12 minute read
Our Town History
the burlington LIGHT INFANTRY
1919 Victory Parade
Although soldiers from Burlington have fought in battles since before the American Revolution, they were not formally organized into a local military unit until January 4, 1890, when Edwin Cameron Holt, the co-founder of Elmira Mills, organized a state militia company, known unofficially as the “Holt Guards” but officially as the “Burlington Light Infantry,” with himself as its commanding officer. After only three years, however, Edwin turned over command to his younger brother, James Henry “Jim” Holt, Jr., and moved to Wilmington. Other than patrolling the streets of Burlington during times of emergency and taking part in summer maneuvers, the Holt Guards saw no active military service for more than 25 years, but it wasn’t for lack of trying.
When war broke out with Spain in 1898, Captain Jim Holt volunteered his company’s service, and set out for deployment to Cuba, but he and his men were sent back to Burlington, after going no further than Raleigh, because the Burlington Light Infantry didn’t have enough men to comprise a company.
Finally, in March 1916, the Burlington Light Infantry was called into National Service to take part in the punitive expedition against Mexican bandit Pancho Villa. Under the command of Captain James C. Freeland, it proceeded to El
Paso, Texas to guard the bridge on the border with Mexico, but never actually went into Mexico and saw no combat. The men had hardly returned to Burlington after their deployment at the border before the United States declared war on Germany. They were sent to Camp Sevier in South Carolina that fall and spent the next nine months there training for service in France. While there, the company’s ranks swelled to 250 men added from other units, but at least 40% were still from Burlington.
On March 3, 1918, Russia made peace with Germany and the Central Powers, thus allowing Germany to concentrate all of its armies against the Allies in France. The Germans planned a massive offensive to take Paris and win the war before the Americans had time to transport the bulk of their forces to France. And they nearly succeeded.
During the summer of 1918, the war reached a critical phase, resulting in the wholesale drafting of hundreds of thousands of young men. So critical was the need for manpower that many were on their way to France only two weeks after receiving their draft notices. Quite a few had received only rudimentary basic training, and most didn’t even have rifles or uniforms. The plan was to get them to France as quickly as possible and have them equipped and trained there.
Because the Burlington Light Infantry was welltrained, it was sent to France in May and was designated an “assault,” or front-line, company. After arriving in France, it was designated Company I, 120th Infantry Regiment, 30th “Old Hickory” Division, which was comprised mostly of men from North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
The “Boys from Burlington,” as the members of Company I called themselves, then under the command of Captain William V. Copeland, participated in several Allied offensives along the border between France and Belgium during the summer and fall of 1918. Their proudest moment was on September 29, when they fought their way through two miles of barbed wire, pillboxes, and machine gun nests near Bellicort, France to breach Germany’s famed “Hindenburg Line.” They were reportedly the first Allied soldiers to do so and were justifiably proud of their achievement.
It was about 6:30 a.m. on the morning of that offensive, that Burlington lost its first soldier killed in combat. He was Sgt. Walter Beauregard Ellis, a 29-year-old employee of Glencoe Mills. Ellis, admired as a kind and patient leader, was a member of the North Carolina Rifle Team and a crack marksman. Sadly, he was fatally wounded by a German shell splinter before he had even fired a shot. Ellis’ body was returned to Burlington and buried in Pine Hill Cemetery. The local American Legion post was named in his honor.
World War I ended with an Armistice signed on November 11, 1918, but because it took so long to bring the troops back home, most did not begin arriving until the spring of 1919. Burlington staged a huge Victory Parade on Memorial Day, May 30, 1919, to welcome them home and it was one of the largest parades in Burlington’s history. WALTER BOYD contributor
Attorney and native of Burlington, North Carolina, Walter Boyd developed an interest in Burlington’s history at a very young age. As a child, he often interviewed people and collected old photographs and documents, which led to his fondness for writing about Burlington’s rich history.
Compassionate Psychiatry right here in Burlington
Raised in Elon, North Carolina, Dr. Aarti Kapur has been in Alamance county since she was two years old. She attended local schools Turrentine Middle School and Williams High School then continued her eduction at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, completing an Adult Psychiatry Residency before returning home to Burlington to practice. Board Certified in Psychiatry and Neurology, Dr. Kapur has served as Chair of Psychiatry at Alamance Regional Medical Center and currently serves on the NC Psychiatric Association Executive Council. "I very much wanted to come home to Burlington to practice and appreciate practicing in a smaller town," Dr. Kapur says, "as there is more continuity of care locally and strong collaboration with local Primary Care Physicians as well as subspecialists." This year Dr. Kapur moved her practice into a new building in order to expand the services she offers. This reimagined practice now lives at 2949 Crouse Lane, Burlington. "I came up with the name 'Envision Psychiatric'' because many years ago I envisioned creating a center that had varying aspects of care," she explains. "I wanted to develop a place where one can receive individual therapy as well as engage in group therapy and workshops that focus on skills training and improving mindfulness to reduce stress and anxiety. Several therapists from both Burlington and in the Greensboro area will offer such workshops starting in 2022. We're really excited about these partnerships." In another very innovative move, Envision Psychiatric now offers Transmagnetic Stimulation (TMS Treatment) as an alternative when one faces treatment resistance to psychotropic medications. TMS now has official FDA indications for Major Depressive Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and to Stop Smoking. TMS has been able to offer relief for patients who have not benefitted from traditional psychotropic medications and psychotherapy. Envision Psychiatric recently contracted with Greenbrook TMS to bring TMS to Alamance County. Greenbrook TMS has centers nationwide. Several psychiatrists from Greensboro and Chapel Hill, as well as Dr. Aarti Kapur, will be involved with the TMS treatment for patients in Burlington. "Taking care of one’s mental health is just as important as taking care of one’s physical health," Dr. Kapur says. "Research shows that one in five adults in America — 43.8 million people — experience mental illness, which is 18.5% of our total population. Even physicians and healthcare workers need a support system, which is why I'm also passionate about my work, alongside Dr. Kelly Leggett, with the Physician Burnout Program." "Taking care of our mental health aids in our resilience and recovery from anything that happens," she goes on to say. "Our mental health is especially important because it affects every single facet of our daily living and functioning. When you take a moment to stop and think about how you feel, it can be overwhelming sometimes, so we often ignore our mental health. Only when you acknowledge mental health issues are you able to seek treatment and function normally again." Statistics show that in January of 2019, prepandemic, about 11% of US adults reported symptoms of depression and anxiety and in January of 2021, during the pandemic, this number increased to 41%.
In closing, Dr. Kapur makes a valid point: There is no vaccine for the psychiatric manifestations of the pandemic. We all deserve to have peace of mind. Mental " health is important because we deserve that."
Meet our Mental Health Advocates
A counselor serving Alamance County for over five years, Michelle Vann Horton is a Licenced Clinical Mental Health Counselor and is nationally certified. She is one of the few counselors in the area that identifies as African American and Latina and is fluent in Spanish. The launch of her private practice has been a great opportunity for her to promote diversity and inclusivity while providing quality therapy in an integrated-care setting.
Michelle
Michelle enjoys counseling young adults, professionals, and couples who want to grow in self-awareness and implement change into their life. She recognizes people need help with the “how-to” of things when attempting to modify lifestyle habits — that missing step between what we say we need and want and what we actually do. Michelle believes “We are all capable of change; we just need to know where and how to begin.”
A transplant from Georgia, she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 2014 from Fayetteville State University and a Master of Science in Counseling with a specialization in Couple & Family Counseling in 2016 from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. When she’s not in the office, you can catch her walking in the park, watching the latest films and enjoying time with her partner and two children.
Tina Thompson, MSW, LCSW thotina@pccinc.net
Perspectives Counseling & Consulting, Inc. was founded in December 2016 by local Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Tina Thompson. Tina’s vision has been to offer the community, including her colleagues in the medical profession, an environment where comprehensive, individualized emotional and behavioral healthcare can be offered in a casual, genuine, and compassionate environment. The goal is always to meet her clients where they are to explore their personal, professional, health-related and other life challenges. Tina’s approach emphasizes individual strengths, internal and external resources and focuses on emotional and behavioral wellness to facilitate her clients becoming the very best version of themselves. She sees therapy as a space to learn and grow and develop enhanced coping skills that will assist her clients in getting through the most immediate stress, while also having emotional, cognitive and behavioral strategies that will help them with future life transitions and challenges.
tina
Tina Thompson has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker since 1993, since graduating from Tulane University School of Social Work in New Orleans, LA. Prior to that Tina received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Loyola University in New Orleans, LA. Tina relocated to Burlington, NC in the Fall of 1997, and has worked in both the medical field as a Medical, Oncology & Hospice Social Worker before entering the mental health field in 2001. Her early years were spent in community mental health agencies and in adolescent group home settings before working on the Alamance Regional Medical Center’s Behavioral Health Unit and then in the outpatient setting of Alamance Regional Psychiatric Associates, part of Cone Health Medical Group.
When out of the office Tina enjoys spending time with family, friends and her pets, DIY projects around her home, reading, gardening and planning trips to take with her favorite people.
Certified Health & Wellness Coaches operate under the knowledge that people want to be well. People long to be in control of their health, to feel good and to have more energy. Unfortunately, there is a huge gap between wanting to be well and the every day reality of living with the physical and mental consequences of overeating, under-exercising and having little down time to recharge.
Nancy
Nancy has a huge passion for helping and encouraging others. Having graduated with a degree in Social Work from Meredith College, she set out in hopes of helping people. She began that dream while teaching elementary students in Alamance County. For the past eleven years she has worked as a coach for Weight Watchers, guiding and instructing many toward weight loss and health. Nancy is also a certified Pilates instructor and has led classes in the Burlington area for the past six years.
Dailey Coaching, her health and wellness practice, is built on partnering with clients to optimize health and well-being by creating and maintaining healthful lifestyles. She has found that enhancing the client’s motivation, strengths, values and mindset helps them navigate their journey of change. These changes include instilling positivity, hope, optimism and resilience.
Research supports that health and wellness coaching improves life for those with asthma, chronic pain, heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, high blood pressure and even those who have survived cancer. Coaching has proven to be effective with those wanting to increase physical activity as well as weight loss.
Lenore Twitty Medical Office Adminstrator
Lenore Twitty has been in the healthcare field for 26 years, having previously worked at the Adult Behavioral Medicine Unit at Alamance Regional Medical Center, UNC Women’s Hospital, and as a UNC Health unit Coordinator. Her job is but a title — her service to her patients, her community and her teammates is where she truly finds peace. She enjoys meeting people and inspiring others. Lenore prides herself in being a good listener, someone who is compassionate and able to empathize with others. She believes every person has value and deserves stability, trust and respect, no matter who they are or what they may be going through. The experiences and stories she carries with her have become the tools she uses daily to enhance the lives of others.
“As we therefore have opportunity, let us do good unto all men.” King James Version
Lenore
Envision Psychiatry & Wellness Center
our new Burlington Location 2949 Crouse Lane (336) 524-0430
Greenbrook is excited to partner with Dr. Aarti Kapur to bring TMS to Burlington and help those struggling to find relief from depressive symptoms with traditional therapy & medications. TMS therapy provides local electromagnetic stimulation to specific brain regions known to be directly associated with mood regulation, and is covered by most insurance. Treatment is a six-week course consisting of approximately 20 minutes each day and is available Monday through Friday. 70% of patients find relief upon conclusion. Call (855) 998-4867 today to find out if TMS is an option for you and your depression.
