started his own business in 2006. Decker and Company has two other accountants, Beth Jones and Jim Jessee—both residents of Berkeley County. Decker is the only certified public accountant. “A CPA is actually closer to a five-year degree,” he explains. “More study, and you have
to pass a national test. CPAs are the only ones who can perform audits.” His company specializes in small businesses, including nonprofit organizations, and individual clients. The company helps businesses with bookkeeping, audits, reviews, bank financing, cash flow management, new business formation, and internal controls. Tax services include tax preparation, planning, IRS audit representation, and assisting with payroll tax problems. Decker confesses that computers have made life much easier for businesses and accountants alike. His staff will help train their clients Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
to use the software program QuickBooks more effectively. He calls it the ideal accounting software for small to mid-sized business owners. For example, it saves business owners time on bookkeeping and paperwork because many bookkeeping tasks are done automatically. Reports are generated when they’re needed so business owners always know where their businesses stand. They know instantly whether or not their businesses are healthy. QuickBooks is also highly adaptable. Customized accounting packages are available for contractors, retailers, healthcare professionals, and nonprofit organizations. Decker says he also favors computer software that helps people do their own income taxes. “If you have a very simple income tax situation, maybe just your W-2 form, taxes shouldn’t be a problem. The main thing people have to do is keep good records,” he emphasizes. “However, if you have a gut feeling that you might not be doing something correctly, or you have your own business or rental properties, you might need some professional help. We might find some deductions you’re not aware of, for example.” Unfortunately, many people are intimidated about coming to accountants, he adds. “Let’s face it, when it comes to taxes, nobody likes surprises. Taxes can be confusing. I try to speak to my clients in such a way that they understand the pros and cons of each option I give them. I follow that old retail slogan: ‘An educated consumer is our best customer.’” Decker frequently talks to young people about his profession on career days, sponsored by the Rotary Club. He’s enthusiastic, but his profession doesn’t have a very exciting reputation. There’s the old joke about an accountant’s wife who can’t sleep. What does she say? Decker obliges, “Darling, could you tell me about your work?” Regardless of such opinions, Decker says there are several approaches to gaining young peoples’ attention. “There are all kinds of specializations for accountants,” he boasts. “I tell
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them to look at the credits that come at the end of a movie or television show. You’ll see set accountants or production accountants. You could be an accountant for a sports franchise.” Other specialties include becoming external auditors, who assess financial transactions, and provide advice and track financial transactions for individuals or corporations. Government accountants track funds for city, state, or federal agencies, to make sure an agency receives the funds it should receive and that those funds are used appropriately. Internal auditors assess the financial transactions of a single company to ensure that the company is managing its funds in a manner that is both legal and efficient. Decker uses one particular type of accountant as a real attention grabber: the forensic accountant. “I tell students if you like the television show CSI, you might consider being a forensic accountant.”
are lobbyists in Washington who fight tax changes. There is also a lot of finger pointing by our politicians. This doesn’t help the average American taxpayer.” He believes the biggest challenge facing the United States now is handling the deficit. “Not only that, but we have to think of ourselves as a global economy. What happens in Greece or Spain can hurt us.” Ultimately for Decker, money, and how people deal with it, is far from boring. Accountants no longer shut themselves away in back rooms with their calculators. “We’re here year-round, not just at tax time. Again, we want to help people,” he confirms. Visit www.DeckerAndCompany.com for more information on how they might help you in the coming year. They can also be reached by calling 304-263-0200.
Forensic accountants investigate criminal activities related to embezzlement, fraud, money laundering, or any other action related to the illegal acquisition and/ or use of money. Investigations by forensic accountants are still ongoing in the case of Bernard Madoff, the former president of the Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities financial advisory firm. On March 12th, 2009, Madoff pleaded guilty to charges of security fraud involving a $65 billion Ponzi scheme. Decker says businessmen like Madoff “…really know how to cover their tracks. It’s very difficult to pin them down, but sooner or later, they’re done in by greed or their pleasureseeking ways.” Numbers are also a key part of politics. With the upcoming election, fighting over the current state of income tax rates in the United States has been the subject of heated discussion in debates on both sides of the aisle. Decker thinks changes need to be made but has some doubts as to whether anything will take place. “Maybe after the election,” he says. “There
Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
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Join us for the Fourth Annual Business Symposium at Shenandoah University's Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business. This year’s theme is Choosing Your Direction: The Power is Yours and is designed to educate and inspire large and small businesses, service and non-profit organizations as well as business minded students and educators. The daylong Symposium features nationally recognized keynote speakers who will share valuable insights and first hand experiences. Breakout sessions will be held to provide valuable information, tools and techniques for attendees to use in today’s challenging business climate.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Stimpson Auditorium Halpin-Harrison Hall Shenandoah University Winchester, VA
REGISTER ONLINE SUbusiness.org Contact: Linda Simpson lsimpso2@su.edu
This event draws hundreds of business people to Shenandoah University to meet, network and share ideas. The Symposium has become a signature “must attend” event for the Top of Virginia business community.
Keynote Speakers Timothy Gannon Co-founder of Outback Steakhouse, Director Emeritus of OSI Restaurant Partners, Inc.
Susan Wilson Solovic CEO and co-founder of ItsYourBiz.com, award-winning entrepreneur, media personality, attorney, and best selling author. autho
The WVU Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center
Quality Health Education for the Eastern Panhandle
— By Victoria Kidd There is something incredible happening to healthcare in the Eastern Panhandle. Health service quality and availability have increased dramatically since the establishment of The Eastern Division of the West Virginia University Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, yet many residents remain unaware of how local education efforts are shaping the area’s healthcare. The Eastern Division came about through the long-term efforts of a number of local physicians and community leaders who had a vision. They wanted to improve
[ 48 ]
health services in the Eastern Panhandle. Twenty-two years ago, that group of forward-thinking individuals approached West Virginia University and asked for assistance in improving clinical and educational programs within the Eastern Panhandle. Responding to the area’s needs, the university began conducting specialty care clinics at City Hospital, and subsequently established medical student rotations with local physicians practicing at City Hospital and Jefferson Memorial. By 1995, the university was ready to open the WVU Rural Family Practice Residency in Harpers Ferry. Residents would
spend their first year of training at the college’s main campus and then would complete their last two years of training with medical professionals practicing locally in the Eastern Panhandle. This program would help many of them go on to serve locally or in other rural, underserved areas throughout the state. Educational opportunities and programs grew exponentially over the next several years, and the Eastern Division of the West Virginia University Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center was formerly established in 2003. The Eastern Division is a satellite campus of the Morgantown-based
Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
Health Sciences Center, and their establishment in our area brings medical students and resident physicians to the Eastern Panhandle for training. Through a number of clinical locations in Martinsburg and the surrounding area, the center seeks to educate a new generation of healthcare professionals while attracting talented heathcare providers to the area. Dr. Konrad Nau, the associate dean of the Eastern Division, has been an avid supporter of the program since its inception, and he—along with Dr. Rosemarie Cannarella Lorenzetti, the respected associate dean for Student Services—were instrumental in establishing the groundbreaking residency program locally. “There was a pretty clearly defined vision,” Dr. Nau says, “and the entire Eastern Division was built from that vision. We believed that we could build a true teaching hospital here, and everything that this division has set out to do, we have watched come to fruition.” These programs have been very successful in bringing in participating doctors and specialists for training. Furthermore, they have been able to retain those healthcare physicians to practice permanently in the community. Programs of the division include a wide range of educational opportunities for the entire continuum of health professionals. From high school programs that encourage careers in health sciences to residency programs that allow third- and fourth-year medical students to develop their careers locally, the division is central to elevating the reputation of the Eastern Panhandle’s healthcare services. Dr. Mitch Jacques is the dean of the Eastern Division, and he offers a unique perspective on the impact that the division has had to the surrounding community. “For many years before we were established, there was a perception that the quality of locally available healthcare was lacking,” he explains. “Today, we have some of the highest recorded quality indicators available anywhere.” Put simply, the region’s residents now enjoy increased physician availability, improved technology use, and increased www.AroundThePanhandle.com
[ 49 ]
specialist accessibility. All of these things drive quality by improving patient experiences and increasing the division’s ability to attract and retain doctors who want to be a part of an esteemed teaching community. Attracting talented doctors is only part of the equation. Improving facilities is the other part. “The story of our continued success is two-fold,” says Aaron Henry, vice president of administration for the Eastern Division. “It is a story of bringing great physicians to the local market, but it’s also a story of improving facilities to meet demand and expectation. We have to be able to provide the equipment to which they are accustomed. This involves improving the physical conditions of the health facilities and clinics that we operate throughout the Eastern Panhandle, and we are committed to creating state-of-the-art environments for these professionals and their patients.” This effort requires expert strategic planning to ensure that program growth and facility development is paced to keep up with the growth of the community as a whole. “It is a very exciting time to be a part of this healthcare system. Being able to watch these programs grow has been quite amazing. Our challenge is keeping up with the growth occurring in the communities that we serve.” Those communities are served indirectly by the impact that the division has had on the standard of care throughout the Eastern Panhandle, but they are directly served through the affiliated clinics. These clinics include the Martinsburg-based facilities of University Cardiovascular Associates, University Hematology/Oncology, and University Surgical Associates. Additional associated facilities include WVU Harpers Ferry Family Medicine in Harpers Ferry and the Ranson-based facilities of University Medical & Surgical Associates and the WVU Women’s Health Center. These clinical sites complement the area’s hospitals, while working hand-in-hand with a network of educational partners. The end result of this widespread cooperative effort has changed the face of healthcare in this part of the state,
[ 50 ]
and that effort is driving future program growth. “Rebuilding the healthcare system in the Eastern Panhandle is easily a twenty-year project,” explains Dr. Jacques. “It’s a project to which we are completely committed, because it benefits this entire community. It has been proven that if you build up healthcare programs locally, you improve the population’s health dramatically. This is what drives us. We look at local needs and develop programs to serve their needs.” To continue improving their programs and community service, the division has started developing the foundation for a strong research program that will analyze health issues and develop healthcare models. “Research is another component of building that improved system,” says Dr. Jacques. “Our mission is to improve the health of the community. When a problem is identified that impacts the community, we need to research it to develop solutions that can be implemented to improve community health.” Such research programs can be as simple as analyzing the prevalence of heart disease within a geographic area or as robust as discerning why local women are failing to get breast cancer screenings. The end result of any such study would be to develop solutions that can be employed to improve outcomes for those residents. Ultimately, improving community health and individual patient outcomes are the underlying goals of the division’s programs. When you consider the effort that has been made to improve facilities, to increase physician retention, and to develop research programs, it is easy to see that the Eastern Division of the West Virginia University Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center has directly improved the quality of healthcare in the Eastern Panhandle. With their dedicated commitment, residents can rest assured that previous concerns over care availability and quality are a thing of the past. For more information about their programs and services, call 304-264-9202 or visit www.WvuEastDiv.com.
Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
Touchstone Luxury Home Showcase
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This charming 2,197 square foot colonial has it all; four bedrooms, two and a half baths, a bright open layout and a 2nd floor laundry! It’s situated on a cul-de-sac with an amazing back yard. The spacious master suite features a walk-in closet and a deluxe master bath with separate shower & tub. Please contact us today at (304) 262-4546 for more information about our beautiful, quick delivery Bristol II
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Our TOP
10
Top Ten
Top 10 Reasons the American Future is Female
From the available trends and data, it looks like we are looking at a future where American women as a whole have it better than American men. Even though it’s kind of un-American to think of people as collectives instead of individuals, here are ten significant factors. Don’t look now fellas, but it might be time to start evolving!
10. Male Health Is Awful
10.
If you’ve ever touched any surface or looked into any corner not immediately visible in a bachelor pad, it might not surprise you to find out that a male bachelor pad is fifteen times germier than a bachelorette pad. This is just one of the many contributing factors to the fact that men are, in general, sicker than women. This is actually going to prove more serious than guys would like to admit: a higher amount of colds, bouts of the flu, and general sickness are big contributors to Alzheimer’s disease. So, by the time there’s all that social security and retirement money available, seems like she’ll be the only one sane enough to use it.
9.
9. The Male Unemployment Rate is Higher While most of us non-evil types were hurt pretty badly by the recession, women might actually benefit from it in the long run. Of late, the male unemployment rate is 10.4% in America, while the female rate is approximately 8%. Among the various reasons is the fact that men were, on average, paid significantly more than their female counterparts. The lesser salaries, as well as the steadily evolving skillset of the American female employee, could possibly make them much more attractive to employers as companies reformat themselves within the changing economy.
8.
8. Male Education is Dropping Education trends are skewing more and more in the favor of females. It’s not just college graduation rates, but seven percent less male students graduate high school than female students.
7. Boys Are Inferior Babies
7.
Male infant mortality rates are as much as thirty percent higher in developed countries, and even in some developing countries, where the female is usually considered less valuable. And we already know that women live longer than men. Apparently it starts at birth.
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Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
6.
6. There are an Expanding Number of Female Millionaires Yes, men still lead the pack by a wide margin as far as billionaires go, but trends indicate that with their higher amount of education, increased business opportunities, and better health, women are going to be overtaking men in many areas of financial security within our lifetime. An article by the UK’s Telegraph reported the estimation that women will control sixty percent of Great Britain’s wealth by 2025—in a place where trends are quite similar to America’s.
5. Men are Way More Likely to Die on the Job Site So, with a comparatively declining amount of education, and a decreasing amount of money, what else is going wrong for men in the workplace in relation to women? It might not be the most surprising thing in the world, but consider that in 2005, for example, around 5,328 men in America were killed on the job site as opposed to 406 women. Ouch!
4. More Adopted Females Than Males
4.
5.
So, suppose the male baby survives infancy but is left an orphan for reasons beyond his control. Turns out, girls will still have the advantage on him. Females make up sixty-four percent of all adopted children in the U.S.
3. Cow Hormones In the Water The amount of hormones in our water supply is increasing widely. A lot of it is related to the bovine industry and the amount of hormones that seep into our supply as a result of factory farming and related waste. Animal urine saturates the ground and enters our water—urine that has been compromised by chemicals. The meat is also consumed, of course—much of it by men in this country—thus increasing a vast range of hormone-related physical “developments” in men.
2.
3.
2. Sexism Has Made Women Stronger Coming from a past of Mad Men-like gender inequality, psychologists, business teachers, and consultants are positing that a woman in the workplace today tends to make for a better leader due to the increasing adversity she’s either had to personally push through, or deal with through friends, family, and colleagues.
1. The Y-Chromosome Is Deteriorating Now THIS is a bit more distant, as far as the future goes, but still, the precursor effects seem to be visible now. The Y-chromosome is susceptible to mutation, degradation, and has been losing genes since its emergence, much faster than the X. The theory is that in all species across the planet, the Y-chromosome will be gone within five million years. The answer to whether that’s either a shock or even a great blow to the species remains to be seen. The true surprise will be if any type of human being is left at all. www.AroundThePanhandle.com
1. [ 53 ]
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People To Watch
Paul Pfau
Music Direct to the Soul — By Debra Cornwell
What does a twenty-three-yearold know about the blues? Plenty, if his name is Paul Pfau. The young local artist (last name rhymes with plow) has been tearing up clubs from Washington, D.C., to the Eastern Panhandle, and all along the East Coast, for several years. He’s played at the legendary 9:30 Club in Washington, as well as New York City’s Bitter End. Pfau’s bandmates include veterans from Vanessa Carlton’s band, Cirque du Soleil, and Mary Ann Redmond’s band—in addition to sharing festival stages with Anders Osborne, Devon Allman, and We Are Scientists. Not bad for twenty-three years old. Don’t miss your chance to see this young rising star. Everyone who is plugged into the local music scene sings Pfau’s praises: “His electrifying performances”; “His ability to connect with young and old”; “His raw talent.” These are just some of the comments tossed my way about this young blues virtuoso. Graduating from Shepherd University in 2010 with an economics major and a psychology minor, Pfau [ 56 ]
Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
has been earning his living as a professional musician ever since. He reveals, “Music means everything to me. There isn’t a moment in the day where I am not thinking of a new song idea, listening to a record as if it were a textbook, playing a gig, rehearsing, practicing, or lost in a guitar shop, drooling. It is part of everything I do—my identity. When people hear Paul Pfau, they think guitar player or unique voice. I believe it’s what I was put on this earth to do, and I’m going to do it until the day I die.” Pfau started playing guitar as a high school freshman and began singing when he was a senior. He’s one of those talents who basically picked up his mother’s church guitar and started playing. “I’ve never taken lessons formally,” he admits, “but I like to think that I’ve been taking lessons from all of the greats, like B.B. King, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan.” Pfau considers himself lucky to have grown up in a generation where you can see videos of these artists on websites. “I study the music by ear and study their hands by watching countless videos. I’ve also spent most of my playing years at blues jams around the area, surrounding myself with the best musicians I could find. I ask questions and see first-hand how they execute certain techniques and use that as a reference for my own playing. I love the blues because there is so much freedom for expression as a lead guitar player and vocalist.” Pfau’s voice is definitely bluesy, but it’s also warm and smooth—he’s a modern crooner. It might invite comparisons to Tony Bennett, Michael Bublé, Harry Connick, Jr., or Jason Mraz, but at the end of the day, it’s all his own. “No matter how many times you play or listen to a song, it will never come out the same way twice,” he assures. “There is a lot of room for interpretation based on how you feel at any given moment. That’s what makes it so real and so easy for others to connect with. People that say, ‘Oh it’s all the same...blah, blah, blah,’ either aren’t listening or just don’t have a direct connection.” Photo by Ana Lopez www.AroundThePanhandle.com
Pfau’s iPod includes jazz fusion, folk music, funk, and more. “As a guitar player and vocalist, I lean towards the blues, but as a songwriter, I lean towards the folky, poppy sort of stuff,” he says. “I love to write songs with a hook that you will never forget. Everything I do will always have some sort of bluesy-ness to it, but I don’t limit myself to just that. I try to take all of my influences and mix them together to make my own unique contribution to music as a whole—my own musical thumbprint.” Pfau is presently attempting to master the bass, piano, and drums, and is working on a new album of original material that includes my favorite: “Send Your Love.” He says the album will be available in the fall and displays the total package of his vocal range, guitar capabilities, and unique songwriting style. In the meantime, there are other releases on iTunes that folks can purchase, including a four-track EP called “Happy Girl Beauty Cry” that he recorded at Fox Run Studios in Boston, MA. Also available is a release called “7” with his former funky rock and roll band—Paul Pfau & The Dimestore Band. Pfau observes that the Eastern Panhandle is a huge supporter of all genres of music. “The music scene is very much alive, and on any given night, you can find live music, including open mics, jams, and weekend performances by local and regional acts.” At performances, he enjoys meeting the people that take their time to check him out and/ or buy his music. “It means a lot to me, and I like hearing about the impact the music has had on their lives. This year, I’m playing my own original songs for the first dance at five different weddings. It is such an honor that people invite me to be part of such an important moment in their lives.” Readers can find Pfau’s music and performance dates on iTunes, on his website, and on other social media hangouts. Visit him at www. PaulPfauMusic.com, and of course, find him on Facebook at Paul Pfau.
In addition to all the blues greats,
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If Yo
Help You to t n a W e ay, W
As of December 31st, 2011, all American troops were ordered to be out of Iraq. Most troops, by that point, had been in the process of leaving the war-torn country for weeks. The final numbers are sobering. Since the war began in March of 2003, over one million troops have served in the effort. Nearly 4,500 gave their lives. Over 30,000 servicemen and -women have been injured—the effects of which simply can’t be estimated. The cost of the Iraq war is over $800 billion—and still growing (costofwar. com)—but that’s only monetary. Indeed, this war, and its counterpart in Afghanistan, has cost this country severely—in so many terrible ways. Regardless of your socio-political position regarding the last almostnine years, and its effect on this country, one thing remains certain: hundreds of thousands of American soldiers are returning to life within the United States—and that certainly includes the Panhandle and surrounding areas. Many of these men and women will have difficulty readjusting to the patterns and processes they remember, or the many new aspects of their lives that took shape during their absence. Additionally, they will be attempting to do all of this while often harboring some serious physical, mental, and emotional trauma. Yes, they’re certainly not aliens, nor are they returning to a different planet, but most of us didn’t go—that’s the reality—so most of can’t say, at all, what it’s going to be like for these Americans to be back here. What we can do is support them as much as possible, allow them time to readjust, do whatever it is we can do to understand any of their difficulties, and help them to ease
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back into a comfortable, productive life. We can all do something, whether monumental or more personal. What we’ve decided to do at ATP is give our military veterans a voice. Most of us haven’t been, or didn’t go, to war; that doesn’t mean we can’t be there for those who did. So we’ve decided to promote a new feature in future magazines: Veterans’ Voices. Within this feature, we’re offering up ATP as a platform for U.S. military troops to either tell a story, remember friends or moments that impacted them, or simply get something off of their chests. We realize that, at times, being able to talk about certain topics truly supplements the healing process. And we’re confident that our wonderful audience is more than willing to listen, empathize, and offer help if need be. We can all work together on this. How do you do it? Simply email us at michael@aroundthepanhandle.com or contact us through Facebook at Around the Panhandle Magazine. We can go from there. Many of the harshest realities in life can often be avoided by basic human involvement. As we’ve learned from past wars, returning troops frequently have a tough go of it— for many reasons. And these days, within an economy on the brink, a swollen, self-absorbed government that spends its time pointing fingers instead of problem solving, and an unemployment rate at historic levels, a returning military veteran in this country who needs help settling back in to American life should be a top priority.
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Celebrating 20 years of serving the Eastern Panhandle in 2012
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We offer great indivi dual service and personal attention to every client with the reliable support and resources of our national chain. So whether you are in the market for Machelle Lewis, a new homBro e keror looking to sell your existing home you ca n rely on us to navigate you seemless ly through the whole process. First Choice Real ty, LLC 55 Meridian Pkwy , Suite 108 Mar tinsburg, WV 25404 304-262-8700 [Offi ce] 304-676-5043 [Cell ] 304-262-8702 [Fax ]
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Unmanageable Mortgage Alternatives Chances are, you never imagined that you could owe more on your home than it was actually worth. But it’s a situation that about twenty-five percent of homeowners in this country have found themselves in. The U.S. housing crisis is a national epidemic affecting homeowners at every income and education level. But you don’t have to be counted among the statistics. Help has arrived! Federal and state governments, local agencies, and major banks have all upped their game—determined to stem the tide of foreclosures and stabilize home ownership. There are alternatives to foreclosure. Foreclosure results from non-payment of a mortgage and is the final step in a delinquency proceeding. Far too often, homeowners don’t reach out for help before letting this happen. The unfortunate fact is that there is a lot more to foreclosure than losing your home. Foreclosure carries long-term consequences. Rest assured, foreclosure almost never needs to happen—especially in the current environment. Fortunately, real estate agents that have achieved the Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) designation serve as a liaison to the entire landscape of resources available to help homeowners in various stages of financial distress. CDPE agents can also identify schemes devised by scam artists who are in the business of making a bad situation worse. If you owe more on your home than it is currently worth, and have experienced a financial hardship, here is a quick rundown of alternatives: • A short sale. These days, most banks would rather agree to a sale price that is less than the amount owed than get stuck with another foreclosed property on their books. As an incentive to pursue a short sale, many lenders are even offering cash incentives. The U.S. Treasury’s Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA) Program also offers cash incentives to qualified homeowners, and has helped to streamline short sale processes. • A deed-in-lieu of foreclosure. This option enables you to transfer the
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ownership of your property back to the bank—releasing you from further loan payment obligations. A CDPE agent can let you know whether or not cash relocation assistance is available under HAFA. An estimated one-fourth of all U.S. homeowners are upside down on their mortgage—meaning they owe more on their home than they could get from selling it in today’s market. Often, the best solution for homeowners in this situation is a short sale. However, if you would like to stay in your home, and have fallen behind on payments due to a short-term financial setback, such as an unexpected expense or a temporary loss of income, there are options: • A forbearance allows you to suspend payments for a specified time period. At the specified period, the missed payments are either repaid in full or added on as an extension to the term of the loan. • A repayment plan is similar to a forbearance, although the past-due loan amount is spread out over a specified time frame, increasing the existing mortgage payment until the mortgage is brought back up to date. If you would like to stay in your home and have fallen behind on payments due to a long-term financial setback, such as a job loss or a sustained drop in income, you may be eligible for a permanent loan modification—either through your lender or the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) administered by the U.S. Treasury. A loan modification results from an agreement between you and your mortgage company, and results in a permanent change to the original terms of your mortgage, in order to bring your monthly payment in line with your current budget. HAMP modifications ensure that monthly mortgage payments are no more than thirty-one percent of your monthly income before taxes. If you’re up to date on your payments but unable to refinance because the market value of your home is less than your mortgage: The Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) was created to enable underwater borrowers with mortgages backed by
Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae, and who are current on their mortgage payments, to take advantage of historically low interest rates. The recently revised HARP 2.0 extends eligibility regardless of how big the difference is between how much you owe on your mortgage and the value of your home. Banks aren’t in the real estate business. They don’t want to own your home. And because banks were as blindsided by the foreclosure crisis as everyone else, they already have more homes on their books than they can expect to sell in a year. If there’s one word that describes how banks feel about foreclosures right now, it’s: ENOUGH! As a result, many banks are now offering cash incentives and have sped up processes to encourage short sales. You may qualify for a short sale if you: • Owe more than your house is worth. • Can prove financial hardship. • Are unable to afford your current mortgage payment. The federal government, along with many state and local agencies, has also stepped up its foreclosure prevention initiatives. Key among the foreclosure prevention initiatives is the Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA) program. Homeowners who qualify for a HAFA short sale get: • $3,000 in relocation assistance. • Reassurance that the foreclosure process is halted during the short sale process. • A waiver on deficiency judgments following the sale—meaning the lender will not seek to collect the difference in the amount of the mortgage and the sale price. Contact one of the many agents at our office designated as a CDPE today and let’s gets started! CDPE-designated agents have received the knowledge and training necessary to assess all possible foreclosure alternatives and pursue a homeowner’s best options. Never has it been more important to have a local market advocate on your side. With the right assistance, the stress of facing foreclosure can become much more manageable.
Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
WHAT MAKES A CENTURY 21 AGENT? ENERGACITY. OKAY, THAT’S NOT A WORD. BUT IF IT WERE, THESE GUYS WOULD BE THE DEFINITION. THE ENERGY TO TAKE ON THE HOME-BUYING EXPERIENCE. THE TENACITY TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. ENERGACITY. PRINT IT. CENTURY 21® AGENTS. SMARTER. BOLDER. FASTER. Sterling Realty 158 Crimson Cir Martinsburg, WV 25403 304-263-2121 Fax: 304-263-3775 wvrealtor@gmail.com
CENTURY 21 COMMERCIAL PROFESSIONALS SMARTER. BOLDER. FASTER. © 2011 CENTURY 21 REAL ESTATE LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CENTURY 21® IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OWNED BY CENTURY 21 REAL ESTATE LLC. AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY COMPANY. EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY. EACH OFFICE IS INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED.
STERLING REALTY
Volunteerism
For a Better You and a Better Community | By Amy N. Panzarella, SPHR
With the advent of 2012, we can look forward to major events like the presidential election, and hopefully continued and sustained improvements in our economy. While we wait to see what lies ahead for our country, we have a profound opportunity to assess how we are positioning ourselves in our workplace and our community to make a real difference. I’m not talking about the stereotypical New Year’s resolution that most of us fail to see through beyond the first month. I’m talking about the promotion you’ve been desiring, but always seem to be overlooked for, by someone else more qualified, more polished, more dedicated, or more educated. What about the fact that you haven’t volunteered in your community recently? You are a citizen of the Eastern Panhandle. As such, you should insert yourself into its culture and understand how you can help continue to make it a better place to live—for you, your family, and your neighbors. Are these two initiatives related? Can you be a stronger, better, more appreciated employee if you volunteer? Can you be a better volunteer if you are more secure and fulfilled in your position at work? I would argue: Yes, you can. When was the last time you dusted off your resume and took a hard look at the content? Based on the current state of your resume, would you hire YOU? What makes you stand out from your competition? It’s always a good practice to keep your resume current and to highlight your most recent training, education, and extracurricular activities, like volunteering. You may not have any intentions of
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leaving your current company, and that’s perfectly fine. However, there might be another position within your company in which you would like to be considered. Why would you pursue this any differently than an external opportunity? If you are eager to expand your knowledge, and desire to be noticed for the next promotion, start the dialogue with your manager now. Use caution, however, because your manager may provide you feedback that’s hard to hear. She may tell you that you need more education, or perhaps you need more time on the job before you are ready for that next step. If she does, accept her feedback graciously. Take heed, and take action! Demonstrate your willingness to accept feedback and advice, and apply that knowledge in your favor. Additionally, don’t fool yourself into thinking that you can continue doing the same thing over and over again and expect different results. You may need to work longer hours, or perhaps take on that project that nobody else wants to accept responsibility for. Maybe you could throw yourself into the next employee event that needs to be planned, to expand your internal network. Of paramount importance is the ability, willingness, and courage to have a conversation with your manager in order to articulate why you are the right candidate for the next promotional opportunity. You have an amazing advantage that external candidates do not have. You know the company, the department, and the people. Now, all you have to do is be a standout employee, and shine! Remember: don’t just ask for it and expect it because you think you are entitled. Rather, prove yourself every day, and don’t
relent until you know you have accomplished your goals. You might wonder, “What else can I do to be noticed at work or be hired for the next job?” Don’t forget: volunteering is another great way to demonstrate to your current or potential employer that you are willing to work hard and that you care very much for your community (and that it is less about the paycheck and more about the commitment of making a contribution to a dedicated effort). Employers often translate this to the workplace and feel an added sense of security that if you are willing to go the extra mile outside of work, then you will perform similarly at work! While volunteering should be for the greater good, it is also a great component to add to your resume. In my experience, most people who volunteer don’t ask, “What’s in it for me?” But rather, “What more can I do?” Volunteer-minded people are the employees that employers like to have! And if you’re not currently employed, but are actively seeking employment, volunteering is a great way to fill your time, demonstrate your talents and level of effort, and expand your network. For example, a person who organizes a fundraiser can demonstrate her organizational and communication skills to a wide range of people. This is a tremendous opportunity to expose your talents and market yourself in a unique way. It is important to remember that you do not have to “get paid” for a job in order to include it on your resume. As members of our wonderful
Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
community in the Eastern Panhandle, we have an obligation to know the needs of our community and get involved to make it a better place to live. Whether you are gainfully employed, seeking employment, or enjoying retirement, volunteering your time in your community is a great way to give back and expand your network. Donating just a few minutes of your time periodically throughout the year can make a lasting difference in someone’s life, and will leave you with an indescribable feeling of satisfaction and pride. From a networking perspective, the value you gain from extending yourself and giving back to your community is priceless. Some of the most amazing and benevolent people I have ever known, I met through volunteerism. In fact, some of my volunteer efforts have resulted in fantastic job opportunities that I would not have been aware of otherwise. You never know; you may meet someone who can offer you a life-changing opportunity. At a minimum, you have contributed to your community and you can tout that in your next job interview! I firmly believe that even one person can make a difference. I believe that we should not sit around waiting for someone else to step up to the plate and take action. We each have a responsibility to improve our own situation and to help our community. Ask yourself: “Do I make excuses instead of taking action?” Let 2012 be the year that you make a difference. Don’t wait until the perfect moment to take that first step to action. The moment is now!
www.AroundThePanhandle.com
For Hire: Ginny Harvey
Help wanted. We do not see these words often enough anymore, and many of our neighbors have struggled to find meaningful work during the economic downturn of the past several years. This publication is primarily about the people of our area, and we want to take a moment in this and future issues to introduce you to a talented neighbor with a lot to offer a potential employer. For more information about the featured individual, please contact victoria@ompcg.com. Despite the national economic environment, the Eastern Panhandle’s economy continues to grow. From small private development projects to largescale efforts related to the cultivation of such resources as coal and natural gas, the area continues to provide opportunities for local professionals. Perfectly suited to contribute to that growth is Ginny Harvey, a Licensed Professional Engineer with more than twenty years of experience in the field. Many of us do not realize it, but civil engineers are the unsung heroes of modern civilized life. These are the professionals who design the features necessary for a worksite to function properly and safely. For example, civil engineers may design and plan the construction of roads, dams, and utilities that are essential to project development. They are the people behind the innovative storm water management and erosion control programs needed to protect the areas surrounding the site. Engineers like Ginny plan the infrastructure required to get these projects going, and because of that, they are an integral part of the growth being experienced in the Eastern Panhandle. Ginny’s previous position with a Winchester-based engineering company was impacted by economic factors in the Shenandoah Valley. In that role, Ginny worked as a project manager and civil design engineer for several large commercial and residential development projects. She also has a wealth of experience providing engineering support for municipalities, and has even supported projects to cultivate natural gas from the Marcellus Shale. Ginny draws from her extensive experience to ensure projects are completed within anticipated timelines and acceptable standards of quality. Beyond her skills as an individual contributor, Ginny is adept at managing projects from start to finish. She also has experience managing engineers and other support personnel, and is capable of balancing competing priorities on projects where time truly is equivalent to money. With a focus on quality, Ginny works to make certain that the client’s expectations are met, and the project is being completed within regulatory guidelines. Her technical skills are complemented by an inherent problemsolving capability. “I love to use my broad design background to solve problems on the site,” she says. “Each project is a challenge with unique needs. I have always loved this field. It is what I have always done, and what I want to continue to do in the future.” Ginny’s experience in the field has been continual and progressive since graduating from North Carolina State University. She is originally from Maryland, but has worked on projects in North Carolina, Missouri, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, as well as her home state. In addition to her passion for her field of choice, Ginny is known for having a passion for life. She currently raises two teenaged daughters at her home in Stephens City, Virginia. When not tending to the family or working on a professional endeavor, she enjoys outdoor activities such as snow and water skiing. Ginny seeks a position with a utility company, municipality, federal entity, or related company in the Eastern Panhandle or Northern Shenandoah Valley. She would undoubtedly be able to make a positive contribution to any company needing someone with her unique combination of education and experience. To learn more about Ginny, call Victoria Kidd at 703-424-6573 or email Victoria@ompcg.com.
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Panhandle
Healthy
LIVING
March is National Nutrition Month. The theme for 2012 is “Get Your Plate in Shape.” The message from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is to think about what goes on your plate or in your bowl. Get the nutrients you need from all food groups without getting too many calories. Joan Starliper, RD offers tips for getting your plate in shape: Q: Why do we need to get our plate in shape? A: We’ve got to use our plate of food to get better fuel for our body. Currently, we eat whatever we want without thinking about how much sugar, fat, sodium, and calories we are consuming. In the 1960s we got twelve percent of our calories from beverages, now we get over twenty percent. Then, we want to get healthy, and swing wildly in the opposite direction—starving ourselves and making food the enemy. Q: Okay, what are some things people can do to get their plate in shape? A: Eat three balanced meals a day. Don’t skip meals! Make 1/4 plate lean protein, 1/4 plate whole grains or starchy vegetables, 1/2 plate non-starchy vegetables, plus a low fat dairy, and a reasonable portion of fruit. Fat should be the drizzle, not the main course, and choose a healthy unsaturated fat such as olive oil. The website www.MyPlate.gov is packed with information about the new My Plate guidelines and helpful tools for healthy eating. Q: What are the correct serving [ 68 ]
Get Your Plate in Shape | By Dana M. DeJarnett, MS, & Joan Starliper, MS, RD, LD
sizes? A: An easy way to determine serving size is by using your hand. A serving of meat should be the size of the palm of your hand. A serving of fruit or pasta/rice should be the size of your fist. A serving of vegetables should be equal to the size of your whole hand outstretched. A fat portion, such as a pat of butter or serving of peanut butter, should be the size of the tip of your thumb. There is a slight variation depending on age and gender, but if you follow these serving sizes at each meal, you will be getting the recommended serving sizes and servings per day. Q: What are some current trends you are seeing with patients? A: I used to see patients that didn’t get chronic diseases until they got older. Now I see four-year-olds with high cholesterol, seven-year-olds diagnosed with diabetes, and twelveyear-olds that are 300 pounds. Adult chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity are now seen in children. Q: What are the biggest nutrition misconceptions? A: One is that people are not eating enough—not getting enough nutrients. “Eating healthy” doesn’t mean “don’t eat.” You need to make the right choices and eat regular meals and snacks to get the right nutrients and fuel for your body. Also, people need to realize that weight and health are not only connected to food choices but to stress, sleep, and exercise habits. We need to look at all aspects of our lifestyle. On the other end, another misconception is that when people hear something is good for them,
they eat it in large quantities. No matter how good you hear a food is for you, you need to find out what the correct serving size is and how much is right for you. Q: Another misconception is that eating healthy is expensive. How do you eat healthy on a budget? A: We have our priorities wrong. We need to quit spending money on empty calories, such as convenience and processed foods, and unneeded extras, and spend money on lean meats, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. If we don’t, it’s going to mean more money spent on blood tests, doctor bills, prescriptions, etc. It is estimated that costs associated with diabetes are going to be $3.5 trillion by 2020. You may spend a little more money on healthy food now, but you will save money on medical bills and other expenses related to poor health and obesity in the future. Some practical tips include: — Plan your menus for the week and shop with a list. — Don’t shop when you are hungry or with children. — Buy fresh and cook from scratch. It is less expensive than eating out and you can control how the food is prepared. — Cook a couple of meals a week and use leftovers to create other meals. Throw out nothing. — Packaged/processed foods may seem less expensive and more convenient but they are harder to stretch into more meals and are generally unhealthy. — Buy foods in season. — Shop at farmers’ markets. Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
— Check out grocery store sales when making your menus and lists. Buy frozen vegetables when on sale. If you buy canned vegetables, rinse to reduce the sodium.
managed through diet, to those wanting to lose weight or learn to eat healthier. Health insurance may cover RD and Diabetes Education services—check your plan.
Q: What are some good healthy snacks when you’re in a hurry? A: Snacking serves a purpose. A snack is for when you are hungry between meals. The key to a healthy snack is including a fruit or vegetable and a little protein, such as apples and peanut butter, hummus and vegetables, yogurt and granola.
Q: If I go to a Registered Dietitian, what can I expect in the appointment? A: The appointment will start with a medical and food history. The RD is trying to determine where you are now and what you can do better. It’s not about all or nothing. It’s not necessary to make complete changes right away unless medically necessary. An
Q: The grocery store can be confusing. What should people be looking for? A: First of all, you should be shopping mainly the perimeter of the grocery store: lean meats, produce, and dairy. If you do buy packaged foods, read the label. Sixty-three percent of us don’t read the label. Look at what you are putting in your body. You should be able to recognize and understand the label. Pick items with a short list of ingredients. Be aware of chemicals and dyes. Limit the amount of fat, sugar, and sodium in foods. Look for more fiber and protein. Q: What are some simple tips for people who want to eat healthier? A: Follow the four Ps: — Purchase: shop the perimeter of the grocery store, buying mostly lean meats, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy. — Prepare: eat most of your meals at home, made from scratch. — Plate: make half of your plate fruits and vegetables. — Portion: be aware of recommended servings sizes and packaged food serving sizes on the label. Q: Who should see a Registered Dietitian (RD)? A: An RD is licensed by the state of WV and registered by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. An RD works with patients referred by a physician, or they can self-refer. Patients range from those who have been diagnosed with diabetes, or another chronic illness that can be
www.AroundThePanhandle.com
Education at both City Hospital and Jefferson Memorial Hospital. For services at City Hospital, call 304-596-6839, and for services at Jefferson Memorial Hospital, call 304-728-1689. Additionally, WVUH-East offers a variety of healthy eating programs, such as Drop 10 in 10, Eat Well for Life, and Spectrum. For more information on these and other programs offered, call 304264-1287, ext. 1814 or email ddejarnett@cityhospital.org.
RD works with patients on portions and food planning to meet their needs. Food needs to be used more effectively for optimal nutrition and quality of life. Food is the fuel our body needs to work better. Editor’s note: Come see Joan Starliper speak at the 5th Annual OWLS Event on March 28th, from 9:00 am— noon, in the WVU Health Sciences Building on the campus of City Hospital. The event is free and open to the public. WVUHEast offers Nutrition Services and Diabetes
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Strength, Stability, and Service — By Victoria Kidd
What does it take to be great? That question is asked every year by Bank Director, a well-respected magazine that examines topics of interest to the banking industry and its customers. In each of its quarterly issues, as well as through its website www.BankDirector.com, the magazine delivers feature articles and other stories of interest. Each year, the publication thoroughly assesses banks across the United States, evaluating profitability, capital, and asset quality. Their findings are published in the annual
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Bank Performance Scorecard. Recognition among these topperforming banks is considered a great honor by those in the industry. City National Bank not only made the list, but landed the number three spot among the 150 ranked financial institutions. It is their strength and stability that clenched the award, but it’s their service—both to their customers and to the community— that deserves recognition. City National Bank is part of the West Virginia-based City Holding
Company. The bank, which is headquartered in Charleston, operates sixty-eight locations throughout West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio. Seven of those locations are located here in the Eastern Panhandle, allowing local residents to bank with a respected institution that has assets exceeding $2.7 billion. That volume is no small accomplishment, given the current economic landscape. It’s a number that means customers can trust their money is in safe hands. Other factors contributing to the bank’s
Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
strong finish are measurements of their ability to build an institution that has adequate capital for operation while remaining profitable. These are, at their core, measurements of the institution’s strength and stability, and they are performance indicators that are driven by the good financial decisions and strategic planning of the bank’s local and centralized leadership. And it’s not just customers who benefit from the bank’s many positive attributes. The local community has also gained a partner that is completely committed to growth in the Eastern Panhandle. Regional President Rebecca Linton explains, “City National Bank operates differently from most of the big banks. Customers have the security of banking with a publically traded institution, while enjoying our regional approach to banking.” The bank’s nine regions are operated by a local regional manager and a senior commercial lender, meaning they retain a high level of localized decision making. “The result is that customers can see that their bank is able to evaluate their needs on a local level to best support them as an individual and to support the region as a whole.” While their 2011 ranking is noteworthy, it is the commitment to the community demonstrated by the Eastern Panhandle branches that is most recognized by City National Bank customers. That commitment and attention to the needs of the Eastern Panhandle is best represented by City National Bank’s community service and philanthropy. Community engagement is at the core of the bank’s operating philosophy. The bank’s local and centralized leadership believes that it’s important to be a part of the community itself, supporting the people who make success possible. The more than 800 professionals employed by the bank have logged thousands of volunteer hours, and City National Bank even presents annual awards—the City Cares awards—to recognize a select few employees who are positively impacting their communities. “Our leadership is passionate about
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leading banks that are involved in the communities they serve,” Linton says. She sites multiple examples where Charleston-based bank personnel have donated to local charitable efforts as evidence of their commitment to needs in the local communities. Most employee charitable donations are even matched by corporate giving programs. “It’s not just about what the individual regions can do to make the bank profitable. It’s about what the bank as a whole can do for the communities that support us. From the corporate office down, we are a company that really cares.” Bank employees are regular participants in many recognizable charitable events, exemplifying the bank’s belief in supporting the communities within which they operate. “The success of this company stems from doing what is right for the customer and what is right for the community,” asserts Linton. “People see City National Bank employees in the community. They see us participating in activities like the development programs of Main Street Martinsburg and the charitable events associated with Relay for Life, and it makes them want to do business with us. We care about the community, and we show it in our service.” Those who do choose to do business with City National Bank will also quickly notice a difference in the level of customer service received at their local branch. Their exceptional customer-focused service has not only laid the foundation for the success that yielded their 2011 recognition on the Bank Performance Scorecard, but has also become a benchmark among other banking institutions. Linton says, “A lot of banks say they are committed to service, but here at City National Bank, we are completely driven by it. We focus on the customer’s experience. It’s not the buzzword of the day. It’s a real dedication in which we all truly believe.” Tellers are encouraged to engage their customers, an idea that harkens back to the old-time concept of true community banking. This engagement is illustrated by personal thank you notes and phone calls to wish good tidings on
holidays. It’s further demonstrated by tellers who ensure that every customer feels welcome, even those racing in the door minutes before closing. Confirming positive customer experiences and offering great value are central themes to the bank’s success. While other banks are adding fees for services and funneling customer inquiries through call centers, City National offers a number of free services, and its local representatives respond directly to the customer inquiries and concerns of their Eastern Panhandle neighbors. One such free service is its popular Simply Free checking account—an account characterized by no monthly service charges, unlimited check writing privileges, free online bill payment, and many other free features uncommon among available checking products. In addition to these products, City National offers a wide range of savings accounts, mortgage loans, auto loans, small business checking, commercial checking, investment management services, and more. Their financial product offerings and service quality has attracted customers and created a solid footing for the bank in the Eastern Panhandle. The bank’s future plans build on that growth with projects intended to expand their customer base and reach. “We’ve come through the recession in good shape because we plan well and make good decisions,” Linton emphasizes. “We are currently expanding into the Northern Shenandoah Valley, and we have land purchased and ready for further expansion into additional areas of the Eastern Panhandle. When the time is right, we will launch projects to bring branches to more people in more places.” City National Bank seeks to be a part of the communities in which it operates. The bank’s leadership has been able to position the institution for numerous accolades, but awards and praise are of lesser importance than customer satisfaction. For more information about these products and services, stop by a local branch, visit their website at www.CityHolding.com, or call 304-264-4500.
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Royalicious Bagel Bakery
New York City Eats Arrive in the Panhandle When Frank Sinatra sang “New York, New York,” he encouraged attentive listeners to start “spreading the news.” Well, at Royalicious Bagel Bakery in Charles Town, start spreading the cream cheese! This café/deli/bakery, which has only been open a few months, at 126 Patrick Way in the Walmart plaza, has brought a taste of New York City to the area. And Eastern Panhandle residents are loving it. “We literally have lines forming out the door,” says Julie Costantino, who helps run the place with her sister Jackie, her dad John, and her mother Cookie. She says the business is definitely a family affair. Costantino and her family come from Long Island, NY. “My father does the baking. He started working in a bakery when he was eight years old,” she reveals. “History keeps repeating itself. My dad’s Italian and my mom’s Jewish. You get the best of both worlds at Royalicious. There really is no place like us.” The family had a store in Germantown, MD, for sixteen years. “Montgomery County had a growing population, but they still didn’t have bakeries and delis offering the kind of food we do. No food was anything like we make.” But, since they lived in this area, they decided
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to forgo the commute and set up shop locally. “We’d been called Royal Bakery but decided on changing the name to Royalicious when we moved here. Combine Royal with delicious,” she smiles. “It was one hundred percent risky moving here. So many people in this area have never had New York-style food, but we take great pride in our food and word-of-mouth spread very quickly. We love introducing people to a whole new world of food.” Costantino boasts that Charles Town has welcomed them with love and support. “Everyone has been so friendly. Many of our old customers from Montgomery County still come here. When you find good food, you travel for it. Even people from up north, like Brooklyn, find us and stock up.” The first thing that strikes you when you walk into Royalicious might be how small the place is. There are only two tables that sit three people. But you’re not there to sit. You’re there to eat. You’re there for the food—take it home, sit outside—but eat. You walk through the front door and see a variety of cookies, pastries, breads, and spreads that instantly make your mouth water. When I happened by, the kitchen doors were open, and I could watch Costantino’s dad doing his magic with Italian bread. I can attest to the fact that many of the foods offered have never appeared in this area before,
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just like Costantino says. Elephant ears are here, for example, which are fried pastries, and quite the treat. Other breakfast treats new to the area include chocolate cigars, cinnamon sticks, cinnamon crumb cakes, raspberry horns, and real cheese Danish.
schmeer (cream cheese). I didn’t have to explain the schmeer part since Costantino’s mom is Jewish and schmeer is a Yiddish expression. The bagel was warm, chewy yet soft, and the schmeer was served in generous proportions, and needless to say, delicious.
Area residents who are fans of “Seinfeld” will find the infamous black and white cookies—with their vanilla icing on one half and chocolate icing on the other. Costantino loves introducing patrons to cannoli—tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough filled with a sweet, creamy filling usually containing ricotta cheese.
You can also order real New York hard rolls. And to put on those hard rolls, whole-wheat marble rye, sub rolls, or even a bagel, Royalicious only uses Boars Head cold cuts. Boars Head is the leading manufacturer of premium delicatessen products. Take your pick from lean pastrami, lean corn beef, Genoa salami, Cappacola Italian ham, roast beef, bologna, roasted turkey, and deluxe boiled ham. There’s also egg, tuna, and chicken salad for sandwiches.
You can order chopped chicken liver, a big seller in New York delis (another item not easily found in the Panhandle). Costantino says lox spread is extremely popular, as well. Lox, cured salmon, can be eaten either sliced or in spreads. A Jersey girl, raised about twentyfive miles from New York City, I found myself momentarily mesmerized at the sight of many items so near and dear to my heart (and stomach). Then I saw the wonderful baskets of bagels. Bagel Bakery is part of Royalicious’ title, after all. And, boy, were there bagels: poppy, sesame, everything onion, garlic, jalapeno, Cheddar Asiago, multi-grain, sun-dried tomato, egg, egg everything, salt blueberry, and cinnamon raisin. I ordered an egg bagel with a
Some sandwich combos you might consider include the Classic Ruben: corn beef piled high with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing on grilled marble rye. The Craps: pastrami piled high with Swiss cheese, coleslaw, and Russian dressing—also on grilled marble rye. The Black Jack: roasted turkey with cheddar cheese, applewood bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and barbecue sauce in an onion pocket roll. The Instant Spin: ham and bologna with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and mayo on a sub roll. The Roulette: roasted turkey with Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, coleslaw, and Russian dressing on grain bread. The Super: roast beef and turkey with provolone cheese,
Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
At a
lettuce, tomato, red onion, and mayo on country white bread. And the Big Boy Club: ham and turkey with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo on toasted country white bread. And if that isn’t enough, you can create your own sandwich. All the breads are made right on site.
Glance Royalicious Bagel Bakery
If you’re cutting out carbs, you can order a garden salad, tuna salad plate, egg salad plate, Chicken Caesar salad, or chef salad. If you’re somehow not into sandwiches, try the soup of the day—in a cup or a homemade sourdough bread bowl.
126 Patrick Henry Way Charles Town, WV
304•728•4663
Royalicious also caters. Ask for Jackie for these orders. Some platters to choose from include the Jackpot: homemade whitefish salad, nova lox, tuna (egg or chicken) salad, choice of two spreads with sliced Swiss and muenster cheese, garnished with fresh veggies (20 person minimum). The Super Slot: choose any four meats and any two cheeses, accompanied by homemade redskin potato salad and creamy coleslaw. The American Classic: a three-foot hoagie piled high with deluxe boiled ham, oven-roasted turkey, rare roast beef, American cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes—serves thirteen to fifteen people. And the Italian Classic: a three-foot hoagie piled high with spicy Cappacola ham, genoa salami, pepperoni, provolone, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and hot peppers—also serves thirteen to fifteen people.
First Impression
Service
Food Quality/Taste
Value for Money
Overall Atmosphere
And for your sweet tooth, don’t forget the cannoli. You can order Papa John’s Cannoli Platter—a platter of mini cannoli “made from our family recipe dating back to Sicily in the early 1900s…a blend of the best sweet Italian cheeses,” insists Costantino. “People keep finding us and coming back again and again. This is super cool,” she adds. Rest assured, the Panhandle is equally pleased! To find out more, visit www.RoyaliciousBagelBakery. com. You can also give them a ring at 304-728-4663, and find them on Facebook at Royalicious bagel bakery.
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Same Delicious Taste Lovely New Location A wholesome Mom and Pop store, with a big scoop of Americana thrown in for good measure—that’s the deal at Red Fox Creamery, at about the mid-way point within the Old Town mall in downtown Winchester, Virginia. If you’re picking up some stamps or dropping off packages at the U.S. Post Office next door, a visit to the ice cream shop is another must-do item on your errand list. The shop is surrounded by a host of restaurants, a Civil War museum, and stores that sell fine clothes, shoes, art, jewelry, books, and antiques—everything tucked charmingly within a several block area, along brick-laden streets.
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While making and selling homemade ice cream with natural ingredients is their primary passion, owners Kathy and Brian Lewis also offer a small selection of homemade soups, salads, and sandwiches. The staples are nothing fancy, but include a respectable chili (or soup), tuna (or chicken or egg) salad sandwiches, and brownies or cookies. Whether it’s ice cream or lunch offerings, they make it clear that they don’t kowtow to big corporate America or trends. As a small independent business, they are free to do their own thing. “We can kind of make our own rules,” says Kathy. “Not that I hate corporate America, but I think it’s taken over the retail
- By Teresa Brumback
industry and the food industry. The Moms and Pops have to take a back seat.” “Big Ice Cream” guys mass-produce their ice cream. In comparison, Red Fox makes small amounts—owing to what the Lewises claim is ultimately a higher quality product. It all starts with the butterfat. Theirs starts at eighteen percent—though sometimes it’s higher. With commercial ice creams, Kathy says, she’s never heard of anything higher than fourteen percent. All the rich flavor is in the butterfat. For those who want low-fat ice cream, or sugarless ice cream, this is not the place to be. The milk and cream Red Fox uses
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comes fresh from a local dairy— South Mountain Creamery in Middletown, Maryland—a creamery owned by several generations of one family. Once their ingredients have been acquired, Kathy and Brian make the ice cream to their own specifications, refusing to include corn syrup in their recipe. They make it as natural as the U.S. Department of Agriculture will allow—it has to be pasteurized and stabilized. Other than that, the ice cream is simply milk, sugar, cream, and egg yolks. Pure vanilla extract is used, as well, as is pure, fresh fruit from farmers’ markets, when available. No imitation extracts are ever used, Kathy assures. The ratio of cream to ice cream is high. They take two gallons of cream and make about two and three-fourths gallons of ice cream. By comparison, the standard with commercial manufactured ice cream is to take two gallons of cream and make ten gallons of ice cream, which means that more air is churned into the product. The Lewises make their ice cream in a small batch freezer, two gallons at a time. This allows them to control the flavor, the quality of the ingredients, and to taste-test and tweak the final product. Ingredients are stirred in by hand so they don’t break apart. A popular flavor is Cinnamon Nut Crunch, when it’s available. When the couple operated in Middleburg, as Middleburg Creamery, it was called Gold Cup Crunch, named after the big Gold Cup horse competition there. The dessert is loaded with almonds and pecans that are toasted in a cast-iron skillet with real butter and sugar, cinnamon, and a dash of nutmeg. The nuts are cooked until crisp, cooled, and then drenched in a cinnamon-based ice cream. The flavors vary, with room in the freezer case for twelve flavors. The ice cream is always fresh because more is always being made to replace what’s in the bins. And it doesn’t stay in the bins for more than three days, according to Kathy.
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Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
Among a myriad of choices—vanilla, chocolate, mocha toffee crunch, mint chocolate chip, cookies and cream, and coconut cream—including six standbys—orange cream, lemon pie, key lime pie, peach, strawberry, blackberry, and/or other fruit when it’s in season—the top seller is Mocha Toffee—chocolate, coffee, and English toffee pieces. All the fruit selections use real fruit, of course, and nut varieties include walnut, butter pecan, pecan praline, and coconut chocolate almond. All in all, Red Fox offers about thirty-five flavors—some you’ll recognize, some you’ll be slobbering over. While they are always trying new recipes, they also try to respond to customer demands. One customer required something gluten-free, so they made lemon pie ice cream without graham crackers just for her. Another customer desires lavender ice cream. Kathy admits to having never attempted it, but promises to give it a whirl. And Red Fox is also accommodating to the ‘ol wallet. A scoop sells for $2.95. A double scoop for $4.25. Milkshakes and hot fudge sundaes are $4.55 each; a pint goes for $5.50; and a quart goes for $9.50. The Lewises don’t see going bigtime on their ice cream horizon. As a retired accountant, and diesel truck mechanic, respectively, Kathy says she and Brian are content doing something they love—that also supports them financially. They’re also not in need of fame or fortune, or even the occasional star that strolls by. (John Travolta’s wife, Kelly Preston, once stopped into their Middleburg shop and declared the Mocha Toffee Crunch the “best she had ever had anywhere in the world.”) Treat yourself next time you’re in Winchester. The Old Town mall is checkered with delightful little walkins, and Red Fox Creamery, open seven days a week, sits comfortably among them. Look for the red fox logo. For more information, give them a call at 540-545-8630. A website is in the works.
www.AroundThePanhandle.com
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Warming Hands and Hearts - Helping Families Stay Warm This Winter — By Victoria Kidd
If you turn on the news, you are likely to hear a story about the current economic environment. What gets lost in that message is that real families are feeling the impact of unemployment, rising
household costs, and limited finances. As temperatures drop, many Eastern Panhandle families face difficulty paying their utility bills. In response to this growing need, Roach Energy and BP America have partnered with United Way of the Eastern Panhandle to help keep the heat on for families and neighbors in our region. Roach Energy is recognized throughout the area for their philanthropy and community support. Building on a tradition of service, the company has announced a very special initiative to raise money for Warming Hands and Hearts, a unique program that provides support for families who need help with their heating bills. Steve Roach, chief operating officer and co-owner of Roach Energy, says, “This is our first year participating in the program, but we have supported United Way agencies through many fundraisers and with many donations in the past.” The company is generating support for the program through both its ROCS convenience stores and its oil and propane delivery service. ROCS convenience store customers can purchase a reusable Warming Hands and Hearts coffee tumbler at any ROCS location. Customers pay only $6.99 for the tumbler, and the company will subsequently donate proceeds from the sale.
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Additionally, a portion of any discounted tumbler refill purchased before the program end date of April 15, 2012, will also be donated to help program beneficiaries. Roach Energy’s oil and propane delivery service also provides Eastern Panhandle residents an avenue for program support. Until April 15, 2012, Roach Energy customers can request a delivery from specially marked Warming Hands and Hearts oil and propane trucks. Roach Energy will donate one cent from every gallon of fuel purchased from those trucks. With the high volume of oil and propane delivered by Roach Energy, the potential impact from this program is tremendous. “We will deliver tens of thousands of gallons of fuel during the season, so we really have the potential to make a difference here,” Roach explains. Local residents can also make an impact by donating to the program directly, further increasing the ability to support local families. Roach Energy’s partner in the program, BP America, will match every dollar donated, meaning that every dollar raised actually yields two dollars that will be used to help local families keep the heat on this winter. It is important to remember that any contribution (large or small) is accepted, and with a matching donation coming from BP America, the community can truly make a difference. Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
Historically, that difference has been significant. In recent years, more than 1,000 households have received assistance from the program, according to Vicki Shean, director of resource development and marketing for United Way of the Eastern Panhandle. Last year alone, the program assisted 105 electricity, 25 fuel oil, and 3 gas customers. “We are expecting an increased need this year,” she says. “We would like to raise twenty-five thousand dollars this year to better support those in the region who need assistance.” ROCS and Roach Energy customers are an integral part of meeting that goal, and it is important for supporters to understand the unique way that the program works. First, there are no administrative program costs. This is important because it means that every dollar of each donation goes directly towards helping households in the Eastern Panhandle. Additionally, it should be recognized that the Warming Hands and Hearts program is a supplemental program, meaning
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that its resources are used in conjunction with other existing energy assistance programs. Benefiting families must have first applied for assistance through the local office of West Virginia’s Department of Health and Human Services. After all other sources of assistance have been exhausted, the Warming Hands and Hearts program steps in to supplement those programs and bridge the gap in services. Jan Callen, president and CEO of United Way of the Eastern Panhandle, further explains, “The Warming Hands and Hearts program is designed to optimize and supplement existing energy assistance programs to achieve the greatest impact with limited energy assistance dollars. It aids those families who are doing everything right, but still having difficulty. If it weren’t for the Warming Hands and Hearts program, these families would be unable to heat their homes in these cold winter months.”
cold weather in the forecast before spring, and the Warming Hands and Hearts program stands ready to help those in the community who most need the help. This worthy program runs until April 15, 2012, and donations can be made by calling United Way of the Eastern Panhandle at 304-2630603 or by visiting their website at www.uwayep.org. If you are a Roach Energy customer, be sure to request the delivery from the Warming Hands and Hearts truck by calling 304-263-3329 or visiting www.RoachEnergy.com. This collaborative effort will make a difference for the families who are most in need, but public support is essential for success. If you are passing by a ROCS convenience store, consider stopping in for a cup of premium coffee in a reusable Warming Hands and Hearts tumbler. Your purchase will not only take the chill off of a cold winter’s day, but will also help an Eastern Panhandle neighbor stay warm this season.
There will almost certainly be more
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The Purple Iris |
Martinsburg, WV
Banquets, Weddings, & A Top-Notch Restaurant By Debra Cornwell One doesn’t need a personal invitation to a private event in order to experience The Purple Iris at Hartwood Mansion, in Martinsburg. Immensely popular as a wedding, banquet, and meeting venue, it’s easy to forget that The Purple Iris is also an outstanding restaurant— open to the public Wednesday through Saturday from five to nine p.m. And a top-notch restaurant it is. Settling into my seat in the lovely formal dining room of the house, I recalled the spirit of hospitality offered at parties and gatherings with friends when The Purple Iris was still a private family residence known simply as Hartwood. The vintage chandelier is still in place, as is the lovely millwork, mantels, and views of the sweeping lawn. The large swimming pool has long since been filled in to provide a generous patio, replete with a raised stone water feature, for tenting and outdoor celebrations. On this unremarkable winter night, The Purple Iris was booked for a business dinner, a family dinner, a reception, and was open for dinner reservations and walk-in diners, of which I was one of several during my seating. Tucking into one of the most delightful salads ever presented to me, I was reminded how much I love delicate micro-greens. Micro-greens,
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the flavorful greens of seedlings— such as vegetables and herbs— are appearing more and more on innovative menus—typically in appetizers, sandwiches, and salads. Chef/Owner Dan Harshbargar has invested in an extensive sprouting system and supplies micro-greens to his restaurant, as well as others in the area. Don’t flinch at the three-dollar upgrade for them, as the charge is up to fifteen dollars in regions not far from here. Chef Dan says, “These greens went straight from my basement garden to the table. They were never refrigerated, and there is no middleman—just a unique, flavor-packed, quality option for our guests.” The micro-greens also remind me that the spirit of innovation is still alive at Hartwood, as the carriage house once contained the laboratory for Hartwood Glass & Metal, Inc.— manufacturers of small, glass semiconductors from 1955 to the early 1980s. The pristine Carriage House is now restored and converted
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into a luxury boutique-style hotel, with three exquisite guest rooms that feature a king size bed, a gas fireplace, a Whirlpool Jacuzzi for two, a refrigerator, a microwave, a television with a DVD player, and the all-important coffee maker and hairdryer. The Purple Iris offers a great bed and dinner package. Back to my salad. The abundant micro-greens included tender shoots of red lettuce, mustard, and kohlrabi—bursting with flavor, and dressed in honey whole grain mustard vinaigrette. Served alongside a delectable mixture of dates, raisins, dried cranberries, and toasted walnuts, the salad included the restaurants own pickled egg, which hinted of cloves and Dijon mustard with nary a beet in sight. My entrée, called The Scallop Ate the Crab, featured the big boys of sea scallops—U10 dry scallops. The designation confirms that “under 10” scallops would make a pound, and “dry” because they are wild-
caught and natural—not pumped with phosphates to make them larger. The scallops are so large that they are butterflied and stuffed with a delicate jumbo lump crab filling and finished with a lemon thyme beurre blanc. The incredibly pleasing vegetable dish included Swiss chard with the restaurant’s homegrown red Russian kale—both wilted then sautéed with red onion and a Portobello mushroom dice. The classic potato pancake was cooked to crispy perfection. Celebrating ten years as the owners of The Purple Iris, Chef Dan and his wife, Tiffany, have big plans for their enterprise. He reveals, “We want to open a new six thousand-square-foot banquet facility so we can move the restaurant into the current banquet room. The entire upstairs will be private dining and meeting rooms.” On Route 11, the Harshbargers have purchased the little yellow house next door. It will house Dogs 11—a place for hot dogs and
Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
charcuterie upstairs, and a bakery downstairs. Promising hand-cut fries, homemade buns and hotdogs, and freshly ground hamburgers—all griddle-fried—Dogs 11 will surely become a local icon. “We feel there is more we can do. We will not be bored for the next fifteen years,” the chef laughs. Although The Purple Iris is located in a stone mansion, it’s far from stuffy and won’t break the bank for an evening of fine dining. The service is friendly, efficient, and unrushed. “Patrons would feel comfortable in casual or their most formal attire— it really depends on the personal occasion,” says Tiffany. The venue really shines for holiday buffets: Easter, Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, New Year’s Eve, and Valentine’s. “During our first holiday buffet, we served fifty guests. We now serve about three hundred,” Dan explains. “We feature more intricate dishes than what a diner might find on a typical buffet. Items like seviche salads, melon salsa, oysters on the half-shell, microgreens, our own oven-smoked and carved prime rib, a salmon mold, crab cakes, and more. It is definitely epicurean, but to people’s tastes. It’s foodie but not stuffy.” Tiffany points out that they age and dry their own beef, and make all the breads and pastries. “If it comes out of our kitchen, we have to make it.” Dan, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, is ably assisted by Chef Brian Olden, a graduate of the James Rumsey Culinary program, and a nine-year employee of The Purple Iris. Tiffany laughs, “Brian interned with us and really never left. He’s family.” Dan adds, “We’re a small crew so it’s important that everyone is talented. The more we control the product, the better it is.” Needless to say, big things sometimes come in small packages. The Purple Iris at Hartwood Mansion, in Martinsburg, certainly offers up big taste to the Panhandle. Find out for yourself! For more information, check them out online at www. PurpleIris.com, or call them at 304-262-6110.
www.AroundThePanhandle.com
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Now It’s Your Turn Recipes to Spice Up Your Life | Tastes From the Ocean
Fish Tacos
Directions
Ingredients
rpose flour 1 cup all-pu powder - 1 tsp baking ch ar p ground st rn 2 tbs co ano - 1/2 ts 1/2 tsp oreg ground p ts 1 1/2 tsp salt d tsp dill wee cumin - 1/2 er pp pe e nn rt caye es plain yogu beer - 4 ounc p cu 1 1 egg lime, juiced onnaise - 1 1/2 cup may d pper, mince 1 jalapeno pe 2 to 3 ts, cut into le fil hite fish 1 lb cod or w ns ounce portio corn tortillas 1 package ely shredded cabbage, fin small head in strips sliced into th 2 Avocados Salsa -de-gallo or 1 jar of Pico se exican chee Shredded M
ur, combine flo large bowl, Blend lt. sa d an Batter: In a r, de baking pow , e th ch ar to st in rn ir co y st , then quickl egg and beer . flour mixture l, medium bow sauce: In a naise. on make white ay m d an yogurt mix together juice. Season in fresh lime ir st and ly al du Gra cumin, dill, , oregano, with jalapeno cayenne. 375 degrees. ep-fryer to h Heat oil in de flour. Dip fis es lightly with Dust fish piec fry until golden brown. and as. To into batter, Warm tortill per towels. slice of a, ill rt Drain on pa to a fried fish in e, serve, place dded cabbag top with shre d an o uce. sa te avocad hi w d ed cheese an pico, shredd
Seared Tuna Salad
Ingredients
Dressing:
1/3 cup lime juice 1 Tablespoon lemon juice 2 Tablespoon honey 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 3 Tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro Salt & Pepper to tas te
Salad: 1 pound Tuna Steaks 2 Tablespoons olive oil 5 ounce bag of Sprin g Mix Salad 1 mango peeled or substitute 1 can of mangos 1 small red onion thi nly sliced cherry tomatoes
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Directions
Combine all ingredien ts for dressing in a bowl whisk until blended. Season tuna with sa lt and pepper on both sides and ed ges. Heat oil in frying pa n on medium heat sear tuna, leavin g it rare inside about 2 minutes on each side. Slice tuna in thin str ips place over salad greens top wi th dressing and serve.
Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
Grilled Shrimp Ka
Ingredients
bobs
Fish Curry Ingredients
Directions
1 cup oli ve oil 1/4 cup chopped In a bowl, fresh pa mix togeth rsley 2 lemons er olive oil, lemon juic , juiced parsley, e, hot sau ce, garlic, paste, ore 2 tablesp tomato gano, salt oons hot , and black Pour 3/4 o pepper s p f marinad auce 3 cloves e into a la epper. garlic, m resealable rge inced plastic ba g with shri 1 tablesp mushroom mp, oon tom s and pep ato paste p ers (save m a ri n a de for bas 2 teaspo remaining ting). ons dried in the refr oregano igerator fo Seal, and marinate 1 teaspo r 2 hours. on salt Preheat g rill for me 1 teaspo d ium-low h shrimp, m on groun eat. Threa ushrooms d black p d and pepp skewers. epper 2 large g ers onto reen pep pers cut Lightly oil into chun 1 large re grill grate ks m d pepper . Cook sh inutes per cut into rimp for 5 side, or u 2 lbs larg chunks ntil opaqu frequently e shrimp e, basting with rema , peeled deveined ining mari and with tails nade. Serve ove attached r white ric e or butte red pasta .
Directions
n, ine onio or comb ala, s s e c o r as dp In a foo peno, garam m a paste. la e k ja a , m c li r to ga loves n c io d n n o a d , en 1 me cumin utch ov garlic large D f onion a o e s in e th il v o d 6 clo Heat at. Ad e h d e m p c p iu d /4 up no, cho over me urry powder, 1 ala s a 1 jalape m y for 5 c m , et stir fr of gara L mixture . n o th o o p r s en b 1 table of chick d cumin n groun . o s o ken p te s u a min ups chic 1/2 te fish, 2 c , s e to Add pota and pepper. 2 cloves oil alt getable e v n down to o broth, s o p en turn er sh th d 2 tables w il o o p b a r until fi urry Bring to r 30 minutes o rough. poons c s le b ta fo 2 ed th simmer en broth re cook ps chick or nd potatoes a u c i, 4 h / a 1 m 2 a hi sh ( ma s ver rice lbs of fi e chunk g r la 2 to 3 Serve o to in t u c ) sh d swordfi eled an toes pe ta o p m 5 mediu diced ste per to ta salt/pep Salad
Calamari, Tomato & C
Ingredients
aper Salad
Directions
3 tsp extr a virgin oli In a large sk ve oil illet, heat oi 3 garlic cl l over mediu high heat an oves , min m d cook the ga ced rlic until fr ag ra 5 roma to nt , ab ou t 30 second matoes , ch s; add tomat and red pepp opped oes er flakes an ½ tsp cru d cook abou shed red p minutes. t2 epper flak es 1 lb calam Season cala ari , sliced mari with sa into 1/4 to 1/2-inch sl lt and pepper then add to ices , the skillet; sa ute, stirring Dressing until cooked , through, ab out 2 or 3 minutes. 2 tsp lemo n juice Combine th 2 tsp extr e lemon juic a virgin oli e, olive oil, an d lemon zest ve oil capers, , shake to co 2 tsp cape and season mbine, taste, rs , rinsed w it h sa lt and draine and pepper. d Gently 1 lemon , zested toss to coat with dressing . 2 tsp fresh Garnish with parsley , ch fresh parsle opped y. www.AroundThePanhandle.com
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Capitol Rehab Finds Pathways to Physical Health — By Debra Cornwell Walking, sitting down, standing up, eating, and teeth brushing are just a few of the daily functional movements that many of us take for granted. But what happens when illness or injury disrupts the ability to move or perform, particularly when this limitation is accompanied by pain? It typically drives one to see a physician who may prescribe some sort of physical rehabilitation. When the form of the body is not accomplishing a function, Capitol Rehab is a multi-disciplinary physical rehabilitation clinic in Charles Town that tackles the problem. Dr. Steven Wade Rozier admits, “Pain is a great motivator for patients to seek help.” A licensed chiropractor, Rozier owns Capitol Rehab—located in the front office suite of Gold’s Gym in Charles Town. The clinic offers chiropractic, physical therapy, exercise therapy, and massage therapy to treat patients with some type of mobility loss and/or pain. True, there are chiropractors that treat a wide range of illnesses and conditions, including
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asthma and heart trouble, but Rozier uses his knowledge and skills to restore optimum joint position in the spine and extremities. “I perform a thorough examination to identify joint misalignments and soft tissue injuries. By combining adjustments, physical therapy modalities, and exercises, we help patients relax tight and painful muscles and restore range of motion to their bodies. I specialize in the back and neck.” Rozier graduated magna cum laude from the prestigious Logan University, one of the country’s finest schools of chiropractic medicine, and commonly treats lower back pain, neck pain, Sciatica, headaches, disk injuries, hip pain, pinched nerves, whiplash, sports injuries, and more. Dr. Laura Carney, the physical therapist at Capitol Rehab, received both her master’s and doctoral degrees in physical therapy from the Medical College of Virginia. She specializes in shoulder and knee pain.
“Some patients are referred to us by their physicians,” says Rozier, “while others come to us directly. We work well with other healthcare providers in coordinating care for our shared patients.” The Capitol Rehab team directly interacts with a patient and the patient’s support team of other healthcare professionals, family members, or caregivers to assess movement limitations, and to set goals to return to the lives they want to live. In addition to Rozier and Carney, the Capitol Rehab team includes receptionist Dawn Carlisle, Rozier’s assistant Laurie Ogden, and exercise therapists Ashley Jarnko and Laura Bergmann. Bergmann is a worldclass athlete who has represented the United States at the World Championship Duathlon—a sport incorporating running and cycling. Duathlon is comprised of a 10km run, a 40km cycle, and a 5km run, completed with transitions between each section, but with no breaks.
Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
“Having staff that understand and live a physically active life takes rehabilitation from book knowledge to real knowledge,” Rozier states. “We are better observers of patients and understand real life situations. Laura is excellent at picking out movement patterns in patients. Rehab is never a sprint, it’s a marathon.” In addition to utilizing the equipment in the clinic’s office, patients also have access to the exercise equipment at Gold’s Gym. Rozier divulges, “It’s a great benefit to use over a million dollars in top-quality exercise equipment.” It is rare that somebody is actually born with a bad back. Rozier notes that we use, misuse, and abuse our bodies. He sees patients who are injured through exercise, commuting, car accidents, and computer work—to name a few. He claims that as long as there are computers, there will be a need for physical rehabilitation. Before someone becomes a patient, he or she may have learned to move
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in a way to avoid the pain, but pain can still flare up, and the modified movement may cause additional problems. Rozier explains that the pain flare-up occurs because the injured area is not strengthened. The patient is taught the proper movement. “We recruit a muscle or a path—that is, we activate the muscle and build neuro-pathways, muscle memory—between the brain and the injured spot. Basically, we repair the damage, fix the pattern, and strengthen the area.” To reduce pain and increase mobility, Rozier and his staff teach patients beneficial exercises for reducing stress, strengthening muscles, and staying fit. Experts say that regular exercise has been linked to production of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers. “Originally, I studied psychology and worked in a psychiatric hospital. I hated medicating patients,” he maintains. “I get excited about exercise therapy. We want our patients to lead an active life. I have a patient in his forties who plays soccer. His insurance company
wanted me to tell him to quit playing soccer. I told them he is not sick; he has an injury that we will fix.” In another instance, a surgeon didn’t want a shared patient doing squats. “I asked him, how was this guy going to go the toilet, and in the long term, carry the forty pounds required for his job? We worked with the patient, slowly building to forty pounds of squats and deadlifts— something appropriate for his condition.” The list goes on and on. And perhaps you also have a list—of aches and pains that finally need addressing. That’s where Dr. Rozier comes in. Regardless of the cause, if you find yourself in pain, there’s a good chance the team at Capitol Rehab in Charles Town has the answer. Their knowledge is only surpassed by their commitment to making your life pain-free and getting you back on track. Don’t hesitate to give Dr. Rozier a call at 304-728-5066, or check them out online at www. CapitolRehabWV.com.
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download brochure at www.yourbasement.com
{
Apples & product reviews ORANGES
To the Bunker!
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The world is getting more complicated. The cultural, political, and financial unrest that seethes around the globe has only seemed to evolve and gain momentum in recent years. And who can really claim to have not at least considered the looming 2012 Doomsday predictions—no matter how authentic or fabricated they seem? Apocalyptic scenarios have begun to pop up in conversations with regularity over the last decade (both man- and nature-made). The National Geographic Channel even has a new reality show called Doomsday Preppers. In preparation, they did an online survey of over 1,000 Americans and discovered that 61% of us think the country will experience a major catastrophic event within 20 years—though only 15% feel they are prepared for it. As a result of all this End Days talk, an old-school industry is booming once again: The Bomb Shelter Business! Joe P. Hasler and our friends at www.PopularMechanics.com recently reviewed some of these vaguely familiar underground outposts. Make no mistake; safety comes with a pretty hefty price tag. Let’s take a look.
Fortified Home from Hardened Structures
It’s just past midnight when a crazed agent of doom steps onto your lawn, pulls out his assault rifle, and opens fire in the direction of your master bedroom. Fortunately, you spent $200 per square foot to have Brian Camden, and the folks at Hardened Structures, install a ballistic “Level 8” hardened exterior, capable of resisting a barrage of automatic weapon fire. But the assault isn’t over. The attacker starts hurling grenades at your house. To the bunker! As you descend into your fortified underground complex, explosions rip through the home. But you went all out, spending $600 per square foot to have your concrete cocoon built immediately. Even if things get much worse, Hardened Structures bases the strength of all its bunker designs on a 10-kiloton improvised nuclear device. Since 1991, Hardened Structures has catered to the extreme protection needs of the unbelievably wealthy. A recent bunker installation in the Adirondacks, built to house 100 occupants, cost its owner $90 million. But Camden remains low-key, even when his company is constructing multimillion-dollar, 10,000-square-foot survival compounds, which real estate investment groups are selling as doomsday condos. “We’re just architects and engineers,” he says.
Ark Two Survival Community
If the end is nigh and you find yourself without a fallout shelter of your own, you might want to get yourself to Ontario. There, look up Bruce Beach—computer scientist, trained radiological scientific officer, and expert bomb-shelter builder. Beach claims to have built “over two dozen shelters” in his lifetime, but Ark Two is undoubtedly his masterpiece. Forty-two stripped-out school buses provide the permanent form of the compound, over which Beach poured thousands of pounds of concrete. He then topped it off with fourteen feet of Canadian soil, rendering Ark Two virtually impenetrable to anything short of a direct nuclear strike—an unlikely event in Horning Mill, Ontario. Beach currently lives near the Ark Two, not in it. At least not yet. “It’s a lifeboat,” he says—a lifeboat with a library, a conference room, a laundry room, a kitchen, and separate day rooms and sleeping quarters for girls, boys, teens, and adults. Beach plans to occupy his fortress, along with around 170 family, friends, and others who helped build Ark Two, which has enough bed space and supplies for around 350 would-be re-populators. So how does one secure a berth on Beach’s life raft? “Well, number one, you need to be here when it happens.” Price tag? Who knows.
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Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
Converted Missile Silo From Hardened Structures
After the Cold War ended, the United States disarmed its vast arsenal of Atlas and Titan missile silos and shut down its secure radio bunkers. Canny survivalists with an eye for a good real estate deal saw an opportunity. “Back in the ‘90s, you could just snap one of those up,” Camden (of Hardened Structures [above]) says. “For $250,000, you got the silo plus ten acres of land.” Made to withstand the worst attack the Kremlin could hurl in this direction, the typical decommissioned silos and communication stations make for a relatively easily retrofitted underground refuge. The hole is already dug, and the superstructure is already built. All one needs to do is drop “a couple hundred thousand, depending on your needs,” according to Camden— for upgrades to electrical systems, ventilation, and filtration equipment.
Mini Blast Shelter From KI4U
There’s little room for the penny-pinchers in the underground sheltering market, with construction estimates of up to $400 per square foot, and prefab shelters with $50,000 price tags. “That’s why we came out with the Mini Blast Shelter,” KI4U’s Shane Connor says. “We came out with it so more people could actually see themselves in a shelter.” Essentially, the Mini Blast Shelter is nothing more than a 12-foot length of galvanized, corrugated road culvert—the same kind a utility uses to build drainage—with a pair of blast-proof entry and exit hatches welded to the top. It’s easily the most affordable prefabricated shelter available. Ready to bury when you buy it, the Mini Blast Shelter requires just an afternoon’s worth of backhoeing before it’s underground and good to go. The savings come at a cost, though, primarily in comfort. “It’s cramped and it’s uncomfortable,” Connor says. “But when something nuclear happens, and it’s inevitable, it’s better than the alternative,” he adds. “Sheltering is only essential for the first couple of days, and most people can hunker down for two or three days until the worst is past.”
CAT25 and Earthcom Condo Dome Shelter Radius Engineering
Thirty-one years in the business has taught Walton McCarthy just about everything there is to know about preparing for the worst. McCarthy is the author of Principles of Protection: U.S. Handbook of Weapon Fundamentals and Shelter Engineering Design Standards, and his company, Radius Engineering, maintains the lion’s share of the prefabricated shelter market. (He claims 99 percent, adding, “When it comes to manufacturing these, we are it.”) Radius offers a diverse line of products. Customers can pick and choose from an assortment of shelter units, which can then be connected via tubing, like a giant, underground hamster playpen. All of Radius’ units are impervious to radar observation. Built from fiberglass, the structures have no thermal or metallic signature. They’re all “bright, light, and dry,” and are airtight, watertight, and bugtight, too, McCarthy adds. The CAT25, Radius’ most popular model, can house up to twenty-five people for as long as five months—with a price tag of $320,000. “The government is buying up all the shelters,” McCarthy says. “We can’t make enough.” If you’re in the market for something a little more extravagant, you can spring for the $420,000 Earthcom Dome. The 60 x 20-foot shelter can serve as a central atrium, linked to other Radius models, or it can be used as a sort of singlefamily underground shelter condo, complete with a shower, kitchen, and living room. As bomb shelters go, this is the Four Seasons.
Utah Shelter Systems
If you’re seriously shopping around for an underground shelter, you will eventually run into Sharon Packer. Packer, current director of the American Civil Defense Association, has been building shelters since the mid-1980s. In 1998, she and partner Paul Seyfried started Utah Shelter Systems, a firm that builds blast-hardened steel shelters in nine standard sizes, ranging from 8 x 32 feet to 10 x 50 feet. Packer says the advantage of the steel shelter, which is buried 8 to 10 feet below the ground, is that it has “all hazard” resilience. This means the shelters are built to withstand cataclysmic weather events, chemical or biological attacks, solar flares, electromagnetic pulses, nuclear explosions, and fallout. With a sticker price starting at $40,000, the shelter comes equipped with furniture-grade flooring, bunk beds, and all the essential wiring and filtration systems. Additional bunks cost $350, four-foot storage shelves are the same, and a kitchen sink with an eight-foot counter is $1140. Packer says she even installs couches on occasion. This should come as no surprise when you consider who’s buying most of Packer’s units. “I would say about eighty percent of our customers are either lawyers or physicians,” she says. “These aren’t survivalists running around in the woods. They’re conservative bunches of people with their eyes open to threats. They understand deductive reasoning, and they’re in the business of solving problems.
www.AroundThePanhandle.com
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Make 2012 the year that you. . .
“Get on the ball ” with the area’s Premiere Hospital-based Fitness Center.
State-of-the-Art Technogym Equipment Fitness Assessments Goal Setting Personal Training Lifestyle & Weight Management Boot Camp Step Aerobics Yoga Zumba Water Aerobics Low Impact Aerobics Chair Aerobics Staying healthy and in shape is a challenge for anyone. But there is no better time than now to “get on the ball” with a fitness program that can improve your well being and improve your health. Let the professional staff at The Wellness Center help create a program customized just right Located in the Dorothy A. McCormack Center on the City Hospital Campus.
for you and make 2012 the healthiest year ever.
For more information, call 304.264.1232
w w w. w v u h - e a s t . o r g
NAHB Research Center Increases Green Approved Product Points for Using Superior Walls® Products Advanced Concrete Systems, Inc. was founded in 1986 and is the second licensee of Superior Walls of America (SWA). Founded by the late Larry Yarger, Advanced Concrete aggressively marketed and grew the company, while expanding its manufacturing facilities four times between 1986 and 2003. An additional expansion is planned for 2012 that will further add to the existing 122,000 square feet of manufacturing space in Middleburg, PA. Advanced Concrete has manufactured and installed over 23,000 Superior Walls® precast concrete foundation systems since 1986, and owns all of its manufacturing facilities, cranes, trucks, trailers, and other equipment utilized in company operations. The company employs approximately 100 people in Snyder County, PA, and operates in Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia. System-wide since 1985, SWA licensees and franchisees have manufactured and installed over
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95,000 Superior Walls® precast concrete foundation systems. SWA was founded in 1981 and has licensees that sell Superior Walls® foundation systems in twenty-five states. The Superior Walls® foundation system has been fully approved by the IRC and has been acknowledged as a fully engineered foundation system. In 2009, Superior Walls® became the 71st product, and one of the first twenty-five manufacturers, to have its products approved to earn points toward the NAHB Research Center’s National Green Building Certification. Superior Walls® systems have consistently been market leaders in designing and engineering innovative precast foundation systems that address builder, homeowner, and code requirements. Advanced Concrete developed and designed many of the innovations in the current generation of Superior Walls® foundations, which includes the XI wall system that has a 12.5 R-value.
Advanced Concrete will begin offering a next-generation insulated precast concrete wall system in April 2012 to be known as the XI Plus. The XI Plus wall system has insulation in the wall cavity equal to 21.3 R-value and maintains all of the features of the fully engineered XI wall system. The company is also proud to announce to builders that starting new home projects can now earn three additional points (for a total of thirteen potential points) towards National Green Building Certification when using energy-efficient Superior Walls® insulated precast concrete foundation panels. Superior Walls® is the first and only foundation manufacturer whose products are approved to contribute points toward certification of a building under the National Green Building Standardä. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center first awarded the Green Approved designation to Superior Walls® Xi and R-5 foundations in 2009, allowing builders the chance to Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
earn up to ten program points towards National Green Building Certification. The organization now has approved the opportunity for builders to add three additional points for practice #903.2.2 “capillary break is added on footing” - when foundation walls are set on a minimum of four-inch thick gravel beds with appropriate foundation drainage. The Green Approved Products Certificate #00071 provides builders the following points for the use of Superior Walls® foundation systems: • Practice 601.2 - 3 points Structural systems/advanced framing techniques optimize material usage. • Practice 601.5 (1-3) - 4 points Precut/preassembled components, panelized, or precast assemblies are utilized for a minimum of 90% of floor, wall, and/or roof system. • Practice 607.1 - 3 points - Products containing fewer materials are used to achieve the same enduse requirements as conventional products. • Practice 701.4.3.1 (1) - Mandatory - Insulation is installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions or local code. Mandatory for certification. • Practice 903.2.2 - 3 points Capillary break is added on footing. Energy-Efficient Foundations Top-of-the-line Xi wall panels feature steel reinforced concrete and 2-1/2 inches of DOW® Styrofoam insulation to create a permanent barrier against sidewall water penetration. The panels are custom designed and constructed in a factory-controlled setting. Unique features of the Xi wall panels include: - 5,000+ PSI concrete; steel-reinforced top bond beams, concrete studs, and footer beams; horizontal steel rebar inside top and bottom beams; vertical steel rebar inside each stud; access holes for ease in wiring and plumbing; galvanized steel stud facing ready for drywall finishing; and insulated corners, studs, and bond beams.
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For homeowners, the benefits of Superior Walls® foundations systems are substantial. The energyefficient walls help lower energy costs and reduce energy leakage while providing increased living space in a comfortable setting. Quality Construction In most U.S. climate zones, Xi wall panels from Superior Walls® meet or exceed energy conservation requirements from both the IECC and the IRC. The foundation walls can help in the construction of an ENERGY STAR® qualified home. As a custom wall assembly, Superior Walls® products contribute to the overall home insulation value and reduce air infiltration into the home, thereby making a huge impact on the overall energy efficiency rating of the home. Superior Walls® panels always arrive “damp-proof” from the factory and also allow for increasing the amount of insulation without the need for additional framing. The patented wall systems from Superior Walls® are custom built to a project’s specification in nearly any home style, allowing homeowners to save on energy bills while gaining additional living space in the home. Today’s new homebuilders are looking to build smarter, faster, and better homes. They’re embracing today’s technology and a “systems” approach where engineered components are used to improve the consistency and “on-time” efficiency of building. Mold, high-energy bills, and leaky building envelopes are a thing of the past. If you’re looking to build an attractive, state-of-the-art, highperformance home that conserves energy and money during construction and throughout the life of your home, a Superior Walls® foundation can quickly become valuable added living space for that theater room, home office, game room, or mother-in-law suite. For additional details on Superior Walls® products, visit www.YourBasement. com. For more information on the NAHB Green Approved Product, visit www.GreenApprovedProducts.com.
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The Daughter of the Stars is quiet today. The Shenandoah River vibrates in the morning sun as she flows majestically down from the Blue Ridge Mountains with her twists and turns dividing the communities therein from the rest of Jefferson County. The Native American name matches the power of the river and gives a standard as to how she should be treated while flowing along the county’s only mountain, ultimately merging with the Potomac River at Harpers Ferry.
Blue Ridge Watershed Coalition
— By Rick L. Hemphill
Ronda Lehman is a vibrant personality and can often be found quietly rocking in her kayak along those turns of the Shenandoah, straining to watch the eagles soaring overhead. She notices the bountiful beauty of the river, and as a board member of the Blue Ridge Watershed Coalition (BRWC), the necessity of community action. “I live up on the Blue Ridge on the Shenandoah River, near Millbrook, and water is just a big deal to me,” she remarks, with a conviction as strong as the river below. “It’s the new oil; everybody needs it. We need to take politics out of the issue since we all need water and we all need air. We need to do something about it. “The problem here in Jefferson County on the Blue Ridge is that there are really old developments that were done forty or fifty years ago, before there were any regulations. So, you have driveways on really steep slopes that constantly wash out the roads underneath, and septic systems on top of wells. There are a whole host of problems because most of these areas started as weekend camping grounds, and they really weren’t meant to be lived in year-round.” Willis Nowell, also a board member, and no stranger to water issues, having been the Jefferson County Sanitarian for many years, lives on the Shannondale side of the mountain. He emphasizes, “There is no mechanism or organization to help people pull themselves together, and that is what this organization is here to help do. We are here to help people help themselves.” BRWC was formed originally as a community advisory committee, started by the Jefferson County Commission, in relation to a grant they received in 2008. “We came
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Around The Panhandle | MAR • APR 2012
up with a community-based plan for the mountain,” says Lehman. “It’s a vision of what residents want to see happen to the mountain. “We formed the coalition last April. After the work of the advisory committee was done, several of us saw this need and formed our own 501c3 so that we could go after some of this grant money that was out there. We’ve only been together ten months and so far we’ve received a governor’s community participation grant for ten thousand dollars—for peak flow water monitoring.” What the BRWC really seeks to understand is what is actually in the Shenandoah River when it gets to Jefferson County and what is in it when it goes out. Lehman adds, “That is how we can figure out what we need to improve by the federal EPA standards that go into effect in 2014.” Willis continues, “Because when that much water rushes off the mountain, it tends to carry a great deal of the mountain with it. One of the big issues citizens up there have is erosion.” Lehman agrees, “A good example was back in April (2011) when we had a couple of storms. We got about four or five inches of rain. We had a watershed meeting that day and went outside and watched the water pouring over the roads down the mountain. We have a hundred and fifty miles of roads on the mountain and seventy-five miles of dirt roads in Shannondale alone.” After that particular storm, Willis notes that the department of highways put over nine million pounds of stone back up on the mountain within three days—a project that is still ongoing. “They are like Sisyphus,” he muses, with a reference to Greek mythology. “They keep rolling the stone up onto the mountain and it rolls down after the first rain. It’s a never-ending labor.” Lehman estimates that it was “… forty-five rail cars of stone. So they really aren’t fixing anything; they’re just trying to put the mountain back—which is what we are trying to do when we fix a driveway or
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reduce the runoff. But we need to create a permanent solution, because ultimately, everything that runs off this mountain ends up in the Chesapeake Bay.” Willis and Lehman point out that the water that runs off the mountain flows over Route 9, and thus has the potential to affect every one of the seventeen thousand commuters who take the road over to Virginia every day. “Other people beyond mountain residents are affected by this runoff,” Lehman extends. “That is a dangerous road, and the things we are looking to do can make that safer for everyone. “We recently received a grant from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. We want to show the mountain residents many ways that they can stop the water from rushing down the mountainside by using rain gardens, rain barrels, contours, swales, and water bars.” Willis agrees, “A water bar sounds like a trendy place you would like to hang out, but we are trying to develop things that the average homeowner can do as a weekend project. It works like a grate you would see in a city street. To make a water bar, you can take two 2x4s, dig a trench perpendicular to the water, and when the water hits the 2x4s, it is diverted out to the side instead of rushing straight down the road and washing it away.” Both Lehman and Willis are looking forward to getting a lot of people involved. “The Watershed is a large area,” Willis assures. “From the Virginia line north to Harpers Ferry to everything east of the Shenandoah River. As the crow flies, it is about fifteen miles along the river, and as the fish swim, it’s about twenty-five miles.” Unfortunately, The Daughter of the Stars is not the pristine waterway she was in the past. “I kayak on the river every day,” Lehman explains. “I see the fish dying from lesions. You look out and see the trash floating down the river—the junk people have thrown out. I’ve seen entire carpets floating down the river.” BRWC did a river clean up this fall and filled two dumpsters full of junk. They partnered with
River & Trail Outfitters, of Maryland, and River Riders, of Harpers Ferry. “The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection brought us a dumpster for all the trash and they’ve volunteered a barge for this spring,” she continues. “They’ve brought us garbage bags, gloves, and containers. They brought them right to my house.” “We have a stake in the issue,” Willis says. “We live here.” They plan on another river cleanup in the spring. “The water will be much lower and we want to get grappling hooks and pull out the tires and other items in the river,” Lehman expounds. “We want to make the cleanups as big as possible and include as many people as possible. You don’t have to be environmentally focused—just interested in your community.” Willis also understands the need to get the youth of the area involved. “If we can get the kids involved, you have success over the long haul.” He also relates some bigger picture issues. “It’s not just the aesthetic issues. It’s about response times for emergency services. If you can’t get an ATV up to my door, how will you get a gurney or fire truck up there? The entire panoply of water-related issues is affected by the watershed. You have to control the erosion, as it affects the entire quality of life. You have the water recharge and availability issue. If you have water rushing off the mountain, it can’t soak into the ground and it’s hard to recharge the aquifer underneath.” Lehman recognizes, “There is a distrust of governmental activity here. When we first started having meetings, people were asking why we were out here. We want you to know that we are your neighbors, and we want to fix these problems together. I just hope that our work will inspire other people to do the same thing—to take matters in your own hands and positively affect your community.” The dedicated group is pulling together a steadily increasing amount of information for their website. To find out more, and to get in touch with BRWC, visit www. BlueRidgeWaterShed.org. You can also find them on Facebook at Blue Ridge Watershed Coalition.
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