Evince Magazine January 2016

Evince Magazine Page 1

Steve & Angela DelGiorno

Mary Lee Black Promoting Chatham First Page 14

Traveling the World - Investing in Danvillle Page 3

January 2016

Photo by Michelle Dalton Photography

Page 2

Editor’s Note

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January Contents Editor’s Note

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Steve & Angela DelGiorno Traveling the World - Investing in Danville

by Joyce Wilburn

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She Said He Said / Whew! I’m Glad That’s Over

by Dena Hill & Larry Oldham

5

The Voice of Readers

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Admission Is Free / Part 3 by Joyce Wilburn

8

Spotting Exceptional Customer Service

by Patricia Harper

9

Second Thoughts / Téa for Two by Kim Clifton

OICE OF FRESH IDEAS

CEO / Publisher Andrew Scott Brooks President Director of Sales & Marketing Larry Oldham (434.728.3713) larry@evincemagazine.com Editor Joyce Wilburn (434.799.3160) joycewilburn@gmail.com Associate Editors Larry G. Aaron (434.792.8695) larry.aaron@gmail.com Jeanette Taylor

I began to see Danville through her eyes and noticed the charm of the old architecture and the transformation happening here. That’s a quote from Steve DelGiorno talking about his wife, Angela, both pictured on the cover. Together, they transformed fresh ideas into reality and it’s having a major impact on our community. Their story is on page 3. Stephanie Ferrugia’s Food for Thought on page 12 is all about fresh food served at 616 Farm to Table Restaurant and the delicious meals she has eaten there. Read about it and then try it!

10 Cup of Kindness / Fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg

Fresh ideas for 2016 are popping up in Chatham, too. Mary Lee Black tells about a calendar promoting the farm-to-table fresh dining concept. Read a list of local providers and view some of the 12 months of pictures taken at these sites on page 14. Want some wine to pair with that food? Read Dave Slayton’s Wine Spot for a fresh idea about how to purchase it on page 27.

If you’re stuck in a rut and need extrication, read Meditation Moment on page 11, Capturing New Ideas on page 26, Live Each Moment as if Your Hair Were on Fire on page 21 and New Year, New Recipes on page 29. They are all inspiring.

22 What Are You Doing for Others? by Rachel Covington

Mixed with all these fresh ideas are your time-tested favorites: Kim Clifton’s Second Thoughts, Dena and Larry’s She Said, He Said, Telisha Moore Leigg’s fiction, Mac William’s commentary, and more. Check out the ads, too. If you read about a business that you haven’t patronized yet, visit during this month of fresh ideas. While you are there, please thank the owners for supporting Evince because they make this publication of fresh ideas possible.

THE

Contributing Writers

11 Meditation Moment by Casey Molloy

Diane Adkins, Janet Aponte, Cara Burton, Kim Clifton, Cathy Cole, Rachel Covington, Stephanie Ferrugia, Adam Goebel, Patricia Harper, Dena Hill, Ann Kirby, Telisha Moore Leigg, Linda Lemery, Casey Molloy, Larry Oldham, Carollyn Lee Peerman, Dave Slayton, Trena Taylor, Melanie Vaughan, Jim Verdini, Joyce Wilburn, Annelle Williams, Mack Williams

12 Food for Thought by Stephanie Ferrugia 14 Mary Lee Black / Promoting Chatham First

by Joyce Wilburn 15 Where Can I Find an Evince?

Business Manager Paul Seiple(1.877.638.8685) paul@evincemagazine.com

16 Calendar Clips 18 Calendar 20 Angela Harris / Confirming the Value of Bedtime Stories

by Joyce Wilburn 21 Live Each Moment as if Your Hair Were on Fire

by Carollyn Peerman

Marketing Consultants Kim Demont (434.792.0612) demontdesign@verizon.net Lee Vogler (434.548.5335) lee@showcasemagazine.com Misty Brooks (434.728.2905) misty@showcasemagazine.com Art & Production Director Demont Design (Kim Demont)

24 Book Clubbing / The Jezebel Remedy a review by Diane Adkins

evince\i-’vin(t)s\ 1: to constitute outward evidence of 2: to display clearly: reveal syn see SHOW

25 What’s Happening in the Public Libraries 26 Reflecting Forward / Capturing New Ideas

by Linda Lemery 27 Wine Spot / Take a Fresh Look at Boxed Wine

by Dave Slayton

Deadline for submission of February stories, articles, and ads is Tuesday, January 19, at 5:00 p.m.

Submit stories and articles to: joycewilburn@gmail.com.

28 The Sweetest Music This Side of Heaven

by Mack Williams

Submit calendar items by Friday, January 15, at 5 p.m.

29 Around the Table New Year New Recipes

by Annelle Williams

For ad information contact a marketing consultant or the Director of Sales & Marketing listed above.

30 Photo Finish

On the Cover:

Photo of Steve & Angela DelGiorno by Von Wellington Photography

Don’t Forget to Pick Up the January Edition of Showcase Magazine Featuring the 2016 RAVE Awards

Editorial Policies:

RAVE AWARDS 2016 See page 23

Meet Some of Our Contributors

eVince is a monthly news magazine covering the arts, entertainment, education, economic development, and lifestyle in Danville and the surrounding areas. We print and distribute eVince free of charge due entirely to the generosity of our advertisers. In our pages appear views from across the social spectrum.

They do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. We reserve the right to accept, reject, and edit all submissions and advertisements.

EVINCE MAGAZINE 753 Main St. Suite 3, Danville, VA 24541 www.evincemagazine.com © 2016 All rights reserved.

Reproduction or use in whole or in part in any medium without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

Happy New Year!

Credits: Amber Wilson: hair; Catherine Saunders: skin care and makeup; Genesis Day Spa & Salon, 695 Park Avenue, Danville. Janelle Gammon: nails; Salon One 11, 111 Sandy Court, Danville.

Ina Dixon is a Fellow at the Danville Regional Foundation, where she works to develop community history programs through History United.

Telisha Moore Leigg is a wife, a mother of twin boys, and teacher of magazine journalism, English, and Japanese. She is anthologized in Long Story Short: Flash Fiction by 65 of North Carolina’s Finest Writers and is working on a collection of interconnected short stories, The Fire for Lucky Horseshoes.

Melanie Vaughan is the Coordinator of the Cancer Research and Resource Center of Southern Virginia and involved member of the community.

Adam Goebel is the Director of the Danville Science Center. See page 16.

We now accept Visa, MC, and Discover for ad payments

For subscriptions to Evince, email cindy@showcasemagazine.com

Evince Magazine Page 3

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teve DelGiorno could be any businessman in his pressed khakis and plaid sport coat as he and the family jump out of a car on a rainy Monday morning in front of the 616 Farm to Table Restaurant, but his bright red traveling shoes tell another story. Even casual observers note that Steve, Angela, and their five-yearold daughter, Isabelle, are a happy, enthusiastic family with exciting things to do and people to meet. That is a huge plus for Danville because this globe-trotting couple has put “reimagining North Main Street” on their personal agendas.

Steve & Angela DelGiorno

Traveling the World – Investing in Danville

by Joyce Wilburn

The owners of the historic building where Danville’s only farm-to-table restaurant is located are transforming visions into reality in Neapolis— that’s the historic name of the area north of the Dan River.

Neapolis was a separate town in the 1870s and was annexed by the city in 1896. How and why did the man who hesitates to claim any place as his hometown and his wife from Seoul, Korea, become catalysts for change in this small commercial/residential area?

Steve begins the story: “My dad was in the restaurant business and we never lived in one place for any extended time.

In 1978, my family moved to Danville from Illinois to open Golden Corral on Piney Forest Road and I became a student at GW High School.” The 1981 graduate was also an award-winning magician who performed frequently at his dad’s restaurant. Reflecting on those formative high school years and his job at WBTM, he describes that brief period of time as golden and lifechanging. The former on-air radio personality comments, “WBTM will always have a soft spot in my heart. Working with General Manager David Luther gave me direction and vision. I also met News Director Linwood Duncan and have stayed in contact with him ever since.” Despite the positive experiences of living and working in Danville, Steve left town on graduation day and eventually settled in Virginia Beach where he worked in sales for Nestle. After three years, he found a position with

Isabelle and Angela play a piano duet on the stage at 616 while dad listens.

Photos by Von Vellington Photography.

Daymon Worldwide, a consulting firm, working with suppliers and retailers throughout the world to develop and promote brands.

In 2002, the company offered him a job that involved traveling internationally so Steve packed his bags and headed to Japan, eventually working his way up the corporate ladder to vicepresidency.

Angela picks up the story, “I worked for the same company at the branch office in Korea and we met at a conference in Tokyo that

Steve was hosting.” It wasn’t until Angela left the company and went to Italy to study the language that a long-distance romance grew. “My goal was to learn the language, get a job, and live there,” she says, but destiny had other ideas. Her plan to reside in Europe changed in 2007 when she returned to Seoul for their wedding, but she quips with a smile, “I married a man with an Italian name.”

The couple traveled a lot while Steve worked for 7 1⁄2 years

in South Africa, Europe and almost every country in Asia.

While exploring the globe, they contemplated a suitable place for real estate investments.

That’s when Steve’s long-time friend from the radio station, Linwood Duncan, stepped in and suggested buying property in Danville. Angela reminisces about her first trip to the River City, “When we drove into town on Riverside Drive, I was reminded of the Piedmont region of Italy—the hills, the river, and the way the fog settled into the landscape.” Steve adds, “I began to see Danville through her eyes and noticed the charm of the old architecture and the transformation happening here at the time, especially on Bridge Street.” Everything clicked.

They eventually purchased and tastefully renovated twelve old houses and found responsible tenants for them. In 2009, the two-story brick building at 616 North Main Street was purchased from the Danville Historical Society and it opened as a restaurant in September 2015.

“Originally, we had planned to live upstairs, but then realized that having the New City Dance Space there was a better idea for the community,” Steve says and then gives Angela the credit, “I couldn’t do any of this without my wife. She is my inspiration, my muse, my support.” Angela phrases it more succinctly, “I tell him to stop talking about it (whatever the project might be) and just do it.” They both laugh in agreement. “Now the vision is coming true,” she says as Isabelle, their five-year-old bilingual daughter, politely interrupts to show a drawing she has completed.

The young family packs up Isabelle’s pictures and crayons and prepares for the long drive to their home in Nashville.

Steve explains why they chose to live in Tennessee, “It would have been hard for Angela to move from a city of 18 million to 43,000. There had to be time for transition and Nashville was halfway between Danville and where my daughter, Tess, lives in Missouri.” That makes it easier for the traveling family to check on the progress of their current project--reimagining North Main Street into Neapolis, a desirable destination for Continued to page 8.

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January 2016

SHE SAID

HE SAID

by Dena Hill

by Larry Oldham

Whew! I’m Glad That’s Over It’s always a challenge in life to keep looking forward and most of the time that’s just what I do. But I need to reflect about the year we have just survived. My parents always said that the world is constantly changing; the older we get, the more things change.

Number one: the year somehow escaped me. It was January 2015 one day and it seems that the next day was January 2016.

I’ve never seen a year go by so quickly. It can’t be because of the old saying,”Years fly by as we get older.” I like “Time flies when you’re having fun” much better. No matter how you add them up, there are still only 365 days in the year with 8,760 hours per year. (However, 2016 is a leap year with 29 days and 8,784 hours.)

Well, hold on to your hat because 2016 will prove to be 100 times more exciting than 2015. I don’t know about the crime stats, but hopefully living in a small town, no terrorist groups will search us out. I have been told I’m going to be a grandfather and for that I’m excited. We do have everything we need but a horse, so I was okay with not getting anything new this year. Besides my normal array of miscellaneous stuff (that you tell me I don’t need) has filled up every nook and cranny in the house.

We really don’t have room for a horse, do we?

She said He Said

I think you should concentrate more on the time we have left and what we can do about it. The life expectancy average for all of us living in the USA is 76.86 years. A woman living in Virginia can expect to live an average of 81.28 years, in North Carolina it’s lower. The average life expectancy for a man living in Virginia is 76.60. (www. worldlife expectancy. com/usa/life-

Number two: the world is becoming more Photo by Michelle Dalton Photography. dangerous.

There is more crime, more expectancy). angry politicians, more terrorists, and more uprisings and to be honest, it Our concentration for 2016 and the scares me. I’m not only worrying for few years that we have left should be you and myself, but for our children of more concern to you and me. We and our grandchildren. I used to worry need to figure out our best scenario for about dying at an old age and now I am quality of life and how to make the best concerned about surviving until next of the days and hours we have left. week.

Number three: it just seems to me that 2015 was not a very exciting year. We didn’t have a new grandbaby, but wait... in November we found out that you were going to be a granddaddy in 2016.

Awww... a bright spot! We didn’t buy anything large that we could enjoy like a pool, a car, a house, or a horse--not that we ever wanted a horse. I just threw that in to get your attention.

For me, 2015 was not that exciting and somewhat scary. I am looking forward to 2016, anticipating some thrilling good times and hoping for the best in health and prosperity. Peace on earth would be wonderful.

I figure you have about 113,860 hours left and I have 61,320. We need to plan how we are going to spend each hour. Because you have more hours than I do, I think you should either share some of your hours or at least spend 25% of your time making me comfortable and satisfied. It’s only fair-you’ll be here longer than I will. You see, 2015 is not looking so bad after all. We spent those hours together and we were happy most of the time. You weren’t depressed thinking about how many hours you had left in your lifetime (until I brought it up). I astound myself sometimes. Happy New Year and don’t waste any of those precious minutes in 2016. Make them count by fulfilling

my every need.

He Said / She Said can be found in Showcase Magazine.

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The Voice of Readers To the editor:

To the editor:

Please accept my sincere gratitude for the wonderful story you wrote about our pastor, Lisa Nordan, and her fascinating life (Lisa Nordan: Offering Hospitality at a Moravian Lovefeast November 2015 page 3). We at Moseley Memorial United Methodist Church consider her a treasure that we’re happy to share. The inclusion of our Moravian Lovefeast event in her story is most appreciated as well.

Each year our church family works together to create this service as an offering to the community. It is such a special Advent experience and your story was a perfect invitation!

In reference to the story, Carson Davenport Local Artist with an International Reputation (December 2015 page 15), Davenport Hall at Averett University was not named for artist Carson Davenport, but for C. L. Davenport, a former trustee.

According to J. I. Hayes, in his 1984 book, The History of Averett College, Davenport Hall at Averett was constructed in 1945 and absorbed an earlier wing called the Annex built in 1923. The Annex had been built behind Main Hall to provide 24 dorm rooms, a new gym, and a swimming pool.

In 1945 under the auspices of Dr. Curtis Bishop and his building program, two more stories were added to the Annex and the building was renamed for Charles L. Davenport, a longtime trustee and secretary of the board.

Clara Fountain

Thank you for all you do to help the Danville community and to highlight the very special people who make this area a great place to live.

Best Wishes, Todd Helms

Thanks for the correction. I appreciate your sharp eyes.

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Thank you for the kind words.

Evince readers and I look forward to this annual event in 2016.

Letters must contain the writer’s name, address and phone number. Letters may be edited for space or style. Submission constitutes permission to use.

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Email your comments to joycewilburn@gmail.com or send mail to Evince Editor, 753 Main Sreet, Suite 3, Danville, VA 24541.

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January 2016

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350 multi-colored, embroidered flowers hanging from the ceiling. She sews into water-soluble material, layering the stitched lines. The thread drawings remain intact when the material dissolves. Each piece takes a remarkable amount of time and patience.

Living Room 2 was inspired by her desire to establish roots and a home after years of renting temporary living spaces.

eaders might remember I received a brochure from the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History with my membership card that promised free admission to over 800 arts, cultural, and historical institutions. Always skeptical that nothing is really free, I decided to test that pledge by visiting the Virginia museums listed in the North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) brochure. The first stop was the George C. Marshall Museum in Lexington, Virginia (May, 2015, page 6); next was Wilton House Museum in Richmond (November 2015, page 6) and my most recent trip was to Virginia Beach. Here is what happened.

Near the end of our tour, we wandered into the 268-seat theatre style Price Auditorium where the Disposable Film Festival was happening.

Artists created works using everyday equipment like cell phones, pocket cameras, and other inexpensive devices to celebrate the creative potential of short films. We watched the nine-minute production entitled “How to Keep Smoking,” an Audience Choice Award winner and humorous tongue-in-cheek guide to encourage the beginner smoker.

In mid-November, my husband and I headed four hours east of Danville to check out the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA). Its acronym created visions of a mocha latte so I was off to a good start. When the friendly greeter accepted the NARM card without hesitation saving us the $15 admission charge, I was even more pleased.

The last room on the brief tour showcased the sparkling 16-foot, 2,500 pound Dale Chihuly Chandelier (photo top center) hanging just above our heads in MOCA’s Rodriguez Pavilion.

The large sunlit room was built to house MOCA’s only permanent piece of art.

Our two previous NARM visits had been to historical museums; MOCA focuses on awareness and understanding of art that is a reflection of today’s culture. It is one of the region’s best examples of a private/public partnership. The building is owned and maintained by the City of Virginia Beach; MOCA operates within it as a private, nonprofit entity.

Here are some of its unique highlights I enjoyed: Artist Andrea Dezso exhibits small tunnel books (sometimes called peepshow books) in Dreamtime. She cuts, stacks, and sews layers together to create threedimensional scenes. They offer a small peek into another world.

Toronto-based artist Amanda McCavour creates with thread in Inside/Out. She suspends delicate thread drawings of domestic objects and a floating garden with

Andrea Dezso

Wow! Once again, I was not disappointed. The NARM membership has taken me places that otherwise I would have never seen nor visited.

My only question, “What’s next?”

Admission Is Free Part 3

by Joyce Wilburn

Amanda McCavour

• For more information, visit www.VirginiaMOCA.org or 2200 Parks Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA. • To watch the award-winning films from the Disposable Film Festival, visit www.disposablefilm.com.

• To join the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History and become a member of the North America Reciprocal Museum program, call 434.793.5644 or visit 975 Main Street.

• To read past articles about other visits, visit www.evincemagazine.com.

Evince Magazine Page 7

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January 2016

Steve & Angela DelGiorno

Continued from Page 3

Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Evince and the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce want to encourage and recognize exception customer service. When someone gives you exceptional service, please let us know. In 300 words or less, tell us what happened. Email your story to joycewilburn@gmail.com or chamber@dpchamber.org. It’s a nice way to show appreciation for a job well done. We look forward to hearing from you.

by Patricia Harper

Last summer my husband, our friends, and I ate at Olive Garden, 120 Collins Drive, Danville, and our server was Danielle “Dani” Saunders. She treated us exceptionally well and we enjoyed having her as our waitress. She was friendly, but not too friendly and gave us exceptional service. There was something about her that made us feel very comfortable. We were grateful for such a pleasant, professional waitress with a good work ethic.

I remembered the “Spotting Exceptional Customer Service” article in Evince and decided to nominate her. I took her picture and complimented her and she said it was the first time anyone had ever asked to take her picture. Usually, she is asked to take pictures of customers. I want to encourage her and recommend Dani for the Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Award.

The neon “F” that hangs on the back wall of the restaurant was once part of the “Home of Dan River Fabrics” sign that stood on the roof of the White Mill. Now it represents food, family, and fun.

The table in the private dining room is made from two 130-year-old rescued doors from 616 North Main Street. James Holcombe of Woodcraft of Virginia, whose shop is next door at 620 Main Street, created the table.

residents and visitors.

The back bar at 616 was salvaged from another site and restored.

• For more information about 616, visit www.dine616.com.

• To learn more about the food at 616, read Food for Thought on page 12.

• To read more about the New City Dance Space, upstairs at 616 North Main Street, visit www.evincemagazine.com January 2015, page 3.

• Steve is an Equity Managing Partner of Anchor Holdings which is a corporate turnaround and due diligence services firm. He is also the owner and President of The Doomsday Tackle Company, a product related company for the fishing industry.

For more information, visit www.anchorvalue.com; www.doomsdaytackle.com.

Evince Magazine Page 9 department. Just look at Bebe Neuwirth. You may remember her from her role as Frasier Crane’s wife, Lilith. She’s not just an actress. She’s also a singer and a dancer. She’s so tiny that if my slacks have a plus size in them, hers have to have a minus. She must stay fit by existing exclusively on carrot sticks and water. If not, I’ll bet she always says never on a sundae.

“Join us for lunch,” offered writer and producer, David Grae, at a break. It was tempting, but we declined. Besides, these people had no meat on their bones. You know there’d be none on their plates. Truth was we already had reservations at The Russian Tea Room...the famous café where the beef is Kobe and the eggs are Fabergé.

Actress Téa Leoni, star of TV show, Madam Secretary (middle), poses on location with Kim and her sister, Diane Shelton.

I’ve travelled through a parallel universe. Or at least that’s how it felt to be on location during the filming of December’s cliff-hanging episode of CBS’s Madam Secretary. Alice’s Wonderland has nothing on me; anybody can fall down a rabbit hole. I did something better. I walked inside my television set alongside the same life-sized characters that are only eight inches tall in my den.

My sister, Diane, and I aren’t normally opportunists, but even we couldn’t turn down this tour offer from the show’s creator and executive producer, Barbara Hall. Barbara’s mom and our mom are sisters, so when we were in New York at the same time the show was filming, we called our cousin for a favor. Diane was excited.

I was anxious. I knew we had no business being there. We were better suited for Mayberry, not Manhattan. As it turns out, we were in neither.

Now it can be told. Washington, DC is actually in Brooklyn.

What’s more, both the White House and the West Wing are hidden there inside an unmarked warehouse. I’m not talking about a fancy building protected by guards. I’m talking about a metal building down a side street in a pretty

Second Thoughts

by Kim Clifton ©2016

Téa for Two rough neighborhood. A place better suited for Godfathers, not founding fathers. Once inside, though, the scenery changed quicker than a campaign promise in January.

“Hi, I’m Eric,” said directorproducer Eric Stoltz, even though there was no need for an introduction. I’d followed his career since he played Cher’s son in the movie, Mask. I have no idea what I said as he took my hand, but I do remember what I was thinking: I’m fairly positive that I have a name, too, but for the life of me, I can’t recall what it is.

There was so much to process, but what struck me most was that people who are larger than life are small. There’s actually no mystery why I looked like an amazon by comparison. They go to the Golden Globes. I go to the golden arches. The only Big Mac they’ve seen has

a keyboard, not a sesame-seed bun.

Even if these people put on their pants one leg at a time like me, they don’t buy them in the same

It was hard leaving this land of make-believe, but we needed to go before we wore out our welcome. Everyone was gracious to include us even though we didn’t really belong. Our world was outside, not inside...where bills are on Capital One, not on Capitol Hill.

Meet Kim’s cousin, the Madam Secretary Creator and Executive Producer, on Friday, March 11, at 7:00 p.m. when The Wednesday Club presents “An Evening with Barbara Hall” followed by a wine and cheese reception. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at Foxglove, 1011 West Main Street, or by contacting Pattie Cairns at 434.685.7524.

Diane Shelton, Barbara Hall, Kim Clifton.

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January 2016

“I

always thought things be better, even if it just be better for someone else...,” Mean Keisha said a week before she disappeared.

Three days after Christmas, Mean Keisha, a girl from our old shelter, came to our new home and banged on the screen door. Kwon was on her hip as usual. Mandy Blue Eyes let them both in just one or two steps, just inside our little light-paneled, fake wood grain foyer where we should have had a welcome mat. I stood back drying my hands from doing the dishes. I just watched Mean Keisha. I regret that. I knew what she wanted, what we all want—someplace warm where you are wanted.

Even though it had only been a month since the shelter closed, this Mean Keisha wasn’t the Mean Keisha I knew. She was dirty. She had crust in her left eye; her jacket had smudges on the left shoulder and elbow.

Her face and hands were the grey-ashy dark girls get without lotion or warmth. Kwon, her toddler, didn’t look much better. Kwon, at almost two, don’t say nothing, just looks like he is tired, sluggish.

Mean Keisha looked at us in our warmth with heat, and even though she was standing inside the house she said real nasty, “Can I come in or what?”

Mandy Blue Eyes looked at Kwon but didn’t even reach for him. Mama, who’s cancer-sick, couldn’t get up and just said, “Who’s there?” through our shared bedroom door. Mandy Blue Eyes stood in the living room. But none of us said anything. And I kept watching Mean Keisha. I knew what she wanted, what we all want, but it wasn’t in my power to give it to her.

This was Mandy Blue Eyes’ place and we just stayed here on mercy and goodwill until we could do better, although no one here thought there would be any better. When no one asked her to sit right away, Mean Keisha did it anyway. It was Mean Keisha who took off her jacket without being asked, put it on the back of the couch she was sitting on. She still held on to Kwon who didn’t even reach to hold on to her.

She looked toward the hallway where the bedrooms were,

Cup of Kindness fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg

almost as if she could see there was an empty room where she could rest. But that room wasn’t there for her.

It was a two-bedroom house.

Mandy slept in one room. I shared the other bedroom with Mama.

Two women and a kid: a semidrunk woman nursing sadness as much as the liquor, the other woman dying, and me the dying woman’s 15-year-old daughter.

This house and our circumstances were like someone kinda rich kinda giving us a break. It was like that rich person on a lark gave a pizza for one meal, a small pizza, and that pizza had to be divided. And you weren’t going to be full when you started dividing the slices, and you knew there wasn’t going to be any more because it was just luck that you got what you got. And you were greedy to be full of something good. So you could almost believe that you had enough until someone else showed up. And you could tell they were hungry too. Mean Keisha tapped her foot on the floor still looking at that hallway. I could tell she was hungry too.

“I need an address. That’s all.

Someone might come by once or twice, but that’s all I need.” And no one asked why. Kwon sneezed, and no one said bless you. Mandy Blue Eyes said softly, “Start from

the beginning, Keisha. I thought you were staying at your aunt and uncle’s.” Mean Keisha made a wild and angry toss of her head. Mandy sighed and asked, “Would you like a cup of coffee, something to drink?” “Yeah, you got hot chocolate? Hey, can I use your bathroom?” “Sure, straight back,” Mandy Blue Eyes said, waving a hand dismissingly. “I’ll make the cocoa.”

And then Mean Keisha stood up, put her hand to her back, said out of nowhere, “Ain’t my little man a good one?” Mean Keisha said this out of the blue, while Kwon lulled by the steady warmth, slept and only sniffled.

Mandy Blue Eyes left and I was alone with Mean Keisha and Kwon. Her sad eyes glanced at our leftover Christmas tree and stretched her legs in front of our chipped coffee table. And I knew what she wanted, Mean Keisha.

I started to offer her some kindness, but...but I was scared she would need too much. And we seemed to have so little. My eyes must have said what her heart knew, that there would be no rest here. Mean Keisha stood, looked at me, and said, “Thank ya’ll for the hot chocolate,” like she had already gotten it when she hadn’t. She put her hand on Kwon’s head but wouldn’t look at him. I felt a tingle not in a good way.

Mama called out from that bedroom, “Keisha, that you?”

And Mean Keisha bolted, jerked from the room and stumbled for the door. “Okay,” she said, “hold up, let me get Kwon’s bag from outside.” The lies we tell ourselves. We... I mean I knew then she wasn’t coming back. Oh, now we... I mean... I will say how I couldn’t and what mother would leave her child, certainly not Keisha who always had Kwon holding on. She wouldn’t do this. But she was doing it. She was leaving, not saying it certainly, but she was leaving.

And no one said bless you when Kwon sneezed. Mean Keisha never turned back once as she grabbed the doorknob.

And it was cold outside. At fifteen, I knew the sum of sadness, the dog-chewed madness of not enough nipping. And I was warm. I knew what she wanted, Mean Keisha; she wanted just what we all want—someplace, just someplace, warm and wanted.

And again no one said bless you when Kwon sneezed. Mean Keisha knew and she taught me, you have to save what you can when you can. I could have taught her something different.

We... I could have reached out a hand, but I didn’t.

Evince Magazine Page 11

Photo by Rachel Garrison

Meditation Moment

by Casey Molloy, RYT What are your New Year’s resolutions for 2016? When deciding where to direct your energy this year, I encourage you to ponder the difference between goals and intentions.

We are all familiar with goals; we set them to create an element of motivation in our lives and we work diligently toward them. With goals, there is usually attachment to an expected outcome. When we are unable to reach that outcome, we are then led to feelings of disappointment and frustration. When our goals are achieved, we are fulfilled and accomplished, temporarily, and then we move on to the next goal on the list. When we jump forward from goal to goal, we end up spending most of our attention on the future. This is where the difference can be identified.

An intention is rooted in the present, allowing us to practice it

in the moment. It refers to a way of being, something that we are working on to better ourselves and our overall experience of life.

A few that we’ve studied in my yoga class recently have been: patience, contentment, and moderation. With these intentions in our focus, we are able to be mindful in our thoughts, words, and actions, moment to moment.

For example, we may never be able to say, “Okay, I’m more patient now. Next!” However, by allowing these elements to be a part of our consciousness, we can cultivate them with practice, working on them each time an opportunity arises. So perhaps we can consider creating a balance between setting goals and setting intentions. Doing so will motivate us to progress harmoniously, so that we can honor our true nature, in being the best we can be, for ourselves, and for others— today and for the year ahead.

Page 12

January 2016

Left: Chris King presents hearty helpings from the Sunday brunch buffet complete with sweet potatoes, cabbage, deviled eggs and broccoli risotto.

Top Right: The chalkboards feature growers for “pick-of-the-day” menu items.

Get Fit Dan River Region wants you to think about whether or not what you eat when you dine out is healthy.

Each month, Stephanie is going to report on local menu selections that are delicious and good for you.

The minute you meet Darcy Cropp and Chris King it is easy to see that they are full of fresh ideas. While they are most recognized as the faces of Danville’s newest eatery, 616 Farm to Table, many reading this can nod their heads in agreement that Darcy and Chris sprouted on the scene as King-Cropp Farm a few years ago at the Danville Farmers’ Market.

Their shabby-chic, eclectic booth catches the attention of shoppers far and wide, and folks call ahead to order their refreshing herbal lemonade ingredients, including me.

Whether you have ventured up North Main hill to 616 yet or not, you’re always in for a pleasant surprise and

Food for Thoughts

by Stephanie Ferrugia Program Director, Get Fit Dan River Region can confidently stroll into this beautifully designed farm-to-table restaurant expecting your taste buds to be satiated. The décor is as welcoming as the menu. Pay special attention to the copper bar. It is breathtaking and leads your gaze to the open kitchen where Chris and his team make culinary magic happen right before your eyes.

Because one trip was not enough, I first ventured to 616 for Sunday brunch with friends. The buffet featured an array of dishes fit for the most discerning palate: sausage, bacon, ham, eggs, and fresh vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and sweet potatoes, and wonderful homemade breads and jams...all locally grown and raised.

While every good Southerner

appreciates a buffet, I felt compelled to give 616 another whirl for dinner. With out-oftown family in tow, we all tried a different featured entrée from pecan-crusted chicken, to shrimp and grits, to a broccolishitake-mushroom omelet. Each dish was spectacular, both in presentation and taste.

But what’s this got to do with health and nutrition, you ask?

Conveniently summed up in two words: fresh and local. Shaking the hand of--or being one degree of separation from--the person who produced the ingredients in your dish is a golden opportunity for your taste buds and your health. The food is at its peak of freshness and has been minimally treated with chemicals and harmful pesticides (if at all). Not only that, but patrons can also

Bottom Right: Stephanie’s family from Halifax County and Greensboro enjoy the farm-to-table deliciousness and serendipitous visits with old friends.

feel good about supporting the local agricultural community.

Dining at restaurants such as 616 not only supports your health, but it also contributes to the vitality of our local economy.

Start 2016 fresh and treat yourself at 616. You never know who you will meet there, but I can almost guarantee you will have the opportunity to thank a farmer from our region who lovingly produced your homegrown, heavenly meal!

• For more information, visit 616 North Main Street across from The Historic North Theatre, www.dine616.com, or call 434.797.3463, • 616 is open Thursday through Saturday 5:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

Evince Magazine Page 13

Page 14

January 2016

A

nyone who spends time in Chatham knows native resident Mary Lee Black— 25-year Chatham Hall French teacher, but more importantly, self-appointed cheerleader for the small town north of Danville. “I love a small town,” she says with her trademark enthusiasm and smile, adding, “There is a quality of life we have here, because the community is involved and inclusive. That goes so far in breaking down barriers. When we work together, we become good friends and it encourages others to become involved.

Everything we do improves the quality of life for all.” The we that Mary Lee is promoting on a December morning while sipping hot coffee at ChathaMooca is Chatham First and their latest project, Farm to Table, Harvesting Pittsylvania County, a full-color 2016 calendar featuring local farms that provide fresh, sustainable goods to the area.

The theme for the annual fundraiser was decided back in July, when a committee of Chatham First gathered at Mary Lee’s home. Following the success of the farmers’ market that members organized during the summer, they decided on a calendar showcasing area farms that sell fresh products

Chatham First group, but one has the feeling that a consensus can be reached quickly—say three weeks or less.

Our Father’s Farm is on the November page of the Farm to Table Calendar.

Mary Lee Black

Promoting Chatham First

by Joyce Wilburn

and two restaurants that use fresh products. “We dubbed ourselves the Three Week Club, because we gathered the pictures for the calendar and quotes from the owners in three weeks and gave it all to Lorraine Womack at PIP Printing to put together,” she chuckles, while pointing out the 37 sponsors listed on the back of the 8 1⁄2 x 11 keepsake. “We are so thankful to our sponsors. All of the money we earn will be used for Chatham First projects that encourage wellness, beautification, Caption?

and community development.”

The last page of the calendar lists13 past successful projects.

Choosing how to spend the profits this year is easy explains Mary Lee, “We look around and ask ourselves, ‘What needs to be done?’” That could lead to 32 different answers from the 32-member

• Chatham First originated as a retail merchants group, Shop Chatham First, in the 1990s.

It morphed into a booster group that promotes Chatham and Pittsylvania County.

Membership is open to all.

Meetings are the first Thursday of every month including Thursday, January 7, at 7:00 p.m. at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 66 North Main Street, in Chatham.

• 2016 Farm to Table calendars are $10 and can be purchased in Danville at Karen’s Hallmark in the Danville Mall; in Gretna at Tyler Flower Shop; in or near Chatham at Homeplace Vineyard, Heritage Mill Country Market, M & W Flower Shop, Commonwealth Pharmacy, Impressions; in Blairs at Studio 29.

• For more info, call 434.432.7721 or visit www.facebook.com. Search for chatham.virginia community.

White Oak Mountain Meadery is on the July page of the Farm to Table Calendar.

Farm to Table Providers in Pittsylvania County The following places are featured in the Farm to Table Harvesting Pittsylvania County 2016 calendar:

White Flint Farm is on the September page of the Farm to Table Calendar.

• 616 Farm to Table Restaurant See page 3.

• Meriwether Godsey Catering www.merig.com 434.384.3663 • Crews Family Orchards www.facebook.com 434.334.4717 • Herndon Family Farm www.herndonfamilyfarm.com • Loaded Goat Homestead www.loadedgoathomestead.com • Our Father’s Farm www.ourfathersfarmva.com • Robert C. Gregory & Sons 434.432.0489 • Saddle Road Farms www.facebook.com • Sandy River Pork www.sandyriverpork.com

• Sunny Side Home Bakery/ Heritage Hill Country Market www.facebook.com 434.432.8081 • The Homeplace Vineyard www.thehomeplacevineyard.com 434.432.9463 • Tightsqueeze Farm www.facebook.com, 828.707.2384 • Tomahawk Mill (for sale!) www.tomahawkmill.com 434.432.1063 • White Fall Farm www.whitefallfarm.com 434..2214993 • White Flint Farm www.whiteflintfarm.com 434.250.1253 • White Oak Mountain Meadery www.whiteoakmead.com

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Where Can I Find an Evince?

Ten thousand copies of Evince are distributed each month at over 100 locations. Find your copy at:

Riverside Drive/Piedmont Drive/Marketplace Area: Buffalo Wild Wings Checkered Pig Danview Restaurant on Danview Drive El Vallarta on Westover Drive Goodwill on Westover Drive Hibachi Grill on Executive Court IHOP on Piedmont Drive Joe & Mimma’s Karen’s Hallmark @ Danville Mall Los Tres Magueyes Ruben’s URW Credit Union Western Sizzlin YMCA

Main & West Main Street/Downtown/ River District Area

American National Bank Brewed Awakening on Craghead Street Comcast on Patton Street Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History Danville Public Library on Patton Street Danville Regional Medical Center on South Main Street Danville Science Center on Craghead Street Dell’ Anno’s Pizza Kitchen on Main Street Food Lion @ Ballou Park H. W. Brown Florist (they deliver an Evince with your order) Main Street Coffee Emporium Midtown Market on Chambers Street Rippe’s

Piney Forest Road Area

ERA Holley & Gibson Realty Co. Mary’s Diner Piedmont Credit Union

Franklin Turnpike Area Food Lion PCP Library @ Mt. Hermon Ruben’s Too Village Pizza Medo’s

Memorial Drive

Frank’s Pizza Ginger Bread House

Other

Danville Welcome Center at River Park Drive

In Chatham Area

Community Center Chatham Health Center ChathaMooCa Frank’s Pizza PCP Library on Military Drive

In South Boston, VA

Paula Deen’s

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3 Women Consignment Bistro 1888 Halifax County Public Library O’ Sole Mio on Bill Tuck Hwy. South Boston Halifax County Museum of Fine Arts & History Southern Virginia Higher Education The Prizery Toots Creek Antiques Mall

In Gretna

American National Bank Carter Bank & Trust Crossroads Family Restaurant

In Martinsville

Checkered Pig China Buffett El Ranchito Elizabeth Pizza Martinsville Visitor Center The Pacifica Bay Restaurant Walsh Chicken

In Yanceyville, NC

Gunn Memorial Public Library The Drug Store The Venice Restaurant

The Dogwood Collection features bedroom, dining room, living room and occasional pieces. This lovely collection is sold locally, and exclusively, at M & M Furniture and discounted 45% off of retail list prices every day.

“Much More For Your Money!”

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Page 16

January 2016

Calendar Clips Clip it. Post it. Do it.

For more activities, see the calendar on page 18.

Starting January 10, the DMFAH winter hours of operation will be Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, 10:00 a..m to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. (submitted

by Cara Burton)

January 9

Family Zen

Charmaine Redd offers a meditation class from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. that helps participants relax and find balance in their lives. She uses mantras and affirmations to raise positive vibrations that lift the mind, body, and spirit. Clients leave the class feeling more relaxed and positive about life and about themselves. Classes are held at the Danville Public Library, 511 Patton Street. Cost is $5 adults, free for kids under 16 with an adult. For more information call 434.799.5195 x 3. (submitted by Trena Taylor)

and materials. Robert’s imagery is likewise derived from nature through the use of acrylic paint on canvas or sculptures born of found metals and other materials intuitively joined by welding or by other means. The exhibition runs until March 13.

Sunday, January 10

Danville Art League Exhibition Opening Reception

This free event from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Lobby-Gallery of the Caswell County Civic Center (CCCC) is co-sponsored by the Civic Center and the non-profit Caswell Council for the Arts. The CCCC is located at 536 Main Street East in Yanceyville, North Carolina, next to Bartlett Yancey High School. The exhibition will remain on display through Wednesday, February 10. (submitted by Ann Kirby)

Tuesday, January 12

How to Reduce Your Colorectal Cancer Risk

The opening reception for Uno Alto Volta in the Robert F. Cage Gallery at the Prizery, 700 Bruce Street, South Boston, starts at 3:00 p.m. It will feature the work of former Halifax County resident, Karen Johnston. According to Johnston, “My artistic journey has taken many paths. I’ve worked with fabric creations--from doll clothes to designing my own wedding gown, to creating teddy bears.” Her love of creating floral arrangements and interior design led her to a design business focusing on feng shui. Johnston became interested in painting and taking classes after retiring. This new path has evolved over the years from watercolor to oil, pastel, encaustic and mixed media,” she explains. Her subjects range from still life and landscapes to abstract expressionism. The exhibit will be on display for viewing and purchasing during the Prizery’s regular operating hours through February. For more information, visit www.prizery.com. (submitted by Cathy Cole)

American Cancer Society Specialists, Kimberly Lewis and Renee Malone, will present this free program from 11:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at Ballou Park Recreation Center lower level.

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. The mortality rate in the Danville area is higher than in the rest of the state. Colon cancer can be prevented or detected at an early stage. This event is part of the Keeping Well in Mind, Body & Spirit Series for those concerned with cancer prevention and survivorship and is brought here by the Cancer Research and Resource Center of Southern Virginia/Danville in partnership with Danville Parks & Recreation. Bring your lunch.

Drinks and dessert are provided.

Boxed lunches can be ordered in advance for $6.50. Call to make a reservation 434.421.3060 or email cllitzenberg@vcu.edu. (submitted by Melanie Vaughan)

Sunday, January 10

Friday, January 15

Sunday, January 10

Charmaine Redd and daughter Nyla Jordyn

Opening Reception for Uno Alto Volta

Opening Reception for DMFAH Exhibit

From 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. the public is invited to view Inspiration & Intuition: An exhibition of art works by Robert York and Nancy Diciolla at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History, 975 Main Street. This is an exhibition of diverse paintings and sculptures mostly in the abstract mode. They are done by husband, Robert York, and wife, Nancy Diciolla, whose works are highly divergent but somehow kin. Nancy’s highly abstract imagery with subtle symbolism seems to be inspired by nature. She achieves a visual statement by the use of surprising and edgy techniques

Kimberly Lewis

Renee Malone

Corks & Forks

The Danville Science Center’s annual fundraiser will be held from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m at 677 Craghead Street.

Taste wines from around the world, specialty beers, and heavy hors d’oeuvres. The live auction offers trips to Ireland, Tuscany, Cabo San Lucas, Sonoma, Key West and New York City.

Tasting wines and beers will be available by the glass/ bottle for $5.00 each. Tickets are $50 per person.

All proceeds benefit the educational programs at the Danville Science Center. For more info, call 434.791.5160. (submitted by Adam Goebel)

Saturday, January 16 Writers’ Group

Whether you’re looking for ideas, already working on a piece, or putting the final touches on a finished work, come to the Danville Public Library from 10:00 a.m. until noon to develop and explore the craft.

Evince Magazine Page 17 This group is open to novelists, poets, screenwriters, memoirists, playwrights, and anyone interested in pursuing their literary aspirations. Sara B. Gauldin, author of Alive: The Corporeal Pull, will discuss the publishing process. Light refreshments provided. For more info, call 434.799.5195. (submitted by Trena Taylor)

Tuesdays, January 19 & 26 & Thursday, February 4 AU Book Discussion

Averett University sponsors informal book discussions on the main floor of the Mary B. Blount Library, 344 West Main Street. Community members are encouraged to select books and lead discussions, which are open to the public and occur in one or more sessions at times convenient for each leader and group. A fund in memory of Cathy Mason Edwards (Averett College 1977) provides copies of the books for participants to read and keep. Books selected for discussion don’t have to be academic; they can be just for fun. Haley Walters will lead two meetings starting at 4:00 p.m.to discuss Anthony Doerr’s novel, All the Light We Cannot See, which recently won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

A limited number of copies will be available to participants at no charge.

Dr. Robin M. Dabney will present her recently published memoir, Painting Black Birds in Yellow Sky: A Life Story. She will lead the discussion on Thursday, February 4, between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

Copies of her book will also be available. For more info, call 434.791.5694 or jverdini@averett.edu). (submitted by Jim Verdini)

Friday, January 22

Canvas & Cabernet

Unlock your inner artist while enjoying your favorite wine from 6:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History, 975 Main Street.

Join others in the art studio for step-by-step instructions to create simple and beautiful acrylic paintings. Cost is $35 per class and includes supplies. Wine will be for sale by the glass or BYOB. Call 434.793.5644 to register. Class size is limited. (submitted by Cara Burton)

Saturday, January 30

Spring to Green Gardening for Southside

This sixth annual event hosted by the Danville Master Gardeners and Virginia Cooperative Extension will be held at The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, 150 Slayton Avenue, from 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Presenter Stephanie Cohen is an award-winning communicator, author and teacher whose talk will cover plants that

are kind to both gardeners and the environment. She specializes in the growing of low maintenance perennials with a long-bloom time. Stephanie has taught perennial design at Temple University for over 20 years, contributes to numerous publications, has written several gardening books, and lectures from coast to coast. Her books will be available for purchase.

In addition, Jessica Walliser will give presentations on organic gardening and using helpful insects for successful gardens. The new Learning Center will offer assorted topics for the choosing of information. Vendors with an array of garden supplies will be on hand. Registration Stephanie Cohen fee is $45 and must be postmarked by January 15. For information and a registration form visit www.danvillemastergardeners.org or call 434.799.6558. (submitted by Janet Aponte)

Saturday, January 30

DCS Design Zone

At the Danville Science Center, 677 Craghead Street, step into a DJ recording studio and discover how many beats per second it takes to get bodies moving on the dance floor.

Go behind the scenes at a bike race where you can test gear combinations, then pedal to victory as you compete against other riders. Enter a video game design studio, figure out the formulas you need to create the on-screen action and leap through to the next level of the game. Design Zone is a nontraditional, experiential approach to math, focusing on math concepts as a tool to create and invent everything from hip-hop to skate parks. The exhibition encourages creative problem solving using algebraic thinking in a context that is relevant and fun. Visit www.dsc. smv.org for more information. (submitted by Adam Goebel)

Upcoming

Thursday, February 4

Chicken Dance

Artspower’s newest musical tells the colorful story of Marge and Lola, two chickens on a mission to win the barnyard talent contest and its first prize of two tickets to see the great Elvis Poultry in concert. But first, they must present a performance that will score higher than a flock of very talented ducks who seem to have the contest locked up.

This show is recommended for grades K-2 and is presented by the Caswell Council for the Arts at the Caswell County Civic Center, 536 Main Street East, Yanceyville, North Carolina. Show times are 10:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Tickets are $7 for students, $10 all others, Free study guides are available with purchase.

For more info, call 336.694.4474 email caswellarts@gmail.com, visit www.artspower.org or www.ccfta.org. (submitted by Ann Kirby)

Page 18

January 2016

January Calendar

Ongoing

Guided Walking Tour – Millionaires Row & Holbrook Street. $8; free for children 12 & younger. www.danvillehistory.org.

434.770.1974.

Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History (DMFAH) self-guided audio-visual tours.

Danville & Pittsylvania Co. Public Library Events. Page 25.

Tai-Chi Day Classes - Increase strength, balance, flexibility and progress at your own pace.

M 11:15am-12:15pm or 5:456:45pm; W 3:30-4:30pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216.

Let’s Dance – Learn new dances, make new friends and have loads of fun. Veteran dance instructor, Donna Robbins, teaches a variety of dances in a fun atmosphere.

A partner is not necessary.Adults 18+. Tues. 7-8:30pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216.

Art with Judie – Learn how to paint with acrylic, oil or watercolor. M/TU - Times vary.

Ballou Annex. 434.799.5216.

Ladies, It’s Time to Work It Out. MW 8:30-10am. City Auditorium. 434.797.8848.

Kuumba African Dance – Providing a great workout and cultural awareness with live drumming and energetic dancing.

Kids M/TH 5:30pm; Adults M 67:30pm. 434.797.8848.

Prime Time Fitness - Low-impact aerobics workout with a mix of various fun dance steps. Tu/Th 9:30-11am. Coates Rec. Center.

434.797.8848.

Zumba Classes - Hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves create a one-of-a-kind interval training fitness program with fun routines that tone and sculpt the body while burning fat.

434.797.8848.

Art with Flo – Wet on wet technique of oil painting. Ages 18+. W 9:30-11:30am, Glenwood Community Center; 6-8pm, Ballou Annex. 434.799.5216.

African Cardio Blast - A unique workout that includes dance movements from various regions of the African continent. W 6-7pm.

City Auditorium. 434.797.8848.

African Rhythms by Nguzo Saba – Learn West African dance to live drumming. W 6-7pm. City Auditorium. 434.797.8848.

Cardio Step Class – Uptempo, high energy class. M/W 8:15-9:15am. City Auditorium.

434.797.8848.

Baby Boomer Style Work Out – Walking, cardio activity & weight training designed for older adults. Tu/Th 9-10:30am. City Auditorium. 434.797.8848.

Ballou Jammers - Acoustic musical jamboree. Bring a stringed instrument or just listen.

TH 3-5pm. Ballou Rec. Center.

434.799.5216.

Friday Night Fun and Dance – Live music provided by the City Limits Band on the first, third and fifth Friday. The Country Pride Band plays on the second and fourth Friday of the month. Ages 50+. F 7:30-10:30pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216.

January 1 & 7

Job Corps Information Session - Vocational training is available in rapidly growing career areas, such as certified nursing, carpentry, culinary arts, auto repair, electrical, welding and many more. 10:30am-12:30pm.

Workforce Development Center.

434.455.2521.

January 7

Chatham First. See page 14.

Downton Abbey Tea Party Celebrate a high tea party in honor of the season 6 premiere of Downton Abbey. 2-4pm.

Ballou Recreation Center.

434.799.5216.

January 8

Art Receptions: Like Mother, Like Daughter and January - 68pm. Kirby Gallery. 336.597.1709

January 9

Danville Farmer’s Winter Market - Meat, eggs, jams, jellies, salsa, crafts, baked goods, coffee, wine, and seasonal vegetables.10am-2pm. Craghead St. 434.797.8961.

Artfelt Expressions of Bob Ross Ed Gowen, certified Bob Ross instructor, will help you complete a beautiful painting in one day.

Bring a roll of paper towels and a 16x20 canvas. All other supplies are included. Adults 18+ 10:30am-3:30pm. Ballou Annex Building. 434.799.5216.

Family Zen. See page 16.

Zip Line - New Year’s Express This 400-foot ride has become a popular and exciting attraction.

Ages 8+. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. 12:30pm. Skate Park-Dan Daniel Memorial Park 434.799.5150.

January 10

Opening Reception for Uno

Alto Volta. See page 16.

Danville Art League – Opening reception. See page 16.

January 10 (thru March 13)

Inspiration & Intuition.– An exhibition of art works by Robert York and Nancy Diciolla.

Opening reception 1/10, 1-3pm.

Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History – 434.793.5644.

January 12 (thru 26)

Getting Your Life on Track...

Living with Diabetes - Are you tired of letting your diabetes control your life? Find it hard to communicate with your family and friends about your diabetes?

Wish it was an easier way to talk to your doctor about your condition? Join Amanda Shuff with the Southern Agency on Aging, for this informative class on diabetes. T 12:30-2pm. Pepsi Building. 434.799.5150.

January 12

How to Reduce Your Colorectal Cancer Risk. See page 16.

January 14 (thru 28)

Gourmet Cooking Series Enjoy private cooking lessons from local culinary artist Angela Blankenship. Learn how to prep, cook and serve; enjoy wine pairing provided by Vintages on the Dan. Participants must be 21+ TH 6:30-8pm.

Danville Community Market.

434.799.5150.

January 14

Ladies Spa Day - Pamper yourself at the London Salt Spa in Bedford, Virginia. Enjoy lunch at the Old Liberty Station Restaurant following the spa visit. Lunch is on your own.8am-4pm. Ballou Recreation Center. 434.799.5216.

2nd Thursday Science Talk: Biodiversity and Your Place in It - Dr. Kaloyan Ivanov, Assistant Curator of Recent Invertebrates, discusses why there are so many kinds of animals and what benefits are conveyed by biodiversity. 6-7pm. Virginia Museum of Natural History.

276.634-4141.

January 15

Corks & Forks. See page 16.

Third Friday Artwalk - Enjoy art, food, music and fun along

January 2016 S

M

T

W

T

3 10 17 24 31

4 5 6 7 11 12 13 14 18 19 20 21 25 26 27 28

F 1 8 15 22 29

S 2 9 16 23 30

Martinsville’s historic streets.

Galleries, shops and restaurants in Uptown are open until 7pm or later with live music and other events. 5-7pm. Uptown.

January 16

Writers Group. See page 16.

Snow Tubing - Wintergreen.

Ages 12+ Under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. 8am3pm. Danville Welcome Center.

434.799.5150.

January 17

America’s Sunday Supper.

See page 22.

January 18

MLK Day of Service.

See page 22.

January 19

AU Book Discussion.

See page 17.

January 20

Coloring for Relaxation and Stress Management - 4pm.

Person County Public Library.

January 21

What’s Up Doc? - Have you had a burning question to ask your physician, but did not get the opportunity? Join Danville Regional Medical Center and Danville Parks and Recreation and have your questions answered.

During a 40-minute walk, a medical professional from DRMC will answer your questions and provide information.Bring water and a towel. 5:30-6:30pm.

Danville Regional Medical Center.

434.799.5150.

Nourishing a Healthy Family Learn the importance of family meal time, the inside scoop on what your children are eating at school, and plenty of tips and tricks for planning healthier meals and snacks to fuel your family. Join Stacey Entsminger, Director of Child Nutrition for Danville Public Schools, for this fun and informative workshop.

Registration required. 5:337pm. Coates Recreation Center.

434.799.5150.

January 22

Canvas & Cabernet. See page 17.

Painting With Pepper - After just three hours in this acrylic painting class, you will create a piece of art. All materials are

The deadline for the February issue is Friday, January 15, at 5:00 p.m. Please send just the basic information following the format on these pages.

Evince Magazine Page 19 included; light refreshments served. 1-4pm. Ballou Annex Building. 434.799.5216.

Twilight Night Hike & Campfire - Walk the frozen ground along Anglers Ridge, roast marshmallows and hotdogs while warming by the fire. Tell your favorite outdoor story. Ages 10+.

6-8pm. Anglers Park Shelter #21.

434.799.5150.

Band of Oz Concert – This amazing show band will knock your socks off with their high energy performance and music.

See them like you’ve never seen them before in a theatrical setting and enjoy their wonderful music with great acoustics and lighting.

Cash bar sponsored by Danville Shag Club. 7:30pm. Historic North Theatre – 434.793.7469.

January 23

Angela Harris Book Signing.

See page 20.

Dino Day Festival - Make tracks to the Virginia Museum of Natural History for a festival of Jurassic proportions! Dinosaur skeletons and fossils, and dino-themed games, crafts and presentations will make this an event not to be missed. 10am-3pm. Martinsville 276.634.4141.

Elegance & Romance: Rainier Trio And Friends An entertaining evening of

romantic music and songs, Bryan and Kevin Matheson are joined by Director of Opera Roanoke, tenor Scott Williamson, acclaimed soprano Amy Cofield Williamson, and Judith Clark on piano. 7:30pm. The Prizery.434.572.8339.

January 25

Angela Harris Book Signing.

See page 20.

January 26

AU Book Discussion.

See page 17.

You and Your Health - Health and Wellness Workshops Danville Parks and Recreation and local organizations will offer seminars to educate, inform and raise awareness about health and wellness issues affecting the community.

Registration required.11am12pm. Coates Recreation Center.

434.799.5150.

January 30

DSC Design Zone. See page 17.

Spring to Green Gardening for Southside. See page 17.

Learning About Winter Weather - Discuss the wonderful world of weather: snow, sleet, freezing rain and other winter weather with a meteorologist from the Blacksburg National Weather Service office. Learn

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bouncing ball and sing Frozen’s beloved songs. In partnership with Halifax County South Boston Public Library System. 1/30 - 7:30pm, 1/31 2:30pm.. The Prizery. 434.572.8339.

about the different types of clouds and instruments meteorologists use and what they can tell you about weather forecasting. Find out how you can get involved and become a trained weather spotter. Ages 8+ 1-3pm. Danville Public Library. 434.799.5150.

Camilla Williams Music & Opera Festival – With headliner tenor Federico Cardella and featuring other guest stars to soon be announced. 7:30pm.

Historic North Theatre – 434.793.7469.

Upcoming February 4

Chicken Dance. See page 17.

February 6

Angela Harris Book Signing.

See page 20.

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Page 20

January 2016

Angela Harris

Confirming the Value of Bedtime Stories

by Joyce Wilburn Danville native, Angela Harris, remembers when her mother read stories every night before bedtime. She read from a large book filled with the classics like Peter Pan, Jack and the Beanstalk and nursery rhymes.

“Those stories were so vivid, they made me feel like I was part of the adventure. As I grew older I thought how wonderful it would be to write a story that people wanted to read over and over again,” Harris says. The University of Richmond graduate drifted away from writing for a time only to have it reignited when she enrolled in an online creative writing course. Soon, she wrote her first book, Night Light, which follows the bedtime rituals of the fictitious Ruth Ann. Before leaping into the publishing world, Angela tested the worthiness of the newly created manuscript by reading it to tough critics: local school children in kindergarten, first and second grades. “I love sharing my stories with them, listening to their ideas, and hopefully sparking an interest in them to write,” she says.

After the success of Night Light, Angela wrote Tabby’s Great Adventure about a cat that has dreams of visiting the solar system. Tabby meets an elephant named Tootie who helps make her dream come true. Harris says, “Anyone who knows me would quickly realize the similarities between Tootie and my sister, Louvenia.” Harris is currently promoting her third book, Rusty’s Grand Slam. The main character is a chipmunk named Rusty who is teased

because of his small size. Rusty has four friends who are also bullied. Through friendship and a game of baseball, these five friends rise above the negative comments. Harris hopes Rusty’s Grand Slam will be used by parents, grandparents, teachers and others to help children have an open and honest conversation about bullying.

The next book to be published

by Harris will be Timmy Tuttle and The Giant Toothbrush. Then she plans on developing the characters from Rusty’s Grand Slam in another book. Harris says with a smile, “Each of those characters has a story to tell and I can’t wait to put pen to paper.”

Reflecting on the journey from bedtime stories to writing in high school to being selfpublished, she encourages others to never give up on their dreams.

• Angela’s books can be purchased at Karen’s Hallmark in the Danville Mall, the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History, 975 Main Street, and River District Artisans, 411 Main Street.

• Meet the author for a book signing on the following dates: Saturday, January 23, Party Palooza, 650 Piney Forest Road, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.; Monday, January 25 African American Voices Book Club, Danville Public Library, 511 Patton Street, 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Saturday, February 6, Kids Stuff Consignment Boutique, 1083 Piney Forest Road, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Evince Magazine Page 21

Live Each Moment as If Your Hair Were on Fire

by Carollyn Peerman “Now! Now!” cried the Queen.

“Faster! Faster!” Lewis Carroll wrote these words in the novel, Through the Looking Glass. It sounds like the Queen’s hair was on fire and she needed help putting it out! Now was the watchword of the Queen because she knew that once the present is gone, it is gone.

Life not commanded now is not commanded; life not enjoyed now is not enjoyed; life not lived wisely now is not lived wisely. The past is gone and no one knows the future. The Queen knew that now is the only period of time that she could ever act upon. She seized the moment, mastered her mind, put her mental machinery in order, and created within herself steady nerves and a quiet mind.

She lived at peak efficiency. All of her energies were concentrated on the now so that she could focus on the present. Are you as wise as the Queen?

As important as it is to live in the now, however, doesn’t mean running around in a frenzy. Your first duty and obligation to yourself lies in your understanding that you were born to be a calm and relaxed person.

Do not throw yourself into a state of tension and emergency by imagining trouble, by anticipating or rehearsing troubles which may never materialize, by reliving the unpleasantness or horrors of yesterday or by attempting to solve tomorrow’s, next week’s or next year’s problems today.

These energy-depleting activities

interfere with the flawless, automatic function of your nervous system. When that happens, the normal function of any and all parts of you are interfered with and you feel pushed, irritated, jittery, or dizzy. Millions of human beings experience this and label it as feeling nervous. Order yourself into the easy-does-it state. Doing so will permit your nervous system to function as it should, automatically and with ease.

Steady your nerves, clear your head, and calm down by going outdoors for an early morning or late afternoon walk.

Jesus provided a good example.

With so much sickness, death, and unmet needs around Him, He prayed, “I have finished the work which thou gave me to do.” It is because He discerned His Father’s will and the most important thing for Him to accomplish that day. He didn’t try to do it all. His “yoke was easy and His burden light.” His life exemplified peace and balance. He even urged His disciples to “come apart and rest awhile.” Although He healed lepers, many remained plagued with their disease. He opened the eyes of the blind, but many were left in darkness. He raised Lazarus from the dead, but others remained in their graves. Calmly living in the moment enabled Him to say, “It is finished.”

Live each moment as the Queen did, but do so with peaceful tranquility.

Page 22

January 2016

What Are You Doing for Others?

L

by Rachel Covington

ife’s most persistent and urgent question is What are you doing for others?

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is most often recognized for his role as a Baptist minister or for his leadership in the Civil Rights Movement, but we must not forget the model he set for us all as a true servant-leader.

Dr. King’s dedication to service was evident in his speech and in his actions. Servant-leadership was not a task on his to-do list, but rather an integral part of his lifestyle that he lived every day.

As we embark on a new year, we become excited about a fresh start and begin to analyze what we need to do to become a better version of ourselves and the list of New Year’s resolutions begins. Unfortunately, for many of us, our resolutions become the last thought to cross our minds by February. As you begin identifying your New Year’s resolutions for 2016, I challenge you to take inspiration from Dr. King and resolve to let service to others guide how you live every day. Let the question, “What am I doing for others?” direct you.

We at Averett University invite the Dan River Region to start

making this resolution a reality, beginning with the celebration of Dr. King’s life this month.

Note the following opportunities and visit engage.averett.edu for more.

• America’s Sunday Supper “Expanding the Bounds of Family” will be held on Sunday, January 17, at 3:00 p.m. at the Venue, 318 Main Street.

Share a meal and engage in meaningful conversation about our community. There is no cost to attend this event, but an RSVP is required. Contact Tia Yancey at 434.791.7214 or tyancey@averett.edu to reserve a spot.

• MLK Day of Service will be held on Monday, January 18, from noon until 6:30 p.m. at Averett’s North Campus, 707 Mount Cross Road. Projects are ongoing, so stop by when you can. Project 1: Make a t-shirt blanket to keep Danville warm.

Donate a t-shirt that represents you and complete a blanket.

Project 2: Rehab, paint, and build Little Libraries. Donate new or gently-used books for 12-year-old children or younger.

• For more information, call AU at 434.791.7215.

Evince Magazine Page 23

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Page 24

January 2016

Book Clubbing A Review by Diane Adkins

The Jezebel Remedy

by Martin Clark

For the last couple of months, I have reviewed the work of local and regional authors in the fields of nonfiction and poetry. To round things off, I want to highlight Martin Clark’s fourth novel which was released this past summer. Clark, the circuit court judge in Patrick County, has written a carefully plotted legal thriller that holds the reader’s attention from beginning to end.

The local setting of this book, which largely takes place in Martinsville and Henry County, adds interest for those who are familiar with the area. In addition, many characters are wellknown citizens of that area, despite the standard disclaimer at the beginning that the characters are all fictional. For example, Henry County Sheriff Lane Perry has a role in the novel, as does Patrick County Presbyterian Pastor Bucky Hunsinger. Other locals, like Judge Bob Bushnell, are mentioned in passing. Seeing people you know, or know of, appear in a work of fiction just adds to the fun.

The plot centers on characters Joe and Lisa Stone, a fictional husband-and-wife team of lawyers practicing in Martinsville and well-known in the community. Joe is often referred to as the most honest lawyer in the state. They are generally happy in their smalltown practice, though Joe’s predictability starts to grate on Lisa.

In her restlessness, she begins looking outside their marriage for excitement and that leads to complications.

There are many side plots, but the central narrative is about a client of Joe’s, Lettie VanSandt, who spends much of her time-and his-- bringing lawsuits against people for every slight, real or imagined. She sets up multiple trusts and seeks patent protections for a myriad of concoctions. Her calls to 9-1-1 are so frequent and crazy that the staff there compiles a CD of her greatest hits. A sudden explosion at her trailer seems to bring an end to Lettie.

It is, however, the beginning of a wild tale of lying, greed, and corruption. As in any good suspense story, nothing is exactly as it seems.

The book has it all—marital indiscretion, corporate conspiracy, red herrings, and a woman who is either certifiably insane or crazy like a fox. The language and details are rich, one of Clark’s many gifts as a writer. The twists and turns in the plot are so intricate that they start to remind the reader of the convoluted narrative in the movie The Big Sleep. Clark handles it like the pro he is, drawing the loose threads together in a stunning conclusion. Clark has created a legal duo that I would love to read about again. Judge Clark, I’d like to make a motion for continuance.

Diane S. Adkins, who resides in Henry County, is the Director of the Pittsylvania County Public Library System.

Send information about what you or your book club is reading to joycewilburn@gmail.com.

Evince Magazine Page 25

Pittsylvania County Public Libraries

What’s Happening in the Pittsylvania Co. and Danville Public Libraries

Special Events:

• National Read Day: January 22, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m., Brosville. Read with Ms. Kim and learn about a free site called TumbleBooks.

• Puzzle Day: January 29, all day, Brosville.

Reading/Writing/ Learning:

• Wednesdays for Wees: January 13, 20, and 27, 10:00.

Chatham, Brosville, Gretna, Mt. Hermon. Children ages newborn to 5.

• Read To Maggie the Therapy Dog: January 6, 13, 20 and 27, 4:00-4:45 p.m., Chatham. Maggie provides a loving ear for young or struggling readers to practice reading aloud. Ages 5-15.

• Mother Goose on the Loose: January 15, 22, and 29 at 10:30 a.m., Mt. Hermon; January 11 and 25, 11:00 a.m., Chatham. An award-winning early literacy class for children from birth to age three with parents or caregivers. Hermon’s Stories: January 21, 6:30 p.m., Mt. Hermon.

• Tales Told Out of School: January 30, 2:00-4:00 p.m., History Research Center and Library, Chatham. For the past year, we’ve gathered memories and artifacts from high schools in Pittsylvania County that have closed since 1945. Visit the displays we’ve put together, share your stories, and have a mini-reunion with old friends.

Open to everyone. Refreshments will be served. A joint project of Pittsylvania County Public Library System and History United.

• Homeschool Connection: January 5 and 19, 2:00 p.m., Gretna. Learn what the library has to offer homeschoolers and network with other parents while children enjoy crafts, activities, and special presentations. Sign up by calling 434.656.2579.

• Computer Classes: Computer One-on-One Daytime: January 5, 12, 19, and 26, 11:00 a.m.-noon; January 7, 14, 21, and 28, 2:003:00, Chatham. Sign up at the front desk. Open to all.

• Computer One-on-One Open Hour: January 6, 13, 20 and 27, 6-7:00 p.m., Chatham. Open to all; no appointment required.

Having trouble with your device?

Come and see us!

• I Have a Digital Device; Now What?: January 7, 5:30-7:30 p.m.; January 11, 3:00-5:00 p.m.; January 15, 10:00 a.m. – noon; January 26, 11:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m., Brosville. Come to one of our sessions for one-on-one training and learn about free services the library offers.

• Computer Class: January 19, 4:00 – 5:30 p.m., Brosville.

Learn basics of using a computer and how to search for information online. Space is limited. Sign up in advance.

Book Discussions & Writing:

• Brown Bag Book Reviews: January 6, 13, 20 and 27, 12-1:00 p.m., Chatham.

• Chatham Writers Group: January 13, 6:00-7:00 p.m., Chatham.

• Second Thursday Discussion Group: January 14, 4:00-5:30 p.m., Chatham. Open to adults.

Food, Nutrition, Fitness and Health Programs:

• Group Fitness: January 4, 11, and 25, 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Gretna; January 7, 14, 21 and 28 at 10:00 a.m., Gretna. Exercise and get fit together. We use exercise/ walking DVDs from our library’s collection. This class is for ages 18+. Classes are free.

• Second Tuesday Recipe Club: January 12, 5:30 p.m., Gretna.

Bring a pot of soup to sample along with the recipe to share with others.

• Recipe Exchange Club: January 14, 6:00 p.m., Brosville. Bring a pot of soup or chili and the recipe.

We’ll sample everyone’s dish and exchange recipes.

Art & Craft Programs:

• Crochet Instruction: January 4, 6:00 p.m., or January 5, 10:00 a.m., Brosville. Come learn to crochet or bring your difficult questions to be answered. Don’t have crochet materials and want to learn? We’ll provide materials to get you started.

• Knitting Group: Monday, January 4, 6:30 p.m., Mt. Hermon. All skill levels are welcome.

• Re-Use It Tuesday Craft Workshop: January 5, 5:00 p.m., Gretna. Duct Tape Bookmarks.

• Loom Knitting: January 6, 13, 20, and 27, 11:00, Brosville. Learn how to knit socks on looms.

• Second Saturday Quilt Club: January 9, 10:00 a.m. until noon, History Research Center and Library.

• Open Needlework: January 12, 19, and 26, 10:00 a.m., Brosville.

Knitting, embroidery, crochet— come and work on your projects.

• Make and Take Craft: January 12, 3:00-4:45 p.m., Chatham. Open to all.

• Art Class: January 19 and 26, 4:004:45 p.m., Chatham. Ages 8-16.

Register.

• Keep Calm and Color: January 20, 2:00 p.m., Brosville. Relax your mind with soft music, crayons, markers, and coloring sheet or bring your own. Craft: January 21, 5:00-6:00 p.m., Chatham. Make a

snowman snow globe. Seating is limited; sign up at the front desk.

• Craft Night: January 28, 6:007:30, Brosville. TBA

Game Programs & Activities:

• Coffee and Cards: January 5, 12, 19, and 26, 10:00 a.m. to noon, Chatham. Adults. No gambling involved!

• Bingo: January 7, 4-4:45 p.m., Chatham. Ages 6-16 in the children’s area.

• Back to Basics-Board Games and Coloring: January 9, 10:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Mt. Hermon.

Playing board games can enhance concentration and lower blood pressure. Coloring is a relaxing way to reduce stress. Enjoy the benefits

of both during this event. All ages.

• Minecraft@Mt. Hermon: January 16 from 11:00 a.m.1:00 p.m., Mt. Hermon. Minecraftoriented activities will vary from month to month; light snacks served. Ages 8-14 • Bingo for Books: January 21, 6:00-7:30 p.m., and January 26, 1:00-2:00 p.m., Brosville. All ages are welcome. January 26, 5:00 p.m., Gretna.

• LEGO Play: January 28, 4:004:45 p.m., children’s area, Chatham.

Movies:

• Saturday Morning Movie: January 23, 10:30 a.m., Mt. Hermon. Minions.

Libraries will be closed on Monday, January 18, in observance of Martin Luther King, JR. Day. Unless otherwise noted, all programs are free. For more information, contact Gretna Library, 207 A Coffey Street, 434.656.2579; Mt. Hermon Library, 2725 Franklin Turnpike, 434.835.0326; History Research Center and Library, 340 Whitehead Street, Chatham; 434.432.8931; PCP Main Library, 24 Military Drive, Chatham, 434.432.3271; Brosville Library, 11948 Martinsville Highway 434.685.1285 or visit www.pcplib.org.

Danville Public Libraries • January 4, 11, 18, 25 African American Voices Book Club – Guest author Angela Harris See page 20. 4pm-5pm in Genealogy Room.

• January 5 and 7 Introduction to Genealogical Research. This two-part class will introduce websites and databases that will aid in family history research. Seating is limited.

Registration required. 11am-1pm in Computer Lab. Ages 18+.

• January 5, 12, 19, 26 Crafters Corner. Do you enjoy crocheting, knitting, sewing, scrapbooking, quilting or other crafts? Bring your supplies and learn techniques and designs or share your own skills. Join the creative fun as we work on individual, group, and service projects. Light refreshments provided. 4pm – 6pm in Genealogy Room. All ages.

• January 9 Family Zen – See page 16.

• January 12 and 14 Introduction to FindAGrave. com. This two-part class will introduce an online database with thousands of cemetery records.

Seating is limited. Registration required. 11am-1pm in Computer Lab. Ages 18+.

• January 14 Senior Movie Day – Where Hope Grows (PG-13). A baseball player whose professional career cut short due to personal problems is suddenly awakened and

invigorated by a young man with Down Syndrome who works at the local grocery store.11am-1pm in Auditorium. Ages 18+.

• January 16 Writers’ Group – Guest author Sara B. Gauldin See page 16.

• January 19 Utilizing Court Records to Guide Genealogical Research. This class will introduce you to databases and resources at the local office of the Clerk of Circuit Court. Learn how to obtain public records to guide research. Seating is limited.

Registration required. 11am-1pm in Computer Lab. Ages 18+.

• January 21 Bingo for Adults. Try your luck for prizes at this fun social gathering.

Light refreshments provided.

11am-noon Auditorium. Ages 18+.

• January 23 Genealogy Open House. Want to know what Danville and Pittsylvania County has to offer for family and local history? Learn about local history and genealogy organizations, the DPL Genealogy Room, the VA/NC Piedmont Genealogical Society, and the Danville/Pittsylvania County Chapter of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society. 10am-1pm in Auditorium. Ages 18+ For more information, call 434.799.5195 ext 3. All programs are free at the Danville Public Library, 511 Patton Street.

Page 26

January 2016

Reflecting Forward Capturing Fresh Ideas

by Linda Lemery

I

n class and in life, we learn best from each other. In addition to my library duties, I occasionally teach a class and my favorite teaching technique is the Socratic Seminar. Why should Evince readers care? Because it can be used in their lives to generate fresh ideas.

Recently I developed a set of Socratic Seminar questions about marriage to use as an activity during a bridal shower. (See Sidebar.) The method starts with an opening question that forces deep thought about the topic, a closing question that latch-hooks the learning to one’s personal life, and several questions (the number can vary) sandwiched in-between that explore the topic in increasing depth. Developing good questions is challenging and they must be disseminated early enough so that guests can prepare.

For the bridal shower, attendees told me they worked hard to answer the questions sent with the invitation, but they learned a tremendous amount. The answers were read anonymously to avoid embarrassing anyone (except maybe the engaged couple).

The frequent bursts of laughter conveyed that attendees loved the anonymous sharing. One particularly creative single woman who has a cat wrote from the perspective of the cat making wry comments about its relationship with -- and transgressions of -- its owner. The bits of wit and wisdom that came out of the sharing were pure gold.

Business people or educators can use this technique, too; the power lies in the sharing. Participants build on each other’s ideas through open discussion. The real trick is to capture the ideas (data) for future use. I don’t recommend taping or recording the sessions digitally because people speak more freely when they’re not being recorded, but they’re not threatened by having a scribe jot anonymous answers on an easel-mounted flip chart. A separate scribe should be used because the facilitator has to guide the participation process.

About the bridal shower: I was so busy with developing good questions and organizing the event that I forgot to allow time to answer the questions myself. I’ll have to turn in my homework late and lose points with the kids, but I’ll learn a lot!

This is a fresh idea for the new year for learning from each other in various settings. It can be a serious investigation or a playful exploration. If you adapt it, let me know how the activity turns out.

Happy New Year!

About the Author: When she’s not twisting herself into a pretzel applying the Socratic Seminar in new ways, Linda Lemery, llemery@averett.edu serves as Circulation Manager at Averett University’s Mary B. Blount Library. She welcomes your comments.

The happy couple at their wedding shower.

Wedding Shower Stories

Topic: Marriage

Note to bridal shower attendees: In the spirit of sharing your wisdom with the engaged couple and others at the shower, we ask that you answer these questions.

Please bring a paper copy with you to the shower for us to share anonymously in an oral group setting and leave that paper copy for the happy couple to mull over later. Whether you are single or married or have a significant other or a lot of friendships, you have wisdom you can share. Please share your wisdom with us.

• Question 1: If you could describe what marriage is in one word, what would that word be and why?

• Question 2: Describe how you met your spouse or significant other or a friend and why you became friends.

• Question 3: Describe a positive or humorous event that brought you and your spouse or significant other or friend closer together.

• Question 4: Describe what you admire about your spouse or significant other or friend.

• Question 5: If you had one single piece of advice about marriage to share with these two young people, what would that advice be?

Evince Magazine Page 27 When you see boxed wine, does a less than positive memory from the 1980s or 90s come to mind? I share those memories, but boxed wine is no longer synonymous with cheap jug wine. It’s time for a fresh look.

The Wine Spot

An article written by Matt Duckor entitled, “Boxed is Better” for the Epicurious website quotes Meg McNeill, the wine buyer at Brooklyn’s Dandelion Wine, “The perception that wine is bad because it comes in a box just isn’t true anymore.” Meg and her staff have been excited about boxed wines for years and have grown the store’s roster of boxed vino to over a dozen selections. If you aren’t familiar with boxed wine, it is wine packaged in a bag-in-box--a corrugated, fiberboard box containing a flexible, plastic bladder with an air-tight valve.

Advantages? Let’s say your wine budget is in a bottleneck and you’re hosting a gathering. The typical bag-in-box holds four 750 ml bottles of wine. If a bottle of a particular brand sells for $8 a bottle and you buy four bottles, that’s a total of $32. Compare that to the cost of a box containing the same brand, type and amount of wine at $22. You just saved $10. Now, that box doesn’t look so ugly does it?

Also, compared to wine in a bottle

Take a Fresh Look at Boxed Wine

by Dave Slayton

a member of the Master Court of Sommeliers

which should be consumed within hours or days of opening, bag-in-box wine will not spoil for approximately three to four weeks after breaking the seal.

The cheap stuff is still out there, so

research is needed prior to making your purchase. Remember, boxed wine is not intended for aging and should be consumed within the printed shelf life. So if you need to provide wine for a gathering, boxed wine offers savings, convenience,

portability, pleasing drinkability and according to Matt Duckor of Epicurious, chic. Yes, he said, “Chic!” Maybe it’s time for you to take a fresh look at boxed wine.

Page 28

January 2016

The Sweetest Music This Side of Heaven

by Mack Williams

I

celebrated New Year’s Eve once again in my oldfashioned way. I’m not implying something mysterious from ancient Druidic Europe, but instead, Royally Canadian (music-wise) from a few generations back. Hint: Think of very tremolo saxophone.

Next clue: Think of a contemporary orchestra of the 1930s-40s led by a GermanNebraskan conductor, who had a pronounced accent. His bubble machine and tonguein-cheek (literally) imitation of the popping of a champagne bottle’s cork brought imitations of him by the late comedian, Stan Freberg. Yes, this “wunnerful, wunnerful” (as said by him) music of Lawrence Welk is often lumped together with my favorite New Year’s Eve music (even more than Barry Manilow), which I will now reveal. My New Year’s Eve secret sin is the music of Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians, aka The Sweetest Music This Side of Heaven.

The reason for this is primarily because when I was born in 1951, my mother was 40 and

my father 45. In other words, I skipped a generation, or rather; my parents did the skipping.

Because my father loved jazz, I grew up listening to his records from the 1920s and 30s-the fast paced “Varsity Drag,” Bing Crosby’s “Sweet Georgia Brown” and Gene Austin’s “My Blue Heaven.”(In my youth, my mother pointed out the song of a whippoorwill one night that reminded her of the first line of Austin’s song.) My parents attended a concert in Danville by the great Fats Waller in the early 1940s. My mother said at one end of his piano keyboard Waller kept a bottle of whiskey from which he swigged periodically, “playing” that “glass key”.

When you read this, New Year’s Eve will have come and gone, as I listened to Guy Lombardo favorites, including “Auld Lang Syne”, “Boo Hoo,” and “Enjoy Yourself, It’s Later Than You Think”--another favorite of mine, but with decreasing favor as the years roll by. Prior to this, I will have “played the piano” a la Fats Waller.

Evince Magazine Page 29

New Year New Recipes!

by Annelle Williams Although we can begin anew any moment, any day, this is the traditional time when we sum up the old year, try to digest with purpose what we’ve experienced, and then make big plans to move forward with new goals and ambitions. It feels so good to begin with a fresh, clean sheet of paper.

I never fully succeed. As a matter of fact, the best of my plans usually start to slide before January is over, but I always manage to make a dent in my intentions. Sometimes it’s a matter of recognizing that nothing happens overnight.

I’ve been learning to cook for years and it’s something I’ll never master.

The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know. I think that’s true across the board, but I’ll never get better if I don’t try. So, I’m trying something new in the kitchen this month. I’m making a chicken curry using delicious cilantro/lime basmati rice as the base and finishing with garnishes of avocado and chopped nuts. This is a new flavor experience for the new year. Hope you enjoy!!

Curried Chicken (serves 4 to 6) 4 chicken breasts 1 tsp each of paprika, celery salt, oregano 1 T curry dash of hot pepper flakes 1 1⁄2 tsp salt 1⁄2 cup butter 1 cup slivered almonds 1 cup golden raisins

1 cup fresh pineapple pieces 4 sprigs of cilantro 1 (16 oz.) can coconut milk 1 cup chicken broth 1⁄2 cup sour cream 1⁄4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 2 avocados, each half sliced into fourths ground cashews

Cut chicken pieces into quarters and toss with seasonings. Add butter to heavy sauce pan over medium heat. When butter is melted, add chicken and stir to coat and sear. Add almonds, raisins, pineapple and cilantro sprigs. Pour coconut milk and chicken broth over mixture. Cover and cook over low heat until chicken is very tender (about 25 minutes). Remove cilantro sprigs, shred chicken with forks, add sour cream and stir to combine. Serve over Cilantro Lime Basmati Rice with avocado, chopped cilantro and ground nuts.

Cilantro Lime Basmati Rice (serves 4 to 6)

1 1⁄2 cups basmati rice zest of 2 limes juice of 2 limes 1 (16 oz.) can coconut milk

1 cup chicken broth 4 sprigs cilantro 1⁄2 tsp. salt 1⁄4 cup chopped cilantro

Rinse rice in colander. Let rice soak in lukewarm water for 20 minutes. Drain and add to saucepan with lime zest, juice, coconut milk, chicken broth, cilantro sprigs and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes (stir once during cooking) or until rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid. Fluff rice, remove cilantro sprigs; add chopped cilantro and serve with Curried Chicken.

Tip: I like to spoon my rice into a 2/3 cup size measuring cup and unmold onto plate for presentation.

Questions or comments?

Email me: AnnelleWilliams@comcast.net I look forward to hearing from you!

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January 2016

Photo Finish History United and the Danville Parks & Recreation sponsored a Hometown Tour, to Milton, North Carolina, on a sunny day in December. Von Welllington captured the fun with his photos and Ina Dixon wrote captions describing the events of the day.

The next tour is to Gretna on Saturday, February 6. To join the tour takers call 434.793.4636.

The first stop on the Hometown Tour of Milton was Jean Vernon’s historic tobacco barn log cabin just outside Milton.

The Vernon cabin can be rented for weekend getaways or a romantic rendezvous in the beautiful countryside. 336.234.7516

Many buildings in this area boast Thomas Day interior woodwork.

This home in particular, Melville or the Winstead House, c. 1835 or 1840 is a two-story gabled brick house in the Federal style and features Thomas Day interior woodwork.

A private owner recently removed a 20th century porch during restoration.

The Hometown Tour group poses on the grounds of the Vernon cabin. Front row: Mary Alice Burtnett, Karen Hibbard, Beverly Garside, Jane Edmonds, Joe Graves, Dolly Supernault, Ina Dixon, Nancy Moore. Back row: Mark Joyner, Jonathon DeMott, Betty Martin, Justin Meeks, Julia Ramsey.

The Milton Studio & Art Gallery is a locally owned and operated business featuring works of regional artists. It sells unique collectable paintings, pottery, jewelry, and other arts. The gallery is a part of Commercial Row, which is considered one of the most well-preserved Victorian commercial districts in North Carolina.

For more info about Von Wellington Photography, visit www.vonwellingtonphotography.com or call 434.770.3553. See more pictures on Facebook.

The Milton Heritage Mural was painted in 2015 by George “Bucky” Buchanan with support from the Milton Preservation and Beautification Society and the Danville Regional Foundation. It honors Milton’s history, capturing the town in the 1830s and 40s when businesses were booming and the town was a hub for trade and commerce.

Inside the Thomas Day House and Union Tavern, Joe Graves (left) talks to the group about techniques that Thomas Day used to make his famous furniture.

Evince Magazine Page 31 The group’s final stop was at the Woodside Inn, about two miles south of Milton. This Greek Revival home built in 1838 features intricate woodwork done by Thomas Day and is listed in the National Historic Register. Fully restored, the home is currently on the market. www. woodsidehouse.com, 336.234.0439. (photo by Sue Graves)

Centrally located in downtown Milton on Broad Street, the Milton Presbyterian Church was where Thomas Day once worshipped. Although 19th century custom segregated black and white congregations, the Presbyterian Church was an exception to that common practice. Still in use since 1837, this church houses pews that Thomas Day crafted in the nineteenth century. (photo by Sue Graves)

Jonathon DeMott signs the guest book beside a beautiful staircase featuring Thomas Day’s handiwork at the Woodside Inn.

Inside the Presbyterian Church, the group sees the 19th century pews crafted by Thomas Day.

The former Christ Episcopal Church was built in 1890 and was purchased in 1974 by the charter members of the Milton’s Woman’s Club. It is used today for community gatherings and a meeting place. (photo by Sue Graves)

Built in 1818 and once a tavern, this building was later the home and workshop of Thomas Day. Born in 1801, Thomas Day was a free black American furniture and cabinetmaker. Day’s craft became renown in the region and much of his furniture was sold to wealthier customers throughout the state. He died in 1861. In 1989 the building was nearly destroyed by fire but is currently being restored to showcase Thomas Day’s life and work. Visitors may see the restorations efforts underway for this historic building and learn about the life and work of Thomas Day by calling 434.822.8967. Tours cost $6. (photo by Sue Graves)

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January 2016