All About Women Magazine July 2009

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Freedom 9/11 In NYC – Blowing Rock’s Kitty Lumpkin Was There Page 24

Don’t Miss

JULY 2009

The fireworks won’t be the only thing lighting up the sky on the 4th of July!

Adult & Child Orthodontists & Pediatric Dentists

(828) 264-0110 (828) 264-5450 www.opsmiles.com Board Certified, American Board of Orthodontics Board Certified, American Board of Pediatric Dentistry 373 Boone Heights Drive Nicole Scheffler, DDS, MS Boone, NC 28607 Board Certified, American Board of Orthodontics Michael Mayhew, DDS, MS, MS

2 JULY 2009

Stacy A Conn, DMD

Board Certified, American Board of Pediatric Dentistry

Martha Hardaway, DMD, MS

Board Certified, American Board of Pediatric Dentistry www.aawmag.com

Extraordinary AGING SKIN Women Unite!

Treatments

With the recent formation of the new women’s group, The League of Extraordinary Women (The LEW) in Boone, there is now a place for every woman in the High Country. After all, we’re all extraordinary.

Any questions?

The primary focus of The LEW is to create a place for young career-minded women to meet their like-minded peers, to socialize, support one another and give back to our community.

“I had joined other women’s organizations in town and they seemed to be mostly service based,” says co-founder, Candice Cook.

“We wanted to create a group that also organizes social activities and networking opportunities.”

Co-founder Jennifer Johnson had a similar experience. “I was incredibly involved with community agencies and women’s groups when I was a student at ASU. However, after graduating I realized that more and more of my friends were moving away and I did not have a place where I really felt like I belonged.”

With the creation of The LEW, young women have a place to build friendships, volunteer if desired, and meet others who are interested in simply hanging out, Candice says.

Among activities that the LEW has organized to bring young women in the High Country together are backyard croquet matches and game night. For those who want to give back to the community, the LEW is planning to adopt a stream to care for this summer.

“We want everyone to have a voice in our group,” Candice says.

“If someone has an idea for an activity or a cause they want us to support in some way, The LEW welcomes the input. For example, Jennifer really wants to start going back to the gym and doesn’t know anyone who wants to join her. She is going to bring her idea to the next LEW meeting and those interested in going to the gym can get involved.”

Some of the ideas the LEW members have proposed include a cookout this summer followed by a game of bocce and girls’ night out for movies and other outings.

To learn more about The LEW and its future activities, visit its blog at skiptothelew.blogspot.com. The LEW invites you to post your own ideas as well. To get on the e-mail list, send an e-mail to skiptothelew@yahoo.com.

Meetings are held the third Thursday of every month at 6 p.m.

Meeting locations vary, so check out the blog ahead of time. Skip to The LEW this summer to find a new activity or special cause in which to get involved.

Look your best at any age!

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828.268.0082 JULY 2009 3

Table of

Contents PUBLISHER Nancy Morrison nancy.morrison@averyjournal.com 828-733-2448 editor Sherrie Norris sherrie@aawmag.com 828-264-3612 ext. 251 MARKETING CONSULTANTs Jennifer Walker Bryan McGuire, Sue Moore, Crystal Owens, Sandy Russell, Amanda Swartz

Graphic Designer

Freedom In every issue 8 Women In Education 12 Parenting Page 14 Food & Entertainment 16 It’s A Woman’s Job 20 All About Crafts 24 Cover Feature: Kitty

Lumpkin

26 Minding Her Own Business 36 Bloom Where You Are

Planted

40 Heartfelt 42 Pet Page 43 By The Book 48 Mom’s World

PROFILES / FEATURES 3 Extraordinary Women Unite 6 A Beautiful Life 10 Blowing Rock Tour Of Homes 12 Childcare Workers Honored 17 Domestic Shelters Receive Donation 18 Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back!

22 Cancer Center’s Dr. Yvonne Mack 34 LMC Summer Theatre 35 The Only Way Is Up 38 Sleep In Comfort 39 Is Organic Worth The Price?

41 Free To Be Me! 44 More Behind The Cabinets 47 Artist Defines A Strong Woman 53 Lynn Lewis On The Cutting Edge

49 High Country Courtesies 50 You Go, Girl!

52 Cents & $ensibility 54 Young At Heart 55 Your Home 56 Healthy Lady 57 July Calendar 4

JULY 2009

ALL ABOUT MEN IN OUR LIVES 27 Introduction 28 Master Builder Steve Greene 30 Frank Vance, His Heart Is In The Highlands 32 Men About Town

Dan Johnston

Contributing writers Corrinne Loucks Assad, Genevieve Austin, June W. Bare, Christin Bland, Sherry Boone, Sharon Carlton, Bonnie Church, Yozette “Yogi” Collins, Heather W. Jordan, Tim Michaels, Gerry Morris, Vicki Randolph, Teri Wiggans, Heather Young

PHOTOGRAPHER Mark Mitchell Copy editing Danica Goodman

For advertising CALL 828-264-3612 Ask for Your Marketing Consultant Cover and contents page photos by Mark Mitchell (Contents page: Mountain Times Publication staff and family during Boone’s 4th of July Parade 2008.)

Any reproduction of news articles, photographs, or advertising artwork is strictly prohibited without permission from management. ©Copyright 2009 A Mountain Times Publication

www.aawmag.com

Nancy’s note...

When I think about the Fourth of July, I think of exciting parades with people lined up watching on both sides of the road, red watermelon juice running down the chins of children, marvelous booming and exploding fireworks lighting up the night sky, people cheering their candidates on in the frog-jumping contest, a wide variety of music Nancy Morrison performed by local musicians, patriotic speeches about Publisher and by hometown heroes, the sound of fire engine sirens screaming to delight the kids, the enjoyment of old friends meeting, and on and on.

My mind paints a picture of such wonderful hometown Americana that I can get all teary-eyed without half trying. And I’ll tell you a little not-so-wellkept secret: the scene in my mind actually takes place every Fourth of July in Avery County in the tiny town of Crossnore where Sherrie Norris and I both had the good fortune to grow up. The little town outdoes itself. I’ve never seen a better celebration, not even in all the years I lived in Charlotte and attended WBTV’s Sky Show.

Before you take me to task for mentioning the Crossnore celebration and not the others taking place all over the High Country, let me say I am aware of the many other fine town celebrations and, yes, you should attend any festivities in the town you call home just because it is more fun to celebrate with friends and family.

I always like to go to Crossnore for the Fourth because it is the town of my childhood, the town of many fond memories, and most of the other people who show up for the festivities there share that past with me. That common bond joins our common values to make the whole occasion so very special. And that bond, that feeling of town and country loyalty, pride, and patriotism is what the Fourth is all about. It is our affirmation of our independence, our celebration of our right to be free – free to govern ourselves, free to make our own laws and rules, free to vote in our leaders (and back out if we aren’t pleased with them!), and free to live life in a country where democracy is the standard and not just a wished for dream.

We are the luckiest people on earth. In spite of the depressed housing market, the crash and slow recovery of the stock market, the trillions of dollars in national debt, the rising costs of gasoline, and a myriad of other problems, we should celebrate our freedom and honor our country because, even with everything that is wrong, it is still the best place to live on the planet – absolutely, no doubt about it, not even up for argument.

The fine men who died in the Revolutionary War, who gave their lives so we do not have to answer to another country, believed in freedom and were willing to die for it. The men and women who have fought and died since then have felt the same patriotism. It is because of all those who have gone before us that our country is free of tyranny and dominance.

We continue to extend our freedoms and to change the world. A black man is sitting in the Oval Office today and a woman was one of the vice presidential candidates in the last election. Before too long, I expect to see a woman sitting in the Oval Office.

Today, we women are limited by only our imaginations. We are enjoying opportunities and achievements our mothers and grandmothers only dreamed about. The month of July is the time for us to really think about how important our freedom is and to take steps to preserve that freedom.

Grateful to be celebrating our freedom and our opportunities,

WELCOME www.aawmag.com

Sherrie’s note...

There is much excitement in the air as we anticipate celebrating our freedom as Americans. Nothing makes my heart swell with pride any more than the grand old flag blowing through the breeze on a hot summer day, a hometown parade and fireworks that light up the night sky at day’s end. Where we would be today Sherrie Norris without the foresight of our forefathers? What would Editor we be celebrating if things had turned out differently?

Do we appreciate what we have as Americans or do we take for granted that everything we need and desire will always be within arm’s reach?

As a youngster, I grew up when times were hard for my family, but the pressures and demands did not seem as great then as they are now. We didn’t have much, but somehow we managed to have what we needed. As I grew older, I began to understand what my mother meant about “robbing Peter to pay Paul.”

I marvel at how she, as the family bookkeeper, managed to stretch those meager dollars to feed and clothe our family. As adolescents, my three older siblings did custodial work at the school to buy their lunches. I was practically a kid when I started babysitting and I’ve worked ever since – sometimes holding two or three jobs at a time.

Things improved for me with time as new opportunities came my way. I’ve been truly blessed in recent years and fortunate to be living the American dream with enough resources to get by and some left over to help others. I will never forget those lean years and realize with today’s unstable economy, we could face hard times again with little warning.

My household, like many others, is taking more caution regarding spending habits and looking for ways to cut back and save what we can.

But, we still have closets full of clothing, our cupboards are not bare and we’re employed. Gardens are growing, we’re healthy, happy, and most of all, we’ve got family and faith. We’ve still got it made in America, folks.

If ever doubting, I will remember the challenges a friend recently experienced while ministering to the downtrodden in Paraguay, or of those returning to El Salvador to offer hope for the hurting, of those relinquishing vacations to help in the poverty-stricken areas of Peru. Or, a sight I will never forget as we “rich” Americans disembarked from our cruise ship on the coast of Honduras last year. Talk about a humbling experience! Those folks had no idea that my family had simply won our cruise. It didn’t matter to them. They were only concerned about the dollars we were leaving behind that might buy their next meal. Encouraged to haggle for lower prices on goods and services, I was not proud of myself at all as, sailing away to my free country, discounted tax-free souvenirs in hand, I looked back over the dark, depressed shoreline, tears in my eyes for those left behind.

I am also reminded of the young lad from Moldova we hosted in our home years ago, coming to us frail, curious and starved for attention and opportunity. He couldn’t get enough of anything. When given an apple, he ate core, stem and all. Ice cream? Devoured in seconds. He didn’t know what a toilet was. He was frightened, at first, by a shower. When he returned home six weeks later and 13 pounds heavier, we all cried.

Celebrating freedom and thankful for it –

We want to hear from you. E-mail us at comments@AAWmag.com.

JULY 2009 5

A Beautiful Life:

It All Begins In An Avery County Farmhouse

BY SHERRIE NORRIS Since childhood, Annie Rutenberg dreamed of living in a farmhouse. In 2005, she was afforded the freedom to make that dream come true.

She says there is nothing more American than a classic Colonial farmhouse nestled in the bucolic countryside.

“A farmhouse is, in essence, the quintessential icon of country style, evoking the emotions of a simpler time in American history. What inspires more fantasy and Ever since she was a romance than a home that has withstood the little girl, Annie dreamed of living in a farmhouse. elements in the glorious Blue Ridge Mountains for well over 100 years?”

Annie has a deep appreciation for these simple structures that have protected generation after generation of families while still standing proudly and beautifully.

“When I first saw this weather-beaten farmhouse in Avery County, it was love at first sight,” she says. “It was exactly the same feeling as falling in love with a person.” She says without a doubt that destiny brought her to that place and it is where she belongs. She admits being a bit obsessed about the house. How else do you explain the waves of emotions she feels as she goes from room to room and feels the nostalgia and love of generations past?

Bringing an old farmhouse back to life again resulted in a stunning view and dream come true for Annie Rutenberg.

According to the history books she perused at the Avery County Historical Museum in Newland, Wesley Franklin built the house in 1886.

“The original owner was either Lawson Franklin, Wesley’s father, or his brother-in-law, Joseph Carpenter, who was the postmaster of Altamont. What is now the living room served as the mailroom. Carpenter

6 JULY 2009

Annie and Sheba enjoy life in the country. had a young daughter, named Cozy, who delighted in handing the mail to the patrons. Before I ever found this book, I cannot tell you how many times I sat in the exact spot where the mail was stored and said out loud, ‘Don’t you feel cozy?’”

Annie made so many trips to the museum, she finally said to the volunteer there, “I bet you get a lot of people here looking for the history of their houses.” Surprisingly, the response was “No, actually, you are the first.”

Originally, Annie intended to enjoy the house during the summer months, but it became obvious early on that this was not to be the case.

The first winter as owner, since the house wasn’t winterized, Annie had no choice but to return to Florida. She describes having felt the same emotions one feels in a long distance relationship. She yearned to be back at the farmhouse.

She laughs as she talks about returning to her favorite beachfront café and ordering her favorite lobster salad sandwich, while “trying to get the feeling back” for Florida. “There were not enough lobster salad sandwiches in the world to stop the longing to be back in the mountains in Avery County in my beloved farmhouse!”

Annie has since made Avery County her permanent residence. She has established deep roots here and volunteers her time and expertise to benefit the local business community. Her greatest passion? “Bringing old houses back to life!” www.aawmag.com

She has discovered her niche, and currently has her eye on another rundown property and is eager to assist others who share her dream of preserving old homes. Just like the Beatles’ song, she says, she believes when it comes to old houses “the love you get is equal to the love you give.”

In her case, she feels very blessed to call her 1886 farmhouse home.

For those desiring a simple life, Annie and her highly qualified team (real estate professionals, builders, licensed plumbers and electricians) would be delighted to help turn dreams into reality. She would love to help others find their dream home, negotiate the price and assess (up front) the costs involved in preserving a piece of history for future generations. Annie knows that living a beautiful life begins at home – especially when it’s a farmhouse in Avery County.

Annie welcomes calls to House Whisperers at (828) 387-7790.

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JULY 2009 7

Women in Education|BY SHERRIE NORRIS

Deborah Miller

Deborah’s love for her hometown, coupled with her unwavering community spirit, has placed her in a favored position among her peers as well as with local students, parents, faculty and staff.

Last year, she was one of only eight school board members in the entire state named to the All State School Board by The NC School Boards Association. To be considered, one first has to have been nominated for the Raleigh Dingman Award, the highest honor available to a school board member in North Carolina.

Miller’s nomination came through the unanimous vote of her fellow board members with letters of support from members of the education and governing community.

Deborah is known for having a fair, open-minded approach for hard-to-tackle issues; her extensive work in helping get the new high school off the ground and to its current level of completion has been extraordinary.

“I’ve always had a special place in my heart for children and for the classroom,” she says. “As a young As a voice for faculty, staff, students and parents in Watauga County, Deborah child I wanted to play school more than anything Miller has a deep commitment for quality education. Photo by Mark Mitchell. else. When my daughters were young, they could not Currently in her second four-year term as a member of the Watauga understand why I was willing to play school with them County Board of Education, Deborah Miller has a proven track record but not play house or Barbies. For me, school was fun and house was of commitment to education. Prior to accepting her first seat on the work.” board five years ago, Deborah’s interest, involvement and passion Deborah and Joseph are known for making young people feel – in and for the school system – was evident through her serving as loved, accepted and encouraged. Their home has always been an classroom volunteer, teacher’s assistant, longtime member and leader open and welcoming safe haven for children and youth. in PTSO and the Watauga Education Foundation.

To be on schedule with her daughters, she left the corporate world In addition to serving on numerous committees through the BOE, to be a third-grade teacher assistant at Sardis Elementary (Charlotte), Deborah has accumulated over 200 hours of continuing education where she also received her bus license. since taking the board seat, far surpassing the required minimum Deborah has a great respect for teachers, administrators and of 12 per year. Her regular attendance at local and state meetings support staff for the various responsibilities they have and for what has been necessary for the new high school project, as well as for they accomplish on a daily basis, “not simply because I am a parent, personal interests. She has been involved with the Watauga County but as a participant (on a small scale) in the schools and now especially Youth Conference, the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program, as a board member with the ability to see an assortment of classrooms Citizens for Children, etc., and is often asked to speak at community and teaching styles, the amount of reporting and ‘red tape’ rules, and civic events. regulations, but most of all for the dedication in our Watauga County A native of Watauga County, Deborah and her family lived in Schools for our students.”

Atlanta and the Charlotte area before returning home. She and her Deborah realizes that everyone involved – bus drivers, custodians husband, Joseph C. Miller, II, recently celebrated 25 years of marriage and support staff, to administrators and teachers – plays an integral and are the proud parents of two daughters. Meghann, 22, works part of education. “We never know when or how we touch a life.” in radio sales (High Country Adventures – WATA, etc.) and as the She speaks fondly of her elementary school teachers, “especially camera girl for Scrambled Squares and Ashley, 21, is an aspiring Mrs. Daisy Adams, Mrs. Lucy Luther, Mrs. Margaret Hagaman, among pastry chef. others, and the way they made me feel special – that I was important Deborah is also involved in the family business at Cheap Joe’s Art to them and they expected me to learn – to do my best.”

Stuff in Boone, works part-time at Austin & Barnes Funeral Home of It is Deborah’s desire that each student who comes through Boone and has served in her church as teacher, leader, counselor, and Watauga County Schools knows and feels the same. “They are so much more.

8 JULY 2009

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important, too, not because of what they do or accomplish, but simply because they are! I want them to know they hold within them the potential to do or become whatever they desire. It may take different amounts of time for each of us to reach our goals, but goals should be set and can be met.”

The new Watauga High School is and has been a passion of Deborah’s since she decided to run for a seat on the school board.

“We are and have been so very fortunate to have community members and a Board of Commissioners that support public education. Many people and school systems do not have that backing and literally have to fight for bare minimum funding. However, here, within 14 months, we will realize a dream come true with the opening of our new WHS.” Designed and built for future flexibility, Deborah says, the school is a fine example of LEED building. “As one of the first high schools in the state to achieve this level of certification, it shows our commitment to natural resources and community.”

When asked about current obstacles, Deborah says the biggest, right now, is the budget. “As we know in all areas of our lives, it is truly difficult to make ends meet. That is particularly complex when, as we receive deep cuts from federal and state entities, we have to consider cuts that may eliminate positions.”

Cutting a position, Deborah says, is very personal. “Here, it is an actual person, not just a name or number, and many students will be directly affected.”

When contemplating running for her board seat, she did not have a clear picture of the overall responsibility of the board nor the amount of work entailed. “The magnitude of reading, e-mails, visits

to schools, continuing education, employee and parent appeals and meetings sometimes overwhelms me, but I try to always remember that somewhere, sometime, a child or employee may benefit from what I do.”

Estimating the amount of time she devotes to school issues is nearly impossible. “I don’t keep up with it. I make my schedule fit what’s needed and push personal items back, or out, to accommodate.”

She says, “I owe a huge thank you and debt of gratitude to my family and to Mike, to Carolyn and Bob [at Austin & Barnes Funeral Home and Crematory] for allowing me time during business days to do my BOE work and for the support they give me.”

While it probably seems like an odd fit, she says, to work at the funeral home, her husband Joseph has a degree in funeral service and worked in the business before coming home. Having helped Joseph in school and learning various parts of the funeral business, she is a perfect fit, taking care of the office, greeting families and sometimes simply crying and offering hugs of comfort, too.

In an odd twist of fate, or perhaps by God’s design, she says, seven students have passed away during her time on the board. “The passing of a young person hurts in such an unusual way; I think our society somewhat expects or accepts easier the death of an adult rather than that of a child, though both are difficult.”

When she can find free time, Deborah enjoys reading, spending time with family and her latest venture –– motorcycle riding with Joseph.

Deborah sees Watauga County as a unique place and one that makes her truly fortunate to call it home.

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JULY 2009 9

51st Annual Tour of Homes Returns To Blowing Rock The 51st Annual St. Mary of the Hills, Blowing Rock Tour of Homes two years ago by Monica and Chip Perry. They have been able to is scheduled for Friday, July 24. This one-day event is sponsored by remodel and redecorate it completely, giving it their own style. Today the Episcopal Church Women (ECW) of St. Mary of the Hills Episcopal it has an “Old World” styling and is richly decorated with beautiful Parish. Although it is sponsored by the ECW, the event would not fabrics, reproductions and antiques, many of which are mementos of happen without the many community volunteers who donate their the Perrys’ travels. The house was built in 1946 as a second home time to help. for J. E. and Satie Broyhill. It became known as “the house where Located on the corner of Main and Chestnut streets in Blowing President Nixon spent the night” when he was entertained by the Rock, the church will serve as the central location for the tour, Broyhills. The spectacular views of John’s River Gorge from the expansive decks are not to be from which transportation will be missed! provided to the four tour homes.

A second home, The Generation The first car will leave at 9 a.m. and the last at 2 p.m. The tour is usually Gap, on Green Hill Road, was less crowded between noon and 2 bought by Chris Albertson and p.m.

Joe Coyne in 2005. They lived Tickets for the tour are $25 in it for a year, and then began a 3-year renovation/updating each and may be purchased at project to make it their own. First the Blowing Rock Chamber of came a new exterior and new Commerce, at the church office, windows, then a new kitchen or on the church lawn the day of and finally all new bathrooms. the tour. Only cash and checks are Today, The Generation Gap accepted for tour purchases. looks and feels like a brand new Complimentary parking and house. It is tastefully decorated trolley shuttle service to town in a sophisticated manner mixing will be provided from the Hayes simple contemporary upholstery, Performing Arts Center on the 321 Bypass. The trolley will depart Tour of Homes committee: Front Row: Jane Milner, Betty Green, Judy wonderful works of art, and every 20 minutes from 8:30 a.m. Gloster, tour co-chair; Back Row: Gary Gloster, Annie Hellen Thomas, reproductions along with genuine until 1:30 p.m. The last return Greta Wilson, Bo Henderson, Debbie Jones, Beth Church, Helen Fabry, antiques. Warm and comfortable, trolley will depart from town to the Will Merrill, Judy Domer, Tour of Homes chair, Nancy Hutcheson, tour a perfect weekend getaway, the Hayes Performing Arts Center at co-chair. Not shown: Sterling Hutcheson, JoAnn Hallmark, Craig Church, temptation to give it a typical Joyce Gibson, Alice Roess, Susan Morgan, Iris Caldwell, Pam Ayoub. “mountain house” décor was 4:00 p.m. avoided.

Box lunches, donated by The Best Cellar, will be available for $10 each in St. Mary of the Hills The third house, Tall Pines II, is a newly remodeled Mayview Parish Hall from 11 a.m. until they are sold out. cottage owned by Alice Roess. It can best be described as a small Tents on the Parish lawn will house the silent auction featuring gem! As a longtime renter in Blowing Rock, Alice could not resist quality items donated by local individuals and businesses, with bidding purchasing and renovating this cottage on one of the most convenient ending sharply at 3 p.m., as well as the Golden Needle, which features streets in Blowing Rock, Wonderland Trail. While the beautifully irresistible handcrafted items for babies and beyond, and the food decorated interior features some of her very special Chinese antiques tent with scrumptious homemade goodies. Note cards created from brought back from her many trips to China, the large lot that backs photos of floral arrangements in the homes on the Tour last year will up to the Glen Burney Trail has been spectacularly landscaped by the be available for $12 for a packet of six. These were beautifully crafted owner herself, an avid gardener. Multi-leveled decking and an inviting over the winter months by one of our parish couples. Docents will be pergola provide a place to relax and entertain. available from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. to answer any questions about the Finally, the fourth house is Do-hi Cottage, a new Timber Creek famous historic church. Of special interest is the Elliott Daingerfield home. Peggy and John Carlson have created a house that is a study in painting, “The Madonna of the Hills.” personal interests and pastimes. Peggy, an interior designer, designed Homes On Tour the house with the help of an architect friend. She personally decorated The 51st Tour of Homes will feature four magnificent Blowing the three-level, five-bedroom house, using personal collections of old Rock homes. Timbertops, a Wonderland Trail home, was purchased prints, antique maps, and many of her own charming paintings as 10 JULY 2009

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well as those of other artists. John helped Peggy with the refurbishing and refinishing of antiques and furniture, and then added his own unique perspective to the house with his many hunting trophies. Do-hi (pronounced doe-hee) is Cherokee for Peaceful Cottage.

Patron’s Party The Patron’s Party will be held the night prior to the tour at the home of Sharon and Bill Battaglia in Blowing Rock. Tickets are $150 per person and space is limited. Call the church office at (828) 2957323 for additional information.

The Tour of Homes is a community effort and proceeds from the tour will be distributed to church and community outreach programs.

For more tour information, please call St. Mary of the Hills Episcopal Church (828) 295-7323.

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JULY 2009 11

Parenting Page| BY SHERRIE NORRIS

Childcare Workers Honored At 5th Annual Provider’s Banquet assisted in providing training and physical activity programming for the childcare providers. Greg Cox of Cox Fitness, Paul Broyhill Wellness Center, and Mabel Elementary School also joined in to provide a “Biggest Mover” program designed by the Be Active-Appalachian Partnership.

Much of the initiative’s long-term success hinges on the idea that providers are important role models and that healthier and happier workers will provide better care.

The participants included: Greenway Child Development Center, Lynnhill Daycare, Merry Land Academy, Precious Gifts Home Care, Rainbow Preschools 1 and 2, Small Blessings Home Care, Small Ones Home Care, Someplace Special Home Care, Sugar Grove Developmental Day School, Western TLC Head Start and Watauga Head Start.

Staff members of the ASU Child Development Center were among the 150 people honored at the recent providers banquet. Photo by Sherrie Norris.

Approximately 150 individuals – the majority of whom were women – were recognized for their efforts during the recent 5th Annual Provider’s Banquet at Broyhill Inn and Conference Center, sponsored by the Watauga County Children’s Council.

The banquet is a way for the WCCC to say thanks each year to those individuals who, from their home or public setting, give their time, talent and compassion to care for area children.

Among WCCC staff involved in the event, recently named executive

Childcare providers respond to breathing exercises and techniques for improved stress management, as suggested by Suzi Woodard, LPC, of the Blue Mountain Center for the Healing Arts.

Photo by Sherrie Norris.

Jennifer Greene, left, and Lee Marshall, right, played a big part in the successful outcome of the Childhood Obesity Prevention Grant and 5th Annual Provider’s Banquet. Photo by Sherrie Norris. director, Doris Mattraw, provided welcoming remarks with appreciation extended to each caregiver present “for taking care of our most precious natural resources.”

Lee Marshall, WCCC Child Care Resource & Referral Director, recognized the 12 childcare centers that participated in the grant-funded program known as NAP-SAAC (Nutrition and Physical Activity SelfAssessment for Child-Care), which supports healthy lifestyles for young children and their families. The Be Active-Appalachian Partnership 12 JULY 2009

Jennifer Greene, health department educator, who wrote the Childhood Obesity Prevention Grant and led its task force, said, “Every childcare center improved in every single area. That is amazing.”

Among those care providers who took the challenge to heart, Ashley McIntyre and Jennifer Kerhoulas were awarded for their efforts and named winners of the Biggest Mover contest, having experienced a combined weight loss of 42 pounds.

“Biggest Movers” originally had their body mass index and other measurements taken, and then the statistics were compared after three months in the program.

At the banquet, Marshall announced that while the grant money has been successfully utilized and the funds are now exhausted, the Wellness Center has agreed to provide a discount for childcare workers who want to continue their memberships.

Suzi Woodward, LPC, of the Blue Mountain Center for the Healing Arts, gave a presentation during the event regarding stress management and demonstrated helpful techniques, including deep-breathing exercises and tips on ways to effectively organize stressors.

A consumer link for those who need tools to help them learn how to eat smart and move more is available at: www. myeatsmartmovemore.com. www.aawmag.com

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Mr. Walker is also licensed to practice in Tennessee and has an office in Mountain City. He has been licensed to practice in Florida since 1980 and is Board Certified in Civil Law there. Ms. DiVenere is a graduate of Duke University (cum laude) and University of North Carolina School of Law (high honors).

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JULY 2009 13

Food & Entertainment

Family Funfest and Healthy Cooking Contest Bring Out The Best The “Local Favorite Winner,” voted on by community members passing through the mall during the event, was the mother-daughter team of Sarah and Kylah (age 6) Jackson of Boone with their delectable No See Um Cookies.

Named “Celebrity Judges Favorite” was Spinach Basil & Tomato Pesto, created and prepared by WHS culinary student Sarah Connell of Boone.

The panel of judges for the event included Sen. Steve Goss; Rep. Cullie Tarleton; Ray Russell from Ray’s Weather; and Sherrie Norris, food columnist for Mountain Times Publications and editor of All About Women of the High Country magazine. The judges agreed that the selection was very difficult because each entry was not only very tasty, but also healthy, simple and inexpensive to prepare.

Sherrie Norris said, “These are the key elements that most cooks are looking for in light of today’s economy and busy lifestyles. We need food that does not require a lot to time or money to prepare, as well as something that’s healthy for our families and, of course, it’s got to be visually appealing Health department staff members who helped coordinate Family Funfest at Boone Mall: L - R: Kristin Millsaps, lead school nurse; Beth Fornadley, health educator; Shelly Klutz, school before most people will even try it.” nurse; Jennifer Bryan-Greene, health promotion supervisor; Juliana Whitaker, childhood Competing along with Connell and the Jacksons were fellow finalists, Faith Haywood from Boone; obesity prevention demonstration project assistant. Photo by Sherrie Norris.

Elias Goebeler, 8, from Todd; and creating a bit of Boone Mall recently hosted a Family FunFest and Community Healthy sibling rivalry were Eden Martin, 8, and her brother, Cooking Contest, a combined wrap-up event celebrating the success Daniel, 14, both of Boone. of The Childhood Obesity Prevention Demonstration Project that Norris added, “There was something about each one of the entries has involved numerous partners focused on improving health in and that I liked – taste, texture, appearance, nutritional value, etc. It was around Watauga County. the most difficult assignment I’ve had in a long time, but I was honored Made possible though a $400,000 grant, many projects have to participate.” been accomplished through pooled resources and a combined passion Norris said she to make a difference,” said Jennifer Bryan Greene, Health Promotion was especially pleased Supervisor at Appalachian District Health Department. to see the number of Feeling “really encouraged and energized,” Jennifer said one of young people involved. the most positive aspects of the project was seeing a passionate group “They seemed very of people come together with a commitment for positive community knowledgeable about the change. food they had prepared.

While the Family FunFest kept things hopping outside with air While they might have walks for all ages, a giant rock wall, giant slide, obstacle course, received some pointers moonwalk, a Hula Hoop contest and more, things were heating up from Mom or Dad, it was inside the mall’s center court for six anxious finalists in the cooking very clear that they knew contest. what they were doing and Having been chosen from a pool of 40-plus original contestants, why. They all had just the finalists served samples of their recipes to mall shoppers and the right answers for the judges, with two top winners walking away with $100 gift cards to questions we asked.” the Boone Mall.

14 JULY 2009

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Thanks to program coordinators and contestants, we are proud to present the two winners and their recipes:

Judge’s Winner Sarah Connell with judges, Sherrie Norris, Ray Russell, Local Favorite Winner Sarah and Kylah Jackson with judges.

Steve Goss, Cullie Tarleton.

Spinach/Basil/ Tomato Pesto Ingredients: • 1 8-oz box whole-wheat fettuccini pasta • ½ cup olive oil • 1 clove fresh garlic, chopped • ½ shallot, diced • ½ cup fresh spinach • ¼ cup fresh basil, packed • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice • ½ cup sun - dried tomato, softened • ¼ tsp. pepper • ¼ cup unsalted cashews • ½ cup grated Parmesan

Instructions: 1. In food processor, or blender, add olive oil, chopped garlic and shallot.

2. Add spinach, basil and lemon juice. Pulse until chopped.

3. Add sun - dried tomatoes and pepper. Pulse.

4. Add cashews and Parmesan. Pulse again.

5. Serve over whole-wheat pasta!

Recipe submitted by: Sarah Connell www.aawmag.com

No See Ums – No Bake Cookies Ingredients: 1/8 cup wheat germ (heaping) 4 Tbsp. soy/rice or cow’s milk (skim) 1½ tsp. ground flax 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder (heaping) 1 cup quick oatmeal 1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter 1½ tsp. vanilla

Instructions: 1. Heat milk, sugar and cocoa powder until boiling.

Add flax.

2. Take off heat and stir in vanilla and peanut butter until melted.

3. Stir in wheat germ and oatmeal.

4. Roll small balls (use a melon baller) and place on wax paper.

Recipe submitted by: Sarah and Kylah Jackson JULY 2009 15

It’s A Woman’s Job|BY YOZETTE “YOGI” COLLINS

Vonnie Smith Is The Power Behind The Flowers While Vonnie Smith makes her home across the state line in Laurel Bloomery, Tennessee, she spends much of her time adding a touch of beauty to Boone and surrounding areas. You might say she meandered onto her career path the way some people wander through a garden, and the description would be quite fitting.

While working as activities director at Glenstone Health Care, Vonnie had a deep love for the residents with whom she worked and always sought ways to add quality to their lives.

It was important to her that they were able to maintain their independence as much as possible and to do things they enjoyed doing.

“The residents said they wanted to garden,” she says. “I told them I didn’t know how to garden and they said, ‘That’s okay, we’ll give you lessons if you’ll get the supplies.’ That’s how I got into gardening.”

Vonnie soon realized she preferred working outside in the garden rather than spending her Vonnie Smith is often seen maintaining her flowerbeds at various locations in and around entire day inside. She enrolled in the Master Boone. Photo by Yozette “Yogi” Collins.

Gardener Training Program through the NC and Wintergreen Farm’s customers is important to Vonnie. And that Cooperative Extension and, following completion, began her “flowerscaping” company, Flower Power. Thirteen years the plants originate in the High Country is a good selling point, too. later, she is proud to have many of the same clients with which she “Some people think that makes them better because they are used to this climate.” started.

“I’m a different kind of landscaper,” Vonnie says. “I don’t do The climate may have something to do with it, but it could also be different jobs all the time; I usually work for the same people over and that Vonnie talks to and plays music for her plants.

“I don’t know that they can hear any of that, but for some reason over again.”

If Vonnie’s passion for flowers and plants led her to her niche in it makes it seem nicer in the greenhouse to have music on. Classical life, it also led her to her husband Simon, owner of Wintergreen Farm in the morning, bluegrass in the afternoon, rock at night,” she says in Laurel Bloomery. Drawn to each other by a mutual love for the bursting into laughter. “You think I’m kidding, but I’m not!” outdoors and a strong work ethic, Vonnie and Simon met and soon And if you do not have a green thumb? “Some of the most important things about gardening are that you enjoy it and are married. As their lives merged, so did their businesses, in a way.

“I didn’t want to let go of Flower Power because I had started it passionate about the plants,” Vonnie says. “They are living things and and was proud of it, so I kept it as a separate entity. I buy my flowers you are going to be taking care of them. If you love them, you’re more likely to take good care of them. Also, don’t give up if something from Wintergreen Farm.”

But, while Vonnie and Simon operate two separate businesses, doesn’t work. You just have to work with it [the problem] and not give they work as a team. Spring and summer are spent growing and selling up.” flower and vegetable plants; fall and winter focus on Christmas trees It’s not uncommon to see Vonnie, the power behind her flowers, and wreaths. The combination allows Wintergreen Farm to operate digging in the dirt on King Street in the middle of summer as she brings a touch of beauty to Boone. If not there, she’s most likely year-round and allows Vonnie to continue learning about plants.

“You never know it all. I’m constantly learning. I have customers at Wintergreen Farm in Laurel Bloomery, open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m. – 6 p.m. Call (423) 727who come to the greenhouse and tell me about plants.”

And that is fine with her. Growing quality plants for her clients 2593 for more information.

16 JULY 2009

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L - R: Representing OASIS, Rebecca Gummere – receives a check for $8,327.04 from Ken and Kristin Sevensky.

Relays Raise Money Through Avon Foundation For Local Domestic Abuse Shelters Many people think of Avon as the cosmetics and skincare company that is as close as your front door (or nowadays, as close as your computer). But few may know of Avon’s ongoing efforts to increase awareness about and raise funds to combat domestic violence. Between 2006 and 2008, Avon donated over $820,000 in funding to support agencies and organizations working to end domestic violence through the Avon Foundation’s “Need for Speed to End Domestic Violence” campaign.

Locally, Ken and Kristin Sevensky, who own Gum Ridge Mill & Flying Pig Furniture in Fleetwood, have worked beyond their busy schedules to do their part in the community. Ken and Kristin direct two events: The Black & Blue Double Century Cycling Relay in July and The Blue Ridge Relay, a 200-mile team running relay in September, both of which are part of the national Avon Foundation’s “Need for Speed” campaign.

Participants in these local relays raised money for the Avon Foundation during their preparation for these 200-mile-plus races that began in Grayson County, Virginia and ended in Asheville. The funds were then passed along to local shelters. Over $16, 500 was raised by these two events in 2008 and, combined with contributions in 2007, over $22,500 has been raised and donated to Western North Carolina domestic abuse organizations.

Both OASIS (Opposing Abuse with Service, Information, and Shelter), Inc. and ASHE (A Safe Home for Everyone) were recipients of a generous donation from the Avon Foundation via these two events. Funds go to help support services such as short-term crisis counseling, referrals, legal and medical advocacy, operations at the confidential shelters, and outreach and education.

For more information about OASIS, call (828)264-1532 or go online to www.oasisinc.org. The 24-hour crisis line number is (828) 262-5035. In Ashe County, contact ASHE (A Safe Home for Everyone) at (336) 982-8851 or go to www.ashechildren.org/ashe.html. The ASHE crisis line number is (336) 246-5430. For more information on The Black & Blue or The Blue Ridge Relay, call (336) 877-8888 or go online to www.blackandbluerelay.com and www.blueridgerelay.com www.aawmag.com

JULY 2009 17

Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back!

BY VICKI RANDOLPH Celebrate, remember, fight back: the three-fold purpose of the Relay for Life, the signature event of the American Cancer Society held in more than 5,000 communities in 20 different countries around the world. More than 3 million people join in the fight each year as they walk or run with team members to raise much needed funds to fight cancer and raise awareness.

The upcoming event in Ashe County marks 14 years in which local residents have joined to show their support for those battling cancer and to honor those who have been lost to the devastating disease. The theme for this year’s event is, “We’re All in This Together.”

Cancer is indiscriminate and knows no boundaries. Nearly every person is affected by it, its effects spreading from the person who has it to their family, friends, coworkers, neighbors and everyone they know. That’s why this year’s theme rings particularly true, because we really are all in this together.

The Ashe Relay will take place at the high school track on Friday, July 17. The luminaria ceremony, which takes place after dark, truly is a somber experience, as enough names circle the track to light up the night. But other than some emotional moments, Relays traditionally are a very festive time full of fun and positive support.

There are games and activities for children, loud music for all ages to dance to, creative fundraisers by each team and food to fuel the walkers. And for the brave at heart, there’s usually a wild limbo contest and conga line to join in, too. Of course, this long awaited, year-long-in-the-making event doesn’t happen magically. There are plenty of women behind the scenes!

Lisa Bottemly is the community manager for the American Cancer Society in the High Country. She is an eight-year Relay participant in Ashe, and she is also a cancer survivor. Lisa works hard and relays because she wants to give hope to others. As a young mother of two, she found herself fighting her battle when her son was just a baby.

She now relays to give others the encouragement and strength to fight back just as she did.

DeAnna Lewis was at her first Relay to support her parents and sister who have all battled cancer. When she saw the three of them walking the first lap, also known as the Survivors Lap, it really hit home.

“I thought to myself, I am going to do more,” she says. And has she ever! She is now addicted to being a part of the Relay for Life committee. “It will change your life when you get involved,” she says as she encourages others to volunteer.

DeAnna wants to remind folks that cancer is no longer a death sentence—there is hope. The more people who relay, raise money, volunteer and help, the closer we are to finding a cure for every cancer patient.

“This has been a hard year,” she says when referring to the current economic situation. “Even if you can’t donate money, you can still donate your time.”

The Road to Recovery program always needs volunteers to drive neighbors to doctors’ appointments and treatments. The Relay for Life committee is in need of help with planning and fundraising year round. The Look Good Feel Better program is designed to teach 18 JULY 2009

female cancer patients beauty tips to help them feel better about themselves during chemotherapy and radiation treatments. The list goes on and on. There is always a place to fill a need, even if you don’t have the means to make a monetary donation, your time is just as valuable in the fight against cancer.

Karen Powell heads up the Skyline Telephone team. “I don’t care where or how it’s found, just as long as a cure is found,” she gives as the reason why she walks.

Mary Joe Black is another committee member whose life has been affected by cancer. Her husband is a cancer survivor, too. “Being a relayer is near and dear to my heart, because I want a cure to be found,” she says. “Relay is the greatest opportunity for us to help find a cure.”

Amy Dollar relays to honor her father and two uncles who have passed away because of cancer, but when asking herself why she truly walks, her answer is easy. “When I look in the rear view mirror and see the two most precious things God has ever given me, that’s when I realize, I never want my children to have to hear the words, ‘you have cancer.’ I want a cure to be found for this terrible disease.”

More women than space allows us to mention help make the Ashe Relay for Life a success. Their time and efforts have a huge impact.

Plan to celebrate the victories over cancer, remember those we’ve lost, and most importantly, fight back. Walk a few miles, donate a few dollars, offer a hug or word of encouragement. We are all in this together.

Ashe County Relay for Life will be held July 17 at Ashe County High School in West Jefferson.

A Hat For Hope And Healing

BY VICKI RANDOLPH It’s a story of hurt as well as hope and healing, one all too familiar to too many families and friends. It’s the story of cancer and the countless people it affects. Everyone knows someone who has fought the fight or had a brush with the disease. Just the word itself — cancer — elicits fear. Many tears have been shed over such a small little word; many lives have been lost. But many stories of triumph and courage have also risen from the six-letter malignancy.

Nancy Ikeler’s story has it all: love, lost and found, and the strong, unbreakable bonds of friendship. As a member of the Relay For Life AF Bank Team, Nancy’s life was forever changed by cancer. Her mother, Katherine Lois DuBois, fought breast cancer from 1977 until 1986. It was a long battle, which she ended up losing after a valiant fight. “Her surgeries were brutal and mutilating; her treatments were poisoning, and they did not cure,” Nancy says.

More than twenty years later, Nancy has found a good friend named Pollie Weaver in Ashe County, who has also become personally www.aawmag.com

familiar with cancer, not once or even twice, but three times in the last few years.

“I decided to do something to remember my mother and to honor my dear friend Pollie,” says Nancy. “Pollie’s surgeries were also brutal. It’s 2009 and we still need a cure that does not mutilate and does not poison.”

That’s why she hopes to help find a cure. By raising money to aid in the research and pursuit of a cure, Nancy is a vital part in society’s goal to end the horrible disease.

Among countless and creative ways of raising money for the American Cancer Society, Nancy’s is one of the most unique.

As a fan of knitting, felting and other fiber arts, she is a regular at the Spin-A-Yarn store on West Jefferson’s Backstreet, where she came to know and love Pollie, the store owner’s mother. It is also where she came up with the idea of making a hat—not just any hat, but a “cowgirl-up-for-thecure” hat.

Nancy spent many hours knitting and felting the pink Nancy accessory to have it completed in time for last year’s auction at Ashe Relay For Life. It was made from 100% wool donated by the staff at Spin-A-Yarn, fashioned from a cowgirl hat design by Pat Feeley of Colorado, then simply adapted to fit her cause.

The hat was adorned with three breast cancer awareness charms from Backstreet Beads in West Jefferson. “Michelle (the shop’s owner) carries all of the cancer charms,” she says. “I chose a pink ribbon in honor of my mom, a survivor ribbon for Pollie, and one for the back to represent the cure.”

and Pollie have become good friends through Relay For Life.

Nancy’s hat raised $100 for her team. The high bidder gave the hat to Pollie in whose honor it was created. It’s a gift she treasures and still wears proudly.

“It was real healing to work on it,” Nancy says. And hopefully, healing will come to the one who wears it. Nancy also hopes the prayers she whispered while she was knitting the pink cowgirl hat will continue to help bring about hope and a cure for all who battle the disease.

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JULY 2009 19

All About Crafts| BY NANCY MORRISON

Celebrate July With Stars And Hearts

Take a jaunt into wearable art with this nifty tee shirt that can be worn to celebrate the Fourth and then worn the rest of the summer as a colorful top.

Materials needed: White tee shirt (pre-washed) Fabric paint in red, blue, gold and silver Sponge star and heart shapes or kitchen sponge to cut Instructions: Pre-wash the tee shirt to remove the sizing because the paint will adhere better. When the shirt is dry, place a piece of cardboard or a sheet of plastic inside the shirt so the paint will not bleed through to the back of the shirt.

I found sponge shapes in the craft section at Wal-Mart and I also found heart and star stencils that could be used if you prefer. The sponges come in a number of shapes and there were several sizes of hearts and stars. If you can’t find the sponge shapes, use the patterns to cut a regular kitchen sponge into a heart and a star shape.

Pour some red paint into a paper plate and dip the heart-shaped sponge into the paint. Be sure the whole side is evenly covered so the sponge, which is being used as a stamp, will print evenly on the shirt.

(A few unprinted areas will add to the homemade look of the design, but try to print as evenly as you can.) Allow the sponge to rest on the 20 JULY 2009

shirt and gently press all around the edges. Lift slightly to see if you have missed some spots and, if you have, carefully replace the sponge and press again. Repeat with the star-shaped sponge and the blue fabric paint.

When you have a pleasing arrangement of hearts and stars on your shirt, take the gold fabric paint bottle (make sure it is one with a nozzle) and lightly run a squiggly line from each shape down to the same point near the bottom of the shirt as through the shapes are balloons and the lines are the strings. As a final touch to add a little glitter, make sets of three tiny dots with the silver fabric paint as various places around the design and also add some gold circular squiggles (see picture).

Small mistakes can be gently scraped off with a knife and lightly wiped with a damp cloth. For bigger mistakes, it is best to wash the shirt immediately, dry and start over. If the paint dries, it cannot be washed out, however.

Let the shirt dry for 24 hours before wearing. After 72 hours, the shirt can be washed. Just don’t let it soak in water for a long period of time. It can be machine washed and dried, as long as you dry it promptly. www.aawmag.com

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www.dralanlazar.com JULY 2009 21

Dr.Yvonne Mack, second from right, is pictured with staff members at the Cancer Center. Left to Right: Melanie Thomas, Pace Brittain, Heather Osborne, Eric Cubbage, Marjorie Hrozencik. Not shown: Holly Fletcher, Melissa Dooley, Jim Sanders, Harry Sanders, Dana Holman

Dr. Yvonne Mack: Offering Support And Encouragement at Local Cancer Center

BY JUNE W. BARE

A diagnosis of cancer suggests terror and hopelessness in the minds of many people and a cancer center may be portrayed as a depressing place. That image is dispelled as one enters the doors to the Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center at Watauga Medical Center in Boone.

The large window shows a pleasant view from the waiting room, the furniture is comfortable, bright and cheery, and a jigsaw puzzle is spread out on a table beneath the TV. A cheerful receptionist greets everyone by name. Dr. Yvonne Mack, the Medical Director at the center, adds to the welcoming atmosphere, as one’s first impression of her is that of an attractive, very energetic young woman, who must have been committed to medicine early in life. It’s surprising to learn that medicine was her second career.

A hint of a southern drawl confirms her Mooresville, NC roots. She completed undergraduate studies in business and accounting at Chapel Hill. She says, “I grew up working in my father’s clothing store in retail all my life, even while I was in medical school. I thought I’d be in the business for some time.”

She had long dreamed of a career in medicine, but she thought it was too long a road. Later, while working in her father’s business as bookkeeper, she said to herself, “I’m a girl of twenty-five, and I can be thirty-five and doing what I want to do and not working for somebody else.” She pursued medical school and began that long road toward 22 JULY 2009

becoming a physician.

A significant event that prompted her to pursue a career in cancer treatment was the death (from complications from cancer treatment) of an aunt for whom she was named. Although she had an undergraduate degree, it was necessary to take further studies in pre-med, which included cancer research. When the time came for a decision for a specialized field, she knew she wanted to be specialist in cancer. Initially, women’s cancer issues attracted her; however, her final decision was radiation cancer treatment. “This way,” she says, “I could work with all kinds of cancer patients and not just certain types.”

She attended Bowman Gray School of Medicine, now Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and did her residency at the University of Florida, where she remained on staff. After she married and started her family, she returned to NC to join an oncology group in Charlotte.

When the group decided to expand to Boone, she was given the opportunity to move. “So that is how lucky me got this job.”

She and her family moved to the Boone area and were quickly and warmly welcomed by the community. “Family is the most important thing to me,” says the mother of two teenage boys, whose family focus is deeply ingrained. All four of her grandparents emigrated from Lebanon and she grew up with a large extended family. She has four siblings and remains close to all of them. Her husband, Maurice Williams, a www.aawmag.com

Spanish Colonial archaeologist, began a new journey with real estate upon moving to Watauga County.

Dr. Mack describes her personality as “pretty much black and white.” She believes that what truly defines her as a person is how she treats her patients. Her great desire is to be empathetic, especially with those who are underprivileged “. . . for people who aren’t so blessed as others.”

Although she obviously loves her job, she is not immune to the obvious emotions associated with the diagnosis of cancer.

She finds her own support in dealing with the diagnosis and its difficulties her patients experience through a phenomenal team at the cancer center: men and women equipped to help each other through trying times.

She says, “God has blessed me with being able to deal with what some people would see as a very depressing career.” She views it as uplifting and a true privilege to take care of her patients and to be involved in their lives. She states, “I get way more from my patients that they get from me.” When the prognosis is poor, her rule is to treat the patient and their family with the grace and respect that would be expected by her own family members if they should receive that kind of news.

Dr. Mack holds her staff in high esteem and frequently refers to how they work together as a team. Her staff respects her equally. She is described as “detail oriented, good with patients, very smart . . . knows her stuff, and very independent.” One staff member adds, “She is proof that a woman can do whatever she wants to do.”

While juggling her career and family responsibilities, Dr. Mack finds little time for outside activities, though she is committed to a healthy lifestyle and walks at every opportunity. Her slender, healthy physique testifies to her commitment. One fun thing she enjoys with a “buddy” is to can tomatoes when they are in season. She admits that there is a lot she would like to do right now, “but being a working mother, it’s between the kids and the job, and I don’t have time for much else.”

Meanwhile, she plans for fun things like travel when retirement arrives. Dr. Mack is very concerned not only with her personal healthy lifestyle, but she wants all women to be pro - active in their own health care. She notes that women tend to take care of everyone else first, but if they neglect their own health, no one is left to take care of their loved ones. She urges women to practice good health behavior: don’t smoke, eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly and have routine cancer screenings.

Referring to smoking as the number one cancer risk, she urges women never to smoke, and if they currently do, stop now. Smoking is not only a risk for cancer, but also for lung disease, heart disease, and premature aging of the skin, she says.

Because the aging process in general is the number two cancer risk, she strongly advises women to have regular screenings, particularly as they age. Mammograms and pap smears are still the best and most cost-effective screenings available for breast and cervical cancer, she reminds, but women with family history of certain types of cancer need to address those specific issue with their primary physician and see if www.aawmag.com

there are other specialized screenings that would benefit them.

For those cancer patients and their families who rely on support and treatment with Dr. Mack and her team on their side, they know that regardless of the feelings they experience, they can find hope in the future with professionals who care and go the extra mile to help them through the journey.

So, What About The Sun? “Summer is coming and with it, more time outside.

A certain amount of sunlight is beneficial for us and raises our Vitamin D levels. Fifteen to 20 minutes a day is probably all that is needed to promote Vitamin D metabolism. Too much sunlight with its harmful ultraviolet rays, however, ages the skin and can cause skin cancer.

The most common forms of skin cancer are basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, which rarely spread to other parts of the body and usually can be easily treated with simple excision. The more serious form of skin cancer is melanoma, which has more potential to metastasize to other parts of the body.

Limiting sun exposure during the time of most intense rays (between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.) and using a good sunscreen with at least an SPF of 15 can reduce your risk of developing skin cancer.

Avoid tanning beds as they produce harmful UV rays also, and don’t forget your sunglasses to prevent harmful effects of UV rays on your eyes.”

Dr. Yvonne Mack

JULY 2009 23

9/11 In New York City Blowing Rock’s Kitty Lumpkin Remembers

Blowing Rock resident Kitty Lumpkin was in New York City on September 11, 2001.

Had she not been enroute to a training session across the river in Brooklyn, she most likely would have been at her office in the World Trade Center Tower II. It is very important to Kitty that the positive outcomes of this tragedy be the focus of this article.

“It is not about hate,” she says.

“While 9/11 crippled us in many ways, we witnessed the coming together of people in neighborhoods, cities, in our country and in the world, to respond to this event.

Even while the event was taking place, firemen were running into smoky towers to rescue people, knowing that this type of rescue had never been performed before.

The firemen were the first big heroes. The passengers on the United flight who kept the plane from hitting the Capitol are all heroes. Our country went into full alert to make sure that we were all protected.

And while that was happening, people were checking on each other. We were at war and we pulled together as a nation. That’s America. This is all the more extraordinary when considering the diversity of our population, including many who have not been in the US for very long and may not have absorbed our culture.”

In summary, Kitty adds, “ . . . and 9/11 called upon us to act to keep ourselves, our community, our nation together. And we did.”

In her own words, here is Kitty’s story: As we entered the Brooklyn Bridge, we noticed everyone looking up, so we looked up, too. Tower I of the World Trade Center was on fire; at least eight floors appeared consumed by the blaze. I could not imagine how it started, how it spread, how people 24 JULY 2009

were evacuated. There had been no news of this fire 30 minutes earlier. I was on my way to a training class. The taxi driver found a radio station and we learned that a plane had crashed into Tower I, starting the fire. A few minutes later, the announcer stated that a second plane had flown into the WTC Tower II. I was incredulous and a little irritated.

How could these news people mix up such important information?

We waited for a correction and clarification.

There was no mixup. The report of the second plane verified the worst scenario; we realized that this was a terrorist attack.

My office, “9/11 called upon us to act to keep ourselves, our community, our nation Verizon, was in Tower together. And we did,” says Kitty Lumpkin, who was in New York City II with five floors and when the tradegy occured. Photo by Mark Mitchell. approximately 500 abandon the taxi and walk off the bridge, the employees. I had customers in both Towers. traffic began moving. While we inched along, My good friend, Susan, worked on the top the news reported that the airplanes appeared floors of Tower II. I hoped everyone got out to be large passenger carriers. The scope of quickly. the attack broadened chillingly. Would these But my immediate concern was that we two WTC planes be the extent of their [the were sitting in the middle of the Brooklyn terrorists] activities?

Bridge and we were not moving. In 1992, the Brooklyn Bridge was one of several key The Shock landmarks identified as a primary terrorist I was in too much shock to make another target. If the twin towers had been hit, it was plan so I continued to my training class possible that other key sites could be hit very location several blocks from the Brooklyn soon.

Bridge. Approaching the end of the bridge As I was gathering my belongings to www.aawmag.com

we saw police, rescue, and fire trucks everywhere. There was only one lane for us to exit. Every car was stopped and searched; drivers and passengers were questioned. They were looking for a ground team of terrorists.

Action was quick, the roadblock was up before the second plane hit.

Five minutes after leaving the bridge, we reached 5 Metro Tech, the site of my training class. People flooded out the door. Several attendees and instructors from outside NYC were trying to get to airports. Some, staying at the Marriott at Tower II, were concerned about their luggage and laptops. They were more worried about going into Manhattan because of the possibility of other terrorist attacks, not to mention the congestion and confusion caused by the fires. People scattered and left. I found myself in Brooklyn feeling very alone.

I called my family before traveling, sure they had seen the news and were worried about me. My brother told me that Tower II had just collapsed. It had been less than an hour since the plane had hit it.

I focused on my colleagues from Verizon.

Verizon occupied floors 9-13, the lowest floors available for commercial space, a tremendous plus in evacuations. With designated safety teams, volunteer firemen, and ex-military personnel, our groups should have evacuated safely. I later learned on my floor (13th), that the plane strike was treated as a bomb explosion; everyone was evacuated in approximately 3 minutes. All 500 people, on all five floors, escaped successfully.

But my friend Susan had worked in the high 80s in my building. She was in the WTC when the bomb went off in 1993 and had to walk down. She had said it was a long way. I hoped she made it, but later learned that she did not. I had other close friends at the Trade Centers. And what about my customers?

My brother told me that the Pentagon had also been hit. We had both finished high school in Alexandria, Virginia, very near the Pentagon and knew the neighborhood.

We wondered about friends. I later learned that the only loss of life at Verizon was an account manager, who reported directly to the Pentagon each day and was sitting in the area that was squarely hit by the plane.

The Long Way Home Attempting to call a taxi to return to Manhattan, I was told that Manhattan was www.aawmag.com

closed. There was no way in by car, bus, subway, train or even by foot. I tried to call friends there to tell them I was all right; I could not get an outside line all day.

With an overwhelming desire to see the site that was once the World Trade Center Towers, I decided to walk the 1-1½ miles to the Promenade in Brooklyn Heights, which provides an excellent vantage point of lower Manhattan.

Enroute, I noticed people who looked haggard, hot, and unkempt, many of them with debris and dust on them. One man was covered in ash, and then I knew that they had come from Manhattan, some from the World Trade Center. Some had been caught in the collapses.

Heading toward the Promenade, I saw that the sky around lower Manhattan was filled with a cloud from the fire. As I got closer, I could see that the Towers were no longer there; instead, there was a dust cloud of amber light.

Sitting on a bench, I calculated that I had spent 13 years working in or very near the WTC every day. My subways were there, my shops, my restaurants. The WTC complex housed 50,000 people; another 40,000 passed through each day. I could not believe it was all gone.

The Loss Looking where those magnificent Towers had stood, it hit me just how many people might be gone. So I said a prayer for all those who died that morning, whoever they were, however they happened to meet death that day. There were probably people from all over the world from all different religions. It was a very sobering thought. I said prayers for my friends in hopes that they were safe, and for colleagues and customers, hoping that all made it out.

I prayed for everyone working on the disaster in NYC and Washington and wherever else it might be. And I prayed for myself, and those like me, who were scared and confused or maybe angry or sorrowful. I prayed for our country. This was a major assault, and our country must protect its citizens at all costs, but without endangering the world with its outrage.

Meanwhile, I knew little of the drama playing out among my other friends. Susan, caught on the top floors of WTC II, had called her mother when Tower I was struck, assuring

her mother that she was okay. They were still on the phone when WTC II was struck. Susan was not the only close acquaintance I lost that day.

When subway service resumed to Manhattan in late afternoon, I took the first subway available that would get me close to my house. There was no traffic on the streets when a bus came over the hill and delivered me to within two blocks of my apartment.

Reality, Recovery And Perspective As I opened my door, the telephone was ringing; calls continued until 12:30 that night and started at 5:30 the next morning.

In the next 12 days, I took approximately 800 personal calls. Many callers just wanted assurance that life was normal, that someone had survived the World Trade Center [disaster].

It did not matter that I was not at work that day. I was supposed to be there. And if I were still alive, functioning in New York City, then life could return to normal. The calls gave me a great lift. I had no idea so many people cared.

Day one ended; the country was in a new war and mourning. But the ramifications of the attack were very specific and very personal in NYC. Everyone lost professional colleagues and personal friends. Everyone was grieving; there was no relief.

We recovered in the city the same way the rest of the country recovered. We helped each other, we looked for the good things in life, we mourned our dead and wounded, and we turned to our faith for sustenance. The country supported NYC in amazing ways, and those ways were recognized and appreciated by many hurting people. If you were outside looking in, it might have seemed like so much symbolism. But if you were inside and in pain, it really meant a lot. We are a country that encompasses all of its people and cares for them in times of trial.

This recollection is primarily a one-day perspective on 9/11. What it does not show is the incredible resolve of the American people to get the nation moving again. That spirit, that unity, is what makes us the strongest nation in the world. If I had not seen it, I am not sure I would believe that so strongly. But I did and I now know that we are indeed greatly blessed to live in such a great country.�

JULY 2009 25

Minding Her Own Business| BY YOZETTE “YOGI” COLLINS

Ellen Watson, seen daily in her family’s downtown Boone store, is an expert on all things western. Photo by Yozette “Yogi” Collins.

The Western Look From Watsonatta As American As Apple Pie “Do we have a Gus-style straw that’s not a palm leaf?”

If you know what that question means, you’ve probably shopped at Watsonatta Western World in Boone and can relate to the values that cowboys and cowgirls, real and fictional, have long symbolized: the American spirit and rugged individualism. From Wyatt Earp to the Marlboro Man, John Wayne to J.R. Ewing, the cowboy attitude and look we expect are as American as baseball, apple pie and denim.

26 JULY 2009

Darrel Watson opened the store, known simply as Watsonatta, in 1969 because, as a cowboy himself, he wanted to sell everything a cowboy could need. He even sold horses at Paradise Ranch in Foscoe where he met his wife Ellen when he hired her to help tend the horses, a job right down Ellen’s alley.

Today, she’s the one seen most often at the downtown Boone store, an expert on all things cowboy and cowgirl. Ellen’s love for horses began as a little girl and she credits horses for keeping her focused as a child.

“Daddy was such a disciplinarian. He’d say, ‘You don’t go to the barn if you make anything below a ‘C.’ I was not a good student, but I made good grades because I knew I didn’t get to go to the barn if I didn’t make good grades.” In fact, she jokingly adds, “Horses kept me out of trouble all my life until I met Darrel; then they got me into trouble.”

As for the store they now run together, the first thing customers notice as they enter is the hitching post in front of the store. The second is how full the store is. Sterling silver jewelry, coats, shirts of all kinds, jeans galore, boots (of course) and saddles – the store is filled with stock. However, Ellen says, “When we fuss at Darrel about how full the store is, he says, ‘If you don’t have it, ya can’t sell it.’” Sounds like cowboy common sense, right?

A full store is where Watsonatta’s customer service comes in.

Ellen and the other salespeople know their stock and can find what customers want as fast as a jackrabbit, one reason for the store’s lasting popularity. Another reason: they scan catalogs and keep their prices competitively low. No wonder customers from all over the world seek them out in downtown Boone.

Having worked at Watsonatta since she and Darrel married in 1978, Ellen works 6 days a week, 8 ½ hours a day. When their kids were young, the school bus would drop them off at the store; today the Watsons’ daughter works at the store part-time and even brings her own young son to work with her. Between that and the fact that the children and grandchildren of loyal customers themselves shop at Watsonatta, this is clearly a family business.

It is the customers who make working here a joy, says Ellen, recalling how much fun it was last year to help a prim 84-year-old woman from West Palm Beach, Florida, pick out her first pair of cowboy boots.

“She said she had never had cowboy boots and wanted something nobody else would have,” says Ellen. “She ended up spending $2,200 [on western wear]!”

That kind of fun encounter is what Ellen treasures about her job. “If it wasn’t for the customers here,” she says. “I really don’t think I could do it.” And, while Watsonatta boasts some high profile customers like Don Shula, Jeff Hammond and Wayne Huizinga, among others, Ellen says, “Because of the values that the western image and the western wear draw out of people, we have the most wonderful, down-to-earth customers. Truly that is the best part of my job.”

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JULY 2009 27

Inc. and Ivy Ridge Properties, Steve has an office that overlooks the pristine valley he has called home for a lifetime, on land that he has developed in recent years for homeowners looking for that special mountain oasis.

With over 30 years’ experience, Steve takes his business seriously. A close associate shares, “He not only takes it serous, but also very personal. He puts himself into the shoes of his clients and goes the extra mile for them. Whatever they need or want, he’s right there beside them every step of the way.”

Steve understands that his clients are not only making a financial investment when they decide to build a house, but are also investing in the future for their families. And, he’s all about family.

He and his wife Teresa, will celebrate their 34th wedding anniversary in October. Married as a young couple soon after meeting in a little church in Avery County, they have built a wonderful life together and are the proud parents of three great kids, as he describes Jessica, Jama and Jonathan.

“Jessica is the mother of our two grandchildren who live in Myrtle Beach.

We visit them several times each year as schedules permit. Jama graduated with a physics degree last year from ASU and will “Integrity is important to us, so we do our very best to please our homeowners and stand behind be getting married in October to a wonderful, our work,” says Steve Greene, owner and operator of Stony Creek Builders Inc. and Ivy Ridge bright young man she met at school. Jon is a Properties. student at ASU and is working on an English degree with a concentration in film studies and a minor in theater.

Yes, these guys make me one lucky man. I can’t imagine life without them.”

Always speaking of her husband in highest esteem, Teresa takes her role seriously, as well, as the wife of a successful businessman.

The two have always worked together toward the same goals and are bound closely with a strong commitment to each other, combined with a deep faith and strong work ethic. While sharing many of the same dreams, Steve says that their dedication to dreams, and not just their own, has led to his company’s success.

“Our goal is to make building a home a positive experience and an adventure in creativity that the owners will both cherish and enjoy,

BY SHERRIE NORRIS As one of the area’s premiere homebuilders, Steve Greene grew up something unique only to them and their families.”

Steve is dedicated to satisfying his clients before, during, and in the shadows of his father, a gifted wood craftsman, builder and minister. Steve learned well, but it wasn’t just his hands-on work after a home has been completed. “Integrity is important to us, so experience that set him on the right path. Perhaps, even more so we do our very best to please our homeowners and stand behind our than building homes, it was the example his father placed before work.”

In addition to his custom homes, he also sells log home packages him as a hardworking, honest and humble family provider that made the biggest impression. What Steve learned in those early years of and has provided land development services through Ivy Ridge life certainly helped mold him into the husband, father and master Properties, Inc., since 1989. With an insatiable love for life in general, Steve says he might be considered boring to some people. “I don’t craftsman that he is today.

Steve was born in Boone and grew up in a family of three children camp, golf, hunt or fish. But I do enjoy traveling, meeting new people in the Stony Fork area near Deep Gap where his ancestors settled and learning about different cultures around the world as well as the in 1725. Today, as owner and operator of Stony Creek Builders, many here in the U.S.”

For Master

Builder, Dedication To Dreams Leads To Success

28 JULY 2009

www.aawmag.com

Considering work as a hobby because he really loves what he does, Steve says he’s been very fortunate to have worked for, and become friends with, some of the finest people in the world. He feels especially blessed to have built and remodeled homes for numerous local residents and second home owners from across the southeast (many from Florida) and from such locales as Martinique FWI, France, Italy, South Africa, Iceland, Germany and Spain.

“I enjoy projects that allow freedom of creativity and quality,” he says.

Nowhere is his freedom to create more evident than in his custom woodwork. “I’ve learned a lot from watching my dad, who has been carving for about 60 years. One-of-a-kind doors, fireplace mantles and hand-carved accents are just a few of the magnificent pieces Steve produces in different styles and designs, crafted from antique, reclaimed and new wood, hand-hewn and/or hand-carved, in a variety of shapes, sizes and species, and often found in the homes he builds.

Steve’s work has captured the attention of numerous publications, with features appearing in Timber Homes Illustrated, Early American Life, Log Home Living, Better Homes and Gardens Building Ideas, and CITI – Charlotte’s Magazine of Fine Living, just to name a few.

New Construction Remodeling Excavation Additions Land Sales Log Home Packages

www.StonyCreekBuilders.com

828-264-1077

Teresa and Steve Greene, right, are the proud parents of three great kids. l - r: Jessica, Jama, Jonathan.

Loving the outdoors, Steve enjoys unwinding on a hiking trail, in the garden or in the kitchen with Teresa. They are both connoisseurs of good food, whether restaurant gourmet or home-cooked in Teresa’s custom kitchen. “We love trying new recipes together and watching the Food Network.”

Steve Greene is one of those unassuming individuals who prefers the back of the line rather than the front row. He’s quiet, gentle and compassionate; a great friend to countless people, young and old alike. Always ready and willing to help in a time of need, Steve is the kind of person who loves to see good things happen to other people and wants to be there when it does.

For more information about Steve Greene and to see samples of his work, visit www.stonycreekbuilders.com; call (828) 2641077. E-mail: stevegreene@charter.net www.aawmag.com

JULY 2009 29

Frank Vance

His Heart is in the Highlands

BY NANCY MORRISON In July each year, when the hills ring with Celtic music calling the Scottish he was told that there was no work anywhere in the state for a 15-year-old clans to gather at MacRae Meadows in the shadow of mighty Grandfather boy.

Mountain, Avery County’s Frank Vance is one busy man. Frank is the “So I asked about anywhere in the United States. That’s when I ended general manager and vice president of operations for the Grandfather up on a trip I will never forget as I was given a job as a pea picker in Rochelle, Mountain Highland Games. Although Frank spends much time throughout Illinois!” Frank says he didn’t have a clue as to where Rochelle was, but he the year attending to the many details of the Games, his is a part-time job called the Trailways bus station and learned a one-way ticket was $19.70. that he carries out with a fulltime dedication, truly a labor of love, he says. “When I told my mother I needed this money, she responded with ‘I only Although he gives so much of his time to the have twenty dollars left.’ I looked her in the Games, until his recent retirement, Frank’s eye and said, ‘Mom, I need it and I will mail fulltime job was as a teacher of everything you home the money when I get paid on from business law and accounting to my job.’ I packed my little suitcase and my computer courses, character education and mother packed me a good old peanut butter career management at Avery County High and jelly sandwich.”

School near Newland.

Frank’s uncle dropped him off in

Frank Vance was born in New Jersey, Marion on his way to work and Frank took off to Illinois. “Talk about being naïve,” he but his parents – Frank Dayton Vance laughs. “I consumed my lunch by the time and Mabel Clarice Houston Vance – were the bus got to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and from the High Country and their families I went hungry for the next two days on that have lived in this area as far back as the bus!” late 1700s. Frank Dayton was born on

Frank got the job in Rochelle and Hawshaw Mountain near Crossnore. Mabel Clarice was born on Henson Creek in Avery spent the rest of the summer in pea fields County and was delivered by Plumtree’s Dr. that stretched as far as the eye could see, Burleson. When Frank was still small, his cutting and pitching the vines into combines parents decided to return to their beloved until his hands were covered with blisters.

Avery County where Frank attended He laughs, “I am not afraid to say it might Riverside Elementary School. have been that summer’s worth of work

One of Frank’s big regrets is that he that helped me know that college was in my future as I didn’t want to do this for the rest missed by one year being in his great aunt’s of my life!” classroom. His great aunt was the locally

In 1964, Frank graduated from famous “Aunt Zona” – Arizona Houston Hughes – who taught school for 57 years Crossnore High School and, after a brief and was the first female magistrate in Avery stint at radio school in Atlanta, went to County.

New Jersey to work for his uncle who made

In 1960, after Frank’s father passed him save his earnings for college. After the summer’s work, his uncle brought him south away, the family moved to the Crossnore Frank and Jean Vance during a special Games event. and dropped him off for his first year of School campus to live. The family was struggling financially and Frank’s mother was able to work at the school college. The next summer, his uncle helped him get another job with one of while Frank and his brother attended classes. Frank remembers helping his his friends and, in the fall, Frank had just returned to school at Appalachian State University when he got a draft notice. He finished the semester, but mother prepare biscuits in the cafeteria before school each day.

It wasn’t all work during his days at Crossnore School. He tells a funny spent the next four years in the Navy.

“I went to boot camp in San Diego, California, where they decided I tale about “getting even with some of the Crossnore staff by tying their panties to the flagpole” and running them up where all the school could was too heavy even though I was one of the fastest in the 54-man company see! and, at the end of endurance testing, I was carrying the rest of them across

The summer after his father died, Frank was 15 years old and he the finish line!”

After 30 weeks of training in basic electricity and electronics in San desperately sought a job to help with the family expenses. He says he went all over western North Carolina looking for work. Everywhere he turned, Francisco, Frank ended up on the U.S.S. Proteus, a nuclear submarine 30 JULY 2009

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The Vances’ daughter Kelley with husband Stephen and son Alec. tender on Guam where he repaired nuclear submarines.

At the completion of his tour of duty, Frank returned to Avery County.

He again entered Appalachian and worked in shrubbery at Grandfather Golf and Country Club during his junior and senior years.

Also attending Appalachian at that time was lovely Jean Sinclair from Troutman, NC. The two met, fell in love, and married. Frank says, “Our first apartment was a little garage apartment, which my aunt allowed us to rent while I completed my junior and senior years. At this point, I was both a fulltime student and a fulltime employee so, needless to say, I was busy.”

Jean started teaching at Crossnore Elementary School where she taught for the next 33 years, taking little time off even when the children, Kelley and John, were born.

After Frank graduated with a business degree, he went back to get his teaching degree. He worked for Charles Gordon who talked him into working with the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games. Gordon wanted Avery County folks to run the Games, but he had been told they couldn’t handle the task. Frank assured Gordon that they could and proceeded to show him. Frank took over sales for the Games and, later, took over as general manager.

His life was very busy. He was also teaching at Avery County High School during the school year and managing the Games in the summer.

It was a life Frank dearly loved. He recently retired from teaching after 25 years. He continues to work with the Games as he has done for the last 26 years.

One of Frank’s main goals was to have the Games give back to the youth of Avery County. Over the years, he had a hand in developing the various Grandfather Mountain Highland Games scholarships that are funded from the proceeds from the Games.

Today, daughter Kelley is a medical doctor doing a residency in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and son John is working to become a doctor of osteopathy at Virginia Tech University. Frank has one grandson, Alec, and two more grandchildren on the way.

A few years ago, Frank learned he had macular degeneration and the prognosis was not good. He hopes he has several more years of sight in which to accomplish projects he is already working on. Although it is not a joking matter, Frank tries to treat the problem as lightly as possible.

“One of the hardest problems I have faced in my later years is due to my gene tree not reaching very far because I’m related to everyone in the area. I received the recessive gene of blue eyes from the Burlesons and the Aldridges that has led to macular degeneration. I understand this disease is www.aawmag.com

one that is more common among people with Celtic or Viking heritage.”

As for the Highland Games, Frank says, “I cannot take all the credit for their success. I have been blessed with some of the greatest people in the world to help me both locally and worldwide.

“My board has been wonderful, as well as Tommy Taylor and his family, Frances Fletcher, the Clyde Sudderth family, David and Lisa Wright, The Tom Evaul family, the Jackie Goins-Shomaker family, Gary and Loretta Buchanan, and Steve Watson and others. These people help me bring all this together and make the Games what they are today.

“The Games are only one of the many things I am proud of accomplishing these days. I am proud to be following in the footsteps of Pop Jarvis by doing these things. [Walter “Pop” Jarvis was a beloved teacher at Crossnore School who mentored many young people on the campus. A scholarship fund remains as a tribute to the memory of Pop Jarvis.] I have become a deacon in my church and am part of the Gideons. I am in charge of soliciting church speaking engagements for the Gideons. Presently, several of us, with the approval of Avery County Sheriff Kevin Frye, have been able to set up a prison ministry.

“I am also proud of helping Jim Laughridge and Jim Blue put together the Blue Ridge Brass and Pipes Band in 1986.

It is one of the most unique pipe bands in the world, using local talent and the Montreat pipes.

Jean and I were proud to watch them perform at Arlington Cemetery and the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.”

Frank presently is collecting old time recipes and stories about the Son, John Frank and wife Lisa.

Avery County families that used them. He says he would be delighted for anyone to send him a recipe with the accompanying story of the family it came from. Send them to frank_gmhg@yahoo.com or Frank Vance, Box 274, Laurelwood Lane, Newland, NC 28657. He hopes to publish this collection and use the proceeds to fund the Avery Heritage Festival and the Avery County Museum.

He says, “These recipes need to be ‘old timey’ ones that most families have forgotten but were used for family reunions, picnics and church dinners, and such.” If possible include where the family originally came from before they came to Avery County. Frank says his passion for helping preserve Avery County history and tradition came from sitting at his grandfather’s knee and in his uncle’s store listening to stories about his ancestors.

“But by far, my biggest accomplishment hands down,” Frank says, “was raising a good Christian family. None of this would have been possible if it hadn’t been for my loving wife Jean who has been there for me in times both good and bad and has been nothing except loving and supportive of everything since day one.”

JULY 2009 31

Men About Town

Happy trails to long-time public servants, Ray Gragg, Wiley Brown and Johnny Gragg, who have spent the majority of their adult lives at Trailway Laundry & Cleaners in Boone.

A King Street landmark since the early 1960s, the family – operated business is just one of several folding up due to the King Street widening project. The Gragg brothers began working at the laundry 47 years ago when it was owned by the Hagaman and Mast families. Wiley has been on board for 35 years.

Johnny’s wife, Brenda, has worked alongside them for

44 years, while Ray’s wife Debbie has ironed out 25 years of service. Photo by Mark Mitchell.

Avery County’s Dave Calvert and Chuck Oaks entertain the crowds during the recent Business Expo at the Boone Mall. Both men are well-known, talented musicians in the area who are familiar faces at Carolina Barbeque in Newland, where Dave is co-owner and Chuck cooks up some of the best ribs around. Photo by Mark Mitchell.

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Located on Old Hwy. 421, near Food Lion www.aawmag.com

JULY 2009 33

The Women of Lees-McRae SummerTheatre task, but these women begin work in January to make the magic happen in summer, and each day presents creative opportunities for problem solving.

“Deadlines!” Pam quips. “Every day has its own deadlines, with the unexpected sprinkled into the mix.

No two hours are the same.”

Meghan rejoices that her deadlines are finished before June. Once her beautifully designed brochures and playbills have been printed, she can kick back and enjoy the shows!

All of the women commented about the exciting elements of their work. Mindi is awed by the fact that audiences and company members come from such From left to right: Janet Speer, Marian Krege, Gayle Culbreath, Donna Morgan, Meghan varied locations. Marion, a long-time resident of Banner Elk, loves working with the locals. Gayle agrees as she Wright, Mindi Bishop (with her baby). enjoys the remarkable diversity in the High Country.

Donna, on the other hand, finds the multiplicity Janet Barton Speer was reading All About Women of the High of her work fascinating.

“It has always been a place where magic Country when she had a realization. As artistic director of Lees-McRae Summer Theatre (LMST) for all of its 25 years, she was reminded that happens,” she says, “where I can put the everyday responsibilities that the company has always enjoyed the strong leadership of women. come with work and family aside for a little while and become part of a There is no doubt that the theatre was, and still is, a place where creative process that gives birth to a new persona, a new experience, women carry out key functions. Among its powerful originators are or a new perspective.”

Perhaps the most exciting moment in her job was when Donna Cindy Stonesifer, Charlotte D’Armond and Cathy Lion, and today that feminine influence continues with Kacy Crabtree (executive met her best friend, alumni Todd Morgan, the leading man in “Guys producer), Donna Morgan (producer), Marion Krege (playbill and and Dolls.” At the time she thought, “too young, too cute, and so not front of house), Mindi Bishop (publicity), Gayle Culbreath (box office), ready to settle down.” But on July 5 – twelve years ago – they were Pam Joslin (publicity, box office and budget), and Meghan Wright married, setting their date around the summer theatre schedule.

The ladies agree that the woman’s perspective has helped to (communications).

Kacy and Janet, the leaders of the organization, are quick to make LMST work. “We can talk fast, talk in circles, and talk at the say that the company owes its 25 years of success to these talented same time, but WE understand each other,” Pam says.

“Women bring a unique viewpoint to all aspects of the theatre,” women – the nuts and bolts of LMST.

The challenges are many, according to Pam. “All of us try to put Gayle says. “I approach my job with a servant’s heart to help our twelve hours of work into eight, answering the phone, the e-mails and patrons get the most out of their Lees-McRae Summer Theatre the patrons all at the same time, but we have fun. We enjoy working experience.”

Marion adds that it is simply in women’s nature to do as they do, with each other. At some point during the summer, when Donna, Gayle and I pass each other on campus, we don’t stop to talk, we just to plan and organize. We see the little things that need to be done and play very close attention to detail. Maybe we smile just a little more, laugh and keep moving.”

Gayle agrees. “We can have five people in line and five on the too.”

Donna sums it up well. “We all speak the language of family. We phone and it’s our job to find the perfect seat for our patrons to enjoy look out for one another. We support one another. We provide checks the performance.”

Mindi remembers when she worked with costumes. “There is and balances for one another. We respect one another. It is hard work, only so much time before the shows go up that you have to decide but so rewarding when the curtain goes up and the children we have what costumes to build and what to alter and what to leave as is. Then worked so hard to produce are reborn on the stage every season.” once the show is up, you have to do laundry, repairs and maintenance while working on the next show.”

To mount three major productions in the summer is a daunting 34 JULY 2009

For information on the summer season’s productions, CATS, The Secret Garden and Guys and Dolls, phone (828) 898-8709 or buy tickets online at www.lmc.edu/web/SummerTheatre.

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The Only Way Is Up For

Kelly Penick

BY SHERRIE NORRIS Kelly Penick of Boone was not your typical teen, sitting around wondering and waiting for the right opportunity. With a career goal in mind to become a female entrepreneur and businesswoman, and own a spa resort and vineyard, she set out on the right path at a young age.

While studying business at ASU, she jumped right in and faced her fears, she says, by going down the mountain to school last summer to become a licensed Esthetician. “I saw it as the first major step toward one day opening a spa. I’m glad I took this route, even if it required 600 hours of coursework!”

The experience and knowledge that she gained from her summer experience, she says, has aided her significantly not only in her career goals, but also as a leader/president of the Entrepreneur’s Club back at ASU. “I can express to the other students the value behind my experiences and offer advice and guidance in stepping out of one’s comfort zone and going for your goals.”

While driving to and from the Artistic Academy in North Wilkesboro five days a week from May through August of last year, she used her time to put things into perspective. “More often than not, I had to remind myself just why I was doing it.” She says her ambition and drive to get ahead was necessary.

Reaching her 600th hour of completion at the Academy “was a wonderful feeling,” though bittersweet. “I had grown close to one of the instructors and adopted her as a grandparent. Her hugs and loving words meant the most as we did our final toast with Diet Squirt Cola. That very same day, I hit the road for Raleigh with my mom enroute to take one of my state board exams.”

Despite learning that the Esthetician course usually takes 4-4 ½ months to complete, Kelly did it in 3½. Less than a week later, she was resuming classes at ASU.

Returning to the university with the freedom to distribute her own “All About Beauty by Kelly” business cards and to tell people that she was a licensed Esthetician in the state of North Carolina felt almost surreal in the beginning, Kelly admits. Those who know her best were not surprised.

“I’m a type A personality, just like my dad. My parents, Maurice and Carolyn Penick, are very hard working, honest people with wonderful reputations, known to have a strong business sense and work ethic. I grew up in the family business and have inherited especially my dad’s drive to work hard and succeed.”

Currently, Kelly rents her workspace at Lavender Fields Day Spa in Boone and is licensed in facials, make-up application, waxing and microdermabrasion.

Her self-employed status affords her the flexibility she needs to keep a healthy balance between school, work and leading a student organization on campus. At the same time, she continues to develop and build on other goals for the future. “That way,” she says, “I am always expanding my knowledge and working up to my own personal potential.”

As a 2007 graduate of Watauga High School, Kelly is in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in hospitality and tourism management. She has received numerous honors and awards along the way and has occupied a space on the Dean’s list during college as well as the honor roll and national honor societies while in high school. www.aawmag.com

Photo by Mark Mitchell.

As a recent Gamma Beta Phi inductee, she was awarded the Association of Student Entrepreneurs Award last year, was a state finalist at the North Carolina Career Development Conference in 2007, American Business Women’s Association honoree in 2006 and nominated for her high school’s 2005 Youth Leadership Development Award.

In addition to having gained experience through her family’s construction business, Kelly also held other jobs through high school.

More recently, she has worked for the Center for Entrepreneurship at ASU’s Walker College of Business since spring semester 2008, as student temporary (work study program) and is currently president of the Business Club.

While describing herself as a workaholic, she admits her love for traveling to big cities, but she has a motive in mind. “I love to visit and photograph nice hotels, mainly for architectural reasons, and I journal a lot of ideas I run across. One day, when I’m ready to build the vineyard and spa, then I will be able to sit down with the engineer and show him the resort layout.”

She was “blessed with this vision,” she says, during her sophomore year in high school. “I had the name of my resort in mind before entering high school.”

Kelly predicts by the year 2015, she’ll see her dream come true. “That sounds good – I’ll be 27. It’s really not that long from now. In my mind, I’d like to have it all in place before I start a family. I would love to bring children into a financially stable home. I realize doing so while running a huge enterprise will require a lot of hard work.”

In her free time, Kelly loves watching old movies from the golden age of Hollywood. Her favorite among the stars? “Cary Grant and Grace Kelly.

Anything between the years of 1937 and 1959 captivates me!”

Kelly shares a special bond with her “Nana,” Nancy Penick. “She’s actually my roommate. I can’t even call her a grandmother. She’s too young for that! She’s the one to lift me up if I’m feeling down. She’s one in a million!

While I experience college, she’s experiencing it with me.”

Considered a forerunner among her peers in the world of young women entrepreneurs, Kelly Penick is on her way up and won’t stop until she gets there.

Watch for our new All About Beauty with Kelly column beginning in August.

JULY 2009 35

Back to Berlin

Bloom Where You’re Planted| BY SHERRY BOONE

(We introduced celebrated author and columnist, Sherry Boone, in the June issue of All About Women of the High Country. We welcome her as a regular writer for this publication. Through this monthly column, we will hear from her personally as well as from her alter-ego, Myrtle, a feisty Southern gal whose letters speak volumes about life in general, as well as offer advice and solutions to dilemmas along the way.)

When thinking of freedom, the trip I took with my late husband in 1990 is the first thing that comes to mind. We had toured Great Britain with our son and daughter-in-law the year prior; our next journey was much different.

Due to business obligations, I was surprised when Sam asked if I’d like to go to Scandinavia. Of course, I wanted to go and began reading travel brochures about Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Despite touring with others, we made wonderful memories on what I called our historical honeymoon. We spent five days in Copenhagen, Denmark, one in Malmo, Sweden, and another in Oslo, Norway.

I loved Copenhagen in April! The famous Tivoli Gardens had just opened for the season; the amusement rides were unique, like those in fairy tales.

Following breakfast on the sixth morning of our trip, I felt a little sad knowing our departure was near. When I asked Sam about spending our last full day there, he answered, “Let’s go to the train station and get some information.”

We were heading home the next dayso why did we need travel information? On the way to the station, Sam asked, “How would you like to go to West Berlin?”

What a shock! We had watched the news on television each night.

We knew what was happening regarding the Berlin Wall. I’d even said that I’d hate to be there in the middle of all that commotion!

The next thing I knew, we were hopping out of a cab at the station, and Sam was busy speaking with a ticket agent. With our limited time remaining, the only way we could reach West Berlin was to take a train to the coast. Our car would be placed on a ferry that would take us to the coast of East Germany and then connect to another train enroute to West Berlin.

Assuming we would not be taking that trip, I settled in to peoplewatch, something I love to do, especially when I can’t understand what they’re saying! I did, however, understand the broken English of a French woman pointing in our direction, “Are they Americans? Are they going to West Berlin?” she asked the ticket agent who nodded her head and said, “Yes.” The French woman responded, “Tell them not to go! It’s not safe. I was on that ferry and train last week and had my wallet stolen.

The people are acting wild now that they are free and can come and go as they please!”

36 JULY 2009

I hurried over to share what I’d heard with Sam and the other agent, feeling sure it would keep us off the train. The agent assured us, “You’ll be safe. Don’t worry.”

I thought, “No, you’ll be safe here in Denmark but I’m not so sure about us, thank you very much.”

We called our son to share our change of plans; he was concerned and just as surprised as I was.

I never knew Sam was so adventurous until we boarded the train, sharing a compartment with a man and woman, both from Copenhagen though traveling separately. Peter was an artist headed to West Berlin.

Kirsten, a teacher who taught German, was on her way to a wedding in East Germany.

We left Copenhagen before noon and didn’t reach our destination until the next evening. Most of that time was spent answering questions about life in America; Peter was the most inquisitive.

Did we own a car? Did we live in an apartment or a house? How big was the house? He was very interested in what we did for a living.

Upon discovering we owned a store, he asked if we had problems getting supplies. Did we sell beer? Both Peter and Kirsten spoke English well.

Kirsten was more interested in our children, grandchildren and our educational system. I liked her very much. Desiring to show me what she was taking for the wedding (reception), she reached into her worn, small bag and pulled out a Danish flag.

“I’m going to wave my flag at the reception. Won’t that be great?” I loved her enthusiasm and sweet spirit. She hugged us before leaving the train. My eyes filled with tears as I watched her proudly wave that little flag until she was out of sight. She would have made a great friend.

Each time the train stopped at an East Germany station, the guards boarded and checked us out as if we were a security threat! Something I couldn’t ignore were the sad, solemn faces of people waiting at the stations. No one was smiling or talking. Kirsten had told us it wouldn’t be like that at the Berlin Zoo Station. She was right.

Before we reached Berlin, the Wall was visible and many huge pieces were still standing.

The next morning, we took a cab to the Wall. Excitement filled the air! Smiles and tears of joy were on many faces. People were busy chipping away the stone and selling it to tourists, including us.

Two East German guards (whom we later saw on a Bob Hope TV special back home) stood inside a huge hole in the Wall. They watched us closely. Sam said. “Go ask if I can take a picture of you with them.”

Looking stern at first, they agreed, removed their hats, smoothed out their hair, put their hats back on and posed with me.

While walking for a long time beside the Wall, we heard many different languages spoken. We couldn’t understand, but nods and smiles spoke loudly.

That was a good day for us, the next day – not so happy. It was www.aawmag.com

just the second day that tour buses were allowed to enter East Berlin.

We stood where small white crosses had been placed in memory of those who had lost their lives on that very spot as they tried to escape in search of a better life. Many windows were covered with iron bars and the buildings had been sprayed with bullets to stop freedom flights.

I had trouble sleeping that night. If only those people had waited a little longer. They would have been free.

The French woman was right about the wild responses of many people coming in from East Berlin. I’d never seen people so thrilled to be able to come and go as they were. So many years had gone by since their freedom had been stolen. Life had been difficult. For 28 years, they had not known life as friends and family members had experienced in West Berlin. It was a time of great celebration – wine and other alcohol purchases soaring. Who could blame them?

I am so thankful we went to Germany and I’m reminded of Sam’s words, “We have to do this and witness history in the making. We may not pass this way again.”

He was so right.

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Make Your Dreams Come True, Sleep on a Comfortable Mattress

BY GERRY MORRIS

It’s not just a catchy phrase. Research now shows that getting deep, restorative sleep on a comfortable, supportive mattress can better enable you to fulfill your dreams because you can wake up each day physically, intellectually and emotionally renewed. In this improved state we are more efficient, productive and better equipped to relate and interact with our family and others.

Every month, the average person spends over 240 hours sleeping on a mattress. We all understand that daily vitamins, exercise, and healthy meal choices all have a cumulative beneficial effect over time.

The positive effects of sleep over time may have even more dramatic effects on our health and appearance. It’s especially important for children to sleep on quality mattresses as they grow and develop.

So why are people wary of buying a new mattress? It’s just human nature. We buy things we want for how we imagine they will make us feel. The items we want offer us an emotional payback and the hope for happiness. But, we tend to take products that we need and depend upon every day for granted. We buy those items for the function they perform using our intellect and logic to discern value. Because mattresses seem similar, it’s not always easy to establish their value.

Real Value The real value of a mattress is how it can make us feel. A quality mattress offers a direct path to a deep down foundation of happiness and a sense of wellbeing. If you haven’t tried a new mattress recently, you will be amazed with the plush comfort and the luxurious covers.

Go see for yourself.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you shop: • Don’t scrimp. Like anything else, you get what you pay for.

The better the mattress the more likely you will get extra minutes of deep uninterrupted sleep per night. A mattress is one of the most important investments you can make.

• Buy from a reputable store. Reputable stores like Blackberry Creek Mattress know how to match you with the right product.

Caring associates begin by asking you questions that will help them understand and meet your personal sleep needs and have the genuine motive of helping improve your quality of life.

• Test drive. Just as you would test drive a car, take plenty of time to really get the feel of the mattresses by using a comfortable pillow, lie in the position you normally wake up in and let your imagination kick in. Get a glimpse of what life could be if you could escape from life’s daily stress to a cloud in the bedroom every night.

• Consider your experience and expectation. As you try different models, find one most similar to your current model and then see if you like other comfort choices better. If you slept well on your current style for a number of years then consider staying with a similar feel. If you like the thicker, softer models, keep in mind 38 JULY 2009

that you sleep in, rather than on them, as you would with a more traditional, firmer model. Do expect the thicker, softer ones to show indentations because they are designed to conform to you. Allow 30 days to adjust to a new mattress.

Enhance the experience. Maximize your enjoyment of a new mattress and protect your investment by including these important accessories and services with your purchase.

• Mattress protectors. The new generation of “pads” are breathable and moisture proof and will keep your mattress dry, fresh, odor free and sanitary for years.

• Top quality frame. Inadequate frames can actually cause damage to your mattress set and possibly void the warranty.

• New pillows. Pillows should be replaced every couple of years.

• Sheets and comforters. New high thread-count sheets have the feel of silk and are more durable than ever. Comforters offer new breathable temperature-regulating fibers.

• Extended warranties. Manufacturer’s warranties only cover defects and those are rare. There are additional warranties, such as The Sleep Trust Guarantee, that cover stains, rips, tears, accidental damage and can include a 365 night comfort guarantee.

Create a haven in your bedroom with a luxurious mattress and dream away!

Gerry Morris is director of training and development for SleepTrust. As a bedding sales rep for more than 20 years, Gerry has shared his insight with thousands of bedding sales professionals and consumers. He is also the author of two popular sales training books, a columnist for various publications and a popular speaker.

Contact Gerry at Gerry.Morris@SleepTrust.com or by cell phone at 903-456-2015.

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Are Organically Grown Foods Worth the Higher Price Tag?

BY CHRISTIN BLAND

For the conscientious shopper, the produce aisle in the local supermarket poses a dilemma: organic versus conventionally grown fruits and vegetables.

When deciding whether to buy organic, there are a number of factors to consider. Are the nutritional and environmental benefits worth the higher cost?

During the last several years, growing concern for our environment has prompted many more people to buy organic. A study by the Organic Trade Association found that sales of organic food and beverages rose from $1 billion in 1990 to $20 billion in 2007.

So, what exactly does organic mean? Foods labeled “organic” are certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and meet strict government standards regulating how they are grown, handled, and processed. These standards require the use of alternative methods for controlling weeds, pests, and disease. Organic farming methods benefit the environment by reducing carbon emissions, encouraging soil conservation, and rejecting the use of harmful pesticides that seep into our streams and rivers. Rather than spraying plants with weed killers, farmers spread mulch and conduct sophisticated crop rotations. Some farmers even pull weeds by hand. Organic farms also replace chemical fertilizers with manure or compost and use beneficial insects and birds, rather than pesticides, to control pests and disease.

As a result, organic farming is much more labor intensive, which drives costs up. Organic fruits and vegetables can cost between 50 percent and 100 percent more than their conventionally grown counterparts.

Although the label “organic” may make food seem more nutritious, that isn’t necessarily true. There is no conclusive evidence that organic fruits and vegetables contain more nutrients than produce that is conventionally grown.

However, you can be sure you are getting the most nutrition from your produce by purchasing it locally. Fruits and vegetables from the local farmer’s market – or better yet, picked from your own garden – retain more of their healthful benefits than those you buy at the supermarket.

The reason? Supermarket produce is shipped long distances and spends a lot of time sitting in trucks or on shelves, where much of the vital nutrition can be lost. The more time elapsed from when the food is harvested to when it reaches your plate, the less health benefits you receive. After eight days in the refrigerator, spinach loses about half of its folate, a nutrient that is especially important for women. The produce at the farmers market is always in season, ensuring that it’s as fresh and nutritious as possible.

And buying locally is eco-friendly. Rather than being shipped from across the country, produce comes from a family farm just a few miles away.

By getting your produce from the farmer’s market, you support local farmers and help preserve the High Country’s agricultural heritage.

So, are the benefits of organic produce worth a higher total in the checkout line? It depends on what’s in your grocery cart. The USDA has found that even after being washed, certain fruits and vegetables retain a much higher level of pesticides than others. This knowledge can help us prioritize which foods to buy organically.

The Environmental Working Group, a not-for-profit consumer advocate and research organization, has developed a list of fruits and vegetables you should always buy organic because they contain a high level of pesticides when conventionally grown. This list is called “the dirty dozen” and includes

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apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, spinach, lettuce, and strawberries.

Typically, foods with thick skins, shells or husks do not need to be bought organically. Asparagus, avocado, bananas, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, kiwi, mangos, onions, papaya, peas, and pineapple contain lower levels of pesticides, and any residual chemicals can be discarded along with the skin.

But can these chemicals really hurt you? There is no conclusive evidence linking pesticides to chronic illness. However, there is still a lot that scientists

Continued on page 46

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Heartfelt| BY TERI WIGGANS

The Glad Game

Did you know that one, I repeat, just one negative thought creates smooth and even. Results of healthy emotions include improved havoc in our body for 72 hours? It might be worth reflecting on how performance and achievement, increased creativity and innovative many negative thoughts cross your mind throughout the day. problem-solving, improved memory, improved immunity to disease,

Some of you may remember the Walt Disney movie, “Pollyanna,” improved hormonal balance and a longer life span.

Pollyanna expressed love throughout the entire movie. It became starring the young British actress, Haley Mills. I watch it periodically because her character is quite an inspiration to me. Both her parents contagious as she just kept loving no matter how much the townspeople had died and she’d been invited to live with her very rich Aunt Polly, called out for love in their fearful, angry and gloomy states. We can get who owned the small town they lived in. Most everyone in town stuck in our gloominess about life. It can feel like we’re on a merrywas in a state of fear, afraid they’d lose their jobs if they displeased go-round, or shall I rename it to a sad-go-round or a fear-go-round? the almighty Polly Harrington. Walking in fear created this division How do we get off when we know no other way than going round and amongst the community. Even the minister kowtowed to Polly, who round? made strong suggestions about what the sermons should include. Fear, Recognize when you are feeling a negative emotion or stress. vengeance and anger filled the Sunday sermons. The congregation Take a few moments and put your thoughts and feelings on hold. Shift left feeling frightened and separate and joyless. your focus to the area of your heart and breathe as if your breath is

When we feel emotions such flowing in through the center of your as anger and fear and sadness, the Never doubt that a small group of chest and out through your abdomen.

Feel something positive in your heart signals going to the two branches thoughtful committed citizens can change of the autonomic nervous system the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that like gladness. Ask yourself what would be a better way to handle this become out of sync with each other. ever has. situation or what action would allow The sympathetic nervous system, ––Margaret Mead, anthropologist you to decrease your stress. If you let where our heart beats faster and your heart speak to you and put your our stress hormones increase, can be likened to putting your foot on a gas pedal. The parasympathetic thoughts on hold, you will receive a wise response.

The above steps have been researched by the HeartMath Institute, nervous system, where our heart slows down causing calmness, can be likened to putting your foot on the brake. When they are out of sync, www.heartmath.com. This is one of the arenas I get to support people it is like going down a road in a very jerky, non-focused, chaotic way, in developing. I share the biofeedback system where you can actually causing wear and tear on the car/body. see those beautiful, even, harmonious heart wave patterns when

Those emotions literally create chaos in the brain, heart and rest you’re in that glad place.

So how did Pollyanna transform the entire town into holding a of the body. We don’t think or communicate as clearly, our decision- making skills are poorer and it affects our physical health. We’re at fundraising festival for the town orphanage when Polly Harrington was higher risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and our immune adamantly against it? What we know is that the electrical component of system plummets, which can cause all sorts of autoimmune diseases the heart’s field is about 60 times greater in amplitude than the brain. like diabetes, arthritis, Hashimoto’s thyroid disease and many others.

The magnetic component is approximately 5000 times stronger than

Let’s get back to our story. Pollyanna arrived. She literally the brain’s magnetic field and can be detected with a machine several transformed the small town from one of fear, where the townspeople feet away from the heart. How does that translate? Our feelings are were calling out for love, into a town where the community was picked up by those around us so, in a way, you might say they are expressing love. She shared, over and over, a message her father, contagious. Pollyanna’s glad feelings were picked up by all the folks who was a missionary minister, taught her. Whenever anything seems she came into contact with. You can witness the domino effect on the gloomy or negative, play the “glad game.” Change the gloomy picture town.

The town folk connected in gladness, increased their confidence into something to be glad about.

Pollyanna recounted the story of when her father requested a doll and formed a purpose together to help the orphans through the for her from the mission store and a pair of crutches came instead; fundraising festival. As a group, they were no longer afraid of Polly she admitted to being very disappointed. Her father encouraged her Harrington.

It is a choice, moment by moment, what and how you choose to to think of something she could be glad about. Her face lit up as she thought of a way to turn it around. She said, “Well, I’m glad I don’t think and feel. I believe we can create an adventure out of turning our have to use the crutches!” gloomy thoughts into glad thoughts, begin to feel better inside and out

When we feel uplifting emotions such as gladness, the two and, before you know it, the gladness will spread. Imagine what our parts of the autonomic nervous system, the sympathetic and the communities will look like when that happens. parasympathetic nervous systems, allow the brain, heart and body to work in sync with each other. The rhythm of the heart becomes 40 JULY 2009

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Free To Be – Me!

Vickie Young is a belly dancer. For years she claimed only to take classes from her first teacher, Becky “Neela” Shook, but also teaching belly dancing lessons. That changed when she realized it had become classes to ladies of all sizes and ages.

“When someone calls me about dance classes, their first question an integral part of who she was and who she wanted to be – a proud, confidant woman who embraced her womanhood and her body and is either “Am I too old?” or “Do I have to show my belly?” Vickie says. helped other women do the same.

Both questions make her laugh in delight. No, you’re not too old. The

“I think belly dance empowers women and encourages them to best belly dancers, she says, are the experienced (older) ones. Her accept and rejoice in who they are. Women don’t have to be young favorite dancers are in their sixties, seventies, and eighties. And no, you do not have to expose your belly but, and skinny to belly dance or just to after several classes, you will be proud to, enjoy life,” Vickie says. especially if you have mastered the belly

Belly dancing, or raqs sharki, is roll. thought to be the world’s oldest dance,

Not only does Vickie teach for women, by women – not conceived as a way to seduce a man, but as a dancing in Boone, but she is also a way to celebrate womanhood. Mothers member of the belly dance troupe, “Lost taught daughters, sisters taught sisters Jewels of the Ghawazee,” based out of and friends bonded with each other. the Art in Motion Studio in Granite Falls,

The Gypsy or Roma people are co-owned by her instructor (Becky).

The Jewels dance regularly at credited with spreading belly dance in their travels throughout the Middle fundraisers and arts festivals, are as close East, India and the Mediterranean. as sisters and are constantly in touch.

For centuries, belly dance in those

“The support system we have countries was considered a folk dance is phenomenal. We’ve been together performed at celebrations (weddings, though so much, both good and bad. births, community festivals, etc.), like I cannot imagine my life without the at American wedding receptions where Jewels.” we do waltzes or the electric slide.

Belly dance has given Vickie her

Growing up, Vickie was too shy to a chance to be free to dance and free to be herself. take the opportunity to stand out and do

While dancing recently with something exciting. She pretended she wasn’t interested or was too cool. But her teacher at a hafla – a celebration she envied the girls who were confident combining food, music and dance – Vickie At one time,Vickie Young was too shy to stand out and do enough to be in the spotlight. She missed a few steps in the fast paced, fun something exciting. Not any more! would stand in the back when pictures performance. “A gentleman approached were made – when she really wanted to be in the front row. Vickie me later and commented on how wonderful the dance was. When I always loved to dance and one place where she was never shy was on mentioned my missteps, he said all he saw were two women dancing the dance floor. But opportunities to dance were too infrequent and beautifully and enjoying themselves immensely. This is one reason I usually required a partner. There are not many places to dance as an dance!” adult.

Vickie read a recent article comparing a belly dance class to a

This all changed in February, 2003. Vickie saw a small ad in the book club. “The writer had attended a class expecting it to be a cross newspaper for belly dance classes. She signed up and has not stopped between an exercise workout and a dance class. What she saw was a relaxed, happy group of women sharing time together. It reminded dancing since.

“I was hooked with my first class. And then terrified when I found me of a good day at a book club. But let’s be honest, would you rather sit and discuss a book or belly dance with a room full of your best out I had to do a graduation dance.”

So, given the opportunity at 40-something to belly dance in girlfriends?”

And this comes from a self-proclaimed bookworm, a former (and front of friends and strangers in a bra covered in coins and a bare midriff with fringed scarves and skirts to emphasize her womanly hips, future) book club member who says, “The point I want to make is if one would think she would have refused. Instead, she spent weeks you would feel comfortable at a book club, you would feel comfortable learning to sway her hips from right to left, snap her hips up and at a belly dance class. The requirements are the same, a curiosity about drop them sharply down and perform the dreaded e-circle with hips life and art and a desire to communicate and share that curiosity with drawing curves one way and hands the other. The weeks turned into friends. Notice I say nothing about an age requirement or physical months and months to years. Six years later, she’s not only still taking shape, size or ability.” www.aawmag.com

JULY 2009 41

Pet Page| BY GENEVIEVE AUSTIN

All The Pretty Little Horses

“

. . . When you wake you shall have all the pretty little horses.”

The lyrics to this lovely lullaby find new meaning when one gazes upon all the pretty little horses in a pasture. Max and Nell Fletcher have a beautiful farm and the perfect setting for miniature horses to live happily ever after. These two Boone natives love animals and stumbled upon a mutual love five years ago. For fun and curiosity, they began attending an auction in Mountain City, TN. Every other Saturday, the Roan Valley Auction sold farm animals and farm animal accessories. They attended and encountered a beautiful set of miniature horses.

They discovered the pair were mother and daughter and were named Strawberry and Shortcake. Nell said, “I fell in love with them the moment I saw them.”

While she and Max discussed the logistics and the possibility of owning them, Nell noticed that another woman was interested in the pair, as well. Nell felt certain that if they hesitated, the miniature horses would not be coming home with them. She and Max had talked about the animals but had not intended to buy miniature horses on that particular day. But that’s exactly what they did. Thus began their introduction into the amazing world of miniature horses.

Nell and Max have been married for years, own cattle, barn cats, a little Yorkshire terrier, and feed the birds surrounding their home. To add miniature horses to their menagerie was neither unusual nor complicated. They have ample land and a large barn with plenty of space. Having grown up on farms, there wasn’t a great learning curve for either of them tending to their new pets.

Zane Hale from Coburn, VA who sold the two gorgeous horses to the couple, has become a friend and a strong connection for their

42 JULY 2009

acquisition of eight more miniature horses through the years.

Strawberry and Shortcake quickly made themselves at home on the Fletcher’s Boone farm. When the couple added another pair of horses, Strawberry established dominance immediately. Duffy was the first male to arrive. Strawberry gave birth to one more foal. Much to Nell’s dismay Strawberry’s aggressive behavior became problematic. Strawberry not only wanted dominance but was prone to harm the other horses. Because her behavior worsened and she seemed unresponsive to training, the Fletchers felt forced to sell her to someone they believed could better meet her desire to be top horse on a smaller farm.

Selling Strawberry still hurts Nell’s heart because she felt particularly close to her. However, acquiring their horses in pairs continued and became a pattern, except for those born on the Fletcher farm. The ratio, now disproportionate, has evolved to include two males and six females. While a couple of horses have been sold, it is not a common practice for the Fletchers. They own horses because they love them.

Currently, they have Shortcake, Angela, Sassy, Sue Ann, Sherry, Jasmine, Smokey Joe and Shadow. They’ve had Duffy, Penny and Dusty. Penny was sold and, tragically, one of the other two passed away. Which brings us to some very important facts about these beautiful creatures: they are vulnerable to human ignorance.

While little is known among the general public about these horses, it is essential to educate ourselves when it comes to the miniature horse.

Max and Nell have placed signs on the fences since the loss of one of their beloved miniatures. They discovered that some strangers fed the horse when they were not around and when the horse consumed its evening meal, it foundered. They were unable to save this horse.

“Sweet feed and hay make up their winter diet,” Nell informs. “When springtime arrives, they

have to be slowly introduced to grass feeding. If they graze too long too soon, they will founder.

But as they adjust to the new diet, grass becomes the main ingredient in spring and summer. In late summer and fall, their diet is transformed to hay and grain.”

Miniature horses are not a certain species but are smaller horses bred with smaller horses.

Max states that the definition for a miniature horse is any horse that grows to be 36 inches or less, measuring from the ground to the horse’s shoulder, not to the head. One of their foals was only 18 inches at birth, but smaller does not mean weaker. The Fletchers say there is a myth that they must not be as strong as larger horses, but they say that it’s just a myth.

While Hale rents his horses for birthday parties and sells them at auctions, Max and Nell just enjoy having them around. Max built a couple of wagons and, on occasion, he and Nell take a brief ride in the wagon. They welcome visitors, but request that no one feed the horses.

While reasons to own pets range from A to Z, perhaps the best reason of all is simply because of love. www.aawmag.com

By The Book|Courtesy Of Black Bear Books Land of Amnesia by Joseph Bathanti “When I read a poem, I long for a language that is strong yet nuanced, edgy yet ready at any moment to turn on a dime and become capacious, open to all the many ways of living in this world, both past and present.

Joseph Bathanti brings this kind of language to his new collection. I admire the heft of it; the sheer refusal to back down in the face of all the ways life can nibble away at our passion and persistence. Take a line, any line: ‘There where the earth knows to open/her hair like solstice wheat the day of gleaning/going grey, but in the moonlight like milkweed/surging out of its pod/Even the unimagined returns.’

Need I say more? Land of Amnesia is a collection I wish I’d written myself. That’s the greatest compliment any poet could give.”

–––Kathryn Stripling Byer, North Carolina Poet Laureate (Bathanti is a Professor of Creative Writing at Appalachian State University.)

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Girls Like Us is an epic treatment of mid-century women who dared to break tradition and become what none had been before them: confessors in song, rock superstars, and adventurers of heart and soul.

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the strength she had shown after her son Wade was killed in a freak car accident when he was only sixteen years old. She exhibited this remarkable grace and courage again when the very private matter of her husband’s infidelity became public fodder. And her own life has been on the line. Days before the 2004 presidential election, when her husband John was running for vice president, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After rounds of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation the cancer went away, only to reoccur in 2007.

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JULY 2009 43

BY TIM MICHAELS Steven Spielberg commented, “Stories don’t have a middle or an end anymore. They usually have a beginning that never stops beginning.”

The writer in me seeks to nurture an idea or a daydream and develop a tale so that others may read my words and visualize with their mind’s eye the story I am telling. Once the teller of stories finds the work that fits in life, then their work becomes the narrative.

I am more of an artist than a writer and, artistically, the story I am telling is one that can be visualized. A painting of two lovers sharing a kiss in a mystic garden will in some way, by either an actual rendering or by abstract, depict the lovers sharing their kiss.

We have all heard, however, the tales of starving artists, and the artist’s motto, “Viva la vie Boheme.”

Being a father of three children, all of whom wish to eat, wear nice clothes, and go to college someday, I make my living as a kitchen designer, and I have actually found my own story. I receive great satisfaction in working with clients to design and produce a kitchen that will tell their story.

With each kitchen I work on, I am sharing my client’s life through a tale – a tale about their children or grandchildren, of the good times and bad, a tale of what they are leaving behind, or the start of new chapters to their story.

One of these stories came with an elderly couple some years back. They seemed the nicest couple as I sat with them, and they told me the tales of woe that had plagued their lives with their old kitchen.

He was a tall man in his early eighties. She was in her late 44 JULY 2009

seventies and shorter. He spoke of the upper cabinetry with the ends protruding too far over the bar area so that he bumped his head each time he leaned a little too close. She told of her concerns with the dishwasher being too close in the corner and wanted to see into some of her upper cabinets without opening the doors. They both agreed that the real need to remodel their kitchen was to update with a style that reflected their lives in the current time and to get rid of the seventies-style kitchen. I came up with a design that fit their needs and wishes. Their story, however, was just about to begin.

We worked through the areas that were important to each of them individually, with each accepting that something small to one had a greater significance to the other. They were skilled in the art of compromise. They made their color choices for the wood and styles for the doors. Countertops were easy once a color was chosen that didn’t cause their medical pills to blend into the background. Backsplash, knobs, appliances, were all chosen without conflict.

Then we came to choosing a material for their floor. He wanted to update the kitchen with ceramic tile. She was hesitant. He compromised and agreed to hardwood. She was hesitant. I tried to suggest what I would like and broke one of the rules of the designer’s code: give the customer what they want, not what I want. Our work had come to a stop.

A couple of days passed and I received a call asking me to meet this couple at a flooring outlet. We walked around the store looking at the varying materials for the floor. Their existing floor had linoleum; he and I both thought they needed to update to something more elegant. She was hesitant. She looked into his eyes as she kicked off her shoes, and they began to dance. This lovely couple waltzed across the floor while other patrons watched.

They danced across the tiled floors, the different hardwood selections, and across the linoleum. Their dance stopped in the linoleum section, and she nodded her head. He turned to me and said, “We will be going with the linoleum.”

They later shared with me that late at night when the day had quieted, she would kick off her shoes and they would dance. Both the ceramic and hardwood felt too hard on her bare feet and it was more important to dance than to have a more elegant and up-to-date floor covering.

With every kitchen I have the privilege to design, there is a story to be told. One could suppose that Mr. Spielberg was correct.

Tim Michaels has worked in kitchen design for over twenty years, and is an award-winning kitchen designer with Distinctive Kitchens and Baths, located in Statesville and Boone. They specialize in kitchen and bath cabinetry for all remodeling and new home projects. Contact: tim@dkbcab.com, or (cell) 828-439-3391 www.boonekitchensandbaths.com or www. statesvillekitchensandbaths.com

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Continued from page 39 don’t know. And with the abundance of processed foods on the market, many people are concerned with the level of toxins that end up in their bodies.

This is especially important for young children and pregnant women, whose bodies may be more vulnerable to foreign substances. Pesticides have been shown to cross the placenta during pregnancy, and a recent study by the University of Washington in Seattle found that preschoolers who ate conventionally grown produce had six times the level of certain pesticides in their urine than kids who ate organic foods. Pregnant women and mothers of young children should take special care to buy organic whenever possible.

Keep in mind that even if you buy organic produce, it is always important to thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables. Commercially available soaps and washes are unnecessary and may even be harmful, depending

on the ingredients. Clean, cold water and a little elbow grease will work just fine.

Finally, what about taste? Fresh produce will always taste best, which is another reason to grow your own food or buy locally. Whether organic produce tastes better than conventionally grown produce is up for debate, but the organic blackberries bought at the farmer’s market could be the best you’ve ever tasted.

The Watauga Farmer’s Market, located in Horn in the West parking lot is open Saturday till noon; beginning mid-June, also open Wednesday afternoons 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.; Ashe County Farmer’s Market, on the Backstreet in West Jefferson, is open every Saturday through the end of October, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Avery County Farmer’s Market is open on Saturdays, 8 a.m. - noon, located in the upper parking lot at Newland Elementary School.

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always go back and rework things. When you have little guys, your time is theirs and so oil painting worked for me. Now it is my comfort zone and I really enjoy creating.”

The Gilreaths have owned property in the High Country for over 20 years. Their two sons went to Appalachian State University; one is now a senior chief in the Navy and the other has his Ph.D. in computer science/electrical engineering. “They fell in love with the mountains, and so did we. We built here several years ago, but our hearts have been here longer.”

Edy may be reached at her home studio in Fleetwood at (336) 877-3452.

“A Strong Woman,” represents all women who rise after a fall, says artist Edy Gilreath.“Women find a way to soar with their heart in hand to rise and rejoice with life.That is what we do.” Photo of painting by Kim Hadley.

Ashe Artist Defines A Stong Woman Ashe County artist Edy Gilreath has been painting and working with design for as long as she can remember. “My husband, Art, actually gave me my first oil painting kit during our first year of marriage.” The couple celebrates their 39th anniversary on July 3.

“My paintings come from the heart,” Edy says. Her inspiration appears in many forms: beauty, emotions, a moment in time. “Each one, when caught at that special moment, is a true joy.”

Never knowing what will spark the spirit, she says, her response must be to transform it in the form of art to release and enjoy. Referring to her captivating piece called, “A Strong Woman,” Edy says, “It represents all women who rise after a fall. Women find a way to soar with their heart in hand to rise and rejoice with life. That is what we do.”

Named Artist of the Month in Mandeville, LA several years ago, Edy says while her work has sold, it’s been only commissioned pieces [at this point] for friends and other pieces donated for an Easter Seals fundraising auction that sold for $1200.

“People were, of course, generous because they knew it all went to a good cause. I do not have any false hopes.”

Because of a promise made to a dear friend prior to her recent death, Edy has begun to pursue showing some of her paintings.

Currently, some of her work is displayed with Ashe Framing in downtown West Jefferson.

Edy paints primarily with oils. “When the boys were babies, I could www.aawmag.com

Never knowing what will spark the spirit, Edy Gilreath says, her response must be to transform it in the form of art to release and enjoy.

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Mom’s World| BY HEATHER JORDAN, CNM, MSN

Roots and Wings There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give to our children. One is roots; the other, wings.

-- Hodding Carter As a mother, I am always witness to the varied inequalities amongst my children, as pointed out emphatically by my children. Parents are to be the great equalizers in this sense. We certainly don’t want to be seen as completely unfair, even though, as I remember my best friend explaining to her younger sister, “Not everything in life is fair,” a statement that was pulled out whenever her privileges superseded that of her sibling.

Freedom to children often means different things at different stages. For instance, my five-year-old will not hesitate to point out that my oldest gets to spend the night at his friend’s house, go to the YMCA X-arcade by himself, or occasionally stay up later – only to decry the unfairness of being older than the two-year-old, who has more freedom to play when the rest of the family is cleaning up.

Truly, as the middle child, Joseph seems particularly cued into such inequities and is continually bargaining to have more freedom but not always the increased responsibilities that go with that freedom. He feels independent and big enough to work on his own hideout on the property without parental supervision, but hesitates to go to sleep in his own bedroom if his bigger brother is spending the night elsewhere.

As a parent, I have struggled with when to let my kids move on to that next level of freedom within our family and try their wings.

Sometimes it is a physical feat that children seek permission to perform, such as jumping in the water from the side of the pool, getting on a horse, climbing way up a tree, or lifting something that seems just a bit too heavy for the little arms to carry. The words, “Momma, I can DO IT MYSELF,” echo in my head with every new effort of each of my kids, and I sigh as I try to entrust my utmost confidence to their abilities while half holding my breath. I want them to grow and learn and develop, but admittedly I feel apprehensive from prior experiences when I’ve let the reins out a little too far and they fail or suffer consequences of perhaps too much freedom. These experiences might entail anything from spilling orange juice from the gallon orange juice container that they’ve insisted on pouring themselves, to falling from the monkey bars just at the same moment that I’m saying, “That’s great, honey, but probably Daddy or I should be right there if you’re going to try that.” Overall, I am simultaneously grateful and terrified that my kids have the gumption to try almost anything.

In addition to the physical freedoms, kids also seek independence stemming from trust and belief that they are mature enough to be alone for moments at a time to function and make their own decisions without the continuous supervision of an adult. Granted, I am still quite leery about giving in to this type of freedom even when other kids are less closely monitored than my children.

Recently, my oldest son went with a friend for his first overnight trip out of town to his friend’s grandfather’s house. It was a special 48 JULY 2009

occasion and the friend was one whom I have known for years, as well as his mother, but I have to admit, it felt like a new level of freedom to send him on his way. I knew he would be well-supervised and in good hands, but that instinct as a mother to oversee, to remind, to audit is quite powerful, and hard to overcome. I found myself having the seemingly endless lines of worry going through my head: I hope he’ll remember his life jacket on the boat . . . Will he put sunscreen on . . . Will he remember to thank his friend’s family for hosting him . . . Does he have enough clothes . . .Will he get enough sleep . . .

Will he be aware of other boats out on the lake when swimming?

The worries seemed unfounded. My eldest has always been incredibly mature and responsible for his age. I trust and love my friend who was taking him. Yet still, it’s hard to let go. In my mind, these are the roots that bind us to our children and give them stability as well as, at times, some restraint. It’s a healthy push-pull of parenting. We want to let our children go but also want to know that when they do go, they’re heading in the right direction.

Reflecting on my own experience of growing up, I can say that I truly appreciated the fact that my parents were strict enough to keep us on the right path, but also rewarded us as we matured with greater freedom and independence. They always knew what was going on with us, when our work was due, what we were studying, who we were with, and because of this involvement and attention, I feel we were motivated to do well. They also always expressed their trust in us and love, even in the face of disappointing actions. Looking back, I am sure that my mom had the rolling list of worries clicking through her mind as well, as she let me go do something new that was a reach for her (and truthfully) for me.

I still remember the first time I got to go to the movies and mall by myself, as well as when I lived away for a summer just after my sophomore year in college. These new levels of freedom usually followed negotiations on my part and recognition by my parents of the ways in which I had earned their respect and trust. Most of the time, I made my parents proud at how I handled my growing freedoms. But there were times when, well, maybe the reins were let out a little too much and I was not as responsible as I could have been. This is why we as parents get that nervousness as our kids push the boundaries for more freedom – because we remember our own failings or less than mature responses to fewer limits. Even so, it is a rewarding feeling when we give that nudge to our kids to fly, to do for themselves, to experience something for the first time independently and they succeed. You can see the utter joy in their smiles and feel it in your gut.

In the best parenting, love roots our children, not in a way that inhibits them, but rather in a way that frees them to see and experience the world with curiosity, wonder, and wisdom.

If you have comments or questions about this article, please feel free to contact Heather Jordan, Certified Nurse-Midwife, at the office of Charles E. Baker, MD at 828-737-7711 x253 or e-mail her at landh@localnet.com. www.aawmag.com

High Country Courtesies| BY Sharon carlton

Respecting Old Glory

“Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave . . . ”

– Francis Scott Key-1814 Our flag, the symbol for the United States of America, represents our people, our homeland and our many ways of life. As Betsy Ross’s first rendering in May of 1776 evolved into our 50-star banner of today, the flag has become well known as a representation for the “land of the free, and the home of the brave.” The standards of respect for handling our flag are less well-known. In 1923, representatives from the U.S. Army, Navy and other groups established the U.S. Flag Code, a set of advisory rules for the display and care of our flag.

Some of the etiquette guidelines are universal; some are applicable only to the U.S.

Although the Flag Code became public law in 1942, there are no set penalties for violations or failures to comply. The intent of the Code is to provide guidelines of esteem for the flag.

Basic rules for handling and displaying the U.S. flag include: the flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, floor, water or merchandise; it should not be fastened, displayed, used or stored in a way that would permit it to be easily torn, soiled or damaged; the flag should not be used as a ceiling covering; it should not be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying or delivering anything; and the flag should not be used for advertising purposes, especially for items that are designed for temporary use and discard.

The flag should not be used as wearing apparel, bedding or drapery; no insignias, marks, letters, words, figures, drawings or pictures should be attached to the flag; no part of the flag should be used as a costume or athletic costume. A flag patch may be attached to the uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations. Because the flag represents a living country, it is considered a living thing. A lapel flag pin is a replica of the flag, and should be worn on the left lapel near the heart.

When carrying the flag, it should be held aloft and free, never carried flat or horizontally. The flag should be displayed with the union down only as a signal of dire distress or in instances of extreme danger to life or property.

When possible, the U.S. flag should be saluted as it is raised briskly and lowered slowly. Traditionally, flags are flown from sunrise to sunset. If a flag is to be flown 24 hours a day, it should be illuminated during the night and taken in during foul weather. The flag should be flown especially on national and state holidays. When flown with other flags, the U.S. flag should be hoisted first and taken down last.

If the U.S. flag is to be flown on the same pole as other flags, it should be positioned at the top of the pole. When it is flown with

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other flags on individual poles of the same height, the U.S. flag is always placed in a position of honor, which is to its right. (As viewed, it will be on the left.)

Flying a flag at half-staff reflects sorrow and mourning following the death of a national or state figure or after a national tragedy.

When raising a flag to half-staff, hoist the flag to the top of the pole, pause an instant, then lower the flag, positioning it half the distance from the top and the bottom of the pole. On Memorial Day flags are flown at half-staff until noon, then raised to full-staff until sunset to honor those who have sacrificed their lives for our country.

A misunderstanding of two sections of the Flag Code has led to a myth that a flag that has touched the ground needs to be burned.

While a flag should not be allowed to touch the ground, that is not a reason to destroy it. If a flag has been soiled, clean it by hand and allow it to dry before displaying it again.

When a flag is so worn, weathered or soiled that it should be retired, dispose of it in a manner that insures it will not end up in an undignified setting like a junk heap. Burning is the most common method for disposal. Many civic organizations such as American Legion Posts, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Boy Scout troops and Girl Scout troops accept flags for disposal and regularly conduct dignified flag burning ceremonies.

Veterans and military personnel may salute the flag when it is being raised or lowered, when it is passing in a parade, or during the playing of the national anthem or the pledge of allegiance. Citizens not in uniform should place their right hands over their hearts. Men should remove their hats with their right hands, hold them to their left shoulders with right hands over their hearts.

As a symbol for our country, the U.S. flag is a source of pride and inspiration for our people and deserves to be treated with respect. By handling and displaying the flag correctly, we honor our country and the ideals it represents.

Sharon Carlton, High Country Courtesies ©2009 Sharon Carlton conducts High Country Courtesies customer service workshops and is Director of High Country Cotillion, a social education program for youth. She writes and speaks on modern etiquette and life skill topics. Contact her at sacarlton@ skybest.com JULY 2009 49

YOU GO, GIRL!| BY SHERRIE NORRIS

Ariel Franklin

Ariel Franklin, rising senior at Avery County High School, is a very busy, talented and energetic teen involved in too many school and community functions to mention. Active and holding offices in everything from FFA and Key Club to Student Government and a trio of National Honors Societies, Ariel says there is a difference between being a member and being an active member. “Many people join clubs and that’s the end of it.

I believe you should participate and be very active in any club or organization that you join.”

Not only is she a tremendous role model, Ariel has excelled and received awards at nearly every level of participation in school and extra-curricular activities (art, civics/economics, Spanish, chemistry, cheerleading, and in many phases of community service). She has received the UCA (Universal Cheerleading Association) ALLSTAR Award twice and performed with the US Varsity ALLSTARS in the 2008 New Year’s Day Parade in London, England.

Ariel was named Most Valuable Player of her cheerleading squad in 2007 and 2008 and currently assists with the Avery Middle School cheerleaders. She has been on the ACHS Homecoming Court, placed third in 50 JULY 2009

the traditional nontumbling individual division during the most recent Battle at the Beach National Cheer Competition, and received the FFA Diversified Horticulture Proficiency Award, just to name a few of her many accolades.

Ariel is enrolled in all honors and college dual-enrollment classes and will graduate high school in 2010 with enough college credit hours to enter college as at least a second semester sophomore if not a junior. Being named Grand Junior Marshall for Avery High’s recent graduation was no coincidence for Ariel; it simply means that her GPA places her #1 in her class at present.

In addition to her academic excellence, Ariel is also an award-winning cheerleader, having cheered since kindergarten.

As a dancer, entering her 14th year studying various dance techniques and styles with Studio-K, she has claimed starring roles in numerous stage productions.

“If you see me out at the mall or in the grocery store, most likely you will spot me dancing up and down the aisles or leaping across a parking lot. My friends and family kid me all the time about never sitting or standing still. I am always dancing. I grew up as a

pageant kid – yes, one of those you see on TV documentaries and in magazines. I loved them and I feel they gave me an edge in life! I gained more self-confidence, self-esteem and time-management skills during those years than you can imagine.”

Ariel learned at a very young age how hard work and personal sacrifice pay off. “I also discovered my passion for community service during that time and was awarded a United States National Angel of Light Award at the age of 10 for community service.”

Ariel adds, “My role as a Christian plays a big role in my life as well as on my outlook on life.” As member of Jonas Ridge Baptist Church, Ariel describes foreign mission work as one of the most fulfilling things she’s ever done. This will be her fourth summer traveling as a missionary. “I have worked in Ecuador, South America, Panama, Central America, and South Africa - a place that completely captured my heart!” This summer, she is serving in Guatemala, Central America.

Her passion for working with children is the basis for her ultimate career plans to become a pediatrician. First, however, she plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree with a www.aawmag.com

chemistry or physiology major and a minor in dance, then on to medical school.

“As a pediatrician, I hope to work in a practice large enough to allow me to spend some time each year as a medical missionary.

I want to work with children in both the physical and spiritual sense.”

Each year, Ariel has performed in numerous ballets with Studio-K, but last

www.aawmag.com

December a dream she had since age three came true when she was cast as Clara in the Nutcracker. “That was one of the most magical performances I could ever imagine,” she says.

She teaches and choreographs for Tutu’s dance studio in Spruce Pine and recently did the same dance for the drama department’s production of “Grease” at Avery High. She is also a member of the school’s varsity track team.

She has volunteered for such events as the Woolly Worm Festival, Grandfather Mountain Highland Games and Cranberry House Grand Opening, local roadside cleanups, as Cheer Camp teacher at Avery Parks and Recreation, Sunday school teacher at church and for the residents of Jonas Ridge Rest Home. She has worked as hostess/ waitress at Louise’s Rock House Restaurant and as wreath maker at Clark Nursery.

Living in Jonas Ridge with parents April and Wayne Franklin, Ariel says, “My mother inflicted me with the travel bug at a very early age. We have spent wonderful times together traveling. I have been on five continents and, one day, plan make it to the last two.

My most memorable trips with Mom include

Italy, Egypt and Thailand.”

In her free time, whenever that might be, Ariel enjoys photography, scrap-booking and gardening. “I inherited my love of gardening and landscaping from my father. I get a major thrill when beating him at putt-putt!” She also loves all water sports, especially surfing.

In a nutshell, she says, she is an overachiever, an athlete, a driven student, and a community-minded citizen. “I speak my mind and if I see injustice, I cannot keep my mouth shut. I love the Lord and I pray that all my life will be as exciting and happy as my childhood and my teen years have been. I feel very blessed to live in America and I wish everyone in the world could be as happy and excited about life as I am.”

At press time, we learned that Ariel received numerous academic and athletic awards at the end-of-year banquet at ACHS. They included: Excellence in Honors English award, Excellence in Honors Pre-Calculus award, Excellence in Honors Anatomy and Physiology award, NCHSAA Scholar Athlete award, Varsity letter in Track and Field as well as Cheerleading, Cheerleader of the Year award, NTHS award, NHS award, and Head Marshal award.

JULY 2009 51

Cents and $ensibility|

BY corrinne loucks ASSAD

Get Paid For Your Talents

If there is one good thing coming out of this recession period, it is that while people are looking for ways to make extra money, they are learning and utilizing their true talents and resourcefulness. Longtime employees who are suddenly finding themselves unemployed are asking themselves, “What am I good at?”

“How can I use my talents to serve others and make money at the same time?”

Not so sure what you could do to make extra cash? I once heard a pastor talk about God-given talents. He suggested thinking of those things that come easy, things that are obvious, or things that you notice others don’t do as well and you can’t understand why. If you think your coworker’s office is always such a mess, it doesn’t necessarily mean she’s a slob; you might just have a natural gift for organization.

Think you could never pull off a big party? Could be that cooking, timing, choosing tasteful decorations and/or entertaining others are all your friend’s gifts. Either that or she has a knack for hiring the best professionals to do the job!

Wonder why everyone complains about tax preparation when you simply pull the papers you need out of the file and you’re ready to go? These are a few examples of how you could put your talents and skills together to extra money.

Others who don’t have your gift might pay you well to have your help with their business or home. Does everyone rave about your flourless chocolate torte? I tried five or six different bakeries before settling on one for my wedding dessert and would have been thrilled to spend my money on homemade instead.

Are you great at getting people together at the last minute? Your gift could be in event planning, party planning or even motivating others. Good with numbers, accounting, paperwork, etc.? You could assist that interior designer in keeping her books, get paid to set up your friends’ tax paperwork, or keep expense reports for your realtor friends.

Think of the services that you already offer for free that could be instant moneymakers. Do you share fresh produce from your garden every summer? Treat your friends and even people you hardly know to canned tomatoes, peaches, jellies and jams? Offer to alter your friend’s wedding dress at the last minute? Take pictures at events and then give them away? Spend hours cleaning up the mess your friends have made of their computers? Selling homegrown vegetables and homemade sweets could mean extra income. Sewing talents, especially last minute, could earn you bucks come prom and summer wedding season. Everyone is looking for ways to save. They’re going to pay someone to remove those viruses from their computers. Why not you?

Other ideas for making extra cash: freelance writing, plant maintenance, running errands, cleaning houses, construction site cleanup, teaching a language, Internet research, laundry/ironing, 52 JULY 2009

shopping, babysitting, pet sitting, baking/cooking, party planning, driving, house sitting, swimming lessons, designing Web sites and logos, writing ads, etc. The possibilities are endless. Rent your home during a local event and take a vacation with the money!

Important things to remember when getting paid for your work: Always put your agreement in writing, specifying what work you will do, how much you will be paid and when. If you are assisting with taxes or other official documents, always consult with a qualified advisor for additional deductions, rules, etc. When possible, try to get payment or partial payment up front. Always follow local, state and federal laws, especially when dealing with children. And last, but most importantly, always ask for referrals from your existing clients.

None of these ideas require additional spending or an initial output of cash. However, there are some legitimate and non-legitimate ways to work from home that do. Be careful if choosing one of those.

Many successful businesses have evolved from people like you and me starting with an idea that earned extra cash from home. Start by turning something you love to do into a home-based business. There are many ways to earn extra cash if you’re honest and willing to make the effort.

www.aawmag.com

Lynn Lewis

On The Cutting Edge In Health Care

BY YOZETTE “YOGI” COLLINS Family nurse practitioner Lynn Lewis is excited, and rightly so. In April, she opened a new health care clinic, Medicine, Prevention and Diagnostic in Blowing Rock. Walking onto the porch of the little yellow house on Sunset Drive, where Lynn set up shop, is like walking into a friend’s cottage. Cheery and welcoming, there are even patients sitting on the porch eating lunch and seemingly hanging out.

Lynn is also excited about her new independence. “It feels wonderful. There are stressors with making sure the bills get paid, but this has been such a Godsend, such a blessing. I have always wanted to be selfemployed. I have always wanted to have a staff that I could treat with the same respect that they treated me. I have absolutely the most blessed situation here. I feel like these people have just fallen into my life, I really do.”

While nurse practitioners can open their own clinics, they do need to practice under a supervising physician to meet NC Medical Board rules. Lynn’s collaborating physicians, endocrinologist Kirkwood Schultz of Lake Norman and rheumatologist Steven Mendelsohn of Asheville, are within easy reach by telephone or e-mail whenever she needs them. But, Lynn seems quite capable of handling patients herself.

In fact, many of her patients feel so confident that they followed her from her previous place of employment to her new clinic, which thrills Lynn. “I’ve been amazed at the support and the patients who have found me since I left my former employer.

It’s been amazing the persistence they have shown to find me. I’m hoping that through advertising and marketing, the rest of them will find me.”

Considering the priority Lynn places on her patients and their health, it is no surprise that her patients are searching her out. With an approach to healthcare that combines conventional medicine with complementary options like quality supplements, nutrition knowledge and massage, Lynn says, www.aawmag.com

“Everything I practice is science-based and evidence– based.”

Patient Ken Courtney considers his treatment at the clinic remarkable. He came to Lynn following recent pacemaker surgery and in the past few weeks has noticed his stamina increase under Lynn’s care. “For me, it’s helped a lot. I’m getting younger every day so I know it [her regimen] works,” he says with a laugh.

Lynn’s approach to health does take involvement from the patient, a vital component to well-being. “We’ve become very lazy in this country,” Lynn says. “Until we take back responsibility for ourselves, it’s not going to get any better. I truly believe that there is a lot to be said for taking care of yourself early and maintaining a nutritionally sound body and spirit because that’s a part of it as anything else is.”

So, if you are looking for a calm, personal healthcare experience, visit Lynn in the little yellow house on Sunset Drive in Blowing Rock. She would love to see you and work with you to help you feel your best, the way she likes to work.

“I appreciate having my own business because I can practice medicine the way that I feel it should be practiced. There are standards of care that I follow, always, but everybody is an individual and everybody has to be appreciated as an individual. That’s what I would want and that’s what I try to give. This is the clinic of the future. And I like cutting edge.”

To schedule an appointment with Lynn Lewis at Medicine, Prevention and Diagnostics, call (828) 414-9115.

(See ad on page 7.)

Unique Gifts & Home Furnishings

www.gregoryalans.com Accessories in all price ranges Unique accents for your home and patio

Creative Wall Décor Clocks, Mirrors, Lamps

828.414.9091 110 Sunset Dr., Suite 2 Blowing Rock, NC 28605 JULY 2009 53

Young at Heart| BY Heather Young

Ladies, raise your hand if you have ever high-fived a girlfriend after eating an entire pizza. Or, bragged about consuming three burgers in one sitting. Or, spent an entire Sunday watching football and gave nary a thought to cleaning the house. No one?

Now, raise your hand if you have a husband, boyfriend, father, brother or guy friend who has done any of the above. Ah, there are the hands!

Keep your hand up if you have ever ordered dessert only to agonize for days after about the calories you consumed. Or, spent a beautiful day inside cleaning the house rather than heading out on a hike. Or, turned down an invite from a girlfriend because you might be needed at home. Or, never read that new bestseller because you just could not spare the time to do something for yourself? That’s what I thought – all of your hands are still up.

Now, lower your hand if you have a husband, boyfriend, father, brother or guy friend who has done any of the above. And, there go the hands!

I have concluded from conversations with other women and men and from a bit of self-examination that women put the guilt in guilty pleasures! Men, on the other hand, are able to enjoy the things they love without remorse.

Why, I ask, must women attach shame to the things that delight us? Are we embarrassed by these things? Do we feel that others will judge us harshly because of these things? Do we believe that we alone find these things pleasurable?

As much as I would like to believe that women are the smarter of the sexes, in this instance, I have to admit that men got it right!

Although our grandfathers and fathers may have had a few guilty pleasures – quiche, bubble baths, poetry, sappy romantic comedies – the days when men could not admit to enjoying these things are long past. Just this past weekend, while eating lunch in West Jefferson, I observed a rather gruff-looking man approach the luncheon counter, scan the dishes on offer and proudly declare, “You’ve got quiche. I love quiche!” I was surprised at first but then gladdened that this man was able to share his love of quiche with the world (or with anyone within hearing distance) without feeling embarrassed.

Women do the opposite. We announce that we can’t have the quiche and explain why. I freely admit that I do it myself. One night last week, Roger opened a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Pistachio ice cream and asked if I wanted a bite. I did, but I responded, “Nope, not allowed.

Too fattening!”

“Not allowed,” My mind immediately questioned. “Why would you even say that?”

54 JULY 2009

I think this type of reaction is an unconscious habit with which women are programmed. We spend far too much time worrying about the worst that could happen, such as one bite of Ben & Jerry’s derailing a year’s worth of exercise and healthy eating. Perhaps one day, scientists will isolate the female guilt gene and fix this problem.

Until then, maybe we can free ourselves by being aware of our behavior.

As it is difficult enough to find time to savor our pleasures, is there really a purpose in adding an additional layer of self-reproach? I suggest that we follow our brothers and shout to the world about the things that we find satisfying and refuse to acknowledge guilt or to apologize to anyone.

To encourage the dialogue, I have compiled a list of my “guilty pleasures” – things that I will now acknowledge in an effort to enjoy them without a twinge of remorse.

1. Going to the gym – I don’t feel guilty about exercising, but rather about the time it takes each evening, when I should be doing stuff at home. But, it makes me a happier person, so I think it’s necessary.

2. Cheesy Sci-Fi movies – I am a sucker for bad science fiction and fantasy B-movies. The stupider the plot, the funnier I find them.

3. Singing show tunes – Who out there doesn’t have a favorite show tune? I have a collection and love to blast them and sing along whenever I am home alone.

4. The World Weekly News – If you don’t remember this serial, it is the one with such stories as “My Cat is a Killer Alien from Mars,” “I’m carrying the Loch Ness Monster’s Love Child” and “Giant Squid People Poised to take over the Planet.” Sadly, it seems that grocery stores have stopped stocking it by the checkout line, which makes for a boring wait.

5. Hats – Why did women stop wearing hats each and every day?

I suggest that we bring back hats, because they are fun and useful. I am not talking about ball caps, but large-brimmed, flower-covered, proper hats.

6. French fries – Crispy, salty, deep-fried potatoes – what’s not to love? I would not want to eat them every day, but as an occasional treat, yum!

Perhaps a few readers can identify with my list. Maybe your list is entirely different. Either way, I hope my confession will encourage other women to share their favorite pleasures and rid themselves of the guilt! www.aawmag.com

Your Home|BY CORRINNE LOUCKS ASSAD

Optimizing this Summer’s “Stay - cation!”

The real estate boom of the recent past attributed a significant status to owning a second home/vacation home for a summer get-away. While historically only wealthy Americans had second homes, easy credit allowed for middle America to join the ranks – to the tune of 39 percent of total home sales in 2005, according to the National Association of Realtors.

That percentage jumped, as did the numbers, as a history making 1.07 million vacation homes sold in 2006. The average income of that typical vacation/second homebuyer? $102,200. Hardly considered rich by today’s standards.

In recent years, it has seemed blasé for some to stick around all summer without another house to which to go, or at least to drop into conversation, even if it’s rarely used. Entire magazines were published describing the many options of places to buy, from mountain chalets in Park City, Utah, with dual purpose in winter months, to California lakeside retreats, to villas along side volcanoes in Hawaii. The High Country of North Carolina has found its spot among top places to own a second home.

A sharp contrast is evolving today. While people are having trouble hanging on to their primary homes, we are seeing a rise in unemployment, and mortgage lending has buckled down. In fact, some of the areas grossly affected are those second home havens such as Florida, Phoenix and California.

In 2008, second home and investment property home sales dropped 50 percent! While still popular, the US has 8.1 million vacation homes and another 40.5 million investment properties. According to NAR, a new trend, aptly named “stay-cation,” has become the thing.

Wikipedia defines a stay-cation (stacation) as “a period of time in which an individual or family stays at home and relaxes at home or takes day trips from their home to area attractions.

Stay-cations have achieved high popularity in current hard economic times in which unemployment levels and gas prices are high.

Wikipedia describes common activities such as “use of the backyard pool, visits to local parks and museums, and attendance at local festivals; some stay-cationers also like to follow a set of rules, such as setting a start and end date, planning ahead, and avoiding routine, with the goal of creating the feel of a traditional vacation.”

Certainly a great money-saving tool, stay-cations save on lodging, gas and other travel expenses. Smaller expenses may include gas for local jaunts, dining out and local attractions. Keep in mind the many free or inexpensive options in our area.

Many cities and municipalities have gotten smart and are marketing to entice locals to patronize hometown businesses during their home vacations.

Also saved are the stresses of planning, traveling long distances and breaking the bank. You may even slip in a few hours of checking in at work and checking e-mails or voice mails each morning, thereby avoiding that stress of catching up when you get back!

Need ideas for your High Country stay-cation? Try hiking to the top of a mountain followed by a swim in the waterfall. There are great www.aawmag.com

memory-making opportunities for the kids in gem mining, goony golf and tubing. Why not finally landscape your yard or add a flowerbed, serving a dual purpose of sunbathing and acquiring a sense of accomplishment.

A day trip to one of the many amusement parks is within a 2-3 hour drive. Read a good book or try some new recipes, starting with a road trip to an international or fresh seafood market.

Planting flowers feel like a chore? Whip your garden into shape in the evenings and take care of pesky repairs or small projects to make sure they don’t eat up your vacation time. Do the work prior to your at–home vacation, cleaning the house from top to bottom before the R &R begins.

Make sure your grill is ready to fire up, your icemaker is humming and the blender blades are sharpened. Air out the outdoor furniture and get out the sunscreen! Your chores will still be there when you get back to work, just as they will be for your friends who are returning from the beach.

This summer, relax in your own backyards without explanation, fear or regret. Who knew vacationing at home would be the trendy thing to do? (Remember being country when country wasn’t cool?) And be glad you kept those hippie blouses and skinny jeans from high school! You’ll be all the rage on your stay-cation this year!

JULY 2009 55

Healthy Lady| BY BONNIE CHURCH, CNC, WELLNESS COACH

Shedding Light on Vitamin D

Do you slather yourself with sunscreen and shroud yourself in hat and shawls to avoid exposure to the cancer-triggering effects of the sun?

The truth is, a life in the dark might not reduce your risk of developing skin cancer. In fact, it might actually increase your risk if it prevents your skin from making Vitamin D.

Perhaps due, in part, to our paranoia of those damaging UV rays, an estimated 50 percent of Americans are deficient in this vital nutrient. The percentage is higher for older adults, breast-fed infants, people of color and the obese.

According to the National Institutes of Health, some medicines might also interfere with Vitamin D absorption: Corticosteroid medications such as prednisone, the weight-loss drug orlistat (brand names Xenical® and alli™) and the cholesterol-lowering drug cholestyramine (brand names Questran®, LoCholest®, and Prevalite®), phenobarbital and phenytoin (brand name Dilantin®).

Why is this significant? Vitamin D is technically not a vitamin.

It is a hormone. We know if the thyroid hormones are low, there are all sorts of unpleasant consequences. You gain weight, lose your hair, become constipated and tired. A deficiency of the Vitamin D hormone can have equally profound effects.

In children, Vitamin D deficiency can cause rickets. A child with this condition has bowed, soft bones, muscle weakness, stunted growth, and high risk of low bone density later in life.

In adults, this condition is Osteomalacia, which involves aches and pains in the bones and joints, and muscle aches/weakness.

Patients with these symptoms are often diagnosed with Fibromyalgia.

In a Mayo Clinic study of 150 patients with these symptoms, 139 were deficient in Vitamin D.

Current research has implicated Vitamin D deficiency as a cofactor in the pathology of at least 17 varieties of cancer, as well as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, birth defects, periodontal disease, MS and more.

exposure to tanning lamps can help to supplement your UV requirement.

Note: A number of leading cancer specialists either disagree with Dr. Holick or advise caution when following his advice on sunning to obtain Vitamin D. (See sidebar with article on Dr. Yvonne Mack, pages 22 & 23.)

Getting D from Supplementation

For those among us refusing to leave our UV-protective cocoon, supplements are an option. Apparently, the body can’t tell whether you are getting your Vitamin D from a short bath in the sun or a capsule.

An increasing number of health professionals support the use of 1000 IU of Vitamin D daily. The Vitamin D Council, a non-profit research group committed to the eradication of Vitamin D deficiency, suggests that those avoiding the sun take 5,000 IU per day for 3 months. Then obtain a 25-hydroxyvitamin D test. Adjust your dosage so that blood levels are between 50–80 ng/mL year round. The most effective type of Vitamin D is D3. It has been shown to raise serum concentrations and maintain those levels three times longer then D2.

All things considered, a combination should cover your bases: a bit of sun, good food and a daily supplement. As always, discuss these matters with your health professional. An excellent resource on the research behind Vitamin D deficiencies can be found at www. vitamindcouncil.org.

Getting D from Food

It can be a challenge to get adequate Vitamin D from diet alone.

Very few foods in nature contain it. The flesh of wild-caught fish (such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel) and fish liver oils are among the best sources. Small amounts of Vitamin D are found in beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks.

Fortified foods provide most of the Vitamin D in the American diet. For example, almost all of the U.S. milk supply is fortified with Vitamin D. Ready-to-eat breakfast cereals often contain added Vitamin D, as do some brands of orange juice, yogurt, and margarine.

Getting D from the Sun

According to Dr. Michael Holick, author of The UV Advantage, the best source of Vitamin D is the sun. He recommends exposing at least 10 percent of your body surface (legs and arms) to the midday sun, for at least 10-30 minutes, three times a week. This exposure should be done without sunscreen, as even an SPF of 15 percent will reduce the body’s ability to manufacture Vitamin D by 99 percent.

This brief time in the sun will generate a healthy dose of @10,000 IU vitamin D.

If you live above the 35th latitude (Atlanta is 33) this exposure period will be of benefit only in late spring, summer, and early fall.

During the winter you get little benefit from sun exposure. Limited 56 JULY 2009

www.aawmag.com

JULY:

2 *Melissa Manchester, Grammy Award-winning artist.

Farthing Auditorium, 8 p.m.

(828) 262-4046.

Sunday of each month. $15 for adults, students $10, children under 12 free.

(828) 963-4609.

15 *Broyhill Chamber Ensemble, “Changing Keys,” Rosen Concert Hall, Boone, 8 p.m.

3 – 12 Suite Surrender, Hayes Performing Arts Center.

Presented by Blowing Rock Stage Company. Show times vary. (828) 295-9627.

6 Summer Blues Festival, Hayes Performing Arts Center, Blowing Rock, 7:30 p.m. with popular blues-rock trio, The King Bees and friends.

(828) 295-9627.

17 - Aug 2 Bye Bye Birdie, Hayes Performing Arts Center, presented by Blowing Rock Stage Company, showtimes vary. (828) 295-9627.

3 *Summer Exhibition Celebration, Turchin Center, Boone, part of Downtown Boone Art Crawl and An Appalachian Summer Festival.

7- 9 p.m. Free.

(828) 262-3017.

Traditional Appalachian and Celtic music with Steve & Ruth Smith; Valle Crucis Community Park 7:00 p.m 3 – 16 Lees-McRae Summer Theatre - Secret Garden. Main Stage, LMC, Banner Elk (828) 898-8709.

3 - 5 Boone-Blowing Rock Antiques Show, Holmes Convocation Center, ASU Campus, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

4 23rd Annual Christmas in July, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Downtown West Jefferson, mountain music, crafts, food.

49th Annual Pig Roast & Fireworks. Beech Mountain.

Begins at 3:30, fireworks at dark. $12 adults, $6.00 for children. (828) 387-9283.

Parades: Elk Park, 11 a.m.

Banner Elk, 11 a.m. Blowing Rock, 2 p.m. Boone, 3 p.m. Crossnore, 4:00 p.m.

(Fireworks after dark.)

Newland 4th of July Celebration, 9:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Riverwalk in Newland.

Craft and food vendors, Hospice Car Show, music and fireworks display.

5 3rd Annual Summer Concert Series at St. John’s Church in Valle Crucis nationally and regionally acclaimed performers. 5:00 p.m. first www.aawmag.com

9 Banner Elk Chamber Summer Concerts in the Park, Evans Tate Town Park, 6:30 p.m., featuring The Neighbors (828) 898-1888.

9 – 12 54th Annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, McRae Meadows on Grandfather Mountain. Gathering of Scottish Clans, traditional dancing, piping, drumming, athletic achievement, music and Gaelic culture. Admission charged.

(828) 733-1333.

10 Family Fun Friday 11 a.m. - 1p.m. Boone Bowling Center. Free event. Health information and screenings.

Face painting, door prizes.

Sponsored by Appalachian Regional Healthcare System, Watauga Healthy Carolinians, Spirit of Women, Cancer Resource Alliance 11 *Buckwheat Zydeco, Creole party music! 8 p.m.

Farthing Auditorium, Boone.

(828) 262-4046.

12 Blowing Rock Jazz Society, Meadowbrook Inn, 7 - 9 p.m. with Larry Lapin & Michelle Amato. (828) 2954300. *Eastern Philharmonic Orchestra with Sarah Chang. Farthing Auditorium, Boone, 8 p.m.

(828) 262-4046.

14 *Paul Taylor Dance, 8 p.m. Farthing Auditorium, Boone (828) 262-4046.

17 *An Evening with Paula Poundstone, 8 p.m. Farthing Auditorium, Boone.

(828) 262-4046.

17-19 15th Annual High Country Bead, Gem, Jewelry and Mineral Show, Fri. & Sat. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sun. 11:00 a.m. to 5 p.m., Boone National Guard Armory 18-19 Annual Fine Art & Master Craft Festival, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Banner Elk Elementary School.

(828) 898-5605.

18 Art in the Park, 10 a.m. 5 p.m. American Legion Grounds in Downtown Blowing Rock.

(828) 295-7851.

Mountainhome Music, 8 p.m.

Songs from Home: The Dixie Dawn Band.

Blowing Rock Elementary School *Mike Cross in Concert, 8 p.m.

Farthing Auditorium, Boone (828) 262-4046.

19 Concert in the Park, The Minute Men of the 444th National Guard Band - Classic Rock and Country, 4 p.m. Memorial Park, Downtown Blowing Rock. Free.

(828) 295-7851.

21- 22 *Triad Stage: Oleanna, 8 p.m. Farthing Auditorium, Boone. (828) 262-4046.

22 – 26, 29 - Aug 2 Blowing Rock Charity Horseshow - one of the oldest horse show events in the country, a Blowing

Rock tradition since 1923. Tate Show Grounds. Admission. Call (828) 295-4700.

23 *Joan Baez in Concert, 8 p.m. Farthing Auditorium, Boone (828) 262-4046.

24 St. Mary Tour of Homes, Blowing Rock, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Annual fundraiser for St. Mary of the Hills Episcopal Church.

Admission.

Symphony at Chetola, 7 p.m.

Chetola Lake, Blowing Rock.

25 High Country Bluegrass Festival, Boone, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Featuring Doyle Lawson & Quick Silver, The Grascals, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Southern Accent. Concessions available. $20 advance/$25 at gate, 12 & under free with paying adult.

(828) 733-8060. *Kenny Loggins in Concert, Holmes Convocation Center in Boone. 7:30 p.m. Finale to An Appalachian Summer Festival!

(828) 262-4046.

27 Monday Night Concert Series, Broyhill Park in Blowing Rock, 7 p.m. Free concert on the lawn by Broyhill Lake. Rain location: American Legion Building on Park Ave. (828) 295-5222 30-31 Miracle on the Mountain Outdoor Drama, 8:00 p.m.

Crossnore Amphitheater, Dr. Sloop’s memoirs, Miracle in the Hills, adapted for stage by Morganton writer Bill Wilson.

(828) 733-0810 ext. 12.

Jul 30 - Aug 2 B l o w i n g Rock Art & History Museum presents Arts & Antiques Weekend Event in Blowing Rock.

(828) 295-9099. *Part of An Appalachian Summer At ASU

Do you have a special upcoming event?

Send us a note to: comments@aawmag.com and we’ll add it to that month’s calendar page!

JULY 2009 57

S M O OT H I E BA R

Water Aerobics

Indoor Pool

• Wellness Center with Cardio, Strength & Free Weight Equipment • Indoor Pool with Water Slides & Interactive Play Elements • Indoor Walking Track • Group Exercise Studio • Indoor Cycling Center • XRKade Interactive Fitness Zone (ages 6 & up) • KidZone/Child Watch (ages 6 weeks up to 8 years) • Massage Therapy • Locker Rooms • Smoothie Bar

Daily Guest Fees Available

828.737.5500

www.ymcaavery.org Located next to Cannon Memorial Hospital 436 Hospital Drive • Linville, NC 28646

YMCA

We build strong kids, strong families, strong communities.

Provided the resources are available, financial assistance will be offered for those who qualify.

828.264.6720 www.glenbridge.org Rehabilitation Services including:

· Physical, Occupational & Speech Therapies · Long-Term Nursing Care · Respite & Hospice Care 211 Milton Brown Heirs Road · Boone, NC 28607 58 JULY 2009

www.aawmag.com

Photo by Lynne Townsend

www.rivergirlfishing.com

It’s about time to get those boats in the water too... we have new kayaks for rent and sale. We also offer canoes, tubes and bike rentals!

4041 Railroad Grade Road • Todd, NC 28684

336.877.3099

Ralph Grosswald is All About Women

Photo by Mark Mitchell www.aawmag.com

JULY 2009 59