Evince Magazine September 2020

Second Thoughts Kim Clifton Page 7

Things to Do in the Belly of the Whale Page 11

Photo Finish Page 14

Glenn McClanahan

Racing with the Ducks

See Page 5

Page 2 September 2020

WHEN YOU’RE READY TO FEEL YOUR BEST WE’RE HERE FOR YOU. 24/7.

$ ONLY

GetFit

$

1

* See Club For Details.

*

/MONTH NO COMMITMENT!

Premium

ENROLLMENT FEE Limited Time Offer.

9

99

$

24 ONLY

99

/MONTH

PERSONAL TRAINING HYDROMASSAGE TANNING FITNESS ASSESSMENT And Much More!

211 Nor Dan Drive • Danville, VA • Nor Dan Shopping Center

CALL TODAY! (434) 233-5155 www.workoutanytime.com/danville-va

Photo by Michelle Dalton Photography

Editor’s Note

Look carefully at the cover picture and you might see the duck that aspires to beat 2,999 other ducks in the Ducks on the Dan Riverview Rotary Annual Duck Race this month.

Glenn McClanahan explains the motivation behind this annual event and how you can become involved on page 5.

Writer Dave Slayton questions a winemaker about her career with grapes in “The Inspiration for an Aspiration” on page 9.

Linda Lemery aspires to live a happy life. She offers good advice for anyone with the same goal on page 12. You might not immediately recognize all the faces in “Photo Finish” on page 14 because everyone is wearing a mask. They are united in their aspiration to live in a healthy community.

A new column for your enjoyment is “Trivia Night” on page 11. See how many questions you can answer and consider attending the next Trivia Night on Zoom or in person. If you have been anointed teacher for stayat-home students, Annelle Williams has tips for instructing them in math and cooking on page 13. The outcome is delicious.

Whatever your aspirations are for this day, week, month, or year, Evince gives you positive news that we hope will make it a little easier.

See you at the duck race!

September Contents

3 Editor’s Note

5 Glenn McClanahan

Racing with the Ducks

by Joyce Wilburn 6 Spotting Exceptional Customer Service

by Liz & Hy Sater 7 Second Thoughts / A Cardinal Rule

by Kim Clifton 8 Invocations

Fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg 9 The Wine Spot

The Inspiration for an Aspiration

by Dave Slayton 10 Calendar 11 Trivia Night

Things to Do in the Belly of the Whale 12 Book Clubbing / review by Diane Adkins

Hid From Our Eyes by Julia Spencer-Fleming

Reflecting Forward / Inspired to Aspire?

by Linda Lemery

13 Around the Table

Salty Chocolate Rice Krispy Bars

by Annelle Williams 14 Photo Finish On the Cover: Glenn McClanahan inflates Mother Duck in preparation for the slow

Evince Magazine Page 3

THE

OICE OF ASPIRATIONS

CEO / Publisher Andrew Scott Brooks Editor Joyce Wilburn (434.799.3160) joycewilburn@gmail.com Copy Editors Jeanette Taylor Larry Wilburn Contributing Writers

Diane Adkins, Kim Clifton, Kim Eaton, Charlotte Garrett, Telisha Moore Leigg, Linda Lemery, C.B. Maddox, Liz & Hy Sater, Dave Slayton, Joyce Wilburn, Annelle Williams

Art & Production Director Demont Design (Kim Demont) Finance Manager Cindy Yeatts (1.434.709.7349) Marketing Consultants For ad information contact a marketing consultant listed below.

Lee Vogler Director of Sales and Marketing (434.548.5335) lee@evince magazine.com

Kim Demont Graphic Design, Marketing (434.792.0612) demontdesign evince\i-’vin(t)s\ 1: to constitute outward evidence of 2: to display clearly: reveal syn see SHOW

race that her babies will make down the Dan River. (photo by Michelle Dalton Photography) Deadline for submission of October stories, articles, and ads is Wednesday, September 23, at 5:00 p.m.

Submit stories, articles, and calendar items to joycewilburn@gmail.com.

Editorial Policies

Evince is a free monthly magazine with news about entertainment and lifestyle in Danville and the surrounding area. 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 For subscriptions to Evince, email info@evincemagazine.com.

Cost is $24 a year.

joycewilburn@gmail.com 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. Clothing: Lizzy Lou Boutique, 310 Main Street, Danville, lizzylouboutique.com

© 2020 All rights reserved. Reproduction or use in whole or in part in any medium without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

Page  4 September 2020

Evince Magazine Page 5

“I

t’s all about the ducks,” laughs Glenn McClanahan while sitting in his office on Franklin Turnpike. The comment doesn’t have anything to do with his eight-year stint in the Navy or his fifteen-year career as President/CEO of Network Innovations where he works with telephone and security systems and computer server sales and installation. The ducks that are occupying the Riverview Rotary President’s mind are the ones that will be the main attraction in the Fifth Annual Ducks on the Dan fundraiser.

The Danville native continues his story: “We lost the three most recent fundraisers because of COVID. That means three community projects could suffer. For example, two years ago our Rotary Club made a commitment to Danville Parks & Rec that we would support the Riverfront Park with a $50,000 contribution.” That averages out to $17,000 over a three-year period. “That park will be a huge catalyst for the community so we were onboard with it,” he says. Proceeds from the duck race will help fulfill that pledge and support two other projects: dictionaries for third-grade students and $1,500 scholarships for two students—one at Dan River High School and one at Tunstall High School.

After the 3,000 yellow duckies branded with the Riverview Rotary logo race/float helterskelter on the Dan River from

Riverview Rotary Treasurer, Peter Howard, guards the inflated duck while Glenn and Laura McClanahan pick up the wandering rubber waterfowl. Photo by Michelle Dalton Photography.

Racing with the Ducks

Glenn McClanahan

by Joyce Wilburn

Danville’s MLK Jr. Memorial Bridge to the finish line at the pedestrian bridge near the Community Market, three will be captured by Sheriff Mike Mondul and be declared winners. On the slow race down the waterway, the ducks are

Rotarians and volunteers get their ducks in a row for the race: Carroll Walker (back left), Dan Latham, Martha Walker, and youngsters Alex Bond (white shirt) and Carson Williams (blue shirt). 3,000 ducks were lined up numerically at the 2 Witches pavilion to make sure all were present and ready to float.

tracked by Rotarian volunteers in kayaks. The Danville Life Saving Crew Swift Water Response Team will retrieve the rubber waterfowl and keep Rotarians from floating downstream. That reminds Glenn of another beneficiary of this event, “We are making a donation to the Life Saving Crew to pay the maintenance fee on their defibrillator.”

When the race is over, all ducks are removed from the River, dried, inventoried, re-plugged, and stored ready to race again and earn money for more Rotary projects. Glenn elaborates on this year’s race, “Any funds leftover will go toward our Polio Plus contribution and a new service project that’s a collaboration of the three local Rotary Clubs.” He then describes a planned Rotary Park behind the Rotary baseball fields at Dan Daniel Park: “We call it the two-fountain stop on the Riverwalk. We are going to convert it to a bike repair station, add benches, repair and paint the wall,

gussy up the water fountains and hopefully add some shade sails.”

Considering the many Rotary projects that will benefit the community, Glenn extends an invitation for all to become participants in the Ducks on the Dan Race by purchasing one or more duck tickets and then joining the fun watching the race.

If your numbered duck isn’t first to cross the finish line, you will still be a winner. In fact, because of the money raised and the projects supported, the entire community is the winner.

• Duck tickets can be purchased at 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Company, 209 Trade Street; Karen’s Hallmark in Danville Mall; Rippes, 559 Main Street, and Vintages by the Dan, 310 Main Street. The tax deductible purchase price is $5 per ticket or $20 for a book of five tickets.

• A launch party with music, contests, (including a name the duck contest) and more will be held on Friday, September 18, 8:00-11:00 p.m. at 2 Witches.

Cost is $10 at the door.

• The race will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 19, at the MLK Jr. Memorial Bridge in Danville.

Page  6 September 2020

Spotting Exceptional Customer Service

by Liz & Hy Sater

We knew our old stove was on its last legs. Then, right in the middle of baking homemade bread, the thing just quit. If you have made yeast bread, you know the labor- intensive process of preparing dough and letting it rise then baking it off to puffy perfection. I was so irritated that my efforts were thwarted by that darn stove! I was not in the mood to shop for a major appliance. My husband, who does a great deal of the cooking, took over.

He went over to Danville Appliance Sales and Service at 508 Memorial Drive and spoke to Wade Elliott. Before the old stove had even cooled completely, the delivery truck arrived with a brand new model!

We have purchased several home appliances from Danville Appliance and have always been well satisfied with the selection and quality. They not only deliver and set up the appliance but will also promptly respond if a service call is needed. Wade has recently retired, but the entire staff, from sales, to service and delivery is knowledgeable and courteous.

We are so grateful to have this locally owned business in Danville and feel that they really appreciate our business too. Please consider our nomination of Wade Elliott at Danville Appliance Sales & Service for the Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Award.

Evince and the Danville Pittsylvania Co. Chamber of Commerce want to encourage and recognize exceptional 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.

Evince Magazine Page 7 “Hey, Daddy,” I’d say, and my heart would smile. That cardinal always stopped by for every visit.

It felt good to think he was nearby.

So for us, it’s cardinals. For others, it’s ladybugs or butterflies. The strange part is that we never saw a female.

Second Thoughts

by Kim Clifton ©2020

A Cardinal Rule “Kim.” “I’m here, Mama.”

“Kim.” “I’m right here, Mama,” I said, taking her hand.

“Kim. I need you.”

“I’m here, Mama. Look this way,” I whispered, pressing my face to hers.

I still cannot shake that memory even though almost twelve months have passed. People have asked me why I am not writing. I can’t. I hope to but not until I write this piece first. I need closure and thank you for giving me time to find it.

Grief, as my cousin Bryant patiently explained to me, is like the children’s story, Going on a Bear Hunt. You can’t go around it. You can’t go over it. You have to go through it. Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to do that. I’m lucky, though. I had my mom for sixty years. Others I know have not only lost parents but also siblings and even children. I cannot begin to understand their pain.

My sister, Diane, and I were fortunate in many ways. While

we never wanted for anything, we were not born as children of means.

Nevertheless, we were richly blessed to have been raised by two people who loved us, who loved each other, and who loved their Lord. Nearly twenty years have passed since we lost our dad, and his loss still hurts. He was our anchor, our hero, and our buddy. We were somewhat prepared to lose him.

We were, however, stunned to lose our mother. We have so many wonderful memories to sustain us, but what has gotten us through will sound like the talk of a crazy lady.

It’s cardinals. It’s said that when a cardinal appears, it’s a visitor from heaven. When Diane and I heard about this, we immediately embraced it.

Our homes are filled with lots of cardinal gifts from friends.

We have ornaments, coffee mugs, paintings, and other whatnots. They bring us comfort.

Moreover, they bring us joy.

Whenever I visited my mother at Brookdale Danville Piedmont, a bright red bird would show up on the feeder outside her window.

That is, until Mama died. I know it sounds contrived, but the female never appeared until Mama was gone. I remember going back to work after the funeral. I was tired.

I was sad. I was overwhelmed. I opened my kitchen blinds and on the windowsill sat a female cardinal looking right back at me.

It brought me peace. She didn’t move until I said, “Hey, Mama.

I’ll be okay. It’s just going to take time.” And she flew away.

This year has been a tough one what with its pandemic and panic.

In the middle of it all, we lost Mama’s only sister and I came close to losing my own. It’s been trying. However, every time I was particularly distressed, both the male and female cardinal showed up together on my ledge as if my mama and daddy were still coming by to check on their baby girl.

Before you send me away for psychotherapy, please know that I realize these are only birds and not people. They are not really my parents. I am, however, a woman of faith and a believer. So, you will have a hard time convincing me that the Lord doesn’t send these winged comforters when I need to see them the most.

The child in me wishes she could go back to the days in this picture when I only had to crawl into Mama’s lap to be assured everything would be all right. Those days are over.

It’s my turn, now, to be the grown up.

“Mama. I need you,” I often call out in my sleep, but she’s not there. Thanks be to God for sending those red birds as if to say, “Look this way, Kim. I’m here.”

In loving memory of Ella Frances Hardie Ryan April 30, 1930 – September 25, 2019 Kimberly Ryan Clifton and Diane Ryan Shelton

Page 8 September 2020 what I would want... and thought to relent. Then I couldn’t.

And Old Man would not leave him.

So I let it go, especially after I heard Lil Bit’s cough rattling into an old faded handkerchief at his lips. On the second Tuesday they stayed, I worked late on a paper for my doctorate about distributive leadership, how leaders build autonomy in teachers, but I couldn’t feel any impetus to finish it. I fell asleep and never went home that night. By morning, the rain had not stopped and the cough still kept on like a leper finally with a home and too afraid to move. By now, others coming in for their breakfast could hear, maybe even see the cot off the corner behind a door. This could be a problem. We’re not supposed to take them in. I guess I would have to do a lot of explaining, maybe get in a little trouble. Old Man said some trouble in life is just.

Invocations

He needed better than me--not because I don’t believe in my gods, Kwon, but because I do.

fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg

But before she came, I knew and I knew Old Man knew that we aren’t supposed to take them in, the homeless, not here at Roland Street Grace Worship Center. It isn’t that kind of shelter. I mean we aren’t equipped for it. We’re a soup kitchen more than a shelter; we’re a place to pray more than to stay. I remember trying to tell that to Old Man and Lil Bit as Lil Bit shivered at the back stoop that Tuesday, then in the back room/ former storage room that used to be my office.

He’d been kicked out again by his younger sister from his temporary home in her basement. Drunk again, high again, or close enough to it. Outside it had been raining, and although early September, it was a weird cold spell. Time was not obeying the times. I wiped my hand down my not-yet-thirty-yearold face looking into the watery eyes of this eighty-something homeless vet. Lil Bit had met my eyes with solemnity, and I caved.

I put the emergency cot together beside the piano he loved to play.

(letter from Old Man to Kwon) Dear Kwon, Lil Bit asked me to pray. He knew he was dying, but I said no.

“He cannot stay here?” Old Man said, his sharp blue eyes struck me from his lined cheeks. “Not really…” I rubbed a hand over my own stubbled cheek. “We’re not that kind of shelter.” “Kwon, well, what kind of shelter are you?” Old Man asked, as he brought hot tea to Lil Bit who still coughed and wrapped his dark hands around the Dixie paper cup and Old Man’s pale fingers. I went to the storage closet for a blanket and put it on the cot that we weren’t supposed to keep. It rained that night as Lil Bit slept just before I locked up and went home. That was Tuesday. Three Tuesdays later, Lil Bit stayed on the cot, long enough for his elderly yet younger-thanhim sister, Eleanor, to forgive him and come to the shelter for him; her hard-faced saying that he’s kin, with angry resolve in her voice like stones.

But Lil Bit kept pleading, dying, begging, dying some more. And I thought of myself in his place,

I tried to tell Lil Bit about invocations, Kwon, how bad men can call both spells or prayers, but all he got was that he couldn’t understand how I could ‘bring up bad.’ How to tell him that divinity can’t be fooled, won’t be bargained like old jeans and collards at a flea market?

I remember one of those days with Lil Bit just after the lunch rush of the second week, I told Old Man’s sharp blue eyes again that this keeping Lil Bit here wasn’t going to work, but Old Man just peeled his usual potatoes. Old Man/Dr. Corinth, he looked at me, putting on a threadbare apron over his baggy khakis and dress shirt.

“Where will you keep him then, Kwon?” Dr. Corinth looked up at me from his stool with the bowl of potato scraps in it between his knees. I closed the door to my storage room/office with a snap.

But Lil Bit stayed.

So, I could only give him to you, Kwon, here a little shelter, there someone who won’t hold his past in a mirror like a burning fire.

One night I saw Lil Bit sleeping on his cot and for once his chest was peaceful, not rattling snot and pain. Then, I remembered this place used to be a mediumsized, grocery store and the man, Alistair Roland, Mister Roland, who used to own it, was a racist.

He’d belonged to quiet and angry

institutions and organizations that were not inclusive or kind.

He would not hire, serve, or treat black folks right...until Lil Bit. He hired Lil Bit when he came back from Vietnam. Well, Alistair Roland died in 2008, and his son, Reed Roland, sold the grocery store to us for a song just to get rid of it. They say Reed’s hands shook as he drew signs in the dust on an old meat freezer. Reed said he wanted to move to California, anywhere from the senior Mr. Roland, and anyway the damn roof leaked. Last thing they say he asked was after Lil Bit, how he fared, said he remembered him as a boy as they stocked the shelves together. I remembered all this as I put another blanket on Lil Bit. But it didn’t do him any good.

When Lil Bit saw I wouldn’t pray, Kwon, he asked me to stay with him. And I did.

One month later, Lil Bit had double pneumonia. Died. It rained on a Sunday afternoon when we held the funeral here; the repast was cut pound cake and grape juice in Dixie cups. Five members from the Holiness church up the street sang, “Soon and Very Soon,” and “My Soul Is Anchored in the Lord.” But Eleanor who was helped back to her car by an outof-town niece kept reminding us Lil Bit was Baptist.

And that’s what I want of you, Kwon.

Today, Dr. Corinth/Old Man told me about his sickness. He won’t say what or where, just that it won’t be long.

Don’t think to fix me--pull some good I don’t have because we both know I’m not good don’t we, Kwon? We both know this truth, Kwon, that I’ve outrun, outlived so much of the love given me. Listen to me, there are rules to this life thing, Kwon, beyond right and wrong, beyond all the runaway sadness I’ve caused. And I would atone if I could. But, you can’t, Kwon. The ferryman only carries you one way. I can accept my fates are bitter, Kwon, that I was always just bone and breath moving to some broken-shelled shore. You tell yourself you can escape the gods if you don’t cry out to them, but I suspect this is not true; all my invocations are just howls underwater.

Evince Magazine Page 9

I

emailed Dana Stemmler, the Winemaker for Bogle Vineyards and asked what the inspiration had been that led to her aspiration of being a winemaker. Here is her interesting story.

My trip to Italy was a post high school graduation gift from my aunt. She was quite the traveler working for a European linens company and she wanted to give me the opportunity to travel abroad with her. While in Italy, we covered a lot of ground.

We visited Rome, Florence, Venice, and Turin. Coincidentally, the year 2000 was “The Year of the Jubilee,” a major event in the Roman Catholic Church. I suppose a little Catholic guilt came over my aunt as she felt it was necessary to seek out every cathedral along the way, light a candle and pray. As one can imagine, at the age of eighteen and this trip being my first overseas, I was looking for a little more adventure than what the typical cathedral tour could offer.

My fondest memories of this trip were the dining experiences I shared with my aunt. She gladly let me partake with her as she gave me my

The Wine Spot The Inspiration for an Aspiration

by Dave Slayton

a member of the Master Court of Sommeliers

first lessons on how to taste wine.

For an eighteen-year-old, sipping on a glass of wine with a meal was culturally accepted in Italy and utterly delightful for me. We were on the go and I remember it being relatively warm that summer so resting our feet while enjoying a meal with wine was a major highlight.

I remember enjoying Chianti in Florence along with Barbera and Dolcetto in Turin. In fact, once we made our way to Chieri, just outside of Turin, my aunt agreed that we would visit no more churches and instead go to my first winery for a tasting instead. Win-win for me! I can’t say that any particular varietal was an inspiration for my career path but rather the concept that each wine was different. That excited

me. Creative arts and science were my strengths in high school and ultimately, my chosen career path was decided once I realized that wine was an art form, a creative product based on science. Fortunately, I grew up in close proximity to UC Davis.

Its respected viticulture and enology program was brought to my attention at the time I was looking for direction.

My wine experience in Italy was the introduction to wine that ultimately set the course for my journey.

Like the classic pairing of cabernet sauvignon with a steak or unsweetened dark chocolate, aspiration pairs well with courage, determination, and effort. Dana earned a B.S. degree in Viticulture & Enology in 2005. In 2006, she accepted a position as laboratory

Dana Stemmler technician at Bogle Vineyards in California. A year later, she was promoted to enologist, and in 2010 was named assistant winemaker.

After three years, Dana rose to become the associate winemaker at Bogle and was named winemaker in 2015. I propose a toast to Dana and to your aspirations. May the journey they inspire bring you joy and fulfillment.

Cheers!

Page 10 September 2020

September Calendar Abbreviation Key • AU=Averett University, 434.791.5600 www.averett.edu • DMFAH=Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History, 975 Main St. 434.793.5644 www.danvillemuseum.org • DSC=Danville Science Center, 677 Craghead St. 434.791.5160 www.dsc.smv.org • LHM=Langhorne House Museum, 117 Broad St. Danville 434.793.6472 • PA=Piedmont Arts, 215 Starling Ave, Martinsville 276.632.3221 www.PiedmontArts.org • The Prizery=700 Bruce St., South Boston, 434.572.8339, www.prizery.com Brosville Library: 11948 Martinsville Highway www.pcplib.org 434.685.1285 Danville Public Library: 511 Patton St. readdanvilleva.org 434.799.5195 DPL Westover Branch: 94 Clifton St. www.readdanvilleva.org 434.799.5152 Gretna Library: 207 A Coffey Street, www.pcplib.org 434.656.2579 Gunn Memorial, Caswell County Public Library: 118 Main St, Yanceyville, NC www.caswellcounty.gov/library 336.694.6241 Halifax County Public Library: 177 South Main St. halifaxcountylibrary.org 434.476.3357 History Research Center and Library: 340 Whitehead St,, Chatham www.pcplib.org 434.432.8931 Mt. Hermon Library: 4058 Franklin Turnpike www.pcplib.org 434.835.0326 Pittsylvania County Public Main Library: 24 Military Drive, Chatham www.pcplib.org 434.432.3271 South Boston Public Library: 509 Broad St. 434.5575.4228 www.halifaxcountylibrary.org

Ongoing The Danville Farmers’ Market, 629 Craghead Street, is open on

Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. until noon.

The first hour is reserved for seniors and immuno-compromised shoppers.

434.797.8961.

The Caswell Farmers Market in Yanceyville, North Carolina, at 2246 Hwy 86 next to Goodwill, is open on Thursdays, 4:00-6:30pm with safety protocols in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Danville Master Gardeners will answer inquiries about gardening, lawns and landscaping on Mondays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call 434.799.6558 or send an email to danvillemastergardeners@gmail.com.

Guided Walking Tours: Millionaires Row, Holbrook Street and Tobacco Warehouse District.

Danville Historical Society. www.danvillehistory.org 434.770.1974 DMFAH: self-guided audio tours Camilla Williams Exhibit: Williams was born in Danville and became the first African American to sing with a major American opera company in NYC. Exhibit features her opera costumes including Madame Butterfly. DMFAH Danville Civil Rights Exhibition: The Movement on permanent display. DMFAH VCU Massey Cancer is looking for male colorectal cancer survivors from Danville, Pittsylvania County and the surrounding area. Eligible men will attend focus group sessions which will be held within the community.

Focus group sessions will be audio recorded. Men will have the option to either use their own names or receive a pseudonym for the session. During the session, men will answer questions pertaining to their perception of the term survivorship and their barriers and aids to living as cancer survivors. Men will be compensated for participating in the focus group. Please leave a message at 804.827.0000 and a member of the Cancer Research and Resource in Danville will return your call.

Through November 29 Hearth and Home Tobacco Exhibition: DMFAH

The deadline for submitting information for the October calendar is Wednesday, September 23, at 5:00 p.m. Please send just the basic information following the format on these pages to joycewilburn@gmail.com.

September 2020

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

September 5 (thru 26)

September 12 & 13

Free Community Yoga: led by Firefly on Saturdays 9am DMFAH lawn; limited to 15 Register early.

September 14 & 28

September 5 (thru 30) Derby Day Fundraiser: a virtual event featuring hat contest and more.

DMFAH

September 6 Ghosts & Gravestones Audition: DMFAH 2:30-5pm

September 11 Virtual Writers Workshop: led by author Ron Rash 2-3:00pm DMFAH co-sponsored with the Friend of the Danville Public Library.

Preference is given to students and budding writers. fotldanvilleva@ gmail.com Author Ron Rash Presentation: He will discuss his book, Saints at the River on Zoom. 5:30-8:30pm free Register at Eventbrite.com.

September 12 Bluegrass by the River: live, professional bluegrass music: Lonesome River Band with special guest former guitarist for Merle Haggard, Redd Volkaert; Jeanette & Johnny Williams, Jay Shelton.

Proceeds benefit the local chapter of Project Lifesaver, a non-profit that provides wristbands to quickly locate individuals with cognitive disorders who have wandered.

2 Witches Winery & Brewery, 209 Trade St. $15 advance only www.bluegrassbytheriver.com

Free Admission: DMFAH Trivia Night: See page 11.

September 17 Collagraph Print Workshop: DMFAH 6:30-9pm DMFAH $20 Register.

September 19 Cars & Coffee: Old Dominion Classic Sports Car Club 8-10:30am Crema & Vine, 1009 Main St. Danville Bring your classic car to show and/or see others. 434.548.9862 Ducks on the Dan Race: fundraiser for Riverview Rotary projects See page 5.

September 26 (Thru Oct. 31) Art on the Lawn: virtual art show and sale DMFAH

We’re

on Danville!

Donna Gibson Owner

HOLLEY & GIBSON REALTY COMPANY

339 Piney Forest Rd., Danville, VA 24540

Office: (434) 791-2400 Fax: (434) 791-2122 Visit our website at

www.holleyandgibsonrealty.com

Evince Magazine Page 11

(In honor of Quiz Master Julie Brown’s 50th birthday, all these questions relate to 1970, the year she was born.)

1. Who was president in 1970?

2. Who replaced Diana Ross in The Supremes when she left the group in 1970?

3. In what month of 1970 did The Beatles announce their breakup?

4. On May 4, members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire on students protesting the Vietnam War at what university, killing four?

5. On September 19, what did we learn Mary Richards had that Lou Grant hated?

6. On December 15, Venera 7 became the first space probe to land on what planet?

7. What government agency opened its doors in December 1970? It is currently headed by Administrator Andrew Wheeler and, although it is not a cabinet position, the administrator is routinely given cabinet rank.

8. Construction began on what is now known as the Willis

Tom Cruise Movies, In Other Words

All answers are movies featuring Tom Cruise.

1. Several competent males 2. Independence day parturition 3. Ocular oxymoron 4. The final adherent of the bushido codes 5. The best pneumatically discharger of solid projectiles 6. One who ferries souls to Valhalla 7. A pledge of property to a lender to secure payment on a loan 8. Auditory result of rapidly increasing pressure and temperature in the atmosphere around the equator 9. A large genus of about 210 flowering plants that originally appeared before bees existed 10. Cosmic conflict

Answers to Nifty Fifty 1. Richard Nixon; 2. Jean Terrell; 3. April; 4. Kent State; 5. spunk; 6. Venus; 7. Environmental Protection Agency; 8. Sears Tower; 9. Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, Jack Swigert; 10. Thundering Herd

Nifty Fifty

Tower in 1970. Completed in 1973, it was the tallest building in the world until 1998. What was the building’s original name?

9. Following a disastrous midflight explosion, the Apollo 13 spacecraft was crippled and its return to Earth uncertain. Who were the three astronauts aboard Apollo 13? (one point for each) 10. On November 14, 1970, Southern Airways Flight 932 crashed near Ceredo, West Virginia, killing the entire Marshall University football team. What nickname is given to the Marshall football team, likely a reference to its mascot, Marco the Bison?

Answers to Tom Cruise Movies 1. A Few Good Men; 2. Born on the Fourth of July; 3. Eyes Wide Shut; 4. The Last Samurai; 5. Top Gun; 6. Valkyrie; 7.

Collateral; 8.Tropic Thunder; 9. Magnolia; 10. War of the Worlds

T

est your trivia knowledge.

Below are twenty questions in two categories that quiz masters Julie Brown and Scott Jones asked in the August Trivia Night competition at 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Company, 209 Trade Street, Danville.

Teams of three or four people wrote answers to the oral questions. At the end of four rounds, the number of correct answers from each team was tallied and a winner announced.

The honor system was used.

The prize was bragging rights for a lifetime. No registration is necessary for the September 14 and 28 competitions starting at 7:00 p.m. There is no charge. Just show up or Zoom in on Facebook. The only requirement is that everyone have fun.

Things to Do in the Belly of the Whale COVID-19 has given some of us more unstructured time to find either new ways of satisfying our intellectual curiosity or to be bored. Don’t admit to being bored, however, but remember the saying attributed to Ruth Burke, only boring people are ever bored.

Even if you find yourself in the

belly of a whale there’s plenty to do. Thanks to Elsabe Dixon, Executive Director of the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History (DMFAH), for reminding us of this poem.

For more mental stimulation, she also extends an invitation to explore the DMFAH at 975 Main Street or virtually at www.danvillemuseum.org.

Things to do in the Belly of the Whale

by Dan Albergotti Measure the walls. Count the ribs. Notch the long days. Look up for blue sky through the spout. Make small fires with the broken hulls of fishing boats. Practice smoke signals. Call old friends, and listen for echoes of distant voices. Organize your calendar. Dream of the beach. Look each way for the dim glow of light. Work on your reports. Review each of your life’s ten million choices. Endure moments of self-loathing. Find the evidence of those before you.

Destroy it. Try to be very quiet, and listen for the sound of gears and moving water. Listen for the sound of your heart. Be thankful that you are here, swallowed with all hope, where you can rest and wait. Be nostalgic. Think of all the things you did and could have done. Remember treading water in the center of the still night sea, your toes pointing again and again down, down into the black depths.

Page 12 September 2020

Book Clubbing

Reflecting Forward Inspired to Aspire?

review by Diane Adkins

Hid From Our Eyes

by Julia Spencer-Fleming

It has been a six-year wait for fans of author Julia Spencer-Fleming.

She has finally released the newest installment in her series of Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne mysteries.

Spencer-Fleming lost her husband to cancer and her mother died eight months later, derailing the series as she grieved. But she has happily returned to writing and Hid From Our Eyes is one of the strongest in an excellent series.

At the end of the previous book, Rev. Clare Fergusson, Episcopal priest, former soldier, and wife of Russ Van Alstyne, the police chief in the town of Millers Kill, New York, was pregnant with their first child. Baby Ethan is now four months old, and Clare and Russ are learning what it is like to juggle the demands of careers and a baby. In addition to those stresses, a political movement is afoot to defund the Police Department, turning over the jurisdiction to the state police. If the initiative is successful, Russ and his entire department will be unemployed.

Amid these personal anxieties, Russ is called to a crime scene. A body is discovered--a young woman in a party dress. Not only that, but she is found in the same place, wearing the same sort of garb that a young woman was found in 1952 and again in 1972. In the 1972 case, Russ was the civilian who discovered the body. In fact, he was the prime suspect in a case that was, like the one in 1952, never solved.

Spencer-Fleming manages to interweave the three plots from 1952, 1972, and the present day, highlighting the differences in modern investigative techniques over the course of half a century as the search for the killer closes in. The reappearance of those involved in the previous investigations helps in building the suspense.

Clare’s actions are key in solving the puzzle even though she is fighting battles of her own.

Readers of the previous books in the series have watched the at-first unresolved sexual tension between Clare and Russ develop as each struggled with the calls of professional and personal commitments.

The rich character development of the earlier books is on full display here; the intricate and believable plotting of this book takes the series to a new level. Though the Fergusson/Van Alstyne books might be more satisfying if read in order, this novel stands alone and is a worthy extension of the themes of the previous ones. It was definitely worth the wait.

Diane S. Adkins is a retired library director of the Pittsylvania County Library System.

by Linda Lemery

I

aspire to live a happy life.

That means living a “good” life: helping others; doing meaningful, contributing work; continuing to learn; maintaining a strong network of friends, family, and relationships; having enough energy to do what I’d like to do; having enough time to think; channeling thoughts into decisions and then acting on them; being grateful and letting go of what I cannot change.

Helping others includes friends and family as they desire assistance but also other people who want to grow. Examples?

Not giving unsolicited feedback to our adult children and their partners (but if they ask, giving feedback only in a way couched in praising their growth); and volunteering for Project Literacy, helping folks learn to read better, leading them to live fuller, more meaningful lives. As they grow I grow too.

One of my favorite ways to learn is reading: fiction, nonfiction, memoirs, whatever I can. Books and articles become old friends whose ideas I draw from in times of need. Discussing readings with others in small groups raises up all of us, strengthens social connections in our networks of support, and contributes mental energy.

Having enough time to do what I want to do means limiting activities to those that make the biggest difference and limiting responsibilities to reduce the time needed to manage them. This is a struggle. I’ve realized that too much stuff means too much time spent on keeping said stuff in order. If I have no free time, I’m spending too much time on activities that I need to reduce. I cannot carry the world, but I can use my actions to make a difference in my tiny part of it. I didn’t realize that until right this second while I was writing this column. There you are, readers, teaching me to think through

yet another lesson in lifelong learning.

Acting thoughtfully means behaving rationally, responsibly, and kindly. Kind actions raise people up. As we are being raised up, how positive, hopeful, validating, and productive it feels!

Being thankful means recognizing small blessings in my life and how richly they contribute to happiness. Letting go means recognizing that people are independent critical thinkers growing in their own time. I try to encourage others to think through their own decisionmaking, not impose my decisions on them. An example?

Encouraging students to go to or stay in college matters because the lessons learned help them make decisions that steer them toward achieving their goals (not mine).

How we live our lives matters.

People need to understand what makes them happy. We must all make minutes count. I’d love to hear from readers about how you make your minutes matter. The world needs positive contributions to move forward. Forward motion inspires me to aspire, and that makes me very happy.

About the Author: When she’s not struggling to define her aspirations, Linda Lemery llemery@averett.edu serves as Circulation Manager for Averett University’s Mary B. Blount Library in Danville. She welcomes readers’ comments.

Evince Magazine Page 13

Salty Chocolate Rice Krispy Bars

by Annelle Williams

Normally during September children are settling into a new school year. Things are different this year! I have so much respect and empathy for the parents and teachers of our next generation.

It has never been an easy job, but this year with the pandemic and remote learning, it is especially difficult.

I try to create ways to sneak in a lesson when I’m lucky enough to have my grandkids. Today we made these Salty Chocolate Rice Krispy Bars, measuring all the ingredients, talking about counting, fractions, and following directions. We read the directions twice and lined up all the ingredients in order before we started. Reading and understanding the directions before we began is a lesson that could save a lot of time and ensure a better outcome. I’ve learned this lesson the hard way and it applies to things far beyond cooking. So whether it’s flying a kite, reading a story, or making a pan of sweet treats, there can be lessons. Our kids are flexible and resilient and we can help them continue to learn every day.

Salty Chocolate Rice Krispy Bars 10 oz. bag of mini marshmallows (~5 1/2 cups) 3 tbsp. butter plus more for pan 6 cups Rice Krispy cereal 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup coarsely chopped pretzels (I used square mini pretzels.)

1/2 tsp. sea salt 16 whole or slightly broken pretzels for topping

Coat a 10-inch square pan with melted butter. In a large, microwavesafe bowl combine marshmallows, salt, and butter. Microwave on high for about 75 seconds or until marshmallows and butter have melted. Stir the marshmallow mixture until smooth. Fold in the cereal and pretzels until mixture is uniform. Add chocolate and stir until evenly combined.

Transfer mixture to prepared pan and press down into an even layer with a lightly greased spatula. Place the whole pretzels evenly spaced on top, then press them down to make sure they stick to the bars. It’s OK if they break.

Allow bars to cool to room temperature before slicing.

Questions or comments?

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

Page 14 September 2020

Photo Finish

There is no doubt who is behind this mask. Danville Mayor Alonzo Jones is a role model for area residents.

Our wise community leaders are setting an example by donning masks with unique designs. Here are just a few that Evince found.

A recurring theme of Jacqueline Gill Powell’s presidency at Danville Community College is “DCC uKNIGHTed,” (united) an effort to build community among the past, present, and future knights of the college.

Three teachers in the George Washington High School Science Department celebrate the first weeks back to school: Jaime Emmel, Kristen Baggerly, and Brooke Klett #COVIDStrong #EagleScienceRocks

The President and CEO of the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce, Alexis Ehrhardt, is ready to work either remotely or in person.

Averett University President Tiffany Franks is making sure the AU family is protected.

Evince writer Diane Adkins (far right) and her two daughters celebrate every day with cupcake masks.

Bruna Camargo Dos Santos drives to work at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.

Glenn McClanahan proudly displays the red, white and blue.

Peter Howard’s mask shows his loyalty to UNC Tar Heels.

Dr. Mark Jones, Division Superintendent Pittsylvania County Schools is proud to wear the PCS mask reminding faculty, staff, and students to do the same.

Angela Longerbeam, Assistant Branch Manager Mt. Hermon Pittsylvania County Public Library, reminds everyone that we are “Standing Together Six Feet Apart.”

Danville City Councilman Sherman Saunders shows his pride in Danville with a HOME mask and T-shirt.

Evince Magazine Page  15

Page Page 16 16September September 2020 2020