Evince Magazine September 2010

Evince Magazine

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September 2010

September Contents

photo by Jeanette Taylor

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Editor's Note

Subtly and slowly, summer is cycling into autumn this month reminding us that change is constant and dramatic transformation is obtainable. It’s happening all around town. Want proof? Look at the cover picture of Cari McGregor standing in front of a 1913 house transformed into a 2010 book store at Averett University and read the story on page 3. We’d all like to have a makeover that looks that good when we’re 97!

Other local transformative initiatives are being financially backed by the Danville Regional Foundation and Christina Motley tells about it on page 15. There’s no doubt, our city’s identity is changing. Beginning in the 1800s, the workforce in Danville changed from unpaid slaves to sharecroppers (my dad’s family was in this group) to mill workers to... what?

Danville changed from small farms and businesses to the world’s largest textile company and tobacco market to… what’s next?

It’s up to you.

Want some inspiration?

Read Linda Lemery’s wise Reflecting Forward: Sources of Transformation: They’re All Around Us on page 8. Find your creative self and be a part of the transformation. If Mother Nature can do it four times a year, why not you?

Editor’s Note

Ve ince THE

OICE of Change

Publisher

3 AU’s Book Store Finds a Home

by Joyce Wilburn

Andrew Scott Brooks

4 She Said He Said / The Joys of Camping (Not!)

by Dena Hill & Larry Oldham 5 Claw

by Telisha Moore Leigg 6 Events Commemorate Old 97 Train Wreck

by Jeff Liverman 7 Second Thoughts / Buddy, Can You Spare a Dime?

by Kim Clifton 8 Reflecting Forward Sources of Transformation: They’re All Around Us

by Linda Lemery 9 Spotting Exceptional Customer Service

by Barbara Berger & Sandie Curry 12 September Calendar

Editor Joyce Wilburn joyce@evincemagazine.com (434.799.3160) Associate Editor Larry G. Aaron larry.aaron@gmail.com (434.792.8695) Contributing Writers

Diane Adkins, Barbara Bass, Barbara Berger, Lynne Bjarnesen, Richard Breen, Julie Brown, T Butler, Melissa Charles, Kim Clifton, Sandie Curry, Marilyn Eanes, Hope Harris-Gayles, Gary Grant, Dena Hill, Linda Lemery, Laura Meder, Larry Oldham, Telisha Moore Leigg, Linda Lemery, Jeff Liverman, Jo Silvers, Joann Verostko, Joyce Wilburn, Annelle Williams

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

15 Christina Motley and the

Danville Regional Foundation

by Joyce Wilburn

Sales Manager Larry Oldham larry@evincemagazine.com (434.728.3713)

17 DMFAH Presents New Exhibits,

Drawing Workshop, Writing Competition

by Lynne Bjarnesen

Sales Associates Kim Demont (434.836.1247) kim@evincemagazine.com Misty Cook (434.728.2905)

Where Can I Find an Evince?

Art & Production Director Vaden & Associates (Dan Vaden)

18 The National Tobacco Ball Returns

by Barbara Bass 19 Around the Table / Transform Your Garden Bounty into a One-Dish Dinner

by Annelle Williams

Graphic Designer Kim Demont

evince\i-’vin(t)s\

1: to constitute outward evidence of 2: to display clearly: reveal Editorial Policies:

22 Calendar Clips

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.

On the Cover: Cari McGregor

photography by Michelle Dalton.

See the September issue of Showcase Magazine featuring: Helping the Needy - Members of the local Fraternal Order of Eagles chapter give back their time and make a big difference in peoples’ lives

EVINCE Magazine

300 Ringgold Industrial Pkwy Danville, VA 24540 www.evincemagazine.com © 2010 All rights reserved.

Meet Some of Our Writers

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

For Subscriptions, call 1.877.638.8685 ext. 6.

We now accept Visa, MC, and Discover for ad payments Julie Brown is the Past President of the Riverview Rotary Club and currently serves as the Director of Education and Outreach at IALR.

Hope Harris-Gayles is the Communications Manager at the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center. She enjoys reading, and writing fiction.

Barbara Bass is the President of the Halifax County Historical Society. She is the author of The History of Tobacco in Halifax County and The National Tobacco Festival 1935-1941.

Linda Lemery works at Mary B. Blount Library at Averett University in Danville. llemery@ gamewood.net

Deadline for submission of October stories, articles, ads, and calendar items is 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 20.

Submit stories and articles to: joyce@evincemagazine.com.

Submit calendar items to: kim@evincemagazine.com.

For ad information contact a sales associate or sales manager above.

Evince Magazine

Page 3

AU’s Book Store Finds a Home

by Joyce Wilburn

One of the many things that appealed to Cari McGregor about her new job as the Averett University Book Store Manager was its location. “I like the store’s eclectic look and that it is in a restored home,” says the New Mexico native while walking through the twostory 1913 house with the red clay pantile roof on the corner of Main Street and Woodland Drive.

Before coming to Danville, the New Mexico State fine arts major honed her skills as a store manager in Texas at a teacher supply school.

Simultaneously, her sister was attending the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and her parents moved to the Tar Heel state. At the family’s constant urging to live closer to them, McGregor travelled cross-country and accepted a position at the UNC-Greensboro’s off-campus Follett book store. That was followed by a move to Southern Virginia University near Lexington where she worked for two years before relocating to Danville last April as an employee of Follett Higher Education Group, the nation's largest operator of college bookstores in Canada and the United States.

McGregor and two fulltime staff members at the Schoolfield House Booksellers at AU have comfortably mixed the charm of an historic house’s hardwood floors, glistening chandeliers, crown molding and other architectural details with text books, school merchandise and convenience-store items on the first floor. In a small back room past the coffee pots and cushioned chairs, local customers can find a windowed room that will probably be the most appealing. “We have a small budget for best-sellers and employee picks. This section will be able to grow based on people’s responses and suggestions,” she says explaining that each of Follett’s 800 stores is different and fills a unique niche based on the community’s preferences. With that in mind, the store will accept pre-paid special orders.

Above the bustling blue-andgold first floor is a quiet haven

Store manager, Cari McGregor examines a new book with staff members, Sarah Hall and Dana Nelson. Photo by Michelle Dalton.

of freshly painted rooms with original fireplaces that has been carefully restored for special events, conferences, and book club meetings.

McGregor enjoys bringing new life to the former Charles Easley family residence. “Transition isn’t always easy. The campus community hasn’t worked with Follett before and we are excited to be here. It takes time to acclimate to each other,” she says and then quickly adds, “Everyone at Averett has been very welcoming, kind and helpful and the transition has gone smoothly.”

It is obvious that McGregor has no regrets about leaving her basement office in AU’s Main Hall and relocating in a newly remodeled historic house where her office has found a home.

The AU Book Store, 354 West Main Street, is open to the public Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday from noon until 3:00 p.m.

For more information visit www.averett.bkstr.com or call 434.791.5640.

Additional historical notes courtesy of Gary Grant Averett University (Book Store) 354 West Main Street Historical Designation: John H. Schoolfield, Jr., House Completed in 1913 for John H. Schoolfield, Jr.—a scion of the Danville textile dynasty that became Dan River, Inc.—this serene stuccoed house was one of several impressive dwellings constructed in the area, following the city’s 1908 West End annexation.

Built in the shadow of Averett’s newlycompleted Main Hall, the Schoolfield’s new house may have been the product, like Averett, of architectural designers based in Lynchburg. Architects McLaughlin, Pettit & Johnson, of that city, designed Averett’s first edifice, completed in 1911. That same year one of those partners, Charles G. Pettit, completed for Mr. Schoolfield’s uncle, Addison Schoolfield, a lavish, stuccoed, Mission-influenced new mansion still standing at 1124 Main Street. The architectural kinship of the two stuccoed houses (1124 Main Street and 354 West Main) both with red clay pantile roofs is striking.

In 1931 the Schoolfields moved to Forest Hills, the new upscale garden-suburb behind Averett. Their new Hawthorne Drive dwelling, also architect-designed, was Georgianinspired with details borrowed from American Colonial architecture. The couple’s former West Main residence was purchased late in 1931 by Mary Nunn. In the mid 1930s, Mrs. Nunn and her husband John sold the house to Rollin and Gertrude Read who, in turn, sold the property in 1938 to a veteran local theater manager, Mr. Leonard W. Lea, and his wife.

In 1951, Dr. and Mrs. Charles Easley purchased the house, where the wellknown Danville surgeon and his wife reared their children and continued to reside for over 50 years. In 2005, the Easley children conveyed the house to the Averett University Foundation.

We’re

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Janet Laura • Holley Lewis Owner/Broker Owner/Broker

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September 2010

She Said by Dena Hill

he Said by Larry Oldham

The Joys of Camping (Not!)

We have not been camping since we started dating for all the reasons that you have just mentioned. You didn't list one item in anything you wrote that I could enjoy except the part about eating. I have no desire to make a fire, cook out under the stars, be outside with the mosquitoes and chiggers, or visit with other people who are too cheap to rent a hotel room.

I would rather mooch from my rich friends who own condos in all the places I enjoy visiting. The idea of having to eat bread off of a stick just about makes me nauseous thinking about it.

My idea of moving up from an un-air conditioned camper to a camper with air conditioning is sort of repulsive also. Sleeping under the stars and listening to crickets singing is not my idea of living the good life. When I have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, you are suggesting that I do my business in front of all those crickets, or go hunting and pecking for an outside Johnny House that you and your friends call a bathhouse. That toilet is more than likely shared by many others who can't sleep with all of the crickets howling. No, I don't think so. I will just continue to woo you with eating out, going to plays, flying you to New York, renting an expensive hotel-- or in my case mooching off the generosity of my friends. When your urge to go camping becomes too strong, you can call your friends at the bank and hitch a ride with them.

Don't forget the bug spray and mosquito net. I'll be in the condo if you need me.

Well, summer is about over and we haven't been camping yet. In fact, we haven't been camping since we started dating. Why is that? I love waking up to birds chirping and waves splashing along the seashore.

I used to fix dinner over a campfire and it always tasted great because it took so much effort to get everything ready. Sometimes I would wrap a roast, potatoes and carrots in heavyduty foil, dig a hole, and start a fire with coals.

Then, I would put the package on coals, cover it up and go to the beach. When I returned, dinner was ready. For dessert, I would wrap biscuit dough around a stick (shaved clean, of course) and hold it over the fire until it was brown, pull the stick out and fill it with jelly. To make the experience even better, other campers would often come and visit around the campfire until bedtime.

Of course, I had to camp next to the bathhouse so I could have a hot shower and electricity for my blow dryer and curling iron. The campsite with the most amenities is at Fort Wilderness in Disney World. There are so many activities there, some days we wouldn't even go to the Magic Kingdom or Epcot.

I didn’t mind camping in a tent until my daughter was born and then there seemed to be a lot of sand in the sleeping bags. So we graduated to a camper and slept in beds. Then we decided it was too hot, so we traded that camper for one with air conditioning.

Sleeping under the stars, breathing fresh air, and listening to crickets singing us to sleep was exhilarating. You just don't know what you're missing.

We have a friend at the bank who would love to introduce you to camping. Why don't I call her and arrange a trip for all of us?

She said He said

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

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Evince Magazine

T

immy Knox, already sitting in his truck, put his right hand on the gearshift and moved from park while keeping his foot on the brake, because it was time to go, past time.

“You coming back, ain’t you?” Darla Wilston haggled out of her throat, wearing a half-hurt smile and standing on her ragged front porch.

She was shading her eyes from the afternoon sun, from close-packed neighbors too nosy to pretend not to see and hear, and her children twining around her knees like vines. They both knew he wasn’t coming back, or if he did, it wouldn’t be for anything good.

Timmy just stared back at her until she lowered her eyes, until she and the children went inside the fading pale blue aluminumsided home. He had seen the porch. He knew it was something he could fix, the porch he meant. He could do that for Darla before he left, fix one more thing, so he made his truck head to McGhee’s over on Craigen Street behind the old steakhouse with the iron cowboy out front.

It would surprise some to know that Timmy Knox, ex-father, ex-husband, exlover, thought deeply about the state of life, about the meaning and valor of love, even though he knew it meant nothing in the larger sense. Because, because, life turned out to be what he always suspected playing ball in the dirt backyard of his aunt who really deep down didn’t want to keep him when his real mother went off again on drugs; this world was a blue born life, like some jazz song skidding on broken notes. Timmy pulled into the hardware store and went down the first aisle. Timmy weighed a hammer in his hand; he needed to fix something.

Inside his mind, he knew at 44 he had thrown it all away with his affair with Darla; he had thrown away his old life which had been like the front of cereal boxes, like what was in Clarisse’s (his now ex-wife’s) old Better Homes magazines. He still kept those magazines in his garage, five or six years old, yellowed and brittle.

Hope was truth down the drain. That’s what he really

fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg thought. But he couldn’t say that, and people couldn’t see that. They only saw Timmy Knox, tall, brown as mahogany stain, and rawboned, fingers long with big knuckles. He supposed he looked strong, was strong.

People only saw indecision between buying the claw or club hammer; saw him seeming to think what job he needed each for, what needed to be pulled down, how the weight of the tool would work his hands. It’s a poor man who blames his tools. Inside himself Timmy remembered the saying, but thought that sounded too deep for him. But there it was, dime-store philosophy in the hammer aisle, as he stood alone, surrounded by fluorescent lights, hearing country music through strained speakers.

Amid nails, screws, and three packs of Allen wrenches, Timmy remembered, seeing Clarisse that last time in the Food World grocery store; he set his teeth to say something moving like rain, something that would pull her into the shelter of him again, but he couldn’t. He just looked at her until she moved on. Her face, the shadow of her pride and the broke-down of her beauty; he knew he had done that, and that his love should abate but it couldn’t, any more than God loves less the sinner. Timmy took his claw hammer and went to the back to see about lumber to replace the weak boards.

He hadn’t meant to stay around Darla, but he had

been adrift, reeling. Clarisse wouldn’t relent or forgive because he couldn’t even tell Clarisse it has been only once, or himself that it wouldn’t be again. There was some bad need in him.

Timmy bought the boards, hammer, and nails and got back into his truck.

Nowadays, he always thought about how there was only the good memories that made a shelter. And you could live there, even if alone.

And Timmy was alone in his own heart, his heart like a fish swimming upstream that knows a stronger will unbidden, that stinking heart that knew life goes where it will against you, mostly against you.

Darla worked at night at a restaurant called Mega that served bad food in good quantity. From the few times he stayed over at her place, he knew she would come home and stagger in, put her tips in her shoes and leave them just inside the living room. She’d be dead sleep when the dawn came. Still, he knew his last gift would wake her. He started fixing the porch at dawn.

Timmy thought about the life and times of his heart, that the end is always simple if you let it be. Her children saw him and it shamed him, reminded him of his own babies, now about grown, in an explosion of heart-bloom pain. The oldest boy Tyrion had the same face his oldest girl now wore when she saw him, a full-faced disgust that he couldn’t still pull the sun into orbit. The teenage boy closing back the squeaking screen door took his siblings, made them watch cartoons and not ask questions.

And that was the dawn, just enough light, Timmy, on his knees, hammering something stable down, not caring about the neighbors, about Darla looking on from the living room window right in front of the front porch wiping tears and drinking Folger’s coffee from a chipped Snoopy cup, about how most people would be surprised to know that the back of a board is the same as the front until you place it, that when you put the nail in wrong all you can do is claw it out.

Page 5

ASK DR. JUDITH

Judith A. Ostrowski, Au.D. Doctor of Audiology

Danville ENT Associates, Inc.

Q: Dr. Judith what is an audiologist? n Audiologist is a licensed health-care A: Aprofessional who evaluates, diagnoses,

treats and manages hearing loss, tinnitus and balance disorders in both children and adults. Audiologist are uniquely qualified to test hearing and fit hearing instruments because of the extensive education and training that is required.

Before 2007 the minimum educational requirement was a Masters Degree.

As of 2007 the minimum education requirement for new Audiologists is a Doctorate Degree. In many states a licensed Audiologist is also a licensed Hearing Instrument Specialist.

Q: What is a Hearing Instrument Specialist?

Instrument Specialist (HIS) is A: AanHearing individual who is licensed to dispense

hearing instruments. They are allowed to test hearing only for fitting hearing instruments. As stated, in many states an Audiologist is also licensed HIS. An HIS is not necessarily an Audiologist. The requirements to be a licensed HIS are having a high school diploma or GED and passing a State Board Test. They must have some basic knowledge of hearing but are not required to have the extensive knowledge required of Audiologists.

Q: What is a “Hearing Specialist?” is no such licensed profession A: There called “Hearing Specialist” in Virginia.

Essentially that term is meaningless.

If you have questions (about hearing or hearing instruments) you would like answered, please e-mail them to Dr. Judith at hearing@gamewood.net

Hearing Testing - Pediatric & Adult Hearing Aids & Aural Rehabilitation Assistive Listening Devices Custom-Made Swim Plugs Custom-Made Hearing Protection Race Car Driving Sets Payment Plan Available

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September 2010

O

n the weekend of September 25-26, Danville’s Old 97 Rail Days will commemorate an historic event that happened nearby 107 years ago.

On September 27, 1903, about a mile from the Danville Science Center the express mail train, then commonly known as Old 97, met its fate as it careened from a trestle overlooking the Dan River.

The Old 97 was the fastest train of the Southern Railway. It carried the mail under government contract 627 miles from Washington, DC to Atlanta, Georgia in less than 16 hours, averaging an astounding 40 miles per hour.

With the lucrative contract based on the speed of the mail delivery, Number 97 was given priority over other trains along its route. A brand new Engine #1102 pulled the train, designated as Number 97 by the Southern Railway, on that fateful, early autumn day. Behind the shining new engine were two postal cars, an express car, and one baggage car. The train’s short length assisted in its ability to attain high speeds quickly.

Eighteen men were aboard the ill-fated train; eleven men lost their lives.

These events will be remembered when the DSC hosts the national N-scale model

Events Commemorate

Old 97 Train Wreck

by Jeff Liverman

Larry Aaron, author. train convention featuring N-scale railroads coursing through the full territory of the Crossing at the Dan. On Saturday only, visitors can tour the fully restored Norfolk and Western caboose, meet Larry Aaron, author of the new Wreck of the Old 97 book (10 a.m.-2 p.m.), and stay for entertainment as the Norfolk Southern Lawmen, who have been performing for over 60 years as Norfolk Southern’s inhouse band, bring their act to The Carrington Pavilion at 6:30 p.m.

Attend Danville’s Old 97 Rail Days at the DSC on Craghead Street on Saturday, September 25, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ($1 admission) and Sunday, September 26, 11a.m. to 3 p.m. ($5 students & children; $6 adults admission).

For more information call 434.791.5160.

Evince Magazine

Buddy, Can You Spare a Dime?

A penny for your thoughts.

Good luck getting any takers on that offer. I don’t know many folks who fool with coins anymore, especially the brown kind. People want to get rid of those things, not get more of them. Just go into any Kwik Stop and look by the register if you don’t believe me. There’s always a little cup for orphaned pennies. The only time one is picked up is if somebody’s trying to avoid getting more back in change.

I have friends who never use money of any kind. They charge everything and pay the balance when the statement comes. Must be lots of people who do that. Last month when I saw a Coke® machine in Orlando that accepted credit cards, I had to take a picture so you could see it. No doubt, they put that payment gadget on there for convenience.

Even so, it should raise a red flag if someone needs 30 days to swing a bottle of Dasani®.

I can’t live like that. Those chickens come home to roost.

Second T houghts

Page 7

together, don’t worry. Rest assured you can at least still charge a Coke®.

It seems that phrases are the only things left for us to coin anymore.

by Kim Clifton ©2010

When they do, I’m sure I’ll have already spent the money I was supposed to use to pay the bill.

That’s why debit cards work better for me. I’m not charging, but I’m not forking over cash either. It’s like having a license to steal. After I swipe my card at Walmart® and then swipe my groceries from the bagcarousel, no one calls security.

Instead, the clerk smiles and invites me back again.

Shopping with a debit card is entirely too easy, which can be good and bad. My bank offers a service that covers my account when I overdraw. I find it ironic that the only difference between debit and debt is “I.” Credit cards shouldn’t be used for drink machines. They should be saved for major expenses like new furniture. Or for unforeseen emergencies…like

when Belk™ offers an extra 20 percent discount if I charge.

Economists have gotten us from a checkless society to a cashless one. Call me nostalgic but there are some things that I miss. Going to a dime store to buy penny candy is one. Listening to church ushers jiggle pocket change during a prayer is another.

My grandmother would never have understood today’s business world. She survived the Great Depression and was known to bury jars with rolls of twenties in her garden. I suppose that was her way of watching her money grow.

Nowadays the only time you really need a quarter is for a bubble gum machine or to scratch a lottery ticket. So if ever you’re down on your luck and can’t rub two nickels

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September 2010

Lately I’ve been thinking about elements in life -- outside the religious sense -- that have the power to transform people. I use transform here to mean changing an individual’s behavior for the better. I’ve come up with a short list of things that seem to promote transformation: Friendship (The transformative power of family relations cannot be debated, so I’ll focus here on friends.) We recently reaffirmed several friendships by giving ourselves the gift of time together.

There’s a sense of belonging, of comfort, that occurs when people with shared histories come together for a service objective or a tour or a simple visit of reconnection. This coming together transforms us into more than we are alone.

Education Pouring the ideas of scholars into our heads gives us a jumpstart on climbing the mountain of who we will become (never mind it being a life-long climb). Staying in school can also mean opening our minds to transformative ideas in whatever discipline we choose. Teachers and others can become mentors who change our lives. Education leads to Work, a third transformative element when that work has meaning, makes a difference, and is open to contribution. Work leads to

Reflecting Forward Sources of Transformation: They’re All Around Us

by Linda Lemery

the next element, Experience.

As we apply our different talents and skills in some work setting, we bring all we’ve learned to each new challenge. This benefits the workplace and us, teaching us new lessons we can apply later.

We also learn new lessons from Service. Many people perform service work through churches or civic organizations, but those are not the only avenues. For example, a retired friend of ours bought her first home several years ago and was clueless about repairs and tools. During our twice yearly visits, we would set aside a day of work for her.

She identified the projects and bought the supplies. We brought the tools and did the work. Last spring, I laid patterned wall-towall carpet tiles on underlayment in her master bathroom. From precision measuring to fitting, I’d never done that before. It took forever, but she now has a cozy, warm bathroom. I came away with new confidence, new skills, and the feeling of having improved

someone’s life. For all of those things, I am grateful.

A ribbon of connection, Love, percolates through all these elements. Beyond the transforming love one has for a spouse, there are many other forms of love. Respect for and interest in our fellow human beings undergirds friendship. For many of us, our respect and love for others (and our respect for ourselves) undergirds how we learn, how we apply our experiences, how we treat other people, how we try to improve people’s lives, how we do everything.

If you were to develop a similar transformation list, yours might be vastly expanded over mine.

However, if we take this exercise seriously, I suspect we would all experience the same sense of emerging truth about who we are and hope to become. That, in itself, is transforming.

About the Author: Linda Lemery llemery@averett.edu is Circulation Manager at Mary B. Blount Library at Averett University in Danville, VA.

Evince Magazine

To encourage exceptional customer service, the Dan River Hospitality and Travel Committee of the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce and Evince will recognize those who give it.

When you experience exceptional customer service, tell us about it in 300 words or less.

Include your name and phone number. Email your story to joyce@evincemagazine.com or visit www.dpchamber.org; click What's New - Customer Service Award Nomination.

Spotting Exceptional Customer Service

Editor’s Note: This is the first time that two nominations have been received for the same person. We are happy to print both.

Barbara Berger wrote: Armed with the knowledge Consumer Reports provided us, we looked for a television at a large appliance store, a warehouse store, and an independent dealer. All the stores provided courteous service and were well-versed in the new technology surrounding TVs. It was our good fortune to select Sounds Unlimited at 310 Old Riverside Drive as the independent dealer. It was there that store manager, Chad Plemons, patiently explained the differences between plasma, LED, LCD and answered all our questions. He sometimes patiently answered the same question twice – once when my husband asked and again (because I wasn’t listening the first time) when I asked. He never pushed us into anything and when we left the store and told him we were going to look around a bit more, he wasn’t offended. He just handed us his business card and asked us to call, if we had any more questions.

When we finally decided to purchase a television from Sounds Unlimited, it was delivered and set-up; the remote was programmed; they removed our old 100 pound dinosaur and smiled the entire time. They even offered to return and set-up the remote for another television in our home. This was all done in1½ hours of our having purchased it. Let me repeat that - an hour and a half!

Although the pricing was comparable at all the stores, there are some things that chains and larger stores are not able to offer. Chad and the staff at Sounds Unlimited made the difference for us.

Sandie Curry wrote: During the AMA race at Virginia International Raceway, one of the largest of the year, we were having serious difficulties with our public address system. This is a televised event with many spectators and the public address system is a must. Saturday morning, we called Chad Plemons at Sounds Unlimited on Old Riverside Drive. He was able to build a receiver that we needed and the race went on. He was our hero of the day!

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September 2010

Evince Magazine

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KEYSVILLE

HALIFAX

29

COLLINSVILLE

GALA

434-836-4215 • 800-732-6348

BUENA VISTA

HINTON

MADISON

5940 US Highway 29, Blairs, VA 24527

STUARTS DRAFT

CLIFTON FORGE 60

LEWISBURG

WINSTON-SALEM MOCKSVILLE

73

LEXINGTON

KANNAPOLIS

GREENSBORO

DURHAM CHAPEL HILL

LIBERTY SILER CITY

40

RALEIGH

Page 12

September 2010

September Calendar

Ongoing

Guided Walking Tour – Millionaires Row See ad page 3.

Through September 6

Science Center Exhibits – Hatching the Past & Birds of the Riverwalk. M-S 9:30 am–5 pm: Sun 1–5 pm. Danville Science Center (DSC) – 434.791.5160.

Through September 18

Messages from the Mesozoic Exhibit. Virginia Museum of Natural History (VMNH) – 276.634.4141.

Through October 16

Butterfly Station & Garden. M-S 9:30 am–5 pm: Sun 1–5 pm. DSC – 434.791.5160.

September 1

Alzheimer’s Presentation – Memory Loss, Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease - The Basics.

12–1 pm. Craghead Street.

434.792.3700 x237.

September 1 (thru 10)

Fill the Bus-School Supply Campaign. First State Bank – 434.792.0198.

September 1 (thru 29)

Better Health for Pre-Teens.

M/W. YWCA – 434.792.1522.

September 1 (thru 30)

Live Bands & DJ Music. Wed-Sat. Back to Bogies – 434.791.3444.

Fitness Classes – water aerobics, M-F 8-9 am, Aikido, MW 6-8 pm.

Zumba, Tu 6:45-7:45 pm, Twinges & Hinges, Tu/Th 11 am-12 pm, swimming, Tu/Th 6:30 pm. YWCA – 434.792.1522.

September 2 (thru 23)

Energy Healing Class. Thurdays 6-7:15 pm. Ballou Center – 434.799.5216.

Art of Meditation. Thurdays 7:30-8:30 pm. Ballou Center – 434.799.5216.

September 2 (thru 30)

Aquacize – Aerobic workout.

Thursdays 8:15 am. YWCA. 434.797.8848.

Fitness for Older Adults & Ladies. Tues/Thurs 9–11 am; Ladies 10 am–12 pm. City Armory.

434.797.8848.

57 Express Bluegrass Concert.

Thursdays 7 pm.

Community Center, Chatham – www.chathamcares.org.

September 2 (thru Oct. 7)

Hoop Dancing Classes – Cardiovascular workout. Tues 5:45-6:45 pm. Ballou Center.

434.799.5216.

September 3

Eyes on Earth Reception. VMNH, Martinsville – 276.634.4185.

First Friday Art Walk – Visit the art studios, meet the artists.

5-7 pm. Studio 107, Martinsville – 276.638.2107.

Friday at the Crossing – Loaded Guns. 6 pm. Crossing at the Dan. 434.793.4636.

Cruz-In. 6:30 pm. Roxboro Commons. 336.364.2760.

Shrine Football Game. 7:30 pm.

GWHS. 434.429.2531.

September 3 (thru Oct. 8)

Chair Yoga. Fri. 9 am-10:30 pm.

Ballou Center – 434.799.5216.

September 4

DRBA's First Saturday Outing.

See story page 22.

Bob Ross Painting Class – Bridge over Peaceful Water.

10:30 am–3:30 pm. Ballou Park.

434.797.8848.

Main Street Cruise-In – 6-9 pm.

Downtown Danville. 434.791.6813.

Auto Racing. South Boston Speedway – 1.877.440.1540.

September 4 (thru 25)

Power Katz – Self defense classes for children. Sat 10 am-1 pm.

YWCA. 252.213.1717.

September 5

An Evening with Jennifer Knapp. 7:30 pm. Bistro 1888 – 434.572.1888.

September 6 (thru 28)

Painting Class with Judie – Oil and watercolor painting. Mon or Tues/Times vary. Ballou Annex.

434.797.8848.

September 7

Southside Head Injury Support Group Pizza Fundraiser. 4-9 pm.

CiCi Pizza. 434.250.5987 or 434.685.1951.

Danville Professional Women's Association Meeting. See story page 22.

September 7 (thru 21)

Intro to Beaded Jewelry.

Tue. 6-8:30 pm. Southern Virginia Artisan Center (SVAC) – 276.632.0066.

September 7 (thru 28)

Creation Imagination – Classic stories, art, crafts and songs.

Tuesdays, 11-11:45 am. Coates Center. 434.799.6564.

West African Dance & Drumming Class – Tues 4:30-6 pm. City Auditorium. 434.797.8848.

Belly-Dancing Class. Tues. 5:306:30 pm. YWCA – 434.792.1522.

African Dance Ensemble – Learn African Dance. Tues 6-7:30 pm.

Pepsi Building. 434.797.8848.

Sewing w/ Kitty. Tuesdays, 6:30-8:30 pm. Coates Center.

434.799.6564.

September 7 (thru 29)

Koates Kids Pre-School Program – Different themed activities introduced each week.

Ages 3-5. T/W 9:30 am–12:30 pm.

Coates Center. 434.797.8848.

September 7 (thru Oct. 12)

Drawing in Black & White – All-American art. Ages 9-18.

3:30-4:45 pm. The Prizery – 434.572.8339.

September 8 (thru 29)

Guitar Basics Class – Wednesdays. Youth Ages 5-17,

5 pm. Adult, 5:30 pm. City Auditorium. 434.797.8848.

September 9

Bob Ross Painting Workshop – Sunflower. 10 am–3:30 pm.

Piedmont Arts, Martinsville – 276.632.3221.

Book Discussion See story pg 22.

Budgeting to Live within Your Means 5:30 pm. City Auditorium.

434.797.8848.

Kayak Trip & Dinner – Abreu/ Grogan Park to islands. 5:45-7:45 pm.

434.799.5215.

Fall Lawn Care. 6:30-8 pm.

Coates Center. 434.797.8848.

Southside Head Injury Support Group – Help survivors return to society; caregivers socialize with others. 7 pm. Mt. Hermon Church Fellowship Hall. 434.250.5987 or 434.685.1951.

September 9 (thru 30)

All Media Studio Class – Painting, drawing, sculpting, clay, portraiture, mural production.

9-11 am or 6-8 pm. Ballou Park.

434.797.8848.

Pre-School Program – Tumblin’ Tots, 9:30-10:15am; Just 4 Kicks, 10:30-11:15am; Pre-School Cheerleading, 11:30am-12:15pm. Ages 3-5.

Saturdays. Coates Center.

434.797.8848.

September 9 (thru Oct. 7)

Intro to Ceramics & Basic Woodturning. TH 6-9 pm. SVAC – 276.632.0066.

September 10

Jazz on the Patio See story pg 22.

Savory September – Ex–POE– dition Travelling with Edgar Allan. 7-10 pm. Piedmont Arts, Martinsville – 276.632.3221.

September 10 (thru 12)

SCCA Pro Racing Sports Car Wars. VIR – 434.822.7700.

September 10 & 24 Danville Shag Club Dance – 8-11 pm. The Dance Space, Piney Forest Road.

September 11

Korean Happy Warriors Meeting. 8 am. Comfort Inn. 434.792.3825.

Radio Control Tank Battle – AAF Tank Museum – 434.836.5323.

River City 5K – 5K Run/Walk and 1K Fun Run (ages 12 and under).

9 am. Angler’s Park. 434.793.3409.

Leatherworking. 10:30 am-1:30 pm.

SVAC – 276.632.0066.

Shaggers Line Dance Workshop. 11 am-2 pm. Ballou Center – 434.799.5216.

Block Party. 1-4 pm. Coates Center. 434.799.6564.

September 11 & 12

Fun'd Fest - Fundraiser for Gods Pit Crew. 10 am-9 pm. Owen Farms. 434.685.4123.

September 11 (thru Oct. 16)

Assault Resistance Training (ART) Self Defense – Sat. 9 am-

September 2010

S M

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W T 1 2 5 6 7 8 9 12 13 14 15 16 19 20 21 22 23 26 27 28 29 30

F S 3 4 10 11 17 18 24 25

10:30 pm. Ballou Center – 434.799.5216.

Curiosity Corner – Make crafts, play games. Ages 3-5. 9:30 am12:30 pm. Coates Center.

434.799.6564.

September 11 (thru Oct. 30) Exhibit - Poe’s Playground.

Piedmont Arts, Martinsville – 276.632.3221.

September 13 (thru 27)

Boogie Monday – Waltz II. Mondays 7-8:30 pm. Ballou Center – 434.799.5216.

September 13 (thru 30)

Wii Are Fit Classes. M-Th: Times vary. City Armory. 434.797.8848.

September 13 (thru Oct. 4)

Cake Decorating Made Easy.

6-8 pm. Glenwood Community Center – 434.797.8848.

Hand Sewn Quilts Class – M 6-8 pm. City Auditorium.

434.797.8848.

September 13 (thru Oct. 11)

Intro to Hand Tools/Machines.

TH 6-9 pm. SVAC – 276.632.0066.

September 13 (thru Oct. 18) Belly Dance Classes –intermediate, 5:30 pm; beginning, 6:45 pm. Pepsi Building. 434.797.8848.

September 13 (thru Oct. 20)

Art with Flo – Wet-on-wet technique. Weds. Location/Times vary. 434.797.8848.

September 13 (thru Oct. 21) Zumba Revolution. M/Tu/ Th 5:30 pm. City Auditorium.

434.797.8848.

September 13 (thru Nov. 29)

Stained Glass Class – 9 am-12 pm.

434.797.8848.

September 14

Trip to Richmond. 6 am-6 pm.

Ballou Center – 434.799.5216.

Hospice Volunteer Training. 2-4 pm.

Ballou Center – 434.799.5216.

Polliwogs & Science Stars – Investigate the duties of a veterinarian and learn about pet care. Ages 3–4, 1–2 pm.

Ages 5–7, 3:30–4:30 pm. DSC 434.791.5160.

Community Christmas Dinner Planning Meeting: 6:30 pm.

Senior Center, Ballou Park. communitychristmasdinner@ comcast.net.

September 14 & 28

Coffee and Crayons – Creative fun for kids and networking for parents 9-10 am. City Auditorium.

434.797.8848.

September 14 (thru Oct. 12) Video Bowling League.

Tuesdays. City Auditorium.

434.797.8848.

September 14 (thru Oct. 19)

Wee Sports & Games. 1-1:45 pm.

Coates Center. 434.799.6564.

September 15

Art on Main Vendor Discount

Evince Magazine Deadline See story page 22.

September 15 (thru Oct. 6)

S.T.R.E.A.M Kids – Exploring local creeks, streams and rivers to educate youth on the way these bodies of water work together. Ballou Park.

3:30-5:30 pm. 434.799.5215.

September 16

Understanding Your Credit Report. 5:30 pm. City Auditorium.

434.797.8848.

Kayak Trip – Dan Daniel Memorial Park to Anglers Park. 5:45-7:45 pm. 434.799.5215.

Sky Watchers – Mission to Saturn; Talk followed by observation of Jupiter, the summer Milky Way and the constellation Pegasus. 6:30 pm.

DSC – 434.791.5160.

September 16 (thru 18)

The Nightingale See story pg. 22.

September 16 (thru 30)

Knitting Socks. TH 6-9 pm. SVAC – 276.632.0066.

September 17 (thru 19)

Flat River Antique Engine and Tractor Show. 336.597.9291.

September 17 (thru 25)

County Fair. Danville Pittsylvania County Fairgrounds. 434.822.6850.

September 17 & 18

Eden RiverFest – Music, Kid’s Zone, river excursions, Revolutionary War reenactors, RiverFest trolley, Antique Engine Exhibit, Carolina Raptor Center, food and more. 336.623.7789.

September 18

Dog Wash – Danville Area Humane Society. 9 am-12 pm. Danville Farmers’ Market. 434.799.0843.

Imagine Children's Festival.

Explore and discover while participating in music, drama, art and more. 10 am-4 pm. Carrington Pavilion. 434.797.8848.

Beginning Digital Photography.

9 am-4 pm. SVAC – 276.632.0066.

Just Everyday Women, Walking

by Faith. 9:30-11:30 am. Riveroak Church of God. 434.793.8140.

Third Saturday Stroll. 3-7 pm.

Studio 107, Martinsville.

276.638.2107.

Cruise In. 5-8 pm. Uptown Martinsville, Church St. 276.632.5688.

National Tobacco Ball - See story page 18.

September 19

Avant-Garde Writers. 2 pm.

Averett University Library.

434.251.1062.

September 19 (thru Oct. 27)

Zumba with Jennifer. Locations/ Times vary. 434.797.8848

September 22 (thru Nov. 7)

Danville Museum Exhibits See ad page 14 and story page 17.

September 23

Workforce Forward 2011 Forum See story page 22.

Endless Summer Party. VMNH, Martinsville – 276.634.4185.

Alzheimer’s Presentation – Know the 10 Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease. 12–1 pm. Craghead Street. 434.792.3700 x237.

How to Prepare to Buy a Home. 5:30 pm. City Auditorium.

434.797.8848.

Making Sense of Retirement.

6:30 pm. Coates Center.

434.797.8848.

September 24

Ed Steffey Memorial Education Open Golf Tournament. 1 pm.

Goodyear Golf Course.

434.836.6990.

TGIF – Fatz. 7-10:30 pm. Uptown Martinsville - 276.632.5688.

Love Letters - A fundraiser for The Prizery. 7:30 pm. 434.572.8339.

September 25

Harvest Festival. 9 am-5 pm.

Downtown South Boston.

434.7575.4208.

Ballou Yard Sale. 7 am-11 pm.

Ballou Center – 434.799.5216.

Bright Leaf Hoedown – Car show, kids’ area, crafts, food and a tobacco auction. 9 am. Yanceyville.

336.694.6106.

Smithsonian Museum Day. VMNH, Martinsville – 276.634.4185.

Southside Scramble Mountain Bike Race. 10:30 am-2 pm.

Anglers Park. 434.799.5215.

Chatham Cruise In. 4-8 pm. Main Street Chatham. 434.548.3233 or 434.489.6082.

Helicopter Golf Ball Drop See story page 22.

September 25 & 26

CCS Motorcycle Roadracing. VIR – 434.822.7700.

Old 97 Rail Days See ad page 14 and story page 6.

September 25 (thru Jan. 2)

Science Center Exhibits – The Healer within & Genomics eXplorer. M-S 9:30 am–5 pm: Sun 1–5 pm. DSC– 434.791.5160.

September 27

Focus on Fixed Income. 6:30 pm.

Coates Center. 434.797.8848.

September 28

Cooking at Ballou. Learn how to prepare and cook a meal for less than $2 per serving in fewer than 20 minutes. 6:30-8:30 pm. Ballou Center – 434.799.5216.

September 28 (thru Nov. 2)

Shag Class. Beginner, 7-8pm.

Intermediate, 8-9pm. Ballou Center – 434.799.5216.

September 29

Alzheimer’s Presentation – The 5 Wishes Directive Workshop.

12–1 pm. Craghead Street.

434.792.3700 x237.

Meet Your Doctor Series – Mend Your Broken Heart. 7-9 pm. YWCA – 434.792.1522.

September 30

Mom's Afternoon Out. 12:30-2:30 pm.

Coates Center. 434.799.6564.

How to Weatherize Your Home. 5:30 pm. City Auditorium.

434.797.8848.

Book Signing/Reception See story page 22.

Poe-ism Concert. 7:30 pm.

Pritchett Auditorium. Averett University – 434.791.5620.

Upcoming Events October 1

Averett Homecoming Hometown Party. 434.791.5676.

October 2

Averett Homecoming Football Game. 434.791.5676.

Callands Autumn Potpourri Festival Danville Memory Walk See ad page 9.

October 8

Art for Auction See story page 22.

Page 13

Page 14

September 2010

Page 15

photo by Michelle Dalton

Evince Magazine

Christina Motley and the Danville Regional Foundation

by Joyce Wilburn

Christina Motley’s office in a past career was in a 1932 house that she describes as having a historic exterior and a New York City metro interior.

Although she probably doesn’t realize it, the contrasting styles in that house/office building are a good symbol for the unique skills and talents of Danville Regional Foundation’s new Director of Marketing & Public Relations.

For starters, the South Carolina native has a duel degree in journalism and English—two opposing schools of thought.

“Journalism is all about getting the facts in 25 words or less. English is about the prose, the vocabulary, telling the story, capturing and keeping the reader,” she explains. Working with the two very different subjects required balancing her creative/right brain with her analytical/left brain—a powerful tool to have when building a career.

With a degree from Virginia Tech, Motley worked for

National College in Salem handling public relations for 16 campuses in three states and then did a short stint with Radford University.

In 1992, she founded Serendipity Communications in Blacksburg, which merged with a larger Roanoke firm in 2004. Two years later, she sold her part of the company and became the Corporate Communications Manager for Advance Auto Parts, where she was responsible for internal communications with 43,000 employees. It wasn’t long, however, before the ambitious professional was looking for a new challenge. When the job in Danville became available, Motley was ready for a move to Southern Central Virginia.

“It’s been the warmest welcome into a community that I’ve ever experienced,” she says and then elaborates with two examples. “My neighbor, Mary Whitt Jones, came over, introduced herself, and brought me an Evince. Karl Stauber (President and CEO of the Foundation) and his

wife walked to my house and brought a welcoming gift,” she continues. Those and other thoughtful gestures of Southern hospitality made the transition to a new town and job easier.

Since Motley’s first day on the job, one of her goals has been educating the public about Danville Regional Foundation, which was created in 2005 with a $200 million endowment from the sale of the hospital. With the help of financial advisors, the money was invested and its earnings are given back to the Danville, Caswell, and Pittsylvania County communities in the form of grants totaling $8-10 million a year. “Our grants are for long-term, sustainable, transformative initiatives. We want to have a long-lasting impact that will benefit the region’s citizens,” she explains adding that DRF is committed to creating lasting solutions to the area’s current challenges.

Over $40 million has already been given in regional grants to make this area a great place to live, work, and play.

And that’s good news for all, whether you have a creative right brain, an analytical left brain —or like Christina Motley, you are blessed with both.

• DRF Board officers are: Chair Carolyn B. Evans; Vice Chair Charles H. Majors; President and CEO Karl N. Stauber; Secretary Margie E. Wilkinson; Treasurer Aubrey D. Dodson.

• Board members are: B.R. Ashby, Richard Barkhouser, George Daniel, Ben Davenport, Betty Jo Foster, E. Gregory Hairston, Mark Hermann, Everlena Ross, Wayne Wilson.

• The DRF office is located in the former Stratford College’s historic Kennedy Hall at 103 South Main Street at the intersection of South Main and West Main Streets. The Foundation is not affiliated with the hospital.

For more information call 434.799.2176 or visit www. danvilleregionalfoundation.org.

Page 16

September 2010

Evince Magazine

Detail from Suzanne Styrk’s Flyway.

DMFAH Presents

New Exhibits, Drawing Workshop, Writing Competition

by Lynne Bjarnesen

An artist and naturalist whose drawings, paintings and collages reflect the natural world in new and insightful ways will be at the free opening reception for Flyway: Birds in the Art of Suzanne Stryk, on Friday, September 17, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History, 975 Main Street.

Ideas for Stryk’s paintings come from her memories of birds in the fields when she collected nests, feathers and bones to use for notebook sketches in her naturalist’s studio. These sketches are the starting point for paintings and collages. Her avian images are never just illustrations – instead they are layered with subtle meanings and created in an almost surrealistic way.

In The Collector’s Plan, for example, her realistic-looking bird is surrounded by wings, feathers, eggs and DNA coding of chromosomes and double helixes. Stryk has had over 40 solo exhibitions at regional and national venues.

Out of the Aviary – A Flight of Fancy is as an interactive, companion exhibition to Suzanne Styrk’s Flyway. Featuring specimens

on loan from the Danville Science Center and area naturalists, as well as murals painted by local students, the exhibition invites museum goers to sketch one of the birds perched high on the Boatwright Gallery wall or contribute twigs and sticks to the giant nest under construction. From September 18 through November 7, let your imagination spread its wings.

On Saturday, September 18, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Stryk will conduct a drawing workshop based on her exhibit and the companion exhibit Out of the Aviary – A Flight of Fancy for ages 12 through adult. Children aged 8 to 12 may attend if accompanied by an adult.

Fee is $40 for DMFAH members; $50 for nonmembers. To register, call 434.793.5644.

The 7th Annual Writing Gallery Competition will be based on the exhibitions Flyway: Birds in the Art of Suzanne Stryk and Glenn Scarboro's One Boy’s Story: 35mm Street Photography And Other Ephemeral Moments on view from September 17 to November 7.

The competition invites

writers to use one of the works of art in the featured exhibitions as a stimulus for creating an original poem or short story. Entrants may enter either or both of the competitions. Winners will receive cash awards, a year’s membership to the DMFAH and a Reading Basket from the Danville Public Library. Rules for formatting and submitting entries are available at the DMFAH. Entries must be received by 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 27. Awards will be offered in four categories: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, and College/Adult.

Page 17

Where Can I Find an Evince?

Ten thousand copies of Evince are distributed each month at over 100 locations in Danville, Martinsville, South Boston, Chatham, Gretna, Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia, and in Yanceyville, Pelham, Roxboro, and Eden, North Carolina. Find your copy at:

Danville American National Bank 173 Main Street Danville Public Library Patton Street Midtown Market 7 Chambers Street Mary’s Diner 1201 Piney Forest Road

Chatham Area Community Center Main Street Chatham Public Library 24 Military Drive El Cazador 15 S Main Street

South Boston Area Prizery 502 Bruce Street Halifax County Public Library 177 South Main Street Halifax

Yanceyville, NC Yancey House 699 Highway 159 West Steaks on the Square 118 Main Street Pelham, NC Welcome Center Route 29 South

Page 18

September 2010

The National Tobacco Ball Returns

by Barbara Bass

In the early 1930s, several residents of Halifax County thought of an idea to help the local economy—A National Tobacco Festival. Tobacco had played a major role in the economy of the region for more that 200 hundred years. Danville was ranked as the number one market in the world and South Boston was number two, so a

tobacco festival was an obvious choice for entertainment and fundraising.

The first three-day festival was in 1935. Festivities began on a Thursday with a parade from the Dan River to the local fairgrounds followed by the fiddlers’ contests at the Independent Warehouse.

Participants also enjoyed a

free air circus over downtown South Boston, beauty contests, musical contests, square dancing and demonstrations of tobacco auctions.

The queen’s grand float parade was held on the second day with free band concerts at the fairgrounds during the late afternoon. That evening the crowning of the queen by the governor of Virginia preceded the ball. Because the AfricanAmerican community and the white community were segregated, two balls were held. A pageant, The Culture of Tobacco, written by national playwrights Beverly Campbell and Howard Southgate, was performed.

Approximately 25,000 people attended the first festival and by 1941 over 170,000 were in attendance. Queens for the event included movies stars Mary Pickford and Martha Scott and daughters of diplomats from around the world. Guy Lombardo and Harry James and their orchestras played for the balls.

Seeking to remember the past while enjoying the present, the Third Biannual Tobacco Ball, sponsored by the Halifax County Historical Society, will be held Saturday, September 18, at The Prizery, 700 Bruce Street, in South Boston. Tickets are $75.00 per person and include cocktails, seated dinner catered by Cooper’s Landing Inn, and dancing to 30s and 40s music provided by an 18- piece orchestra. Following the 1935-1941 tradition, princesses will be selected and from that group a queen will be crowned. Participants are encouraged to help recreate the era by donning vintage clothing of the period.

Black-tie is optional. Tickets can be purchased at the Halifax County Chamber of Commerce, The Prizery or by calling 434.753.2137.

Tables for eight or ten can be reserved. Ladies’ night -out tables are also available.

Evince Magazine

Page 19

Around the table… transform your garden bounty into a one-dish dinner!

The first fresh tomato of the season is long past. We're now looking at vines hanging full of ripening tomatoes and squash and wondering what in the world we're going to do with such quantities.

My mother-in law and father-in law planted beautiful gardens. They were as perfect as gardens could be: planted with precision, groomed almost daily, staked and strung like a picture in Progressive Farmer. Papa started his tomato plants from the seeds of the past year's best tomatoes. He planted them in little peat pots and grew them to adolescence in a cold frame made from old windows.

He never planted in the ground until the middle of May. By September we had all the tomatoes and squash we could cook or give away. There were always little baskets sitting in the carport for gifting or delivery. No one could leave the house without them. My mother-in-law canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato juice—even made tomato jam—and there were squash casseroles, zucchini breads, squash pickles—you name it, we had all things tomato and squash. It was hard work, but they loved it, and they loved sharing the fruits of their labor.

If you have lots of vegetables begging to be cooked, try this delicious stuffed squash recipe, and enjoy the bounty of the season.

Find more recipes, on my blog: http://aroundannellestable.blogspot.com/

4 medium sized Pittypat squash (or other squash such as zucchini) 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil 4 slices thick smoked bacon (for vegetarian dish, perfectly OK without bacon), diced 1 large sweet onion, diced 3 medium tomatoes, excess seeds and juice removed, diced 1 tsp. salt One-half tsp. pepper Dash of crushed dried red peppers 1 cup shredded mixed cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese 1 cup roughly chopped rustic bread pieces

Stuffed Pittypat Squash Preheat oven to 325°.

Remove thin slice on stem side of pittypat squash so squash will sit flat.

With a small paring knife, slice around perimeter of other side, removing cap.

Scoop our pulp from squash with a small spoon, roughly chop and reserve.

Bring pot of salted water to boil.

Boil squash 'containers' and lids just until tender, about 3-4 minutes, then drain on paper towels and reserve.

Brown bacon in skillet over medium heat. Remove when crisp and reserve. Add onion to pan and

saute until onion softens, then add squash pulp and tomatoes. Cook until it all comes together and squash and tomatoes begin to lose their shape. Add salt, pepper and crushed red pepper.

Spoon squash mixture into mixing bowl. Add bread and cheese and stir to combine. Finally add bacon and toss.

Spoon mixture into squash skins.

Spoon extra mixture into small buttered casserole dish.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until bubbling.

Page 20

September 2010

We Make Excuses and Become More Obese

by Dave Gluhareff MFS,CFT-ISSA

I have been a personal trainer for nearly 14 years and have heard all sorts of excuses why people feel they cannot lose body fat and get into shape. The excuses are getting old and we are getting heavier and more obese all the time.

Here’s one of the excuses I hear often: “I can’t get into shape because I don’t have the time.” I am not being arrogant, but I work more hours than just about anyone I know. I get up around 3:30 a.m. and begin the day with writing, visiting websites, reading and answering emails, answering questions, visiting facebook, creating diet plans and doing other things for my clients. Then I work with clients just about all day until I pick-up our boys around 7 or 8 p.m. Sometimes, I grab a few minutes to take a nap mid-day, but often, I’m sorry to say, I’m really too busy. Often, I pick-up our sons early in the day and play with them or take the oldest to work with me, but frequently our quality time comes late in the evening.

I still find at least 3-5 hours per week to exercise, I still eat 5-6 minimeals each day, beginning with a peanut butter on whole-grain sandwich at 3:30 a.m. and ending the evening with a lean protein and veggies. I also try to sleep 8 hours each night and take a nap in the daytime, but often I only sleep about 6 hours at night. Even with this crazy schedule I still find the time to stay in charge of my weight and live a healthy lifestyle. It’s very hard for me to hear a stay-at-home mom say she doesn’t have the time to live healthy or a busy businessman say he has too much on his plate, because after writing, personal training, leading Virginia Bootcamps, creating ads, marketing, working at three businesses, being a husband, son, brother, and Mr. Mom on nights when I put the boys in bed before Mom gets home from her restaurant, I still find time to live a healthy lifestyle.

Please stop making excuses and take action now to live a healthier lifestyle and be a healthier you.

Visit Dave at www.TrainWithDave.com, email: trainwithdaveg@yahoo.com

Evince Magazine

Ponderings

by Torrey Blackwell

Your Dealer for the People

How to Ensure a Back-to-School Stress-Free Morning “Come on. Let’s go. I have to go to work and you’re going to miss the bus. I don’t know where your favorite shirt is; it’s not my responsibility. What do you mean you didn’t do all of your homework? Did you brush your teeth and wash your face yet? Come on. We need to leave… NOW!” Hopefully your mornings don’t start like the one I just described. If it sounds familiar, it’s time to change your daily routine. A consistent bedtime routine will make for a stress-free morning. Here are some tips to start your morning on the right foot.

The night before: • Look over homework. Make sure it has been completed.

• Pack lunches and backpacks.

• Shower or bathe.

• Go to bed early and wake up early.

In the morning: • No yelling or raising your voice.

• Provide instructions once. Repeated requests only send the message that it really doesn’t have to be done right away.

• Set consequences and stick to them.

I know sometimes this is easier said than done, but we all need structure in our lives and kids need a routine. If you have failed at this before, don’t fret. Take the time to implement a process and watch how your kids respond.

Wishing you more stress-free mornings.

Torrey Blackwell is a Christian businessman and consumer advocate.

He has spent his life fighting the negative stigma that plagues car dealers around the world. He does this by fighting for the consumer as a car dealer who advises people and helps them buy the quality vehicle they want and deserve in a positive and safe environment.

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September 2010

Calendar Clips Clip it. Post it. Do it.

Here are a few highlights of activities you don’t want to miss this month.

Cut out the ones that interest you; post it on your refrigerator as a reminder; enjoy a new experience. For more activities, see the calendar on page 12.

Saturday, September 4 Dan River Basin Association Float

This First Saturday Float will be on the most popular section of the Smith River—Marrowbone Creek Access to Mitchell Bridge Access in Henry County, Virginia. Meeting at 10:00 a. m. at the Richard P. Gravely, Jr. Nature Preserve, 2525 Eggleston Falls Road in Ridgeway, Virginia, the group will launch canoes and kayaks at the nearby access point.

The 3.5-mile blueway Smith River Trails section, rated Class 1, is suitable for novice paddlers. For more info, call 276-694-4449. (Submitted by T Butler)

Tuesday, September 7 Danville Professional Women’s Association

This group provides networking opportunities for local working women and business owners. They help educate members and mentor professional women through educational programs and provide scholarships for local women to further their education and career advancement. Formerly affiliated with the ABWA/National, this group was formed to keep all funds raised in the local area. They meet the first Tuesday of each month upstairs at Mary’s Diner, 1201 Piney Forest Road, starting at 6 p.m. (Submitted by Marilyn Eanes).

Thursday, September 9 Pittsylvania County Public Library Book Discussion

A new series of book discussions will focus on the theme Good Jobs, Good Work, and will explore how the author’s perspective and ideas help us to examine our shared place—its assets, liabilities, history, and potential paths to a flourishing future. The group will meet at the newly restored Chatham Railway Depot on Whitehead Court, just off Depot Street (Highway 57) at 4:00 p.m. to discuss Rediscovering Values: On Wall Street, Main Street and Your Street by Jim Wallis. For more information call 434.432.3271. (Submitted by Diane Adkins)

Friday, September 10 YWCA Jazz on the Patio

The Small Town Orchestra will perform from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. rain or shine on the front lawn at 750 Main Street. Sit and enjoy the conversation and food, then dance to the music. Cost is $15 which includes food and 4 wine or beer tastings. Parking on the street or in the lot behind the YW. 434.792.1522. (Submitted by Laura Meder)

Wednesday, September 15 ART ON MAIN STREET Vendor Discount Deadline The Danville Area Association for the Arts & Humanities will host its inaugural Art on Main festival, Saturday, October 16, from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Main and Craghead Streets. There will be two stages with live entertainment, art displays, contests, cultural activities, food vendors and more. A &H is currently seeking vendors of all types, with an emphasis on local and regional artists. To become involved as a vendor, artist, or volunteer, contact 434.792.6965. (Submitted by Melissa Charles)

Thursday, September 16 – Saturday, September 18 AUTheatre for Young People

Averett’s Theatre Department will present a humorous adaptation of Nightingale by Hans Christian Anderson at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 2:30 p.m. on Saturday in Pritchett Auditorium on Mt. View Avenue.

Obsessed by his worldly possessions, the emperor of China has grown blind to the needs of his people and the real treasures of life. Ancient Oriental gods, the nightingale and the audience join forces to cure the emperor of his possessive and grasping ways. Adults $8; students/senior citizens $6.

For more information, call 434.791.5712. (Submitted by Richard Breen)

Thursday, September 23 Workforce Forward 2011 Forum.

This premier event at Southern Virginia Higher Education Center, 820 Bruce Street, South Boston, will bring together business, industry, education, workforce and economic development leaders to discuss current and future education and workforce planning needs. The Honorable Mary Rae Carter, Virginia’s first Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Trade for Rural Economic Development, will discuss job creation strategies for Southern Virginia in her keynote address.

Dr. Chris Chmura, of Chmura Economics and Analytics, will share economic trends and predictions from her in-depth research report specific to the region. Forum attendees will have an opportunity to network with colleagues, to dialogue about the region’s needs and to learn what other employers are doing with their workforce development initiatives. For more information, visit www.svhed. org. (Submitted by Hope Harris-Gayles)

Saturday, September 25 Riverview Rotary Helicopter Golf Ball Drop

Golf balls can be purchased for $20 at www.riverviewrotary.net . At 5:30 p.m. in Angler’s Park the balls will be dropped from a helicopter. The closest-to-the-pin prizes include:1st place $3000; 2nd place $1500; and 3rd place $750. Maximum number of balls is 2000. Farthest-from-the-hole prize is dinner for two at Outback. Everyone with a ball in the winners’ circle receives a free Bloomin’ Onion.

Live music. There will be prizes and giveaways for children (12 and under) who participate in the 6 p.m. pick-up. All proceeds support Riverview Rotary projects: polio eradication, dictionaries, scholarships, and the Riverwalk Trail. For more info, call 434.836.5674. (Submitted by Julie Brown)

Thursday, September 30 Author Sharyn McCrumb to Speak

The award-winning Appalachian author will be at the Danville Public Library Auditorium, 511 Patton Street, at 6 p.m. to discuss The Devil Amongst the Lawyers, the latest of her Ballad novels. These books delve into the history and the rich culture of the Appalachians while also dealing with the area’s contemporary issues.

Recognized as a uniquely talented writer, McCrumb has received numerous awards for her work and was named a Virginia Woman of History for 2008. Her critically acclaimed novel, St. Dale, won the 2006 Book of the Year Award from the Appalachian Writers Association. A reception and book signing will follow this free and open-to-the-public event. 434.799.5195 ext 6.

(Submitted by Joann Verostko)

Danville Concert Association Season Ticket Sales

Buy a DCA season ticket and see the Richmond Ballet (October 23); Spanish duo-pianists Elena Martin and Jose Meliton (December 4); the Philharmonic of Poland (February 5, 2011) and the Raleigh Ringers (May 15, 2011).

Call 434.792.9242 for ticket information and sponsorship opportunities. (Submitted by Jo Silvers)

Danville Area Arts & Humanities Seeks Art for Auction

On Friday, October 8, at 7 p.m. at the Stratford Courtyard Conference Center, A&H presents a professional art auction. Regency Fine Arts, headquartered in Atlanta with 37 years of fundraising experience, will conduct. Items auctioned include fine art, sports memorabilia and celebrity art. All proceeds go to the DAAH for art programs and events for all ages.

Tickets are $20 which includes appetizers. To donate art for the auction, call 434.792.6965. (Submitted by Melissa Charles)

Evince Magazine

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September 2010

Evince Magazine Page 11

School Emergency? Perhaps We Can Solve Your Problem Between September 2009 and April 2010, 12 families concluded that their child was clearly in the wrong school situation. According to parents who transferred their children, their reasons ranged from a lack of educational challenge and resulting student boredom, to overcrowded classrooms, to out-of-control conduct and even bullying.

These 12 families found that EES would admit their child at any time during the school year. We don’t make parents wait until the beginning of a new term to start at EES. All 12 of those children have returned to EES for the 2010-2011 school year. As a school, EES is totally dedicated to providing every child with absolutely the things they need from school.

If you discover your child is in the wrong school situation, call us today for a visit and consultation.

How much does it cost to send your child to EES? Yearly

Monthly

PreK (4 years old) 8:00 a.m. - Lunch (11:30 a.m.) $3,000 $300 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

4,200 420 Kindergarten 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. 4,500 450 Grades 1-5 4,500 450 Grades 6-8 4,700 470 After school programs are available to students of all grades on a weekly basis.

3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. / $40 per week 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. / 60 per week Discounts for all additional children in the family...10%. Our tuition plan is for 10 months...August 1 to May 1. Our registration fee is $200 (the first $200 of our tuition) Lunch is served every day for $2.50 a day. Extra charges are levied only for uniforms and field trips. Books are included in tuitions.

We are constantly striving to charge the lowest tuitions! We keep our costs down by carefully running a highly efficient school. Epiphany Episcopal Church provides significant funding for EES which greatly assists us in keeping tuitions low.

EES...a happy school…with children who love EES… with teachers who love their jobs is a guarantee of a wonderful place for students to flourish as they prepare for the future.

Call (434) 792-4334 and ask for an appointment with Suzanne Miller, our Associate Headmaster and Dean of the School.

We think, when comparing EES tuition to the other private schools in the area, you’ll agree EES has very low tuitions.

Example: 7th grade student, September 2010 - June 2011.

Epiphany Episcopal $4,700

Westover $5,330*

Sacred Heart $5,805*

* Tuitions as published on school websites July 22, 2010.

Carlisle $9,575*

115 Jefferson Avenue • Danville, Virginia

434.792.4334

www.epiphanydanville.org