Surry Living Magazine - March 2021

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MARCH 2021

A lifestyle magazine highlighting Surry County and the surrounding area

Remembering Rockford

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4 • SURRY LIVING March 2021 Issue

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FEATURED SECTIONS

HOME, FARM, & GARDEN p.8 * OUT & ABOUT p.16 * 8 The Vintage Southern

20 Remembering Rockford

Homemaker: Gloria Brown shares memories and helpful tips

Gone, but Not Forgotten 12 Joanna Radford:

Shut My Mouth!

15 Sarah Southard, DVM:

When Life Happens…

26 Carmen Long:

Leather Britches

24 The Sweet & Savory Life

11 This Little Light of Mine:

SIMPLY DELICIOUS p.24 *

w/ Rynn Hennings: Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes

AREA EVENTS p.28

are accurate as of press time.

Go to visitmayberry.com for the most current event schedule information.

28 Area Event Schedules:

We have compiled a list of events for this month that

Friendly Heating & Cooling, Inc. SERVICE IS OUR BUSINESS!

16 Martha Bassett:

Good Music, Good People — Traces of the Past

18 Gin Denton:

Zachary Groff

Now is the best time to get your AC units ready for summer’s heat!

336-789-6453 * friendlyheatingcooling.com SURRY LIVING March 2021 Issue • 5

CONTRIBUTORS

Martha Bassett

Gloria Brown

Gin Denton

Sheri Wren Haymore

Martha is a singer/songwriter/guitarist living and working in the Piedmont. She hosts The Martha Bassett Show, a twicemonthly musical variety show at Elkin’s Reeves Theater. Past shows are featured Saturday evenings on NPR station, 88.5 WFDD. On Wednesday nights she leads music at Roots Revival, an Americana worship service at Winston’s Centenary UMC that explores the intersection of faith and secular music. She's also a longtime scholar of the music of the Shakers.

Martha has released 11 records and plays throughout the region and nation. Get more info at marthabassettshow.com.

Gloria is co-owner of The Nest & Hive Shoppe, a home décor business in Fancy Gap, VA, as well as the former host of The Vintage Southern Homemaker television show. Her musings on life growing up and living in the South have appeared in publications and on TV throughout the region. She is an expert antiques collector who grew up in the business and worked many years as a dealer in the Yadkin Valley area, where she currently resides.

Gin is the owner of Ginger Horse Studio. Her focus is lifestyle photography, covering horse shows, weddings, concerts, and doing on location portraits. Gin graduated from the University of Findlay with an Equine Business Management degree, where she also studied music and photography. She is a member of the Mount Airy Ukulele Invasion (MAUI) and the Granite City Rock Orchestra (GRO).

Gin resides in Lowgap, NC with her family on their small horse farm.

Sheri grew up in Mt. Airy, NC, and lives thereabouts with her husband. Together they run a couple of small businesses and plan their next vacation. A graduate of High Point University, her first job was as a writer at a marketing firm—and she’s been scribbling ever since. Sheri has several suspense novels in publication and Surry Living is proud to include sequential excerpts from one of her books in each issue.

Rynn Hennings

Carmen Long

Joanna Radford

Sarah Southard

Rynn is a writer and designer based in the Yadkin Valley region of North Carolina. She loves to share her ideas for adding simple beauty into hectic lifestyles. More than mere recipes, her mission is to offer practical shortcuts for food preparation along with visual tips for presentation. Rynn began her career in Aiken, SC, as a newspaper reporter writing feature articles about food, living, and the arts. For more about Rynn, even more recipes, decorating tips, and much more, visit thehouseofelynryn.com

Carmen is an NC Cooperative Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences. Making quick, easy, healthy food that tastes great on a budget is a challenge.

Carmen and her husband have two grown children, both of whom were involved in sports from grade school thru college. With busy careers and lots of time at sporting events, coming up with quick, healthy meals was a necessity.

Carmen shares ideas and recipes to make this tough job a bit easier.

Joanna Radford is the Commercial and Consumer Horticulture Agent for the NC Cooperative Extension in Surry County with expertise in entomology, gardening, and pesticide education. She began her career with NC Cooperative Extension in Stokes County in 1995 as a 4-H Agent, later switching to Field Crops and Pesticide Education in Surry County. In 2012, she assumed the role of Horticulture Agent for Surry County. She lives on a farm with her husband and two teenage daughters.

Sarah grew up at Crooked Oak in the Pine Ridge community of Surry County. Raised in the agriculture world, she went on to earn degrees in animal science and veterinary medicine from North Carolina State University. She and her husband, Adam, currently live in Statesville with Oliver the house rabbit, a few cats, Blossom the donkey, and a flock of Katahdin hair sheep.

6 • SURRY LIVING March 2021 Issue

CONTRIBUTORS contd.

Larry VanHoose Larry is the Executive Editor of Surry Living Magazine and Creative Director at Vivid Graphics in Galax, VA. He has 30+ years experience as a writer, graphic designer, and commercial photographer.

Larry and wife, Trina, have four wonderful, grown children, one awesome grandson, and they reside on a small farm just off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Grayson County, VA.

Vie Herlocker Vie is the Associate Editor of Surry Living Magazine. Her professional affiliations include: Christian Proofreaders and Editors Network. American Christian Writers, American Christian Fiction Writers, and more. She is a certified member of the Christian Editor’s Connection (CEC).

Vie has been published in magazines, collections, and co-authored or ghosted several nonfiction books. ~ Vie Herlocker, AKA “The Book Mama”

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To view all inventory including new & preowned travel trailers & pop-ups, visit www.countrysidervcenter.com SURRY LIVING March 2021 Issue • 7

home, farm, & garden

ROCKFORD: DAY-CATION

DESTINATION

Rockford has always been right in my backdoor. Up until I really got to studying on it for this article, I never have thought too much about it. My family and I always enjoyed a little drive over to Rockford. We could go over there when we couldn’t think of anywhere else to go or when we couldn’t go on a long trip, but we wanted to go somewhere. Especially on a Sunday afternoon Although Rockford is nearby, crossing that river on the low water bridge was like stepping into the past. No matter who the driver was, he or she would always slow down to a crawl so we could peep out the windows and marvel at and comment on the river.

Our first destination was the Rockford General Store. The little store always had something we needed. The couple who ran the store for years made sure to have a mixture of good snacks, cold drinks, and some antiques. They were especially interesting to chat with. If the topic was Rockford, they knew every detail of the history right on up to the current events. A stop by the general store was always a pleasure.

After we had loaded up on hoop cheese, hot sausages, crackers, bags of candy to pass around, and drinks for everybody, we would drive through town admiring all the old buildings and eating our little mobile picnic. Now keep in mind we had just had lunch only a couple of hours before. But, going to Rockford sure would whet your appetite. As I’ve told y’all before, my family eats when you can’t get us to do anything else.

As we rode and ate, we would speculate on what life would have been like there along the river and the railroad tracks.

Older family members would share memories of coming to Rockford when they were young. We would wind around making a big circle to come right back through Rockford.

Then on back slowly over the bridge.

Back to modern times.

There used to be a nice picnic shelter between the low water bridge and the railroad tracks. When I was young, it was well kept, and almost any weekend you would see families enjoying a meal under the shelter by the river. Our family made use of the accommodations a few times. I remember one especially hot Sunday afternoon when we all rolled out with a couple of cold watermelons brought from my Ma and Pa’s garden and a box of salt. There were two carloads of us. Sometimes that’s how it worked out, and we would all take turns riding back and forth between the cars so that everybody got to visit with each other. I’m sure we looked like an ant colony attacking those watermelons. The best part was eating through a slice and getting to pitch the rind into the river. We sure did know how to have a good time. I rode by that shelter not long ago. It was sad to see it dilapidated beyond repair. But my memories are just as bright as ever. I can still feel the sticky juice running to my elbows and hear the thud of the rinds hitting the water.

If you ever need to get out of the house and you don’t know where to go, I have a suggestion, Rockford. As travel brochures say, you can make memories to last a lifetime.

8 • SURRY LIVING March 2021 Issue

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SURRY LIVING March 2021 Issue • 9

Again the date is Friday, April 2nd and Saturday, April 3rd. Gates open at 8 AM. The event is from 9 AM until 4 PM. There will be four drop times each day. 9 am, 11 am, 1 pm, & 3PM. Cost for the event is $12.00.

A Group Rate of 20 or more is $10 per person. Food is priced separately. Children 2 and under are free.

Alpha & Omega Helicopter Egg Drop!

Alpha & Omega Corn maze will host their 6th annual Helicopter Easter Egg Drop. More than 20,000 plastic eggs will fall out of the sky on Friday, April 2nd and Saturday, April 3rd. The children will move through the grass like vacuum cleaners on legs. As the crowd of children descend on areas designated for individual age groups, their movements mimic an organized stampede.

This will mark the sixth year that Alpha & Omega Corn Maze has coordinated the effort as a way to reach out to the local community and provide a fun family event. Pastor Kenny Pardue with Union Baptist Church will share the Easter story of resurrection before each egg hunt begins. Hi tech helicopters will be offering helicopter rides between drop times at an additional fee. Our very own Thumper the Easter Bunny will join us for pictures with the children.

Check out our Facebook page or our website @ alphaomegacornmaze.com for posts & updates on special events. Feel free to contact us at 336-466-5402.

Now a Two-Day Event!

Alpha and Omega Corn Maze 1129 Cheek Rd, Hamptonville, NC

www.alphaomegacornmaze.com Phone: 336-466-5402

Explore this 20-acre agritourism complex with the farm consisting of: Helicopter Egg Hunt, (4 drop times for your convenience ), Corn Cob Express, Corn Box, Picnic Pavilion, See Saws, Tug of War, Animal Acres, Pipe World, Bounce Pillow, Corn Hole, Hayride, Local Vendors, Photo Opportunities, and much more. We have an on-site restaurant serving a delicious breakfast & lunch menu. Breakfast items include our famous bunny pancakes, sausage biscuits, soft drinks, coffee and hot chocolate. For lunch we will be serving our famous burgers along with our traditional corn maze menu. Indoor restroom facilities are on site.

Customer’s post they are drawn to our farm as they search for a wholesome and unique outdoor activity for their whole family. “This type of recreation is educational for our kids We parents often enjoy revisiting our own childhood memories vicariously through this farm. It is a great value when you consider the recreational aspect relative to other competing attractions, such as movies and malls."

Notice: This is a paid advertisement for Alpha and Omega Corn Maze, Hamptonville, NC

home, farm, & garden

by Larry VanHoose I don’t want to be morbid, but I do think that more than any other time in recent history, we each face our own mortality almost as near as the breath of wind on our face.

Even our youth have been stricken by unforeseen, unexpected loss. I recently heard a brief chapel message titled, Outlive Your Death, delivered to young college students from their professor. I found myself also listening with eager ears, and I sensed a growing hunger and yearning to create – in the days that remain – a legacy of remembrance for those I love.

“I thank my God every time I remember you” (Philippians 1:3 NIV).

Three simple words that speak volumes from a loving heart to a heart that is loved. Whether afar off in time, distance, or both, those three words speak of a legacy.

I – Remember –You. I’d hazard a guess that no one really wants to be forgotten – turned from a vibrant life into a faded memory, eroded like the weather-beaten engraving on an ancient tombstone. Who lies here? What of their life? Their death? Did they matter?

Are they, were they missed?

As I write this, we are finalizing our March 2021 issue of SLM. This is our twelfth issue since an unexpected global pandemic changed our view of life and the world, perhaps for all time. Many of us have lost friends, friends of friends, even family members, who were stolen out of our time and place much too soon. We should not be in mourning; yay, we have not been allowed to mourn! And yet our tears run hard and fast, like the river that follows a desert storm.

We can read how Moses cried out against God in his prayers regarding times such as this. “You turn people back to dust, saying, ‘Return to dust, you mortals.’ A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death—they are like the new grass of the morning: In the morning it springs up new, but by evening it is dry and withered” (Psalm 90: 3-6 NIV).

Like Moses, I want to be wise on the back side of my waning years. “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90:12 NIV).”

I read about the gift of a legacy on an insurance company’s website of all places (who’s business model is for those who seek to leave a financial legacy). And yet I found their well-crafted and thoughtful words resonated with my own thoughts:

We should not be in mourning; yay, we have not been allowed to mourn!

And yet our tears run hard and fast, like the river that follows a desert storm.

A lasting legacy is all about the actions you take during your life and the way those actions affect how people remember you. People learn how to leave a legacy to ensure their loved ones will be taken care of when they’re gone, and always remember them with love.

The insurance company, Bestow, ended their article with a list on how to leave a legacy at both work and home (https://www. bestow.com/blog/how-to-leave-a-lasting-legacy/). You should know this however—no legacy, no matter how financially significant, will last beyond a few generations at most. The only lasting legacy is legacy of love. The apostle John in the Bible simply said that, “God is love.” That lasting, yes eternal, love of his beckons to each of us from beyond time and place.

Like his first-begotten Son (read John 3:16), God wants us also to have and leave a legacy of love. Let’s reflect on that with these words of Moses’s prayer in Psalm 90: 16-17 (NIV):

May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children.

May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.

SURRY LIVING March 2021 Issue • 11

home, farm, & garden

Shut My Mouth!

Water plants in the early morning to allow the leaves to dry off during the day. Late evening water can be applied if mornings are not possible. Potatoes need at least one inch of water per week to grow well. This is extremely important during the transplant, establishment, and root development period. Stop watering the last three to four weeks before harvest to help prevent the tubers from splitting.

When I think of the Rockford community, I think of sweet potatoes. Their annual September sweet potato festival celebrates North Carolina being the number one producer of the sweet potato in the United States.

Weeds need to be controlled before the plants cover the row.

Mulches can be applied to help deter weed germination.

Newspapers spread between plants will decrease weed populations. Once the plant foliage has grown together, it is difficult to cultivate weeds out.

by Joanna Radford

Sweet Potato Sonker!

The festival has the best sweet potato sonker (a traditional North Carolina, cobbler-like dessert) and brownie around. What a fun way to celebrate this nutrient enriched vegetable. Sweet potatoes have numerous health benefits. They are high in vitamins A and C, calcium, manganese, antioxidants, and potassium, and have small amounts of iron. The medical field reports sweet potatoes are a better food choice than white potatoes since they have a lower glycemic index.

When I was growing up, sweet potatoes were only for special occasions like Thanksgiving. Today, they are found any time of the year. They are in frozen and microwave products and there are even sweet potato chips and fries.

Sweet potatoes come in numerous types and colors – ranging from white and mild to deep red and super sweet varieties. There are even purple sweet potatoes. Common varieties include Evangeline, Beauregard, Bonita, Covington, and Orleans.

Sweet potatoes are relatively easy to grow in the home garden.

They should be planted when soil temperatures reach 70°, which is usually from May 1 through June 15 in the Piedmont. They grow best with eight to ten hours of sunlight daily. Sweet potatoes need 120 days to mature, and they are harvested in late August through early November. Sweet potatoes are tubers that prefer well drained soils, so clay soils may present a challenge. Adding aged compost or other organic amendments to the planting bed will help with drainage. When no amendments are added to clay soils, the sweet potatoes may be small. Raised beds also work well for sweet potatoes.

Sweet potatoes do not grow from seeds, but from slips produced from the roots of last year’s crop. Slips can be purchased at farm stores and garden centers. Plant them three feet apart to allow the vines to expand. Sweet potatoes do best in a slightly acidic soil with a pH range of 6.0-6.5. When possible, fertilize based on a soil test.

If no soil test is available, apply 5-10-10 fertilizer at 30 pounds per 1,000 square feet. They will need to be side-dressed with four pounds of 5-10-10 per 100 feet of row just before the vines cover the row. Side-dressing fertilizer means to lay the fertilizer in a line along the row, about four inches away from the stem of the plant. If over-fertilization occurs, foliage will be produced and no sweet potatoes.

12 • SURRY LIVING March 2021 Issue

Wireworm and root knot nematodes can be a problem for home gardeners. Use sound cultural gardening practices to avoid pest problems. Rotating vegetables in the growing area each year can help with nematodes.

Harvest sweet potatoes before the first frost. The quality and storage life decreases with cool soil temperatures. The foliage begins to die back as it gets close to harvest time. Be careful not to damage the potatoes when digging them out of the ground, because the skins are thin when first harvested. Sweet potatoes will store longer if they are cured by air drying for several days in a shady location at temperatures of 80-85°F. Then move the potatoes to a final storage area. This location should not be cooler than 55°F. Another great thing about sweet potatoes is they can be stored for up to 6 months and sometimes longer depending on conditions. They do need to be inspected frequently for decay. Remove any affected potatoes from the storage area so the decay will not spread.

I think I will add sweet potatoes to my garden plan this year.

Who knows, you may just see them at the Rockford Sweet Potato Festival this year.

home, farm, & garden

How To Get Fit Using SMART Goals

by Kristin Clickett, CRNA, MSN, NBC-HWC Staying active as we age is vital to maintaining optimal health. But for many Americans, exercise is often put on the back burner. The reality is, we simply feel overwhelmed when making lifestyle changes and lack the mindset and support needed to successfully implement a plan.

Meet Ann, a grandmother of five. Ann was feeling out of shape and finding it difficult to keep up with her grandchildren. Ann has been working with an Integrative Health Coach to establish a fitness routine. Ann’s coach asked her to describe what an active, healthy life looked like. Ann smiled as she envisioned her family hiking in the mountains on a beautiful nature trail. That vision was the carrot Ann needed to begin her journey and reach her wellness goal.

Ann began pondering ways to restore and strengthen her body. The path became clear when she was prompted by her coach to explore her past successes with regular exercise.

Immediately Ann knew the answer; she would reestablish a regular walking routine with friends.

Ann’s coach applauded this revelation and encouraged her to create a SMART goal in order to achieve success. A SMART goal is something Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. Ann successfully recruited two friends and together they created a SMART goal.

The group agreed to meet Monday through Friday at 7:00 AM and walk for 30 minutes throughout their neighborhood.

They decided to be realistic and start with 15 minutes the first week and reassess thereafter. Each would wear a pedometer and track Ann smiled as she their number of steps by keeping a daily log. If envisioned her family one felt like not showing hiking in the mountains on up, they would call one a beautiful nature trail. another for support.

The SMART goal that Ann and her friends created helped ensure success and ultimately improved the health and happiness of all participants. The added value of sharing her journey with others made it that much sweeter. It’s been almost three months now and Ann is well on her way to bringing her vision to life. She and her grandchildren eagerly anticipate their next hiking adventure together.

For more information about coaching, email kristin@kristinclickett.com

This is a paid advertorial for kristinclickett.com

SURRY LIVING March 2021 Issue • 13

home, farm, & garden

by Sarah Southard, DVM

When Life Happens…

As I write this, the sun shines on the heels of a snowy start to yesterday. Thankfully, I found all the lambs to be alive and all the ewes apparently healthy when I checked the barn overnight. Maybe the calm after the storm is arriving. Spring’s renewal is on the way.

But the last few weeks have been quite demanding. In addition to the normal routine, I’ve had a litter of unexpected puppies born which quickly became orphaned. My and my neighbor’s ewes have begun a whirlwind lambing season, which has brought more complications than usual. I have syringe- and bottle-fed puppies at all hours of the day and night. We have aggressively medicated ewes in hopes of saving them and their unborn lambs. We have Samson and Sophie nappin' performed a terminal C-section in a last-ditch effort to save lambs out of a ewe that we could not save. I have bottle-fed lambs whose mothers rejected them, one lamb that was stolen by a ewe not its mother (so she had no milk to feed it), one that was too weak to stand, nurse, and fight for its part. We have prayed, begged, and willed animals to live. Sometimes it was not enough. Sometimes we were delightfully surprised at the good progress made. It has been physically, mentally, emotionally challenging—a roller-coaster from which we very much wanted to disembark.

When we plan for certain things, like lambing season, it is often a hope for the best but plan for the worst sort of endeavor. Know the adverse things that could happen, do what we can to prevent them happening, prepare to handle them if they do happen, and pray that we never need to use the preparations we have made.

When Rockford was the bustling county seat of Surry County, it was probably difficult to imagine that a day would come when

Making an unfortunate diagnosis of pneumonia for our neighbor's favorite, Carlie

the town would be all but deserted. As years pressed on and modes of transportation and manufacturing evolved, focus shifted from Rockford to other locales. Certain geographic features limited the possibilities for expansion Violet's grandson up and at Rockford, making it nursing just a few minutes impossible for the growth after birth to continue. Thankfully, certain aspects of the town have survived the adversity and the Rockford Preservation Society, Inc was formed to save and revitalize this piece of Surry County history. I have fond memories from my childhood of visiting the Rockford General Store and exploring the low water bridge.

The Greek mythical creature known as the Phoenix dies in a burst of flames. A rebirth occurs among the ashes, bringing new life and a fresh start. This is an excellent metaphor for my flock of sheep. Following a rough winter, spring will bring about a fresh start. Similarly, with Rockford’s future unknown, the hope-filled anticipation is a bright future that contains new growth and change. If we look around, we see this happening everywhere on a regular basis—from the rising sun each morning to the risen Son each Easter. Here’s to hoping that Rockford will be next in line to flourish in the future, just as lambs and puppies will run and play in the soon-to-arrive spring sunshine.

Maggie with daughter Lily

SURRY LIVING March 2021 Issue • 15

out & about

by Martha Bassett

Traces of the Past A few years ago, while rambling around on a Sunday drive, I stumbled upon the town of Rockford. I felt like I’d been transported back a century. I grew up in a place sort of like that, although Mount Nebo, WV, never reached the grandeur of Rockford. But we had a bona fide general store owned by our neighbors, the Kings, where we bought groceries, fertilizer for the garden, and new shoes at the beginning of the school year. The postmaster, Nora, knew everyone and her corner of the store was a bustling hub of news and gossip. Mom would occasionally send me down to pick up a gallon of milk and put it on our tab.

The population of Mount Nebo was under 200 back then. I rode miles on my bike to play with other kids. I always wished I were one of the town kids who ran in packs and had tight social circles. All I had was freedom and long stretches of time to climb rock cliffs, build forts, read books, and follow paths in the woods. I thought we were poor because we didn’t eat food from cans, and my mom didn’t buy junk food.

Most of the socializing happened at church, and it was at Gilgal Methodist that I attended two singing schools led by Aaron Ryder, the last itinerant singing-school teacher in WV. He traveled the state teaching farmers and coalminers how to sing hymns in four-part harmony using shaped note hymnals. Years later in a college class called “The History of American Music Education,” I read that singing schools were a phenomenon of the nineteenth century. Aaron’s wife, Freda, was my piano teacher and she played the old stride style.

Instead of teaching me to play the music as it was written, she taught ear training, chord inversions, and improvisation.

Song Convention, just down the road, was teeming with tour buses and campers, backing up traffic for miles on our one lane road. All came out to hear famous family bands and Southern Gospel quartets on an open-air stage with a sound system so loud you could hear it a couple of miles away.

Otherwise, everyone knew everyone, and their business. We didn’t lock our cars and homes. My older cousins told me about a fiddler’s convention, in nearby Clifftop. But I wasn’t allowed to go, as it was a hangout for hippies and flatlanders (my dad’s word for non-West Virginians).

Now there are around 1600 people living in Mount Nebo.

Houses line the two-lane road that winds through some of the prettiest countryside you’ll ever see. The General Store is boarded up and folks shop at the Walmart in the next town over. The last time I attended the Song Convention there were a few quartets singing along with tracks to a small audience. No bands, no buses, no crowds. At churches, the notes in the hymnals are round, and I hear it’s hard to find a pianist.

Seeing Rockford brought all this to mind. If you were born before 1975 you probably have the same sort of tale to tell.

I raised my children in Greensboro, NC, where they did not run free or eat directly from a garden. My generation (Gen-X) is perhaps the last to experience that older analog world. Nostalgia is tricky, and some of the past I’m more than happy to leave behind. But through rose-colored glasses I share the good parts, some of which still exist. Clifftop, for example, has grown into a flourishing music festival, still attracting hippies and flatlanders from all over the world. In fact, music is one place where you can reliably find traces of the past, even in the new stuff which always builds on the old, just like a town.

Twice per summer, the WV State Gospel Painting of Martha's family's farm by Keith Buckner. Photo by Keith Buckner.

16 • SURRY LIVING March 2021 Issue

Choose Well. Choose Northern.

Choose Well. Choose Northern.

DR. EDWARD L. SALERNO JOINS NORTHERN REGIONAL HOSPITAL

Edward L. Salerno, MD, FCCP, a nationally recognized, board-certified pulmonologist and critical-care specialist, has joined Northern Regional Hospital to provide medical leadership for the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and all pulmonary programs – including the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program, a planned outpatient Pulmonary Care Clinic, and an expanded Sleep Medicine program. Dr. Salerno’s comprehensive experience includes more than 15 years of pulmonary/critical-care medicine in a variety of clinical settings, including Hartford Hospital, a major teaching hospital in Hartford, Connecticut; and, more recently, Millennium Physicians, an independent physicians’ group in Naples, Florida.

“We are pleased to welcome Dr. Salerno to our medical staff,” said Chris A. Lumsden, FACHE, President and Chief Executive Officer of Northern Regional Hospital, in announcing the appointment. “His extensive knowledge and experience in pulmonary and critical-care medicine will permit us to further enhance and expand our patient-care capabilities in those areas; as well as treat and more efficiently transition respiratorydistressed patients as we, along with all hospitals across the nation, continue to see significant surges in patient volume due to the current COVID pandemic.

Having treated scores of patients with COVID and respiratoryrelated complications from COVID, Dr. Salerno is adamant about the need for people to follow the CDC-recommended guidelines for protecting themselves and others – which include wearing face masks, maintaining social distancing, self-quarantining as appropriate, and getting vaccinated. “We need to work together

to confront this pandemic,” he says. “When it comes to the vaccine, I try and educate patients on the science of it – so they understand and trust that it is safe and effective. I have taken it.”

Dr. Salerno’s approach to treating his patients is to follow the “First, do no harm” principle while always maintaining a focus on patient safety. “I always strive to do the right thing by my patient using evidence-based medicine, and to always be honest with them about their options,” he says. “I make sure I treat patients with kindness and that patients feel they can trust me; and that, no matter what, I will have their back.”

Dr. Salerno is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, and Sleep Medicine, and is a Fellow in the American College of Chest Physicians. He also holds membership in several other professional organizations and societies, including the American Thoracic Society and the Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Association. Dr. Salerno has earned many honors and awards (including the Aldo Bellucci Excellence in Teaching Award and the Maxwell O Phelps Award for Scholarship); and he is a contributor to numerous research studies, abstracts and retrospectives, many of which have been published in peer-reviewed academic journals.

Dr. Edward Salerno will serve patients at the Northern Cardiology office located at 708 S. South Street in Mount Airy. For more information about making an appointment with Dr. Salerno, call 336-783-8998. www.choosenorthern.org

This is a paid advertorial for Northern Regional Hospital, Mount Airy, NC.

out & about

by Gin Denton

Zachary Groff Zachary Groff’s a gifted pianist, composer, and music teacher.

He started playing piano 34 years ago when he was eight years old, and at age ten, he composed his first solo piano piece.

But Zachary’s talent goes even further. He is also a world class whistler.

He usually plays piano or harpsichord, a smaller piano-like instrument, typically used in baroque music. He is a member of a classical jazz trio, Stanley Standard, along with bassist Isaac Rives and drummer Brent Ferry. In addition to the classical arrangements, Stanley Standard performs original arrangements from a variety of musical forms. You can find them playing just up the Blue Ridge Parkway at Primland in Virginia, as well as local wineries.

Zachary is a freelance composer, writing for himself and for others. He is senior arranger for Sheet Music Plus, a company known for their sheet music options. His compositions and variations of sheet music can be purchased for download at SheetMusicPlus.com. He also composes for another platform, Miles of Music.

We are fortunate to have such a well-traveled and educated musician in our area, especially one who not only loves performance but also loves sharing his passion for music through teaching. You can find him teaching piano at Olde Mill Music in Mount Airy.

Search for Zachary Groff on reverbnation.com to hear several of his tunes featuring whistling, including his “Theme and Variation on ‘Fishin Hole,’” from the Andy Griffin Show.

Search his pseudonym, Whitworth, to sample his Electronic Dance Music. He can also be found on Spotify and iTunes.

You can read more about his jazz trio at stanleystandard.com.

Happy Trails to you!

In 2013, Zachary earned the title of World Champion Classical Style Whistler with his performance of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto number 2 at the International Whistler's Convention. He became a whistling legend and was asked to perform in Japan. He has also toured Europe playing piano and whistling. Zachary even had the honor of being featured at the drool-worthy Fringe Festival in Scotland.

In 2014 he released an EP album featuring his compositions, whistling, and piano playing. “Drifting” is one of my favorite pieces on the album titled Pieces of Night.

While his music led him around the world, Zachary has called Mount Airy home for two decades. Originally from Pennsylvania, he first came to North Carolina when he was accepted at the NC School of the Arts. There he studied classical piano with Clifton Matthews and composition with Kenneth Frazelle.

As an entertainer, Zachary, has performed in several bands and in classical ensembles.

18 • SURRY LIVING March 2021 Issue

AFTER PEACEFULLY FAST INTERNET

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out & about

Remembering Rockford It seems odd to speak of remembering something that is still very much alive, but in the life of Rockford, as so with most of us, the past and the present are forever entwined by threads of both time and place. In a way the town is much like a vintage tapestry, woven over countless years to present a history that, because it collides with the present, is never quite finished. The truth is that today, young and old alike still shed their energy, sweat, and blood to keep this once active center of government, farm, and industry from disappearing into the unforgiving NC landscape. We think that you'll find that if Surry County is part of your family history, then Rockford is also.

When you visit Rockford, you may be surprised to see that much of its past is still very visible, not just through the broken window panes and rotting boards of buildings that once thrived with commerce and growth, but Rockford's faded glory can also be seen with a little urging of the imagination and with more than a little help from the wonderful folks who make up the Rockford Preservation Society (RPS).

Having visited Rockford in the latter part of the last century, it was always my desire to go back and “dig through the past” so to speak and see what treasures might be found. When I finally did get around to a second and then a third visit while doing research for this article, I was surprised to see much had changed in the last couple of decades. Further research revealed the incredible labor of love bestowed on Rockford by many, past and present, to cause this transformation and renewal of sorts.

Buildings currently owned and in various states of restoration by the RPS include the Rockford Methodist Church (1914), The Mark York Tavern (1830), The Rockford Post Office, which is now Rockford Visitor’s Center and Museum, (1900), Dudley Glass Store / Davenport Gallery (1850), Grant–Burrus 20 • SURRY LIVING March 2021 Issue

by Larry VanHoose

Hotel Site / Rockford Park (1796), and the W.P. Dobson Store / Rockford Masonic Lodge (1810). I would mention that RPS president, Hannah Holyfield, was a wonderful and knowledgeable tour-guide and the source for much of the information in this article.

Another valuable source of information I was fortunate to acquire was one of the last available copies of a book by a long-time resident and Rockford “historian,” Mrs. Lucy Hamlin Houck. The book is titled, The Story of Rockford, and the preservation society is currently looking at options for yet another reprinting of this informative and in-depth look at the “hidden treasure” that is Rockford, NC. An interesting piece of that history Mrs. Houck mentioned was that the original 53 acres of land which made up the town of Rockford was purchased in the late 1700s – for the sole intent to create a county seat for the new, and much smaller Surry County, NC, that was divided in half with the eastern portion becoming Stokes County. This gradual break-up of Surry County greatly reduced its size, “So that when Rockford was established near the banks of the Yadkin river, it was at the center of the county as it then existed.”

The southern half of Surry eventually became Yadkin County, and a few other corners also went to other counties. Rockford would go on to be the seat of government for Surry County for sixty years.

Grant–Burrus Hotel Site / Rockford Park (1796) is the site of many community events and a great place for a picnic!

During this time in North Carolina history, “methods of transportation were poor, the mail was slow, and newspapers were scarce, so people went to the county seat to get the news and to find out about the all-important trends.” The western part of the state was mostly wilderness, with so-called roads being little more than trails or trapper’s paths. Gradually wagon

out & about and stagecoach roads were established above the hills bordering the rivers, and Rockford was reached by roads that branched off from these. It was said, however, and the court records bear out the truth, that “all roads led to Rockford.” Visiting this hidden hamlet in our age of highways and interstates, it’s hard to fathom that this could have been so, but when you consider the proximity of the river, the ford, and eventually the railroad, it makes sense for that bygone era.

Rockford Visitor's Center and History Museum

In her book, Lucy Houck made mention of many noted politicians and judicial and government officials that either had their roots in Rockford or spent some time there for one reason or another. One of the most famous, and rumored to be frequent visitor to Rockford, was a young law student by the name of Andrew Jackson who later became the seventh president of the United States. Jackson was very popular in Surry and many stories have been repeated about his early visits.

The Dudley Glass Store / Davenport Gallery is now home to Sweet Paws Home Decor & Perlie Chic Boutique, 5150 Rockford Rd, Rockford, NC

was chartered by the General Assembly, stock was taken, the company organized, and they went to work, but the “white elephant” the company had to deal with was the “Bean Shoals” in the river near East Bend, around which they undertook to dig a canal, and it is said that some fine masonry was done in making the banks of the canal. The project proved to be too big and expensive, so the navigation soon because a dream of the past.’”

We would be remiss if we failed to mention one amazing survivor that overlaps historic and present-day Rockford — ­­ a mainstay of the community that continues to be the ultimate destination for many who visit — the Rockford General Store.

Stroll around this museum-like country store and take in the hundreds of photos, artifacts, and antiques from the early days of Rockford. This store has been in operation since 1890 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. You can step back in time when you visit this old-timey venue that features snacks, “Celebrating 83 YEARS OF SERVICE in the Area!”

Inside the Rockford Visitor's Center and History Museum

Another interesting story documents the need for effective transportation of goods and peoples during the early era of Surry. “From a paper written by a Mr. Rom Folger some time before his death in 1928, in which are recorded some of his memories of Rockford, we get the following story: ‘Rockford was located with an eye single to navigation of the Yadkin River. In due course of time the Yadkin Navigation Company

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1901 S. Main St • Mt. Airy • (336) 786-7082 SURRY LIVING March 2021 Issue • 21

out & about

The Rockford Inn – originally the Hamlin-Burrus-Holyfield House. This circa 1840 inn is run by members of the Holyfield family. Situated at the crest of 6+ rolling acres, this beautiful and historic home is open for lodging reservations with three distinctive guest rooms. The grounds boast century-old oaks that shade the knoll where Muscadine vines drape the meadow.

From 1890 through the early 1900s, Rockford had a resurgence of activity with the coming of the Northwestern NC Railroad.

The railroad was the chief carrier of passengers, freight, and mail, and Rockford resurfaced as a commercial center. Around that time Rockford boasted three general stores and a tobacco factory. Look twice! Note the optical illusion on the tracks as they turn back towards the river.

Rockford General Store – in operation since 1890 and a surefire "don't miss this!" stop whenever you visit Rockford

prepared foods, novelties, and over 200 kinds of candies along with old-fashioned candy jars and glass-bottled drinks. Stop by the store to pick up a treat to sustain you when you embark on a self-guided walking tour of the historic village. The store (hours subject to change) is open Wednesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., and Sundays from noon until 5 p.m.

Finally, like many frontier towns of old, churches make up an important part of past and present-day Rockford. According to Lucy Houck, “the organized church came late. The Baptist and Methodist churches at Rockford were organized about the same time, around 1847. … Mary York, gave land for the erection of a church for all denominations, except Mormons and Catholics, to worship in. It is said that Mr. York was not a church member, but his son was a Baptist, and the deed to the land was made to the Baptist Church. All the people of the 22 • SURRY LIVING March 2021 Issue

community joined in, however, to erect the [first] one-room house of worship.”

The present-day structure of the now decommissioned, Rockford Methodist Church, was built in 1914 and is one of several buildings owned and restored by the Rockford Preservation Society. Several local events, including the annual

out & about Candlelight Christmas in Rockford, are held at the church. In 1989, the Preservation Society commissioned the Italiantrained artist, Tony Griffin, to paint the fresco, “Come Unto Me,” which was dedicated in a special ceremony as part of Rockford’s Bicentennial celebration. Visitors come from far and wide to view this special depiction of the Christ “with arms held wide” to all who would come. In much the same way, Rockford is a both another example of one of many historic treasures that make up Surry County, but it is also a testament to the values, tenacity, and love of those that are still willing to welcome friends as yet unknown, and who would have us all come to this little, just a bit outta the way, “rock ford.”

ABOUT THE COVER ...

We'd like to send out a special Thank You! to talented local artist, Patricia Hobson, for allowing us to use her wonderful painting of the Rockford Low Water Bridge on the cover of this month's issue of Surry Living Magazine.

Patricia has several remaining prints of "The Bridge" and she is offering them directly to our readers at a special, discounted price. To order, go to http://www.patriciahobson.com/ and click on the image to be taken to the order page for that painting. Mounting is also available. Visit the website, call or Text 336.341.8029, or Email patriciahobson@yahoo.com

1914 Rockford Methodist Church In 1989, the Society commissioned artist Tony Griffin to paint the fresco “Come Unto Me” which was dedicated in a special ceremony as part of Rockford’s Bicentennial celebration.

Together we can...

Believe in Our Community Be Kind • Treat People Right Do Great Things.

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SURRY LIVING March 2021 Issue • 23

simply delicious

with Rynn Hennings

www.thehouseofelynryn.com

W

hen I was young, I remember my family driving to Rockford from Yadkin County and waiting to cross the one-lane, low-water bridge−which seemed like an oxymoron to me until I realized that the water had to be low for cars to cross the low-built bridge. I was always excited and a little scared to cross the river on that little bridge with the low guardrails. But as soon as we crossed the river, we always stopped at the general store where my much-loved orange soda waited in the coolers.

Nowadays, the low-water bridge has long been replaced by a modern high-rise bridge. It makes the drive to Rockford feel different, but once I drive across the old railroad tracks and see the quaint community up ahead, it feels like I’ve been transported back in time. The general store still stands among the historic buildings, selling home-cooked food, old-fashioned candy, and of course, cold soft drinks. As an adult, I have often pulled an orange soda from the cooler, when in another store on any other day, I would choose a bottle of water. But Rockford has a way of making you nostalgic for the days of your youth, orange drinks, and a low bridge that made you feel as though you were driving atop the waters of the Yadkin River.

ORANGE CREAMSICLE CUPCAKES Servings: 20 | Prep Time: 35 mins | Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients for Cupcakes • 4 large egg whites, room temperature • 2/3 cup sour cream, room temperature • 3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1 tablespoon orange liqueur • 1/2 teaspoon food-grade orange essential oil (see note below for substitution) • Orange gel coloring (optional) 24 • SURRY LIVING March 2021 Issue

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil • 1 15-16-ounce box white cake mix (Duncan Hines Classic White used) Ingredients for Buttercream • 2 sticks salted butter, softened • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1/2 teaspoon food-grade orange essential oil (see note below for substitution) • 1/4 cup whipping cream • 2 pinches salt • orange gel coloring (optional) • 5 cups confectioner’s sugar • 1 piping bag • 1 large star tip • Coordinating sprinkles (optional) Directions for Cupcakes 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream, buttermilk, vanilla, orange liqueur, orange oil, eggs, and vegetable oil until smooth. Add a little orange food coloring to make the batter a pale peach color. Then sift in the cake mix and stir until smooth but not overmixed. Do not skip sifting the cake mix or the batter will be lumpy.

3. Place cupcake liners in a muffin pan. Using a cookie scoop, fill the liners 1/2 to 2/3 full. Recipe will fill about 20 liners.

4. Bake for 20 minutes or until cupcakes are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean or with crumbs. Do not overbake. After 5 minutes, move the cupcakes to a cooling rack. Cool before frosting.

Directions for Buttercream 1. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter, vanilla, orange oil, and salt until creamy.

2. Add the whipping cream to the butter and beat until mixed. Then add the powdered sugar one cup at a time and beat between each addition. If the frosting is too stiff, add more cream. Add a little orange gel coloring and beat. The color should be a pale peach color.

3. Use a piping bag and large star tip to pipe frosting onto the cupcakes. Make a circle of frosting around the outside of the cupcake top and continue circling, moving in closer to the middle with each circle. This will make the frosting taller in the middle of the cupcake. Alternative: To use less frosting on each cupcake, start piping in the middle of the cupcake and then make circles moving to the outside with each circle. This method will make a "rose" shape on each cupcake.

4. Add sprinkles to each cupcake for decoration.

Sweet Tips One-half (½) teaspoon of orange essential oil equals approximately 2 teaspoons of orange extract.

For more photos and tips, go to houseofelynryn.com

simply delicious

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simply delicious

Leather Britches Our theme, “Remembering Rockford,” provided me the opportunity to do a little research on this local historical spot.

I have been to Rockford several times and have heard our area historian, Marion Venable, tell some great stories about the Rockford community.

After doing some reading about Rockford, I learned that one of its more famous visitors was Andrew Jackson. Besides both of us living in Tennessee, I discovered Andrew Jackson and I had another thing in common, green beans.

We moved to Tennessee when I was in middle school. Our new house had a yard large enough to have our first garden which included rows and rows of green beans. Those homegrown green beans were delicious! So much better than the canned ones bought at the store. I ate so many beans my family said I was going to turn into one. I grew several inches about that time, so I was kind of long and skinny.

poisoning organisms that may be in the food. At Cooperative Extension, we can check the accuracy of your dial gauge pressure canner. To schedule an appointment to get your canner checked, please call 336-401-8025.

For a different way to prepare green beans, try this Med Instead of Meds recipe for Green Beans with Lemon Zest.

Green Beans with Lemon Zest Ingredients • 1 teaspoon salt (additional to taste) • 1 pound fresh snap green beans with the vine end removed • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 1 tablespoon lemon zest • Salt to taste Directions 1. Bring 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil.

2. Boil (blanch) the green beans for 5 minutes or until just a little soft, don’t overcook.

3. Drain the green beans well. If doing this in advance, shock in ice water.

4. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or stir fry pan.

My mom canned quarts of beans for us to enjoy after the growing season was over. But Andrew Jackson lived in a time before people canned. They preserved food by drying and that included green beans. Dried beans were known as leather britches, which according to history, Jackson loved. (That’s right, we are talking about dried beans not leather pants). The mature beans are strung on a line and hung to dry. Once dry, they will last for months.

5. Add the green beans and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Start thinking now about what you would like to grow in your garden this year. Remember many plants can be grown in containers if you don’t have room or the desire for a traditional garden. Cooperative Extension has information on gardening as well as how to preserve what you grow. Canning, freezing, and drying are all good ways to enjoy the benefits of your garden for months. One of my favorite resources is the National Center for Home Food Preservation at the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Their website at nchfp.uga.edu/ provides a wealth of information.

Other variations:

Green beans are a low acid vegetable and always need to be canned with a pressure canner which reaches 240 degrees to ensure safety. We sometimes hear, “But I canned my beans in a boiling water bath for hours, wouldn’t that make them safe?”

The answer is no. No matter how long you boil your beans, the temperature never gets higher than 212 degrees, the temperature water boils at sea level. Your food will be hot and well cooked, but 212 degrees isn’t hot enough to destroy all the spoilage and food 26 • SURRY LIVING March 2021 Issue

6. Add the lemon zest and stir well.

7. Adjust the salt to taste.

NOTE: You can blanch the green beans ahead of time — just shock in ice water and refrigerate. You can also use frozen green beans. Thaw and start at step #4.

1. Omit the lemon zest and add toasted slivered almonds.

2. Omit the lemon zest and add 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, and 1 teaspoon hot sauce such as sambal or sriracha.

Source: Med Instead of Meds

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ces.ncsu.edu SURRY LIVING March 2021 Issue • 27

area calendars & info

SURRY COUNTY AREA UPCOMING EVENTS EDITORS NOTE: The following events are subject to cancellation or postponement due to the Covid-19 pandemic or other factors. While outside of our control, this information was current as of press time.

MARCH 2, 6, & 16 (GALAX): CREEK BOTTOM BREWERY March 2nd & 16th: Bluegrass Night w/ The Creek Bottom Boys – starts at 7:00; March 6th: Matt Mullins and The Bringdowns: 6:30. Creek Bottom Brewery, 307 N Meadow Street, Galax, VA MARCH 5 (MOUNT AIRY): VIRTUAL STORYBOOK MUSEUM 11:00 am, Mount Airy Museum of Regional History, 301 N Main St. Join us for crafts and activities based on books! This FREE virtual program is intended for preschool-age children.

MARCH 6, 12, 13 & 19 (MOUNT AIRY): Mayberry Spirits Whiskey Distillery Tours, Mayberry Spirits Distillery, 431 N. South St. Open Fridays & Saturdays from 12:00 pm until 6:00 pm. Tours at 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm & 4:30 pm. Reservations recommended. Making whiskey in the Appalachian tradition! $10 per person for an approximately 45-min. tour, which includes a souvenir shot glass and 5 tastings (3 whiskies plus two mixed versions). Gift shop open and on-site bottle purchases now allowed! Call 336-719-6860 for more information MARCH 6 - 7 (RONDA): FOOD TRUCK: HAPPY HIPPIE FOOD CO. 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm, Raffaldini Vineyards, 450 Grace Road, Ronda, NC MARCH 6 & 20 (MOUNT AIRY): BATIK EASTER EGG WORKSHOP 1:00-4:00 pm, Mount Airy Museum of Regional History, 301 N Main St. Learn the ancient method of decorating Easter eggs using simple primitive tools to “write” intricate designs with beeswax. The Pysanka method of decorating the egg is traditionally used to make the much-admired Ukrainian Easter Eggs. Class size is limited to 9 participants and masks are required. $15 for Museum members; $25 for non-members includes all supplies. Call 336-786-4478 by February 26 to reserve your spot.

MARCH 7 (STATE ROAD): ORIGINAL SONGS & STORIES BY JAMES VINCENT CARROLL & BBQ FOOD TRUCK 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm, Grassy Creek Vineyard, 235 Chatham Cottage Lane, State Rd, NC MARCH 7 (PINNACLE): LIVE MUSIC WITH JOSH TENERY 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm, Pilot Mountain Vineyards, 1162 Bradley Road, Pinnacle, NC MARCH 13 (MOUNT AIRY): LIVING RHYTHMS – DRUMMING WORKSHOP Andy Griffith Playhouse, 218 Rockford Street. Three, hour-long classes are offered at 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Classes are hosted by the Surry Arts Council. Advance registration is required by calling 336-786-7998 or emailing courtney@surryarts. org. Class sizes will be limited, and COVID-19 safety guidelines will be followed. Masks are required.

MARCH 13 (PINNACLE): LINE AND WINE Dancing hourly at 2:00, 3:00 and 4:00, Pilot Mountain Vineyards, 1162 Bradley Road, Pinnacle, NC MARCH 13 - 14 (RONDA): FOOD TRUCK: WRAPS AROUND THE WORLD 11:00 am - 4:00 pm, Raffaldini Vineyards, 450 Grace Road, Ronda, NC MARCH 19 (PINNACLE): CRAFT & SIP - CREATIVELEE YOURS 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm, Pilot Mountain Vineyards, 1162 Bradley Road, Pinnacle, NC; Pre-registration is required, $22 for craft & glass of wine, Call 828-400-9533, Limited to 12 people MARCH 20 (RONDA): SALON TASTING WITH JAY RAFFALDINI- SANGIOVESE 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm, Raffaldini Vineyards, 450 Grace Road, Ronda, NC MARCH 21 (STATE ROAD): SUNDAY MUSIC SERIES : LIVE ORIGINALS BY JERRY CHAPMAN 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm, Grassy Creek Vineyard, 235 Chatham Cottage Lane, State Rd, NC MARCH 21(MOUNT AIRY): JOSH TENERY LIVE MUSIC & SLIDERS FOOD TRUCK 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm (Music starts at 1:00 pm); Serre Vineyards, 364 Beast Trail, Mt Airy, NC. Call 336.525.9463 for more information.

MARCH 27 (RONDA): FOOD TRUCK: SANDWICH EXPRESS 11:30 am - 4:00 pm, Raffaldini Vineyards, 450 Grace Road, Ronda, NC 28 • SURRY LIVING March 2021 Issue

area calendars & info MARCH 28 (PINNACLE): LIVE MUSIC - MOOD SWINGZ 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm, Pilot Mountain Vineyards, 1162 Bradley Road, Pinnacle, NC; Enjoy the music of Bob & Elizabeth Spencer. Guitar, Sax, Harmonica, Bass and wonderful singers. Mix of 70s, 80s, 90s and Country MARCH 28 (MOUNT AIRY): CASEY PERKINS MUSIC & EL TACO VAQUERO - FOOD TRUCK 1:00 pm 5:00 pm; Serre Vineyards, 364 Beast Trail, Mt Airy, NC. Call 336.525.9463 for more information.

APRIL 2 -3 (HAMPTONVILLE, NC): ALPHA & OMEGA 6TH ANNUAL HELICOPTER EASTER EGG DROP Alpha & Omega Corn maze will host their 6th annual Helicopter Easter Egg Drop. More than 20,000 plastic eggs will fall out of the sky on Friday, April 2nd and Saturday, April 3rd. Gates open at 8 AM. The event is from 9 am until 4 am both days. There will be four drop times each day. 9 am, 11 am, 1 pm, & 3 pm. Cost for the event is $12.00. A Group Rate of 20 or more is $10 per person. Food is priced separately. Children 2 and under are free.

Check out their Facebook page or website at alphaomegacornmaze.com for posts & updates on special events. See ad on page 10 for more info.

SURRY LIVING March 2021 Issue • 29

276-236-4137

108 S. Main St. Galax, VA Mon. - Sat. 9 AM – 5:30 PM

A Family Owned & Operated Full-Service Jewelry Store Established in 1977

roysdiamond.com

MULLINS PAWN SHOP & JEWELERS

Call Us Today • (336) 755-2995

YES - WE ARE OPEN! INDEPENDENT LIVING ASSISTED LIVING

Adjusted Regular Store Hours: Mullins Pawn Shop & Jewelers Mon–Fri: 10:00 am – 5:30 pm 336-786-6417 • 336-789-7109 Saturday: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm 1911 Caudle Dr, Mount Airy, NC

1000 Ridgecrest Lane Mt. Airy, NC 27030 (336) 755-2995 Ridge-Crest.com

Featuring 40 sports and offering the lowest camperto-staff ratio (3:2) of any sports camp in the world!

Camp & Retreat Center Dear Surry and Stokes Counties Parents, We are all aware of how the Covid-19 virus has changed many things all over the world and impacted families and livelihoods. Many have lost their jobs or businesses and the though of sending your children to summer camp might be the last item you are considering. Many are concerned about the future of travel and when we will be able to return to more normal activities. The trustees, the board and I have made a commitment to do all we can to safely resume camping in 2021. We are all in this together.

There is a need to give our children hope, a return to some sort of “normalcy” and a chance to be a child— “childhood happens only once”. With this in mind we have decided to help any child, from any country and any background attend our camp in 2021. We will need the help and assistance of many people to do this but we are believing and have commitments from many already to work with us to enable the following.

Here is what we are offering, on a first-come, first-serve basis: 1. Our normal tuition is $1375/week, BUT we will accept whatever you can afford – as little as $500/week.

2. We will refund 100% of what we receive in deposits, tuition and fees if the camper is hindered or unable to attend this summer.

3. The program, food services, care and safety of your child will not be compromised. We will not operate the camp any less professionally than we would if every child were paying 100% of the tuition.

We ask the following from parents that take advantage of this discount: •

Please pay all you can and when your child returns home, consider a donation to our camp that represents your satisfaction with our camp. the experiences, and the memories your child will carry for a lifetime.

•

Extra fees for certain programs (Equitation, Golf, Water Skiing, Wilderness Adventure, Shooting, Weekend Trips to Washington, DC/Carowinds) and airport pick up fees still apply as appropriate.

•

Please make your decision soon. We do expect to have a full camp because of this offer. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

This camp is a ministry and passion for many people and we want to ensure it is here for years to come. If you are in the position to assist with camper scholarships or any of the other areas of need to continue this ministry please let us know. We are always looking for volunteers to assist with camp preparation and also with the day to day running and activities during the summer. Whether you are looking to send your children or not, please pass along this message to anyone who might be interested as well as anyone (including yourselves) who is willing to pray for the Camp and the camp staff.

May God bless us all and keep us safe and healthy.

Warmly,

Founder/President The Vineyard Camp & Retreat Center

Because Childhood Happens Only Once

Choose Well. Choose Northern.

Northern Welcomes Edward L. Salerno, MD Pulmonologist 89

S.South St.

S.South St.

choosenorthern.org | 336-783-8998

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Northern Pulmonology

708 S. South Street, Suite 200, Mount Airy, NC