NRV Magazine July-August 2020

NRV’s Premier Lifestyle Magazine

New River Valley July/August 2020

Food Fare Zip Lines Aquariums Distance Healing

Pets

Healthcare

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Logan Smith's Inspiring Life

Search. See. Love.

Find a place to hang your heart. Explore all homes today and leverage the insight of our agent network.

Find your agent at LongandFoster.com

Darin Greear REALTOR®

Brenda Woody REALTOR®

540.320.5859 Darin@RinerVa.com www.RinerVa.com

540.257.0281

Brenda.Woody@LongandFoster.com www.longandfoster.com/BrendaWoody

Priscilla The

Morris

Team

of Long & Foster Real Estate

of Long & Foster Real Estate

Priscilla Morris REALTOR® 540.320.3586

Wendy Swanson REALTOR®

540.797.9497

Priscilla@PriscillaMorris.com www.PriscillaMorris.com

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of Long & Foster Real Estate

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Mike Weber REALTOR®

540.818.3169 tammy@boboliteamrealty.com

540.250.6727

Tony Boboli REALTOR®

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www.longandfoster.com/MikeWeber

Visit www.longandfoster.com or download our mobile app today!

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Long & Foster was named “America’s Most Trusted Residential Real Estate Brokerage”

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2020

Start-Up Businesses

Small Towns.

Big Deals.

Emerging Growth Companies Capital Transactions Mergers and Acquisitions

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At Skyline National Bank, we’re built to bring out our community’s best. And while national may be in our name, community is in our hearts. Whether you’re buying a house, building a business, getting ready to retire or just opening a child’s first account,

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Member FDIC

2020

CONTENTS July/August

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2020

18 Pa sture Ta l k

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Lo gan S mi t h's I nspi r i ng L i fe 1 0

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Di sta nce Hea l i ng 1 6 Stayca t i on i n t he N RV 1 8 Zi p L i nes 22 Paddl i ng t hrough t he N RV 24

16

Aqua r i um s 26 Thera py Do gs 28

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Fa mi l y Lega c y 32 NRV Ri des 3 8 Fi rst & M a i n 42 Fo o d Fa re 4 4

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If you need us, we’re here to help.

At Freedom First, we’re all about building things.

Businesses, homes, communities and more. So, it makes sense that we’ve constructed the region’s best home equity line of credit. Fixed low introductory rates. And with Freedom First, there are no closing costs.*

Federally insured by NCUA.

*The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of a HELOC is indexed to the Prime Rate as published on the money rate table in the Wall Street Journal + a margin for the life of the loan. Prime Rate as of 3/16/2020 is 3.25%. Our current lowest APR as of 3/16/2020 for credit lines under $100,000 is 3.75%, which includes + 0.50 margin. HELOC APRs are variable and subject to change. For credit lines of $100,000 or less, an introductory rate as low as 2.74% fixed APR applies for the first twenty-four (24) months of the loan. After the introductory period, the APR will revert back to the original rate indexed to the Prime Rate. Your actual rates may vary, depending on credit history, loan amount and term, loan to value ratio, and other factors. The maximum APR that may be imposed is 18%. Maximum loan-to-value as high as 90%, depending on creditworthiness. No closing costs for loan amounts of $100,000 and less except for legal fees, if required. For loan amounts over $100,000, estimated closing costs may range from $1,562 to $2,830. A review of the credit eligibility, adequate property value , and a clear title is also needed for qualification. Other restrictions may apply. The minimum loan amount is $10,000 and the maximum loan amount is $300,000. The term is up to 240 months. Pay interest only on the amount drawn or 1% of the balance. Membership with Freedom First is a requirement for this offer with a $5 share account. Property insurance, if applicable, must be in effect on the property being secured and the said property must be in the Freedom First Credit Union membership area. The property must be owner occupied. Please consult a tax adviser for further information regarding the deductibility of interest. All credit union loan programs, rates, terms and conditions are subject to change at any time without notice. Contact a Freedom First Credit Union representative at (540) 389-0244 for complete details.

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Pasture Talk

NEW RIVER VALLEY M

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P. O. Box 11816 Blacksburg, VA 24062 o: 540-961-2015 nrvmagazine@msn.com www.nrvmagazine.com

PUBLISHER Country Media, Inc. Phillip Vaught MANAGING EDITOR Joanne Anderson ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Sabrina Sexton ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Kim Walsh DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Dennis Shelor WRITERS Joanne Anderson Karl Kazaks Krisha Chachra Emily Alberts Jennifer Cooper Becky Hepler Melody Warnick Nancy Moseley

T

PHOTOGRAPHERS Kristie Lea Photography Kevin Riley Always and Forever Photography Tom Wallace Billy Bowling Photography Nathan Cooke Photography © 2020 Country Media, Inc. Country Media, Inc. will not knowingly publish any advertisement that is illegal or misleading to its readers. Neither the advertiser nor Country Media, Inc. will be responsible or liable for misinformation, misprints, or typographical errors. The publisher assumes no financial liability for copy omissions by Country Media, Inc. other than the cost of the space occupied by the error. Corrections or cancellations to be made by an advertiser shall be received no later than 5 p.m. the 20th of each publishing month. No claim shall be allowed for errors not affecting the value of the advertisement.

Paid advertising does not represent an endorsement by this publication. Content cannot be reproduced without written consent from Country Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Real Estate advertised in this publication is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968.

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One only needs to browse a U.S. or world history book to see all the calamities people have faced and endured across thousands of years.

There are many common threads, and small business is one in which communities have remained wellanchored for having a stable economic base.

While the “buy local” theme is more often in the forefront for Christmas shopping, it must now take center stage ~ this summer, the coming fall and winter and year-round going forward to sustain our small towns, counties and quality of life. Remember, too, that many small “chain” stores are locally-owned franchises. They all need us more than ever.

We know a little bit about this kind of economic climate as NRV Magazine was but two years old when the Great Recession set in a dozen years ago. Our office at the Corporate Research Center was closed, and everyone took a one-half pay cut. We reduced the number of pages when advertising slipped away, and marched through it with confidence [that wavered like a canoe in rough waters at times] and courage [with holes in it like Swiss cheese some days]. No doubt, many of our NRV small businesses are in the throes of the same turmoil and are beginning to emerge yet again optimistic and hopeful for a bright future. Let’s help them which helps all of us in the long run.

You can also browse history books to find incredibly resilient people who face and overcome seemingly overwhelming challenges. Helen Keller comes to mind.

Stephen Hawking, too. Logan Smith of Dublin, featured on our cover and on page 10, embodies Bravery, Inspiration, Endurance, Grit and Determination. In the old days, we called it Moxie, and all those adjectives deserve a capital letter.

While you are out shopping local, drop him a note of encouragement. His days don’t start, run or end with ease. Just the other day, his home elevator malfunctioned, leaving him stranded several feet off the ground. And just the other weekend, he was in full dive gear holding this sign:

We don’t have to look anywhere outside the New River Valley for inspiration, motivation, merchandise, outdoor recreation, dining options and a.m.a.z.i.n.g. people. It’s “summertime an’ the livin’ is easy” – for some. That song was composed by George Gershwin, who played the piano in the first recording in 1934. It was specifically crafted for the 1935 production of the opera “Porgy and Bess.” As we walk and stumble through the coming months, everyone can try at least to wear a smile on your face and carry a song in your heart - to share with others.

J u l y - A u g 2 0 2 0

Joanne Anderson ManagingEditor jmawriter@aol.com

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He alt hcare

Logan Smith’s Inspiring Life ~

of Courage, Faith and Community

Text by Joanne M. Anderson Photos by Always and Forever Photography

Coming home from school on Oct. 21, 2016, Logan Smith lost control of his red Ford F250 hydroplaning on a slick road in Dublin and plunging 35 feet down. The truck rolled over and landed on rocks which compressed the roof, rendering him motionless and trapped in the unseen cab for nearly an hour. A town worker passing by noticed a damaged tree and stopped, finding Logan pinned in a very small space, drifting in and out of consciousness.

Initially, the Pulaski County High School graduate had no feeling below his neck. Doctors in Virginia broke the news in his hospital room that because he suffered a “C6/C7 complete”, in medical lingo, he was now a quadriplegic who would never do anything below the injury. The bed 10

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and/or a special wheelchair would be his new home, his new life.

His mother, Robin Dian Smith, respectfully listened. She then escorted the doctors and medical staff from Logan’s room, closed the door, and told Logan he would do everything he used to do, just differently. That day, in that room, Robin, his father Bobby Smith, and older brother Corey Smith, made this list: • Camping • Kayaking on the ocean • Cycling Jekyll Island • Getting certified to scuba dive • Swimming • Riding our boat on the ocean • Catching sharks from the boat • Surf fishing

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• Hiking • Pier fishing • Joining a gym and weight lifting • Tubing • Going to back to school • Driving • Attending a college football game • Going to the movies • Going to an amusement park Logan has checked off everything on that list, plus: • Skiing in Aspen, Colorado • Skydiving • Wheeling up Stone Mountain, Georgia • Completing two 3-day, 180-mile bicycle marathons [to raise money for others with similar injuries!]

2020

The Work Begins

Not satisfied with the dismal prognosis in our region, Logan transferred to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta. Because he was 18, he just barely qualified to enter the Adolescent Spinal Cord Injury program. “Logan struggled with things we do every day,” his mom relates, “like feeding and dressing himself. We cannot imagine waking up and not being able to move, yet this was Logan’s initial predicament.”

At first, Logan could not move his hands and had feeling in just three fingers. With special devices and a commitment to improvement, the now 22-year-old young man continued strengthening exercises. “The healing is so slow that many people give up,” says Robin. Surrounded by his family’s constant support and encouragement and an unwavering faith in God, Logan lunged into moving any body part which would respond. Soon, every night after the staff went home, Logan would work out in the Shepherd Center gym.

Logan came home to Dublin about six months later and continued to build on finger usage, hand dexterity, arm strength, muscle development and skills of daily living. The whole community, along with Dublin Church of God, rallied around him with notes, fundraisers, prayers, financial gifts, offers of help, more than 3,000 cards. He has regained muscle strength and muscle thickness he had been told would never happen.

Now, nearly four years later, Logan strives to build on his achievements every day. Having wanted to be a Navy Seal, the handsome, blond, bearded young man’s crowning achievement to date might well be having gotten re-certified as a diver. He drives a bright blue Dodge Challenger, takes it to car shows, and until the pandemic arrived, he drove himself to classes at Virginia Tech.

The Money Comes

The medical bills are staggering, think $3 million and up. His bike cost $10,000. The wheel chair to go up Stone Mountain carries an $8,000 price tag. He goes to N.C. twice a week for rehab, research and competitions in rugby and cycling.

Local businesses still offer fundraisers to help meet expenses.

Strangers send money. People pray.

Robin left a high-paying job of her own to become Logan’s caregiver, trusting God with the financial details. “We were in the right place at the right time for his opportunity for a fully-paid trip to Aspen to go skiing,” she recalls. “God opened that door for him, we didn’t. He got re-certified for diving at a quarry in Alabama we never knew existed, and somehow, the NRVMAGAZINE.com

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funding to do it was there. God’s hand is all over our family and this experience.”

The Faith Never Wavers

When Robin opened a Facebook page named “Prayers for Logan”, she never imagined the connections, prayers and financial contributions which would flow in from around the world. “Most people who connect in incidents like this one stick around maybe a year, but people are still in touch, still caring and still wanting updates on Logan’s progress.”

“We don’t believe man,” Logan says with conviction, referring to the first doctor’s totally dismal outlook. “We know what God can do. I am seeing God’s power in my daily life, doing sit-ups, for example.” He was told he’d never do a sit-up. You can log on to Facebook and watch a slice of his 100 – that is o.n.e. h.u.n.d.r.e.d. – sit-ups. In a row. One after another.

The Future Awaits

living in an apartment on his own, continuing his double major in business and real estate at Virginia Tech. He hopes to make the USA Olympic Rugby Team.

Logan Smith is laser-focused on his goals, while caring about others, reaching out to and raising money for people facing similar challenges. This is one young man who is already standing tall as a testament to what courage, faith and community can accomplish.

In 30 seconds, my dreams of attending the University of Virginia, where I had been accepted, joining the U.S. Navy as an officer and becoming a Navy Seal were dashed forever. God had other plans for me and my life.

Where I see a mountain to climb from my vantage point on the ground, it’s nothing but a little hill to God looking down. We cannot make mountains out of mole hills.

And we can conquer mole hills with determination and a reliance on His power and His strength in us.

“I believe I will walk again. I do not know if it will be a miracle like in an instant or maybe as a result of research studies I am involved in or just my own hard work, but it’s going to happen,” Logan states with confidence. He spends energy and time in the hallways and rooms at Shepherd Center, talking to others, encouraging recent accident patients not to give up. “It is a choice every day to get up, get out and make a difference.”

When asked about having a service dog, Logan shakes his head negative. “I want to do things for myself,” he explains. To that end, he is working toward moving out of his parents’ house, 12

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Logan Smith,

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To send a card, contribution or encouraging note or consider hiring Logan as an event speaker on courage, faith and community, write: Logan Smith 5621 Tanglewood Drive Dublin, VA 24084

Jul y/August

2020

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He alt hcare

Distance Healing

history, uses and benefits of TELEMEDICINE

Text by Nancy S. Moseley

The ‘tele’ prefix means ‘at a distance,’ which is apropos for describing life these days. Our increased use of the telephone and television may be leaving us with desires to teleport elsewhere - perhaps closer to friends, family or a tropical paradise.

But when ‘tele’ is matched with ‘medicine,’ we get what the World Health Organization (WHO) defines as “healing from a distance.” Imagine that.

Telemedicine is simply a way for healthcare providers to interact with patients using methods other than in-person, face-to-face meetings.

Telemedicine may sound high-tech, but its inception can be traced back to early developments in telecommunications.

During the Civil War, the telegraph was used to report injuries and request medical supplies for the front lines. Radio 14

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consultations throughout the 1920s, ‘30s and ‘40s benefited patients aboard ships at sea or stationed on remote islands. Throughout the 1960s and ‘70s, the Public Health Department, NASA, the Department of Defense and the U.S. Health and Human Services Department all invested money into telemedicine research. Many projects emerged from the research, one of which used microwave technology in the exchange of medical services to remote Native American reservations and astronauts in space.

As of 2019, the global telemedicine market was estimated to be a $45 billion dollar industry. Now, more than ever, innovative ways to improve the way we communicate from separate locations are imperative. This includes how we talk to family members, friends,

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bosses and coworkers. And, of course, our doctors. Having healthcare needs taken care of remotely is growing in appeal and widespread acceptance.

Where one may think removing the ‘bedside’ in ‘bedside manner’ would result in increased disconnect and impersonality, it’s quite the opposite. For Dr. Mukarram Razvi of Blacksburg, more ways to connect to a patient means it’s actually more personal. “It allows me to see patients how, when and where I want.

I’ve been doing a lot of phone calls, video calls, emails and texts. I enjoy having the personal relationship with the patient and that they have increased access to me, even for a small question.”

Efficiency, convenience and safety are inarguably the leading benefits of telemedicine. For doctors, being able to communicate with patients

2020

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by its mission VCOM, a medical school in Blacksburg, Virginia was inspired by a vision to bring physicians to medically underserved areas.

Our students are inspired by the College mission and focus on caring for those most in need.

Visit us online to find out how you will be

inspired... www.vcom.edu For a copy of our Outcomes Reports, please see www.vcom.edu/outcomes. Š2019 Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine.

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instantaneously is significant. For patients, laborious visits to the doctor’s office, where lengthy wait times and check-in processes bog down time off work are seldom required.

Telemedicine is regulated on a state level, much like provider licensure, legislating acts such as when telemedicine is appropriate (i.e. is an inperson visit needed first?) and when and how a provider can prescribe medication.

On top of that, the federal government legislates privacy laws, insurance portability (Health Insurance Portability and Accountably Act) and recordkeeping.

A healthcare practice will typically use third-party companies like Teladoc Health, mWELL, Heal or MDLIVE which provide platforms and apps that directly connect patients to doctors. As long as the patient has a smart phone, a tablet or a desktop or laptop computer, the software is accessible, and the virtual relationship can begin. Generally speaking, the interfaces are intuitive and easy to adopt, but a bit of a learning 16

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curve should be expected. As more and more people choose to access healthcare virtually, the programs will continue to improve, and any technology hiccups will smooth out.

Looking ahead, Dr. Razvi believes that patients will start to understand and embrace that they can do more of the exam themselves, like taking their own blood pressure, pulse, oxygen levels, temperature and respiratory rate. They can have this information on hand before engaging with a physician.

Telemedicine is most applicable for conditions like a cough, a sore throat, rash, minor eye problems, prescription refills or pain in a certain area of the body. The balance between knowing when to come in and when a video call is sufficient is still a critical decision point and analyzed on a case-by-case basis.

Ultimately, we are our own most important healthcare advocates. We are empowered to act on what’s in our health and well-being’s best interest. The technology just helps us get there quicker and easier. “The more often patients use

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telemedicine, the more it will become familiar. They will gain autonomy and confidence,” Dr. Razvi states.

Carmel Winter of Pembroke recently had surgery to repair a ruptured ACL [anterior cruciate ligament]. Her twice-a-week physical therapy appointments take place via VidyoConnect, and her surgeon followups are virtual, eliminating a two-hour drive. “It puts you more in control,” she states. “I can decide whether or not I need to be seen.”

Telemedicine is not a novel concept for these 2020 times, but virtual house-calls are rapidly becoming a household name. Having more lines of communication to our healthcare providers is a good thing. And if you’ve had a particularly positive experience using telemedicine practices recently, be sure to spread the word and tele-friend!

Ha! Nancy S. Moseley is a Blacksburg resident who once shuddered at the idea of video chatting, but now embraces the ability to see the faces of long-distance friends.

2020

SEEING YOU SAFELY. While you’ve been at home, we’ve been busy.

From routine checkups to checking in for surgery, we’ve created new ways for you to connect with your care team virtually, without having to leave home.

And when a traditional visit is right for you, we’ve created space in our waiting rooms—and our schedules—for you to feel confident and comfortable while you’re here.

Don’t put your health on hold.

Schedule your next visit today.

CarilionClinic.org/safe

NRV Featu re

Staycation in the NRV

Text by Emily Kathleen Alberts Photos courtesy of Clay Corner Inn

Recently I had the feeling that I was a million miles away from home, yet I had not even left the neighborhood. I was not daydreaming or meditating. I was tucked away in a private poolside oasis at Clay Corner Inn in downtown Blacksburg. For the first time in the bed and breakfast’s 30+ years, locals can reserve the pool area by the hour for private parties. Also provided are an on-site suite for changing and private restroom access, along with catering and bar services.

So there I was, a mere two miles from home, yet finally able to relax and forget about the world’s problems for a few blissful hours with my family. We 18

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had the idyllic spot all to ourselves. Local businesses are getting creative, working hard to keep us safe, yet give us the feeling of a nice, normal summer, and maybe, just maybe, transport us to a place in time when things were not so complicated. Ah, the good ol’ days when we could hug our friends.

With everything going on, it’s no wonder that animal shelters are reportedly running out of adoptable pets. Animals give us that simple feeling of comfort and companionship, where we don’t have to worry about wearing masks and staying six feet apart. But it’s not just dogs and cats that need our love. Winterfrost Farm in Radford offers

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horse adoption and leasing, as well as horseback riding on rehabilitated rescue horses through their “Ride-A-Rescue” program. In addition to trail rides and riding lessons, they host birthday parties, which could be a fun social distancing activity for those celebrating quarantine birthdays.

Summer brings longer days and more daylight for outdoor activities like hiking, camping and water sports. Back Country Ski & Sport in Blacksburg is open (by appointment only when this went to print) and can outfit you with the perfect tent, kayak or canoe for your outdoor needs. If you’re not fully ready to take the plunge, they offer equipment rentals. It’s

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DWIGHT ATKINSON dwight.atkinson@nestrealty.com ph: 540.520.2234

KELLY GRIFFIN kelly.griffin@nestrealty.com ph: 540.455.3184

While growing up in the New River and Roanoke Valleys, I have watched our local college and university leaders develop, expand, and promote our area into one of the best places to live in the country. Southern charm, quality of life, beautiful seasons, culture, technology, and year-round outdoor activities are just a few reasons I gain a greater appreciation for this area daily. Leveraging my experience as an occupational therapist and a successful business owner, I’ve had the opportunity to develop a firm foundation in communications, negotiation, organization, customer service, marketing, sales, and establishing and maintaining relationships. Building on these skills, buyers and sellers can be assured that I will focus and communicate their unique goals and create a personable and creative strategy to guide clients throughout the process. My breadth of knowledge and experience in this region provides clients with the utmost care and accurate knowledge of this fast-paced market, including trends, comparable sales and property values, and community and neighborhood insight. As a Blacksburg resident, my recreational interests are diverse; ranging from following Virginia Tech football to rock climbing and traveling. Whether you are selling or buying, please feel free to contact me any time. I look forward to working with you.

Having moved to the New River Valley from the Philadelphia area, Kelly knows more than most what it is like to fall in love with our mountain paradise! Prior to real estate, she worked in healthcare law and in hospitality.

This experience provided her with a combined understanding of contracts and the importance of timely correspondence, as well as a passion for service, working with people, and doing whatever possible to ensure a positive and successful experience. Kelly is active in the New River Valley Association of Realtors and is the current chair of the Government Affairs Committee. She is also involved in a foster program for a local animal adoption organization.

When she is not working with clients, Kelly enjoys traveling, hiking with her husband Joe, spending time with family, and watching her beloved Yankees.

Featured Properties

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Perfect for getaway, residence or investment. Set the stage for lake life living!

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NestRealtyNRV.com

192+ Acres available in Newport

This majestic, one-of-a-kind 192.79 acre property awaits you with stunning views of the New River Valley. Let your imagination run free with the possibilities! Envision a winery, farm, hemp farm, multiple residential sites or a secluded private residence. Close to the New River. 20 Minutes to Blacksburg.

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a great way to brave the wild and test the waters without breaking the bank.

It’s easy to experience a summer state of mind with one of Gardner’s Frozen Treats in Christiansburg. Boasting shakes as thick as a brick and soft serve swirls as tall as your head, this place has it all. Their newest menu addition, “Watermelon Italian Ice,” is a sugar-free, dairy-free concoction that will have you carefree and stress-free in an instant.

If wine is your dessert of choice, you can head out to Beliveau Estate Winery to soak up the scenery, enjoy a lite meal, and bask in the aroma of luscious lavender. Their back fields will be open for unpopulated hiking, running, skipping and jumping. Dogs welcome!

There has never been a better time to shop small and stay local. Checking out what’s new in the retail shops is the best way to support them and bring a smile to the faces of small business owners, even behind a mask.

The best local amusement parks might be in NRV treetops. Treetop Adventures at Mountain Lake offers “two and a half hours of an intense course that demanded concentration and the use of all our muscles and balance,” says 20

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a recent conqueror of the course. Buffalo Mountain Ziplines in Floyd County boasts the largest zipline in Virginia. We just might have the next best thing to ziplining in Costa Rica.

Outdoor orienteering involves navigation with a map and a compass where you go from point to point in diverse terrain. The Blue Ridge Orienteering Club was founded five years ago by locals as a chapter of Orienteering USA. Look for their course maps for Mountain Lake and Heritage Park on their website: Blueridgeorienteering.org.

They also produce a course map for the Virginia Tech campus, which takes you to some undiscovered campus spots while subtly teaching you about the university’s history.

Music festivals, street fairs and outdoor concerts are not quite a thing of the past. There are swim-up concerts at Claytor Lake. Rent a paddleboard or kayak from Mountain2Island and paddle on over to The Rock House Marina to get a live music fix. Raise your knowledge of our history by visiting all or a few of the 11 museums throughout the New River Valley.

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If you’re itching to explore a totally new place, take a day trip. Burke Gardens in Tazewell has been described as “God’s Thumbprint” and the “Garden Spot of the World” because it offers the most breathtaking scenery this side of New Zealand. Set aside plenty of time for this piece of paradise carved into the highest valley in Virginia, because once you get there, you won’t want to leave.

So don’t worry about any summer plans outside our region. There are wonderful B&Bs and hotels, back roads, photo opps, camping, water recreation, restaurants, trails and interesting places to discover, visit and re-visit right here. Go to nrvbook.com for ideas that will carry you through this summer and next summer in the New River Valley. And drop in on some of those advertisers plus ones in this magazine issue. They spend hardearned money to get your attention and offer neat products, merchandise and services. The local economy is vital to the region’s success.

Emily Kathleen Alberts is a freelance writer and NRV resident who’s traveled far and wide and can safely say: There’s no place like home.

2020

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NRV O utdoors

Soaring for a Sense of Accomplishment

Text by Karl H. Kazaks Photos courtesy of Buffalo Mountain Ziplines

One day recently Robert Nickell sat in a rocking chair on the front porch of the business he and his wife, Joanna, run, Buffalo Mountain Ziplines. Located in Floyd near the Blue Ridge Parkway, the zipline course is the longest in Virginia, with one of its sections traversing 2,400 feet.

A group of zipliners was sailing through the canopy of the Blue Ridge forest, the pulleys of the devices which attach to their harnesses and move them down the galvanized steel cable through the woods making a pleasant whirring sound. “There’s not a better feeling than seeing a family and friends out there 22

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enjoying themselves,” Nickell observed.

“People really connect with each other.

The camaraderie is super, and they come out feeling happy.”

Buffalo Mountain Ziplines opened the last day of June in 2019, but the Nickells have a long experience with zipline operations. They built the first commercial canopy tour business in the U.S. 15 years ago in North Carolina.

Robert Nickell is from Winston-Salem.

He has constructed ziplines in Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana, Costa Rica, China and Canada, including courses which required a helicopter to put the cable in place. Cable

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is typically hauled by hand through the cleared course in the woods and lifted by a winch.

Prior to getting into the zipline business, Nickell was a contractor. He grew up in a family of engineers and understands the proper way to set up a zipline so enthusiasts can soar through the sky safely. One of his courses on a Caribbean Island which was buffeted by Hurricane Irma in 2017 included the only built structures left standing after the hurricane passed over the island.

A zipline course typically consists of a number of stations which pass through a forest. Each station can

2020

be a freestanding structure built into the ground, but in Nickell’s courses, most of the stations are platforms constructed into the canopy of a tree. He likes building the platforms with hardwood species like white oak and maple.

The platforms are attached to the tree above the platform. Cables extend upward from each corner of the platform and connect to blocks built around the tree. This way the platforms can move as the tree grows upward. It’s also a gentler way to attach to a tree. Guy-wires (aka guy-lines or guys) are used on each platform to manage horizontal tension, leaving only downward tension on the tree.

Guests on the Buffalo Mountain zipline have spotted bear, turkey, bald eagles, hawks and deer. They’ve even heard the scream of a bobcat. These encounters happen at a safe remove, thanks to the harness worn by all participants. The harness wraps around a person’s thighs, chest, waist and shoulders, and connects to a device which rolls along the cable from spot to spot. The device is equipped with a hand brake, which a person can use to slow his or her travel as they near a landing destination. Each station also has an emergency brake.

Ziplining is a great activity for kids, from ages of three to teenagers, and adults who are young at heart and crave adventure in the great outdoors. Buffalo Mountain Ziplines has an abbreviated course for groups of younger participants NRVMAGAZINE.com

and events like birthday parties and Scout outings. Most people who come, however, chose to enjoy the full course. The Sasquatch Tour, new this year, is a drive-around tour at dusk which visits the haunts of Bigfoot, complete with a guided hike, ghost stories, campfire and s’mores.

Even the company’s office has its attractions, including a stunning view of Buffalo Mountain to the south.

“It’s a wholesome environment,” Nickel says. “People end with having overcome a fear of height or fear of motion, feeling more connected to nature and one another. They end with a satisfying sense of accomplishment.”

buffalomountainziplines.com Tours [for now] limited to eight paying customers, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Two tour guides included, one at the front of a group, one at the back.

Each participant wears a helmet and heavy gloves [both provided]. Helmets have always been sanitized between uses, and latex gloves are offered to wear under the heavy gloves. Note: No tours during high wind, heavy rain or lightning. Reservations recommended.

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NRV O utdoors

Paddling through the New River Valley of Virginia Photos by Billy Bowling

For those looking for a new perspective to enjoy the New River Valley, on the water may be your best bet. Traversing the landscape with the flow of water takes the visitor on a new journey with scenic landscapes, historical adventures, and easy fun for all ages.

We start on the Little River, a tributary of the New River. In Floyd County, the Little River provides a gentle float for canoes, kayaks and tubes. On The Water near downtown Floyd provides group rentals and outfitting for trips on this mountain waterway. Easy access on Route 8 through Floyd connects travelers to Interstate 81.

Another prime, but slightly different, water experience in the NRV is found at Pulaski County’s Claytor Lake and Claytor Lake State Park. Claytor Lake, off I-81 at exit 101, is a 4,475-acre reservoir in the New River. The Little River joins the New River just downstream of the lake. Guests here can enjoy boating, kayaking, standup paddleboarding and a 24

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variety of activities and special events. One favorite is floating live musical performances that guests can paddle up to and enjoy. Mountain 2 Island at Rock House Marina offers standup paddleboards, kayaks and canoes to get you out on the water.

Leaving Claytor Lake and flowing north, the New River wraps around the small City of Radford. This “River City” is home to Bisset Park where river access is public and easy.

Wading, tubing and paddling in the New River here is easygoing and slow-moving. There is ample access and parking for the 90-acre Bisset Park along the shore of the New River.

Off Route 11, turn onto Berkeley Williams Drive near downtown Radford.

Continuing north, paddlers enter Montgomery County where public river access points include the popular Whitethorne Landing in McCoy. Additionally, you can visit New River Junction for tube and shuttle service or to play at McCoy Falls. The Junction is accessible via Prices Fork Road, then Jul y/August

2020

turning on McCoy Road and finally on Big Falls Road. Whether bringing your own vessel, looking to rent, or just interested in playing in the New River water, Montgomery County is an excellent base for fun.

Rounding out the New River Valley is Giles County.

With 37 miles of the New River, Giles offers singular trips or longer excursions. From one of the newest boat landings at Eggleston, paddlers can enjoy ripples and rapids as they take in iconic and dramatic scenery from the water, departing in Pembroke for a 4-hour float. With outfitters and guides available and easy accessibility from U.S. 460 in Pembroke, paddlers have rentals, advice, maps and shuttles to assure a unique water adventure in the New River Valley.

Local favorite water memories:

Pat - Floyd County Tourism Director: I love being on the water, so it is always fun – and SO relaxing. One of my favorite adventures was the first time I floated on the Little NRVMAGAZINE.com

River. I was awed by the incredible rock formations along a gentle smaller river.

Peggy - Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce: A favorite memory and adventure is river kayaking below Foster Falls to Claytor Lake through Pulaski County and enjoying a picnic along the way.

Deb - Radford City Tourism Director: My kids grew up along the New River, and one our favorite after-dinner activities in the summer is heading out in search of unique rocks and native crawfish and wading in the water.

Lisa - Montgomery Regional Tourism Director: A fond memory from the 1980s is when the New River Junction opened and spending time with friends along the river with our tubes. Memories made.

Cora - Giles County Tourism Director: I had grown up around creeks and rivers, but moving here and experiencing the cliffs in Eggleston or tubing out of Pembroke, I knew this was special, it was fun!

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The Age of

Pet Care

From an inexpensive goldfish in a bowl to a $1 million 5,000-gallon tank with rare fish, aquariums are mesmerizing to watch. The sound of water is comforting, and the slow movement of the fish can help calm active minds.

“Aquariums are also spectacular decoration,” says Ben Carlin, operations manager of Carlin Aquarium Systems. “In fact,” he adds, “some clients have quit watching as much television and spend their time instead taking in their aquariums.”

Carlin calls aquariums the “ultimate tinkerer’s hobby because it is limitless in terms of what you can do with your personal system.” There is always some way to be interacting with it. With the internet, aquariums as hobbies have proliferated as serious hobbyists see and want what others have.

“It’s like fashion,” states Carlin.

“Things come in and out of style.”

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He maintains an elaborate saltwater aquarium and is a fan of coral, which can even come with a certificate of authenticity to raise its value.

Carlin Aquarium Systems is a Roanoke-based aquarium design, installation and service company with clients in Roanoke and surrounding regions, including the New River Valley.

The business evolved from a retail store to a commercial model.

Sean Raines is senior director of marketing for Aquatics for Spectrum Brands – Global Pet Care, which manufactures some Tetra aquarium products in Blacksburg’s industrial park.

Raines calls aquariums: “Where pet meets hobby.” He concurs with Carlin on aquariums’ peacefulness and adds that companionship, just having life in the house, is another reason people buy aquariums.

There has been a recent bump

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in sales and interest in the hobby, according to Raines, as people use soothing aquariums to escape the pandemic or have a virtual vacation with a tropical theme in their homes. “More fish are finding new homes now.”

Fish are popular family pets because of the educational opportunity.

Fish can teach children responsibility and how to care for another living thing.

Families also use fish to teach science or geography. “Fish,” Raines notes, “are especially appropriate for families with allergies or asthma since they have no dander. The demographic for aquariums used to skew older, but now is young families, Generation Z (born 19952015), and Millennials (born 1981-1995).

Those groups enjoy experiences and enrichment versus buying things.”

To get started with an aquarium, Carlin says 90% of people visit a big box store like PetSmart or PetCo

2020

Aquariums Text by Jennifer Poff Cooper

and purchase a 10-gallon freshwater aquarium kit. It is desktop sized, and you just add water. Other popular sizes are 29-gallon and 55-gallon. Carlin calls the latter the “smallest big aquarium” as it would require a four-foot base and take up an entire wall. Popular freshwater fish include tetra, betta and angel fish, and often freshwater aquariums have fun and cutesy décor.

Most hobbyists plateau here, Carlin relates, because the more unusual the tank and its contents, the higher the price. The next step would be a saltwater aquarium, which is more advanced and thus not usually appropriate for kids.

Saltwater aquariums tend to have a more naturalistic look and house areaspecific fish – or, as Carlin declares “the cast from Finding Nemo” such as clown fish, hippo tang and royal gramma.

Aquariums are not cheap. A cost guideline is that a freshwater tank NRVMAGAZINE.com

with fish costs $10 per gallon, so a 55-gallon tank would cost $550. A fully set up saltwater aquarium with coral jumps to $100 per gallon or $5,500. The cost might be half of that if there were only fish and not coral included.

Then there are maintenance expenses. Carlin sees two mindsets: Either maintenance is part of the fun, or it is a chore. Maintenance includes removing and replacing with clean water 10 to 20% of the water volume and replacing filters. For freshwater, this costs $10-30 per month and is typically done bi-weekly. Saltwater is again more expensive at $30-75 per month for weekly maintenance.

researching appropriate supplies, leading to unnecessary fish deaths. The responsible thing is to provide each fish its best opportunity to survive.

Carlin’s best piece of advice is “do your homework” to avoid the “Finding Nemo” effect. When that ocean-themed movie was popular, people bought clown fish like the character Marlin without

5.

6.

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Raines wishes more people would benefit from the joy of having an aquarium.

“They are remarkably addictive,” states Carlin, “bringing relaxation and enjoyment of the underwater world into our daily lives.”

How to Build an Aquarium: 1.

2.

3.

4.

7.

8.

Select a tank size and shape.

Determine which filtration system.

Find gravel.

Decide where to place for your fish tank.

Fill the tank with water.

Set up the filter, light, gravel, decorative items Let things settle down.

Introduce fish to their new home.

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Pet Care

Canine Catharsis

how therapy dogs curtail the stigma of mental health

Text by Nancy S. Moseley Photos courtesy of Virginia Tech

The use of animals for therapy is not a new thing. In fact, the first iteration of Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) can be traced back to the ancient Greeks who used horses to lift the spirits of critically ill patients. The use of horses continued into the 1940s when the American Red Cross established a farm for rehabilitating veterans to interact with animals.

Even earlier, Florence Nightingale championed the use of small animals in the reduction of stress and anxiety in psychiatric patients in the 1800s. And Dr. Sigmund Freud believed that pets, specifically his dog, Jo-Fi, had a calming effect and could reliably intuit a patient’s true character.

Suddenly “man’s best friend” takes on greater meaning.

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The first formal research of animals for therapeutic use occurred in the 1960s by Dr. Boris Levinson. Levinson found that mentally impaired young patients were more at ease socializing with his dog rather than other humans.

Trent Davis, Ph.D., a licensed professional counselor at Virginia Tech’s Cook Counseling Center, concurs. “For a lot of humans, unfortunately, other humans haven’t always been the best to them in their lives, so dogs can be a little bit safer,” he recently stated in a Good Morning America article.

The American Veterinary Medical Association defines the humananimal bond as a “mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between people and animals that is influenced by behaviors

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considered essential to the health and well-being of both.” Now there are a bevy of findings emphatically pointing to all the ways animals contribute to our mental health and well-being. They are able to combat depression and loneliness in the elderly; they can instill bravery in children who have suffered abuse; they can quietly assist in hospice situations.

Animals encourage social interaction and independence. They help increase our physical activity and decrease levels of stress. Having access to a fur friend is an automatic mood booster.

Besides the obvious benefits, using animals in therapy practices helps reduce the stigma of mental health, which is often seen as a weakness or a failure.

“The animal is very calming

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because they’re present. They reduce the stigma and popularize counseling. It’s cool to go to counseling because there’s a dog there. The positive association is inherent and powerful,” Davis says, whose dog Moose accompanies him pretty much everywhere. Dogs are a proxy to feelings, he adds. While it’s not always easy to show emotion in a vulnerable situation, it’s widely accepted to show affection and dote on a playful pup.

“People flock to the animals first.

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The benefits of an eventual therapeutic relationship is a secondary, subtle, byproduct. Dogs do a lot to engender trust,” Davis offers.

Therapy dogs differ from service dogs who are trained specifically in one area of service for one person. They also differ from emotional support animals who are not required to carry any type of certification. Therapy dogs are specifically trained to reach out to anyone in the community, either alongside a counselor

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in a private practice, or by visiting retirement communities, hospitals, grade schools or public libraries.

Jonathan Tate, the life enrichment manager and volunteer coordinator at Warm Hearth Village says: “When we have the pets come, and we have had all kinds from dogs to cats to even a therapy ferret, it puts a huge smile on the residents faces.

A lot of laughing, grinning and giggling.”

For children who have trouble reading, there are a number of programs that give students the opportunity to read to a therapy dog. It’s a playful, peaceful way to encourage practice with language.

Dogs are just happy to have someone pay attention to them. They are not judgmental like fellow classmates may be.

Jan Stice has worked with Pet Partners, a leading international organization for improving human health and well-being through the humananimal bond, for a number of years. She has been an active volunteer with various dogs throughout the New River and Roanoke valleys. Pet Partners trains, tests and registers therapy teams which consist of a handler and their pet.

One of the first things a therapy team evaluator looks for is a solid execution of the basic commands. Another major checkpoint is whether or not the animal is good in public. They need to be safe, predictable and reliable, especially since therapy environments can be quite the opposite. Conversely, the handler needs to exemplify control of the animal. The term ‘team’ is a big deal. “The handler has to know the dog, and the dog needs to have confidence in the handler. You want to see a team, not just a trained dog,” Stice asserts.

“There are so many ways the dogs help. So many ways they encourage people. Something about feeling that fur, it’s magic. It really is,” concludes Stice. It’s hard to ask for much more in a best friend.

Nancy S. Moseley is a writer from Blacksburg whose dog Dee Dee is way more attentive when read to than her two squirmy boys.

For more information on becoming a registered therapy team visit petpartners.org

2020

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Building Dreams from Visions 31

NRV H o m e

Family Legacy Lives On

Text by Joanne M. Anderson Photos by Christy Wallace

The Armentrout homestead in the New River Valley is a testament to the past, a model for present and ideal for the future. Preserving the legacy of his father and both of his grandfathers has been a driving force for Mark Armentrout and his wife, Karen, since moving in three years ago.

The Past

Mark’s grandfather, Mark Kirby, after whom he is named, owned this land with his wife, Ruth, and owned the local pharmacy, Radford Drug. An avid horseman, Kirby had the white barn constructed in the 1940s for his beloved Tennessee Walker Horse named

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Naughty Anne. His daughter, Shirley, married Mark’s dad, Bill Armentrout, and they decided to build a house and raise their family here.

Mark grew up in this place, the youngest of three boys, and attended Radford High School. In the pre-cell phone age of the 1980s, teens met one another cruising around Radford and Fairlawn and hanging out in the McDonald’s parking lot. It was on this incredibly unromantic chunk of asphalt that Mark met Karen, a Pulaski native who went to Pulaski High School. They married in 1993, and Mark moved out of his family’s house.

When the couple purchased the property and moved back in with their

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three children in 2017, it had been 24 years since the one and only renovation.

Back then, his parents installed two recessed skylights in a newly expanded living room and added an office area, pantry, new kitchen floor, a basement entrance, vinyl and aluminum soffits, leaf guard gutters and new roof. “The basic floor plan of the kitchen and dining area remained unchanged,” Karen relates. “As the most commonly used spaces, we decided to open it up and make some changes.”

The Renovation

Calling in Interior Designer Edith-Anne Duncan was brilliant, as she

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NRV H o me

has a keen eye and extensive experience in evaluating and renovating space in her mind in a way that makes the most sense. “From her first visit,” Mark elaborates, “she totally changed our direction and thought process. Within minutes, she was able to save us huge expenses on the project. The original kitchen and dining room had a wall dividing the spaces. That wall was removed as well as a large window and wall that separated the dining room from the sun room. This opened up the entire area into a vast kitchen with copious eating, relaxing and entertaining space.”

Having grown up in this house, Mark has a strong sentimental attachment to the property, along with walnut, cherry and cedar wood collections cut and milled decades ago by his grandfather. Both Mark’s dad and his dad were fine carpenters. “Every square inch of the walnut was used in the kitchen. The specially-crafted 34

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wood shelves and a tall, handsome, glass-front cabinet add warm wood accents in the mostly white space,” he adds. “With the awesome 100-year-old pharmacy display cabinet (which was in the basement) along the dining room wall, we have successfully tied both grandfathers to this modern kitchen and dining room.”

“We did most of the work ourselves,” Karen says of the dust-filled weeks of having much of the house torn up . “And many wonderful local NRV contractors contributed their expertise with professional skills we do not have.”

• Overall design, Interior

Designer Edith-Anne Duncan • Kitchen cabinet designer, Judy Shorter • Kitchen cabinet maker, Brushy

Mountain Enterprises

(Daniel Chupp)

• Roof, NRV Roofing

(Wayne Simpson) • Drywall, Jeff Smith • Brick mason, Bill Cisco • Trim work, Abraham Telling • Door installation,

Sams Brothers • Exterior painting, Kevin Reed • Mebane Lawncare & Landscaping • Lighting designer, Sara

Purpura with State Electric

“My mom, Shirley Armentrout, lives just up the road, and I consulted her often throughout the planning and the process. I value her insight and affirmation that how we approached things would have met with my late father’s approval. Honoring his woodworking heritage and superior carpentry skills was an important consideration,” Mark declares. continued . . . .

Jul y/August

2020

THE EWING CO MPANIES

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Ask us about a Ewing Custom Home.

Visit our showroom: 1701 S. Main St., Blacksburg, VA 540.951.0544 • EwingBuildingAndCabinets.com Still open and being safe. Call ahead for an appointment if possible.

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The Present

With an extravagant kitchen, family spaces and entertainment options worthy of the cover of House Beautiful Magazine, it’s the family heritage angle that captures the Armentrouts the most. The handcrafted swing on the front porch was built by Mark’s father, an exact replica of one his grandfather had built. It is oak from fence rails which used to encircle the 11-acre property.

The barn and hay loft are in original condition, and a handmade set of wood dominos is on display in the living room. “I love the white kitchen and having had the double fireplace [which opens to the living room and the kitchen dining space] bricks painted white on the kitchen side. There is so much room and so much function here, some mornings I have to pinch myself to realize it’s real,” Karen smiles.

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“Seeing Mark and Karen beam with pride and enjoying their family home is wonderful,” relates Edith-Anne Duncan. “It has been a privilege as an Interior Designer to create these bright, expansive, contemporary spaces in a house that means so much to them.”

Modern high end appliances like the Wolf 6-burner gas range, along with new cabinets and counters, a wet bar, wine cooler, sophisticated pendant lighting and the generous center island with seating deliver a casual elegance for kitchen flow. Natural daylight streams into the entire area for an unparalleled blend of inside and outdoors. Views from the sunroom or front porch over lawn and pastures offer a pastoral serenity that will both wow and quiet visitors and family for generations to come.

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EAD pic

Edith-Anne Duncan

As part of the process, Edith-Anne Duncan spent a great deal of time interviewing us and asking pertinent questions not only about our tastes, but also about our hobbies and functions we wanted to see in the space. Following the interviews, she said: “Now I know you.” She took a patchwork of our ideas and thoughts and formed them into a design that truly personifies our tastes and lifestyle. Her vision of our ideas created our dream home.

~ Karen Armentrout

2020

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NRV Rides

T-Rex and Lexis great UTV rides for family fun

Text by Karl H. Kazaks Photos by Tom Wallace

Brett and Kristie Fleming’s Kawasaki Teryx LE 750 is the ultimate offroad crossover – a blend of the speed and sport you find in All Terrain Vehicles (ATV) and the function, power and design in the more work-oriented Universal Terrain Vehicles (UTV).

T-Rex, as the Flemings and their 13-year-old daughter, Amber, call their offroad vehicle, has side-by-side seating but is narrow enough to permit access down tight trails. Its large-diameter tubular steel cage defines a roofed cabin space while also providing rollover protection. It drives like a car with a steering wheel and floor pedals, but also has the tight turning radius, sport suspension and optional 4-wheeldrive (4WD) required for navigating off-road trails. It has a lift cargo bed for hauling materials along with a mid-chassis, 38

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90-degree, four-stroke v-twin engine which, coupled with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), permits the vehicle to get up to 60 mph. “We love taking it out on trails,” says Kristie. “It’s a lot of fun.”

The Flemings bought T-Rex used in 2018 and the past two summers have taken it regularly to West Virginia to the Hatfield-McCoy Trails, a network of off-road trails linked to local communities. The trails require a permit – a sticker affixed to your helmet – which allows riders to take an off-road vehicle off the trails and into local places.

“We head out,” Kristie explains, “get breakfast in Pearisburg, have lunch in West Virginia, and come back home in the evening. It’s a long, physical day.”

Last year, the Flemings got Amber her own off-road vehicle, a 10 horsepower

Jul y/August

Polaris Ranger 150. Their idea is for Amber to get practice on it as a way to make her more comfortable when it comes time to learn how to drive on-road.

“It has adult override controls,” states Brett. From his phone, he can set its speed limit as well as establish limits on where it can and cannot go – a geofence.

Kristie, who is a licensed but mostly not practicing veterinarian, is the director of development for a local nonprofit. She homeschooled Amber though 6th grade. Brett is the founder and owner of Fleming Technologies, a computer software engineering company in Blacksburg’s Corporate Research Center.

The Flemings both have had a long love affair with off-roading. For Brett, it started when he moved to Blacksburg from Florida in his last year of high school. “I went

2020

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4-wheeling on Brush Mountain, in areas now off-limits to off-roading,” he recalls.

“It’s addicting once you get started.”

Kristie got into off-roading with her wedding present from Brett, a 1997 gunmetal blue, two-door, four-cylinder Jeep Wrangler TJ. “We called it the Mountain Goat,” she smiles. “Then she wanted more power,” Brett adds. So she moved on to a 1998 6-cylinder standardtransmission Jeep Wrangler TJ, which also went by Mountain Goat. That name is now found on the hood of Kristie’s third and current Jeep and her regular ride, a 2015 4-door Jeep Wrangler Sport, modified post-factory with bigger tires and wheels.

Brett’s regular ride is a Dodge 1500 5.71 with the name Natasha.

Amber’s Polaris 150, purchased from the Polaris dealer in Fairlawn, is named Lexis. It has an adjustable steering wheel and adjustable driver’s seat. On the 40

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passenger side, extending from the dash area, is a T-shaped handle for passengers to hold when things get exciting. Designed to teach younger drivers to learn the fundamentals of driving mechanics while having fun out on the trails, this one is two-wheel drive.

Last year, Amber had the kind of driving learning experience which she and her parents will long remember. Going up a bank around a curve, she flipped over, utilizing the roll bars to end up wheels-up.

Amber was unfazed but Kristie, coming up behind her, felt her heart stop. The Ranger wasn’t damaged and neither was Amber. The Flemings always wear helmets when riding. Before they could put Lexis upright, six men on dirt bikes showed up and got the vehicle righted. “They were the first and only people we saw all day,” Kristie remembers. “The people we’ve met out on the trails, they’re good people.

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We have had opportunities to help others in their own predicaments.”

T-Rex has a camouflage pattern on its scratch-resistant body, as well as on its wheels and across the dash. The battery is located under the driver’s seat, the fuel tank under the passenger’s seat.

The front brakes are disc brakes, the back brakes a sealed brake system designed to work in wet and muddy conditions. It has 26-inch tires, and the design is simple enough to permit Brett, who likes working on vehicles, to perform most maintenance and repairs.

It’s been a great ride for the Flemings, but Brett has got it in his mind to upgrade to something with a little more performance and zip. Like Kristie when she switched from her first to her second Jeep, Brett wants a little more power. And that’s one way you know they’re a perfect match for each other.

2020

StarCityGreyhounds.org Also find us on Facebook!

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First and Main

Splash Pad Text by Krisha Chachra

The newest addition to First and Main on S. Main St. is Blacksburg’s first splash pad on artificial turf in front of the Alumni Hall store and Residential Mortgage Services office. The opening date to turn on the water has not been set.

“With the changing climate of COVID-19, we want to wait until it is appropriate to open this attraction as we have the safety of the community in mind,” states PearAivey Street, director of marketing for First and Main. “When the time is right, you will all be invited to a grand opening splash.

It has been designed and structured to offer water excitement to both children and adults.”

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Until then, Street hopes patrons will visit First and Main to see the splash pad, socialize and enjoy the First and Main shops, eateries, entertainment and outdoor spaces.

Once the water is turned on, interesting sequential fountains of fresh water and a misting pergola will provide soothing cooling on hot days. Anti-slip concrete and anti-slip carpet provide extra safety, and children will need adult supervision.

“Hours, days and months the splash pad will be open is yet to be determined and adjusted with weather concerns and patronage,” Street adds. “We are

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The splash pad will be yet another reason to choose the center as an entertainment destination. staying flexible as things unfold and remain enthusiastic about adding new amenities at First and Main. The splash pad will be yet another reason to choose the center as an entertainment destination.”

2020

www.VirginiasMtnPlayground.com NRVMAGAZINE.com

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NR V F o o d F a re

S’Mores

it isn’t quite summer without them Compiled by Joanne M. Anderson

Of all the things that define summer, s’mores, fireflies, ice cream cones and campfires might top the list. There seems to be no one person to credit for inventing this marvelous combination of crunch, ooze and chocolate.

The first known published recipe was called “some mores” and found in a Girl Scout guidebook in 1927. Along the way some was shortened to s’ and people who do not like them are known to call them s’nuffs, loosely translated to “it’s enough” [not to even have one]. More – or s’more - for the rest of us!

Summer S’More Cupcakes

• Combine cake mix, 2 Tbl. graham cracker crumbs,

French vanilla cake mix 2 Tbl. graham cracker crumbs 1 ½ cups water 3 egg whites 24 milk chocolate candy kisses ½ cup graham cracker crumbs 7-oz jar marshmallow creme

• Preheat oven to 350° and line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

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• • • • •

water and egg whites and beat on high for two minutes.

Fill paper liners 2/3 full.

Place a chocolate kiss in the center.

Sprinkle 1 tsp of graham cracker crumbs on each one.

Bake 18–25 minutes.

Remove and top each cupcake with 1 tsp. marshmallow crème or couple little dollops. Return to oven for one minute to lightly melt.

March/Apri l May/June 2020

To mix up the original recipe, switch out the graham cracker for: • • • • • • • •

Oatmeal cookie Chocolate-covered graham Oreo split in half Fudge stripe cookie Sugar cookie Carr’s whole wheat crackers Swedish lace cookie Waffle cookie

It is okay to replace the standard Hershey chocolate bar with: • • • • • • • •

Peanut butter or peanut butter cup Chocolate bar with nuts Dark or white chocolate bar Lemon curd Crispy rice bar Nutella spread Caramel filled chocolate bar Chocolate covered mint patty

Other things to stuff into a s’more:

• • • • •

Banana slices Cream cheese Jam or jelly Slice cooked bacon Prosciutto

NRVMAGAZINE.com

• • • • •

Goat cheese Sliced strawberries Sprinkle of coarse sea salt Butterscotch ice cream sauce Dulce de leche

M a yr - AJ upnr e 2 20 02 20 0

45

Healthcare Workers honored with quilts

On June 2, the Blacksburg quilting community honored health care and essential workers by hanging out handmade quilts.

These were displayed by Jean Vogler of Blacksburg.

1. The flag recognizes our First Amendment.

2. The second was made by Ellen, Jean's mom, for the year 2000. It has 2000 pieces of different fabrics.

3. NY Spin is an award winning quilt

by Jean thinking of the folks in NYC. 4. The stained glass quilt recognizes our freedom of religion without persecution.

5. The puzzle has 1000 pieces and was put together during the pandemic by grandchildren, Emily and Geoffrey. Their mom, Nancy, is a Nurse Practitioner in Richmond.

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2 3

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NRV MAGAZINE

Jul y/August

Advertisers Index 35

A-1 Heating & Cooling

4

American National Bank

5

BlueRidge Heating & Air

31

Bonomo's

6

Brown Insurance

35

Budget Blinds

17

Carilion Clinic

47

Celco FCU

41

Colision Plus

4

Dehart Tile

41

DT Roadhouse

31

Energy Check

35

Ewing Companies

39

Eyes on Main

31

Flying Fur!

8

Freedom First

43

Giles County

43

Joba

37

Kesler Contracting

2

Long & Foster

39

Macado's

41

Matrix Gallery

3

Mitchell Law Firm

8

Mountain 2 Island

19

Nest Realty

21

New River Dermatology

41

New River Fiber

15

New River Osteopathy

41

NRVIP

37

Progress Street Builders

48

Pulaski County

39

Richard Anthony

31

Shelter Alternatives

6

Skyline National Bank

39

The Shaheen Firm, PC

29

Town of Pulaski

37

VA Shoreline

15

VCOM

2020