Leesburg, VA June 2020

JUNE 2020

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LIFESTYLE LETTER

JUNE 2020 PUBLISHER

Hann Livingston | hann.livingston@lifestylepubs.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR

Melinda Gipson | melinda.gipson@lifestylepubs.com

Positivity and Hope in Uncertain Times

AD DESIGNER

Matthew Endersbe LAYOUT DESIGNER

Kelsey Proctor

UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES, OUR JUNE ISSUE WOULD BE OUR MEN'S ISSUE. Instead, the issue you hold in your hands is a bit of a hybrid. Given the circumstances we find ourselves in with a global pandemic, we felt it was important to not only include some features for and about the men in our commu-

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jim Magner CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Celeste Linthicum

nity, but also to celebrate local stories of heroism and giving that have been going on during this trying period in our lives.

My generation has never faced anything like what we’re going through. The consequences to human lives and to our economy are huge, and we are all, across the globe, in this together. Our global community, of course, is only the sum of its parts, and this has galvanized for me the importance of our local community and has put a direct light on the creativity and sense of giving we have.

At the end of the day, a lot of what we have taken for granted will be changed. We will certainly come out of this in a different world, but hopefully part of that difference will be a greater appreciation for all of the wonderful things we do have...namely our health and family and friends.

I've spoken to many of our business owners and front-line medical workers over the

CORPORATE TEAM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore

past two months, and the sense of hope and fight they display—despite facing real

ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor

economic and health problems—is truly inspiring. We have all seen great things hap-

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson

pening in our community—many examples of which are detailed in this issue—which demonstrate how lucky we are to live in Leesburg and Loudoun County.

Our businesses provide our community with so much character and life. It won’t be

AD MANAGER Chad Jensen REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Eric Williams WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell

easy, but I know that they will pull through and emerge stronger from this. They, of course, will need us to do our part in supporting them.

All of our trials have a beginning, and then an end. We will work through this, and then move forward with positivity and hope. With any luck, by the time this issue is published, we will be back to at least some of our normal routines. We will certainly still have some serious work to do. But I’m confident that we will continue to fight and come together as a community and support one another. I’m confident because that is what we do here.

ARIZONA | CALIFORNIA | COLORADO | CONNECTICUT | FLORIDA | GEORGIA IDAHO | ILLINOIS | KANSAS | MARYLAND | MASSACHUSETTS | MICHIGAN MINNESOTA | MISSOURI | MONTANA | NEVADA | NEW JERSEY | NEW YORK NORTH CAROLINA | OHIO | OKLAHOMA | OREGON | PENNSYLVANIA SOUTH CAROLINA | TENNESSEE | TEXAS | VIRGINIA | WASHINGTON

Hann Livingston, Publisher 514 W 26TH ST., KANSAS CITY, MO

ON THE COVER Newly Minted EMT, Top of his Class and Into the Front Lines

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CELESTE LINTHICUM 8

Leesburg Lifestyle | June 2020

CityLifestyle.com/Leesburg

Proverbs 3:5-6 Leesburg Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of the Leesburg areas’ most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors.

Information in Leesburg Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

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INSIDE THE ISSUE JUNE 2020

FEATURES 12 Ten Days of Fishing to Clear the Cobwebs After a Two-Month Quarantine, Here are Three Great Fishing Trips Calling Your Name

18 Your COMMUNITY Banker, Your New Best Friend 22 Nothing is Impossible When Loudoun Steps Up! Thanks to the Families Who Donated!

22 26

26 Shining a Light in Dark Times A Salute to Some of our Local Heros

12

18

DEPARTMENTS 8

Lifestyle Letter

12

Travel Destination

18

Giving Back

22 Local’s Choice 26 Inspired By 34 Back Stage 40 Trend Setter 42 Open House

TRAVEL DESTINATION

ten days of fishing to clear the cobwebs ARTICLE MONTE BURKE

AFTER A TWO-MONTH QUARANTINE, HERE ARE THREE GREAT FISHING TRIPS CALLING YOUR NAME FISHERMEN ARE NATURAL ROAD-TRIP-

or, better yet, an eight-weight fly rod. In the

PERS. Wanderlust, after all, is at the heart of

summer, you’ll find stripers on inshore flats on

both fishing and the road, where every new

the beach and in the open ocean rips. Bonus:

bend—in the water or on land—offers a new

If you stay after them long enough, you can

world of possibilities..

reverse course in the fall and follow them

With this in mind, we’ve plotted a path for

right back down the coast to the Chesapeake.

you: Assume you can find 10 days this summer to embark on the great American fishing

THE ROUTE:

road trip with your family or some fishing

Start in the Hamptons on New York’s Long

buddies. In the outdoors, where it’s still

Island. This haven for the rich and famous

possible to have fresh air and avoid crowds,

happens to be one of the best spots in the

there are myriad ways you might brush off

world for targeting striped bass on the flats.

the cobwebs from the couch and breathe

The shallow water and the white sand will

again. Here are three routes your road might

remind you of the flats of the Bahamas, except

take you covering the the Northeast, the

that the stripers are bigger and wilier than

deep South and the Rocky Mountain West.

bonefish. Make your way up north to Cape Cod, where you’ll find stripers on the beach,

earn your stripes SYNOPSIS:

and then to Nantucket, to fish the ocean rips.

GUIDES: Captains

Paul

Dixon

(flyfishing-

In the spring, millions of striped bass from

montauk.com) and Brendam McCarthy

the Chesapeake Bay begin their annual run

(urbanflyguide.com) are two of the best

north along the coast. Following them—and

when it comes to finding stripers on the

taking part in this massive migration—is

Long Island flats. On Cape Cod, do it your-

thrilling. Bring along your light tackle gear

self, fishing the beaches near Nauset and

12

Leesburg Lifestyle | June 2020

Long Island Striped Bass Fishing

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Leesburg

13

TRAVEL DESTINATION (CONTINUED)

Town of Nantucket entering on the Ferry

Lake Guntersville in Alabama

14

Leesburg Lifestyle | June 2020

Fishing the Henry's Fork in Idaho

Truro in the early mornings and in the evenings.

hours north to Lake Guntersville, which for years

On Nantucket, book a guide from Bill Fisher

has been thought of as an up-and-coming lake.

Outfitters (billfisheroutfitters.com) and get out

With its aggressive bass lying in wait in the

to the giant rip at Great Point.

grassbeds, suffice it to say, it’s arrived.

WHERE TO STAY AND EAT:

GUIDES:

In the Hamptons, stay at the Maidstone Hotel

Do it yourself at Logan Martin. Fish those docks

(themaidstone.com) for an excellent boutique

early in the morning with spinnerbaits or plastic

experience, and grab dinner at Jean-Georges at

worms (try purple ones). David Andrews at Eufala

Topping Rose House (toppingrosehouse.com)

Lake Fishing Guides (eufalalakefishingguides.com)

for a farm-to-table experience after a day on the

is the bassmaster of his lake. On Guntersville, try

water. Cape Cod’s iconic Chatham Bars Inn (cha-

Donald Johnson (donaldjohnson.com) who is

thambarsinn.com) is an excellent spot for families.

equally comfortable with newcomers and sea-

Be sure to get the fish and chips at Sir Crickets

soned anglers.

(nausetfishandlobsterpool.com/sir-cricketsfish-n-chips) while on the Cape in Orleans. On

WHERE TO STAY AND EAT:

Nantucket, stay right in town at the Cliff Lodge

The Elyton Hotel in Birmingham (elytonhotel.

Bed and Breakfast (clifflodgenantucket.com)

com) is downtown, in the heart of the action. Have

and get a bowl of the world famous clam chow-

lunch one day at Demetris (demetrisbbq.com) in

der at the Brotherhood of Thieves restaurant

the Homewood section of the city for some of the

(brotherhoodofthieves.com).

best barbecue in the land. And then have dinner at Highlands Bar and Grill (highlandsbarandgrill.

the bass trail SYNOPSIS:

com), helmed by the James Beard Award winner, Frank Stitt. Make sure to get the stuffed fish at the Cajun Corner (thecajuncorner.com) in Eufala.

On your way down to Eufala, stop in for some

The state of Alabama is rightly famous for its

history at the Civil Rights Memorial (splcenter.

Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, a must-play for any

org) in Montgomery. And while in Guntersville,

serious golfer. But for this trip, leave the clubs

be sure to save time to make a side trip to nearby

and bring along a fishing rod instead. Alabama

Huntsville to visit the US Space & Rocket Center

also happens to have some of the best bass lakes

(rocketcenter.com).

in the country, headlined by Eufala, Guntersville and Logan Martin, and you can easily fish all three in a week. What makes this trip even better? The state has become an under-the-radar culinary delight. So, while you hunt for largemouths, you can happily fill your own.

rocky mountain high SYNOPSIS: This is the great American trout trip, taking place among the majestic peaks of the Rockies. On it, you’ll

THE ROUTE:

fish the Mount Rushmore of American trout rivers,

Start in Birmingham and head west on I-20 to

starting with the demanding and technical Henry’s

Logan Martin Lake, where big bass like to lurk

Fork. You’ll then hit the riffled Madison and the

under boat docks. Make your way south through

breathtaking Yellowstone (the longest un-dammed

Montgomery to the Georgia border to Lake Eufala,

river in the continental U.S.). The trip ends with the

which has been a consistent producer of big

Bighorn, which might be the most plentiful trout river

bass for the last four decades. Then head a few

in the world, with an estimated 6,000 trout per mile.

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Leesburg

15

TRAVEL DESTINATION (CONTINUED) A brown trout from the Bighorn

THE ROUTE: Start in Island Park, Idaho, at the Henry’s Fork. The river’s rainbows are legendary for their size, energy and difficulty, especially in the spring-creek-like Harriman Ranch section. Then head north to Ennis, Montana, near the heart of the Madison River, where the heavy hatches of mayflies begin in late June with the salmon-flies. Drive a bit to the northwest to Livingston and get on a drift-boat and float the Yellowstone, casting a dry fly with a nymph dropper for rainbows and browns and the occasional cutthroat. End the trip at the Bighorn, where you’ll launch a drift-boat early in the morning near the Yellowtail Dam and slowly make your way downriver.

GUIDES: The Chico Hot Springs Resort features geothermic pools.

Get a guide—and some of René Harrop’s beautifully-tied flies—at Trouthunter on the Henry’s Fork (trouthunt.com). Fish the Madison yourself, hitting the riffles near Three Dollar Bridge. Float the Yellowstone with the affable Paul Weamer (weamerflyfishing.com).

On the Bighorn, either do it yourself and rent your own drift-boat, or book a guide. Both can be done through Bighorn Angler (bighornangler.com) in Fort Smith.

WHERE TO STAY AND EAT: Trouthunter has a lodge and a festive bar and grill. Grab breakfast at the Ennis Sunrise Café (ennissunrisecafe.com) before hitting the Madison. Treat yourself to a stay at the Chico Hot Springs Resort (chicohotsprings.com) outside of Livingston. And be sure you leave some time after fishing the Bighorn to visit the Little Bighorn Battlefield, to see where Custer made his fateful last stand.

And, while you’re at it, post some pictures and some tall tales to go with them (facebook.com/leesburglifestyle).

16

Leesburg Lifestyle | June 2020

CALL US FOR A FREE ESTIMATE

703-793-8307

LEESBURG LOCATION NOW OPEN! 213 Crescent Station Terrace SE, Leesburg, VA 20175 2465-J21 Centreville RD, Herndon, VA 20171

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GIVING BACK

YO U R C O M M U N I T Y B A N K E R , YO U R NEW BEST FRIEND

IN THE MAD SCRAMBLE BY BUSINESSES TO TAP THE FIRST INSTALLMENT OF $349 BILLION IN COVID-19 RELIEF FUNDING, NOT A SINGLE LENDER IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY HAD A LOAN APPROVED FASTER THAN BANK OF CLARKE COUNTY. Joe Zmitrovich, Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer – effectively the bank’s senior loan officer – says his bank had its first loan approved by the Small Business Administration at 8:30 a.m. on April 3rd, the second the program opened. From that moment until the first batch of money ran out two weeks later, he and the dozens of banking personnel drafted into becoming loan officers worked tirelessly to get $73 million in potentially forgivable loans approved for 530 businesses.

Businesses who benefitted ranged from sole proprietors to one business with 462 employees. Companies with up to 500 employees were eligible for the assistance, which was targeted toward helping them keep their workers employed for the eight weeks, minimum, the economic shutdown was expected to last. Business owners who succeeded in tapping the first swath of funding had one thing in common: they tapped a local or regional community bank for help.

Eric Byrd, manager of Loudoun County’s Small Business Development Center, said he saw “true Herculean efforts by some of the community banks in our area. They got flooded with requests and processed hundreds and hundreds of applications, virtually overnight. We should celebrate all of our local lenders. They are doing a yeoman’s job and it’s very, very impressive.”

“We built our SBA task force in three days,” Joe recalls. He says the real key to Bank of Clarke County’s success was its ability to automate the loan application process. Upon receiving a request for help, the bank first pushed out a PDF of the SBA application through DocuSign to have clients complete it. “We created a cover sheet for all the supporting information we needed, which the client submitted to us electronically, then we uploaded everything to ETRAN, the SBA portal for them.”

18

Leesburg Lifestyle | June 2020

Joe Zmitrovich, Bank of Clarke County Loan Officer

“ What we feel is a sense of duty to take care of our customers at this time, to do what we can do to calm their fears, and let t h e m k n o w w e ’v e g o t t h e i r b a c k s .”

“It was all manual behind the scenes, but we streamlined the process for the client. We didn’t want to put them at risk by having them come in.” While the bank did prioritize its existing clients, it couldn’t turn away anyone in the community who needed help.

“I would have to say that a majority of these people have committed to bring their business over,” he said, smiling. It’s not a smug smile at all, but one that seems almost wistful. “What we feel is a sense of duty to take care of our customers at this time, to do what we can do to calm their fears, and let them know we’ve got their backs.” By that, he means that the bank is there for its current borrowers as well.

Joe says that he and most of his community banking peers have a process in place for laid-off borrowers to defer payments for up to 90 days, just by asking. That’s a period regulators have said can be automatically approved.

When asked what he thinks about the ability of our local economy to recover from the shutdown, he said, “The true tale will be told when everyone is back open for business. We’ll help them ramp up as much as we can, but I think it will be a slow climb until all the jobs are back.”

In the interim, Joe is braced for another crack at the second wave of Payroll Protection Program funding.

ARTICLE MELINDA GIPSON PHOTOGRAPHY CELESTE LINTHICUM

“My main concern is helping businesses survive. We will worry about everyone else after that.”

CityLifestyle.com/Leesburg

19

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LOCAL’S CHOICE

Loudoun Steps Up! HOW ONE PHOTOGRAPHER'S 'PORCH PROJECT' RAISED $3,000 FOR LAID-OFF RESTAURANT WORKERS

SINCE OUR TOO-LONG COVID-19 QUARANTINE BEGAN, FAMILIES COAST-TO-COAST HAVE TAKEN TO THE PORCH TO SHOW THEIR SOLIDARITY WITH EACH OTHER IN THE CRISIS. It occurred to one of our favorite photographers, Celeste Linthicum, that the largely impromptu family gatherings could serve another purpose. So, she made flyers and offered to take professional family photos of everyone in her neighborhood in return for whatever they would like to donate to help laid-off restaurant workers. The Community Foundation built her a donation page (communityfoundationlf.org/product/ loudounstepsup/) and she was off!

The Tourism and Hospitality Relief Fund was started by the Visit Loudoun Foundation, which made $25,000 in emergency aid available in $500 increments to help cover rent and utilities. Considering that 7,000 Loudouners filed for unemployment the week after Easter, we know that's just a start.

Which is why every effort counts! We’re so grateful to work with Celeste and thankful to all her neighbors for their generosity in donating more than $3,000!

If you'd like to help, please donate using the link above and send your photo to our editor at melinda.gipson@lifestylepubs.com and we can at least add it to our Facebook page. And remember: nothing is impossible when Loudoun Steps Up!

Celeste Trading Art for Donations 22

Leesburg Lifestyle | June 2020

ARTICLE MELINDA GIPSON | PHOTOGRAPHY CELESTE LINTHICUM

CityLifestyle.com/Leesburg

23

24

Leesburg Lifestyle | June 2020

When it comes to finding and obtaining your next home, I would suggest these three words—“Listen to Dave!”

“My wife and I are very happy with our new house, and we would not be there if it were not for Dave. It came on the market and moved almost immediately, and Dave guided us through the process adeptly. We saved time and effort and the referrals that Dave gave were awesome. Kelly mentions that her favorite thing was how smooth the entire process was. There were no surprises and no stress-inducing events. If we had done this ourselves or used a less talented or experienced agent, we would not have been able to close on this home that we like so much. The whole process was easy, efficient, and most importantly, valuable.”

—David & Kelly, Homeowners TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT US AT: Pamela Jones, Inc. Direct: (703) 726-3409 Office: (703) 724-9494

Dave Jones, GRI Direct: (703) 726-3407 www.ETSellsFineHomes.com

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CityLifestyle.com/Leesburg

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IT’S BEEN SAID THAT STARS SHINE BRIGHT-

SHININGA LIGHT IN DARK TIMES

EST IN THE DARKEST SKY. That’s true of the guys

A SALUTE TO SOME OF OUR LOCAL HEROS

INSPIRED BY

ARTICLE MELINDA GIPSON PHOTOGRAPHY CELESTE LINTHICUM

we’ve chosen to spotlight this month for the courage, competence, creativity, compassion and conscience they’ve brought to Loudoun County just as our own spirits may have lagged.

dan doherty

At the end of March, The Loudoun County First

Dan Doherty and Sgt. Cathy Cottone Perform Their Check-Lists at the Start of Their Shift.

Responders Graduate Fire and EMS Training sent 81 new graduates to the front lines of keeping us safe. Dan Doherty from the Ashburn Volunteer Fire-Rescue Company, a newly minted EMT, was at the top of his class.

Asked why the 42-year-old IT professional and father of two decided to undergo the training just as his ambulance could be first on the scene of local COVID-19 cases, he said, “My kids were getting older and I’d been volunteering with them. I just wanted to do something meaningful in my community.”

To land top honors took a combination of excellent test scores, physical ability and trainers’ observations of how well recruits work with the rest of the class as a team. “I guess they found that I exhibited aspects of leadership that they were looking for,” Dan said grinning.

He’ll now be “precepting” -- essentially being trained by -- Sgt. Cathy Cottone, a 28-year old paramedic who famously delivered a baby during the “Snowmageddon” blizzard. When Dan receives Cathy’s stamp of approval, he’ll be able to serve as an Attending In Charge, or the responder in charge of any medical call. “I love what I’m doing,” he said.

26

Leesburg Lifestyle | June 2020

EMT AGE: 42

In the first six weeks of Virginia’s business shutdown,

Eric believes, “A lot of businesses are having to take a

Eric Byrd saw as many small business clients as he usually

hard look at themselves and decide whether it is worth

sees in a year at the Loudoun Small Business Development

continuing or not. Many will decide they can’t stay open

Center. Ordinarily, there’s a natural progression from

and they will close. The businesses that survive will be a lot

those just starting out to those moving on to one-on-one

stronger.” Being adaptable will be key, which is why deliv-

coaching. Now, all of a sudden, everyone wants to know

ering accurate information is so important. “As crazy as

the same thing: “How do I get government assistance and

it’s been the last couple of months, it has been extremely

what do I do in the meantime?”

gratifying and satisfying to help people.” He adds, “We’re

Business is always inherently uncertain and risky any-

seeing the best in people in a lot of ways. A lot of that is

way, but now many small business owners have to make

driven by concern that their business is around so people

tough decisions in the absence of any revenue at all, Eric

have a place to work.”

says. That creates a much higher level of anxiety and urgency for answers. “Our job is to be the calm voice in

See http://LoudounSBDC.com.

the storm. We want to share things that reduce the chaos.

There’s plenty chaos to go around.” SBDC does that by helping businesses set up processes to make their businesses sustainable – not solve all their problems for them

SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER, GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

eric byrd

AGE: 54

“A s c r a z y a s i t ’s b e e n t h e last couple of months, it has been ex treme l y grati f ying and satisf ying to h e l p p e o p l e .”

CONTINUED >

Eric Byrd, Keeping it Real

CityLifestyle.com/Leesburg

27

INSPIRED BY (CONTINUED)

dan haney Dan Haney, A New Breed of Farmpreneur

SHENANDOAH SEASONAL AGE: 34

Visiting Dan Haney at Shenandoah Seasonal farm in Boyce is literally a breath of fresh air. You know when someone is doing something they love – something so perfectly right – when happiness rolls off of their face like sunshine.

For Dan and his wife Ali, the journey to family farming began a world away, managing an orphanage for impoverished children in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Dan is from a local farming family, and had thought he’d like to farm someday, but his experience in the Peace Corps taught him not to wait to do with his life what would make him truly happy. For him, that meant working side by side with Ali, growing vegetables.

Her political science degree and his environmental science degree prepared Ali to chair the board of the Loudoun Valley Home-Grown Markets Cooperative and him to turn farming into a sustainable business, Dan says. Ironically, the constraints of quarantine led them away from the Leesburg Farmers Market to a more profitable way to sell their produce.

To eliminate waste, they now survey their crops weekly, and determine how many “shares” of produce they can harvest. They pre-sell and package the produce in salad or green bundles.

Customers get the best assortment available, and everyone gets enough of what they need. Their rich variety – around 30 different crops in any one season – has been built on personal taste and experience, which they’re happy to pass along.

“This week you might make bok choy and green garlic, because they go nicely together. You may never have eaten or know what green garlic is, but I’m going to show you. That’s entertaining for you, and it’s entertaining for me to explain how to cook things you’ll enjoy. Plus, it helps you avoid the grocery store for now.” (shenandoahseasonal.com/)

28

Leesburg Lifestyle | June 2020

Jack Azar appreciates having a large family, because

Working through Loudoun County Public School parent

he and his brother were orphaned in Jerusalem when he

liaisons, Jack has been able to identify some 300 families

was six. There he was raised in an evangelical orphanage

who can really use groceries either weekly or bi-weekly,

until he was adopted by an American family. Unhappy,

and he now distributes from one of his three local restau-

he ran away at 14 and has been on his own ever since.

rant locations weekly (Leesburg, Purcellville or South

Manhattan Pizza was founded by his in-laws in Ashburn in

Riding.) “The plan is to keep doing it until I can’t do it any-

1996, and purchased by him and his brother Essa in 2005.

more,” Jack said. “This gives me joy to do, because without

He’s always been generous – but lately, seeing so

the good of others, I’d have nothing. This is the time to

many neighbors out of work, he was led to do more.

For starters, if you’re an out of work restaurant worker, you can pick up a pizza for free, no questions asked.

raise our game. There are a lot of people who need things who are unable to help themselves. I know that for a fact because I was that kid.”

Knowing that the shutdown had left his supplier, US Food, with supplies they couldn’t sell, he agreed to buy milk, produce, chicken and lamb patties, whatever was on hand, for pennies on the dollar and packaged it up for local families.

“ This gives me joy to do, because w i t h o u t t h e g o o d o f o t h e r s , I ’d have nothing. Thi s i s the time to raise our game . “ Jack Azar and Family, Keeping Other Families Fed

jack azar MANHATTAN PIZZA AGE: 57 CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Leesburg

29

INSPIRED BY (CONTINUED)

jj sengpiehl JJ Sengpiehl just turned 9. For his birthday, he was saving up for a high-quality drone he could use for his interest in photography. Then, while watching Elton John’s “Living Room Concert for America,” JJ told his dad Jason that he’d rather donate the $100 in his piggy bank to help people out of work. “I have everything I need, Dad. Other people need it more,” he said. That simple act of generosity humbled others into doing more.

Jason works for Allstate, which had offered to match any employee contribution for local COVID19 efforts up to $500. It just made sense to kick in $400 to get the maximum matching funds, Jason Jason and JJ Admire a New Drone

said. When the request went through, William Simkins in Jason’s finance department decided to add another $500. Allstate matched both donations, turning JJ’s $100 into a cool $2,000.

Jason suggested giving the money to Tree of Life Ministries in Purcellville and Tree of Life was so touched that it asked its supporters if anyone had a lead on a drone for JJ. One was immediately supplied. Not only that, but friends of the ministry tapped their local Captain America to deliver the drone to JJ on his birthday, April 22nd. For his part, JJ was a little taken aback by the fuss. “I just did what I needed to.”

DRONE PILOT, PHILANTHROPIST AGE: 9 JJ Asks if He Can Borrow Captain America's Shield

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Leesburg Lifestyle | June 2020

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CityLifestyle.com/Leesburg 33

BACK STAGE

Stephen Wade Crounse of Good Old Country

L o n g i n g fo r LoCo LIVE ARTICLE JIM MAGNER

GOING OUT. It’s one of the central pleasures of life in Loudoun County and by the time you’re reading this it will have been denied us since St. Patrick’s Day. You could catch the occasional Scotty Puckett live performance on Liquid Loudoun Online’s Facebook page, or stream Will Shepard live from Harpers Ferry Brewing on a Friday night. Folk singer Andrew McKnight managed to release his album Treasures in my Chest, and celebrated with a ticketed “Live from My Living Room” online concert on May 1st.

That we’d happily pay an online cover is a tribute to how hungry we are for escape. Those of us going to church on YouTube are now thoroughly schooled on how to get the full stereo treatment through our connected TVs, and even Sir Elton John has dignified the living room set. But it’s no substitute for the live LoCo soundtrack.

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Leesburg Lifestyle | June 2020

Caleb Nei's artistry is Luxuriant, Photo Erin Gum

If we can find détente with social distancing, our summer music fare could blossom with everything from reggae festivals to blues, jazz, Latin and country music, and the Loudoun Symphony Orchestra.

Here’s a sample of what we’re looking forward to.

CALEB NEI Jazz? Yes, we have jazz. Local recording and performing artist Caleb Nei is an accomplished jazz pianist who can often be found playing in and around Loudoun County, as well as throughout the D.C. region.

Caleb started his music career playing piano for his church growing up in Indiana. He says he discovered Jazz while studying music at Huntington University and never looked back. He’s been playing and recording jazz and piano music for more than 20 years.

For several years, Caleb played at a piano bar on the weekends in Winchester, where he developed a local following. More recently, he’s been part of a number of higher profile music festivals and concert series. Caleb is in especially high demand during the holidays and is typically booked solid at venues like National Harbor.

His latest project, Luxuriant, has him excited. “It’s a series of recordings of ambient, electronic and neo-classical instrumental pieces that can be used and incorporated into other projects, whether it’s background music for another artist, or for television, film or commercial scoring.

I’ve been uploading a lot of music on music streaming services and it’s been picking up a lot of steam.”

He and his wife both are music teachers and Caleb is the volunteer music director for his church. “I hope people discover how much good is going on with music education in Loudoun, especially in the middle schools and high schools. Between the schools and the local university music programs and the military bands, we are blessed with a bounty of very high-caliber musicians.”

Catch Caleb at Lightfoot Restaurant, Travinia Italian Kitchen or at any number of jazz and music festivals, or check his website: https://calebneijazz.com/venues.

And, in the meantime, click the QR code for a Luxurant listen, http://www.luxuriantmusic.com.

MAX READING & THE DOGWOOD GOSPEL Mash up hard rock, gospel, folk and outlaw country and you get Max Reading and the Dogwood Gospel. Max spent years blasting out heavy metal music, but grew dissatisfied. Living in Falls Church he found it increasingly “political” to try to find gigs and was looking to grow.

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Leesburg 35

BACK STAGE (CONTINUED)

“ I p e r fo r m a s a s o l o a r t i s t a n d p l ay b a s s fo r t h e Willie White Band, so you never know who will show up at a gig and we regularly end up inviting artists t o s i t i n w i t h u s a t v e n u e s . ” - S t e p h e n Wa d e

In 2017, he connected with Loudoun-based drummer Kyle Jackson through Facebook. With the addition of Kyle’s childhood friend, bass guitarist Vic Alvarenga, the band began cutting their teeth on open mic nights.

Soon, they landed gigs around Loudoun County, playing largely for friends and family.

That all changed after a battle-of-the-bands competition in Alexandria led to an offer to record. A local producer donated some free studio time so they could record their first original song, “Old Friends.” Just as they were picking up steam, the Coronavirus hit. It “really caught us at the worst time.”

They’ve used their down-time to work on a full album, which they hope to release later this year at which point, “We’ll play anywhere and everywhere!” Max said.

Check out dogwoodgospel.com for their latest gigs.

GOOD OLD COUNTRY (STEPHEN WADE CROUNSE) Remember when Country Music used to sound like Max Readig & The Dogwood Gospel

country music? Once upon a time, C&W music was proudly unglamorous, and here in LoCo, you can still find the real thing. Stephen Wade Crounse has been keeping the spirit of country alive for 35 years with his rich baritone voice and his twangy guitar. He says, “Authenticity is the separator for Good Old Country. Anyone can sing a Johnny Cash song and a lot of people do, but I show up ... ready to bring folks back to a simpler time in life – to rediscover the love of classic country artistry.”

He loves the Loudoun Music Scene for its artistic collaboration. “I perform as a solo artist and play bass for the Willie White Band, so you never know who will show up at a gig and we regularly end up inviting artists to sit in with us at venues.” As a veteran he also likes to give back to other veterans. “I think it’s really important to serve others before serving myself, a trait I learned in the U.S. Army.”

Good Old Country performs at the Berryville Farmers Market Saturday, June 6, 8 a.m.-noon and at Loudoun Brew Company Saturday, June 13, on the Bandwagon from 6 p.m – 9 p.m. Other shows listed here: goodoldcountry.net.

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Leesburg Lifestyle | June 2020

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PHOTO BY CHRISTY KOSNIC PHOTOGRAPHY

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OPEN HOUSE FAMILY TIME IS SO MUCH BETTER WITH A THEATER STYLE ROOM.

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Leesburg Lifestyle | June 2020

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