Showcase Magazine August 2017

PAGE 14

www.showcasemagazine.com

| August 2017 | showcAse Magazine 1

HELLO, HEALTH.

Danville Regional Medical Center and Memorial Hospital of Martinsville and Henry County are now Sovah Health.

It’s time to welcome health in new ways. Your local hospitals are now Sovah Health. Together we are stronger.

We’re more than two hospitals—we’re your neighbors, friends and family. We understand this region because we live here, and we’re uniting to serve your needs and nurture the health of our communities for generations to come.

From preventative care and specialty care to convenient walk-in clinics and emergency room visits, Sovah Health cares for you during every stage of life. Say hello to caring. Say hello to a healthier you. Say hello to Sovah Health.

Learn more at SovahHealth.com.

www.showcasemagazine.com

| August 2017 | showcAse Magazine 3

FALL FUN

IN MARTINSVILLE HENRY COUNTY

by Casey Ogle

THE WISEMAN FAMILY

OF DANVILLE TOYOTA

by Kirkland Gee

A FEW FAMOUS PEOPLE THE DANVILLE CONNECTION

by Larry Oldham

BACK TO SCHOOL

HINTS FOR PARENTS AND KIDS

by Bill and Linda McConahey

FROM THE EDITOR

PAGE

14

HE SAID SHE SAID

You Just Blow Me Away

wca www.sho

semagaz

ine.com

UST | AUG

2017

WC | SHO

azin ASE Mag

e

1

follow us @showcaseDVA

By Larry Oldham and Dena Hill

THE YOUNG PROFESSIONAL Rena Deandrea

by Kirkland Gee

NOT SO COMMON – COMMON SENSE!

A Perspective on Public Schools

Teresa Wiseman, Tracie Scearce, Ryan Wiseman Photo by Michelle Dalton Photography

by Stan Jones

4 showcAse Magazine

like us showcase Magazine

ON THE

| August 2017 | www.showcasemagazine.com

follow us showcasedanville

@

we’d love to hear from you! info@showcasemagazine.com

Summer Safety Solutions Savor the final weeks of summer, safely.

Avoid power lines—stick to open areas when flying kites or drones.

Keep electric power tools away from water while wrapping up summer projects.

Storms on the way? Install waterproof boxes or covers on outdoor outlets.

Steer clear of underground power lines— call 811 before you dig.

CALL 811

Want to save energy and money? Visit our website for qualifying rebates and tips to help save on energy bills. www.danvillehomesave.com | 888.599.0450

BEFORE YOU DIG

As the guest publisher for the month of August I would just like to thank my heavenly stars that I don’t have to take on this much responsibility each and every month. Don’t get me wrong, I truly did enjoy this experiment given to us from our real publisher Mr. Scott Brooks.

He wanted all of us to experience the joy and hard work that goes into putting out the magazine each month. Thanks, Scott, but from now on I turn the keys to the kingdom back over to you.

Magazine. We look forward to bringing you the stories and images of all the great people who live here. We have great businesses, organizations, and most importantly, people who genuinely care about others.

On a more joyful note, we are proud to salute the Wiseman family this month in our August issue. The Wisemans have been a tremendous help in bringing growth to Danville. As a family, and through their Danville Toyota Network, they share their resources and commitment throughout our region which in turn makes Danville a better place to live.

Remember to treat each other kindly, offer a giving hand when needed, and be sure to welcome all newcomers to our great city.

Be sure and read the article from Linda and Bill McConahey.They remind us that August is the month that school starts, and how the students and parents alike can get ready for the big day.

So enjoy the magazine this month, know that this will be my last publisher/ editor endeavor until the boss decides I need to work harder to earn my keep.

We would also appreciate you supporting our advertisers in the magazine. Without their support we couldn’t keep giving you this monthly publication for FREE.

showcase STAFF

AUGUST 2017

CEO Andrew Scott Brooks, scott@showcasemagazine.com Publisher / President Larry Oldham, larry@showcasemagazine.com Editorial Director Paul Seiple, paul@showcasemagazine.com Graphic Designer Kim Demont, demontdesign@verizon.net Finance Manager Cindy Astin, cindy@showcasemagazine.com ADVERTISING 1.877.638.8685 Larry Oldham, Director of Sales and Marketing larry@showcasemagazine.com, 434.728.3713 Lee Vogler, Marketing Consultant lee@showcasemagazine.com, 434.548.5335

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Subscribe to Home Delivery for $24 per year 753 Main Street #3 | Danville, VA 24541 Phone 434.709.7349 | Fax 925.380.5404 info@showcasemagazine.com www.showcasemagazine.com AUGUST 2017 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kirkland Gee | Dena Hill | Stan Jones Linda and Bill McConahey | Casey Ogle | Larry Oldham AUGUST 2017 CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Kirkland Gee | Michelle Dalton Photography Martinsville Henry County Department of Tourism Showcase Magazine reserves the right to deny any advertisement or listing that does not meet Showcase Magazine standards. Submissions are welcome, but unsolicited materials are not guaranteed to be returned. Showcase Magazine assumes no responsibility for information, products, services, or statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. c 2017 Showcase Magazine Inc.

With heartfelt thanks and your support, Danville is a very unique town and is very special to me and the staff at Showcase

Larry Oldham

Evince

to the ADVERTISERS who make this publication possible.

Please be generous in supporting our local businesses.

17 8 35 7 34 17 25 12 22 36 5

Barkhouser Ford Lincoln Beacon Credit Union Centra Medical Group Commonwealth Home Health Care, Inc. Danville Community College Danville Gastroenterology Center, PC Danville Historical Society Danville Pittsylvania Community Services Danville Regional Foundation Danville Toyota 7, 8, 21, 23, 27, 29, 31 Danville Utilities

6 showcAse Magazine

26 DCC Educational Foundation 27 DCC Educational Foundation 31 Demont Design 17 Excelen Performance 9 Goodwill Industries of South Central Virginia, Inc. 8 Here to Help Cleaning Service 21 Jarrod Brown, DDS DWS 23 KARE Pharmacy & Compounding 11 Martinsville Henry County 3 Michelle Dalton Photography

| August 2017 | www.showcasemagazine.com

32 Middle Border Forward 31 PATHS 21 Piedmont Regional Feeding & Oral Motor Clinic, LLC 22 Piney Forest Health & Rehabilitation Center 22 Reid Street Gallery 7 Shh... Intimacy on a New Level 25 Southside Urology & Nephrology 2 SOVAH Health 10 The Arc of Southside 17 URW Community Federal Credit Union 33 Wilkins & Co. Realtors

Enjoyi

Rusty Lovell

ng a He

althy Ad

See Pa

ge 3

diction

Magazin

e Page 1

www.showcasemagazine.com

| August 2017 | Showcase Magazine 7

8 Showcase Magazine

| August 2017 | www.showcasemagazine.com

HE SAID...

You know, I am not usually one to complain.

I am normally the type of person who gets along with everyone, takes everything in stride, and never makes a big deal about any issue.

Sometimes, I get so caught up in making you happy that my own life has to suffer some affliction or discomfort. Today, I need to bring to your attention a situation that we have at home in the bedroom. This has been a concern of mine for some time, but being the gentleman that I am, I have kept silent. In a nutshell, I am freezing to death in our bed. I never knew you were such a fan of the fan.

I should have known that when we initially looked at the house, and your first question was not, “Does the house need a roof?” Your second question was not “Does the heating system work or the air conditioning work?” Your first question was, “Does the house have a ceiling fan in every room?” WHAT? Who cares if the rooms have fans? The house does have central air, so what more could you ask for? I should have been suspicious when you bought fans for all the rooms that didn’t have them. I should have been extremely suspicious when you bought a fan for our room that was more expensive than our dining room table. I have to wear two pairs of socks to keep my feet warm. Since the fan is directly over me I get the brunt of the cold wave each night. You lay over on your side with the covers off gasping for air because you’re so hot. You won’t trade sides because you’re used to YOUR side. I guess the only solution is for me to start sleeping in a parka.

SHE SAID...

Mom always told me to make sure I chose a real man for a husband. Don’t choose a weak

and wimpy man or you will have nothing but whining and complaining for the rest of your life.

Well, once again I find that I have disobeyed my mom. I can’t believe that a little air at night stirring in the bedroom makes you so frigid. Last night you said I short-sheeted the bed and your ears were cold. WEAR A PAIR OF EAR MUFFS!!!

I exercise every night before we go to bed so when I’m finished taking my shower, I am still burning up. The fan has four or five settings, and I set it on the lowest speed just to please you so that I won’t have to listen to your yapping about freezing to death. I don’t remember hearing these complaints when we were younger if you know what I mean. I know you take blood thinners and you get colder than normal so I really am trying to work with you. If it was entirely up to me, I would sleep with the fan on the fastest speed every night with a light sheet and blanket up around my neck. Ah, that sounds heavenly. As far as the other fans in the house, we need a fan in the guest room so that our visitors will be comfortable. We need a fan in the kitchen to keep the air moving while I am in there slaving over your breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The dog needs a fan in her room because her coat is thick, and she gets hot easily. I know that even if I buy you a nice parka for your birthday, so you can sleep in it at night, you will just find something else to complain about, and we will be right back to square one.

How about this — one night we sleep with the fan on; the next night we sleep with the fan off.

Will that satisfy your need to survive the arctic air beating down on you?

www.showcasemagazine.com

by Larry Oldham and Dena Hill PHOTO BY MICHELLE DALTON PHOTOGRAPHY

| August 2017 | showcAse Magazine 9

by Casey Ogle photos provided by Martinsville Henry County

There are always many ways to have “Fun in Record Time” in Martinsville-Henry County, Virgina. From beer and wine tastings to a Reptile Day Festival and theatre shows, there is a fall event for everyone to enjoy in MHC!

Brewster Walk (9/9/2017)

Love craft beer? Then you don’t want to miss Brewster Walk, a craft beer festival on the streets of Uptown Martinsville in front of the Rives Theatre. This very popular festival is celebrating its third year and is expected to sell out in advance.

The event, organized by community nonprofit Rooster Walk Inc., will feature over 60 varieties of craft beers from across the country, as well as musical performances from this year’s headliner, Yarn. The band is a Brooklyn-based Americana/Alt-Country group that weaves country, rock, blues and more into a genre-defying blend that has captured the attention of fans and critics alike.

A portion of event proceeds will be donated to community charities.

ValleyStar Credit Union 300 (9/23/17)

The ValleyStar Credit Union 300 rolls into Martinsville Speedway for a historic show on September 23rd. Join in the excitement as some of the top known drivers in the industry compete for the $25,000 prize.

The ValleyStar Credit Union will introduce Martinsville Speedway’s first ever NIGHT RACE! Don’t miss your chance to be there for a historic running of the NASCAR Late Model Series.

Present Laughter (9/21/17 – 10/1/17)

Head on out to the Black Box Theatre located in Uptown Martinsville for the Theatre Works Community Players production of Present Laughter. At the center of his own universe sits matinee idol Garry Essendine: suave, hedonistic and too old, says his wife, to be having numerous affairs. Just before he escapes on tour to Africa the full extent of his misdemeanors is discovered. Noel Coward’s Present Laughter premiered in the early years of the Second World War just as such privileged lives were threatened with fundamental social change. Show Dates: September 21 - 23 & September 29 - October 1.

10 showcAse Magazine

| August 2017 | www.showcasemagazine.com

Wine by the River Festival (9/30/17)

The 3rd Annual Wine by the River Wine Festival will be held on Saturday, September 30, 2017 at the Smith River Sports Complex near the Smith River access point.

Wine, food and artisan vendors will be located on site, as well as a variety of live music throughout the day. Proceeds from this event will go to the Matthew Wayne Wade foundation, a local nonprofit organization that promotes heart health in individuals.

Oktoberfest (10/7/17) Martinsville Uptown presents the 2017 Oktoberfest International Arts and Culture Festival. There will be two streets of vendors offering everything from free balloons to fine art, plus lots of kid-friendly activities including inflatable bounce houses and a petting zoo.

“Little Germany” will offer a beer garden selling craft beer as well as traditional German foods like delicious bratwurst.

Loaded with amazing crafters and talented artisans, this street fair has something for all tastes. A variety of food vendors will be on site with everything from hotdogs to snow cones. The Broad Street stage will showcase an assortment of talent as well. Don’t miss it!

Pumpkin Palooza (10/14/17) Get ready for an all-new Pumpkin Palooza at Piedmont Arts! Everyone’s favorite pumpkin carving contest in now a fall festival with live music, food and drinks, games and, of course, a friendly pumpkin carving competition.

Take part in the pumpkin-carving action while enjoying Halloween snacks, a cash bar and fun events, such as a Selfie Booth and Mini Pumpkin Decorating. Since it is Halloween, costumes are strongly encouraged.

Reptile Day Family Festival

(10/21/17) Slither your way into the Virginia Museum of Natural History to witness some of the most exciting coldblooded creatures around! Marvel at over 200 live snakes and other reptiles. Take part in reptile-themed games and crafts throughout the day. Watch special presentations by reptile experts.

Cobras, rattlesnakes, alligators and much more await you at the Reptile Day Family Festival at the Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville.

Into the Woods (10/26/17 – 11/5/17)

Make your way to Patrick Henry Community College for the Patriot Players production of Into the Woods. The story follows a baker and his wife, who wish to have a child; Cinderella, who wishes to attend the king’s festival; and Jack, who wishes his cow would give milk. When the baker and his wife learn that they cannot have a child because of a witch’s curse, the two set off on a journey to break the curse. Everyone’s wish is granted, but the consequences of their actions return to haunt them later with disastrous results. Show Dates: October 26 - 29 & November 2 - 5, 2017.

Old Dominion 500 at Martinsville Speedway

(10/29/17) Start your engines on Sunday, October 29th, 2017 as NASCAR invades the Martinsville Speedway.

The Old Dominion 500 showcases the only short-track race in the Chase and promises to shake things up. Tempers will flare and excitement will mount as drivers try to conquer the notorious paperclip that is the Martinsville Speedway.

At the Martinsville Speedway, it’s hard to determine who will go home the champion and with the Grandfather Clock Trophy.

You will be on the edge of your seat especially in those final laps because anything can happen and this truly is anybody’s race.

So come on out to Martinsville Speedway to celebrate 70 years of racing action and history in 2017!

Start making your plans for a fun fall getaway to MartinsvilleHenry County now! Find more information on these events as well as others by contacting us at 888.722.3498 or visiting us at www.VisitMartinsville.com.

Find Your Fall Fun in Martinsville-Henry County, VA

www.showcasemagazine.com

| August 2017 | showcAse Magazine 11

12 Showcase Magazine

| August 2017 | www.showcasemagazine.com

Although Danville’s unemployment rate is 5.5%, which is higher than the national and state average, it can still be difficult for companies to find the right employee, for the right job. The time it takes to recruit and screen new employees can be a daunting task for companies, which is why many businesses look to hiring agencies to tackle their hiring needs.

In addition, businesses continue to report that finding people who are motivated, ready to work, and will show up on time, are among the biggest hurdles they face when seeking new employees. The good news for businesses is that people with disabilities are an Untapped Labor Force just waiting for the right opportunity. In Virginia, there are over 250,000 people with a developmental disability, and they experience double the unemployment rate of people without disabilities. However, while working age adults with disabilities are unemployed, or under employed at higher rates, studies consistently prove that they perform well in the workplace.

In 2012, The Arc of Southside started a Supported Employment Program to help people with developmental disabilities to obtain jobs in the community. In doing so, The Arc, not only became a help to people with disabilities, but a resource for local companies seeking to hire good people, committed to working.

The majority of people with disabilities report that they want to work, answering the problem of motivation that many employers face. Studies done by the Office of Disability Employment Policy of the Department of Labor report that people with disabilities 1) have a higher retention rate (85% after one year of work), 2) are longer term employees with lower turnover rates, and 3) often perform equally, or exceed the work of their non-disabled peers.

Because of these reasons, the benefits to businesses hiring people with disabilities are significant, but the benefit to the person they hire is even greater.

Lekisha Logan came to The Arc at age 19, looking to receive employment training at The Arc’s vocational training program, the Hatcher Center. Since Hatcher Center work focuses primarily on production skills, Lekisha never had the opportunity to discover if she had skills or employment interests elsewhere. That changed for her in 2012 when, through The Arc’s Supported Employment program, she was hired at 316 Cibo as a dining room attendant, hostess, and food prep worker.

Before The Arc started its Supported Employment program, people went to the Hatcher Center to work on limited vocational skills and remained there, never putting them to use in community jobs, earning piecerate pay averaging $2.60/hr. The Arc learned that not everyone is cut out for production work, and when a person is working a job they like and are good at, they perform better.

job, she has made another big move, which was into her first home. When asked about her life now, versus her life then? She broadly smiles, shyly looks away and says she’s never been happier.

And for the employer? Since Lekisha’s hiring, they have hired another Arc referral, and they regularly partner with The Arc by allowing them to utilize the business for others in the program to determine if someone is a match for restaurant work – a process The Arc calls “discovery”. Christie Miller, Director of Operations for Dell’Anno’s said, “If we could clone Lekisha, we would! The dedication The Arc has in ensuring the success of their placements is unparalleled, and what you get is the most dependable, dedicated employee, which is why we now call them when we have hiring needs. More businesses need to partner with The Arc – they are not only great for business, but for the people they help”.

For more information about the SE program, contact David Gusler, Employment Director at The Arc of Southside 434.836.3272

Today, Lekisha is still working at Dell’Anno’s. She is now, not only working a job she loves, but she is earning a competitive wage, and since getting her www.showcasemagazine.com

| August 2017 | showcAse Magazine 13

Feature

Darrell Wiseman

by Kirkland Gee photos by Michelle Dalton Photography

“He is the captain of a ship. He sees the course way before anyone else does.”

That’s how Teresa Wiseman described her father Darrell Wiseman, President of Danville Toyota.

He operates the business alongside his three children, Ryan Wiseman, Tracie Scearce, and Teresa Wiseman.

From the moment you meet him, it’s obvious he commands honor and respect. He’s tall, wellmannered, and he speaks with an authority that is hard to describe but instantly evident.

When he speaks, you can’t help but listen. At 78 years old, Wiseman’s presence alone demands a level of respect. His words come through a deep Appalachian accent that represents his West Virginia upbringing with just enough rasp to hear the experience in his voice.

The way he tells stories is captivating in the most southern way possible — full of detail and color.

Each of his first three car sales tell a story on their own, but his second or third (he couldn’t remember which) stands out.

14 SHOWCASE Magazine

| AUGUST 2017 | www.showcasemagazine.com

A One-Seated Fastback: “I’m standing there in the showroom, a little breeze coming through, when this guy taps me on the shoulder,” Darrell said.

The guy asks Wiseman if he sold cars there, at the Ford dealership, so Wiseman tells him yes and takes him to a nearby booth to chat. He wanted to order a 1963 Ford Galaxie 500 427 Fastback with only one seat — the driver’s seat.

So, Wiseman gets the paperwork together and takes it to his supervisor, but he doesn’t believe Wiseman has actually found a customer to buy this car. Wiseman gets the purchase order and a deposit, but his supervisor, still incredulous, calls the bank to make sure the check is good. “(My boss) was sitting there on the phone with the bank, and he says, ‘What? What do you mean? Oh really?’, and he hung up the phone,” Darrell said. “He said when he asked if the check was good, the first thing out of (the bank employee’s) mouth was, ‘What does he want to do, buy the dealership?’”

The man wanting to buy the Fastback was Zach Reynolds, grandson of Winston-Salem tobacco legend R.J. Reynolds. Wiseman and Zach Reynolds would go on to be dear friends until Zach’s death in a plane crash in 1978.

Wiseman’s office gives an extensive glimpse into the type of man he is. On his left-side wall are three posters — “Rambo,” “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” and “The Searchers,” each signed by one his heroes — Sylvester Stallone, Clint Eastwood, and John Wayne respectively.

His desk is all business. Financial statements and countless awards he has won from Toyota over the years leave just enough space for his desk calendar full of to-do’s.

One look at his right hand reveals a ring with a huge gemstone and the number “1” in the center. It was awarded to him by Toyota for having the top dealership in the five state region in 1986.

He earned that award in Denbigh, Virginia near Newport News, but he said he learned much of what he knows about selling cars in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.

“When I arrived in Elizabeth City, the guy running that store was selling about 30 new cars a month,” Darrell said. “The very first month, I did close to 130 new cars.”

This was in a time before the Internet and social media, but Wiseman used an oldfashioned, full-page newspaper ad to bring in customers from Norfolk, Virginia — across state lines. After six months of success, Wiseman’s boss realized he was paying Wiseman more money than he could afford, so he had to let him go.

Shortly after that departure, he would go on to manage the Denbigh dealership before eventually settling at Danville Toyota.

When asked what pushed him from selling a one-seated Ford Fastback to Zach Reynolds to managing the number one dealership across five states, he said it was the challenge.

“You have to know that there are things you can do that you think you can’t do,” Darrell said. “You have to know, ‘I can do that,’ rather than ‘I can’t do that.’”

As hard as he worked, and as much success as he has had, Wiseman has always made his family a priority.

Teresa and Darrell Wiseman

All three of Wiseman’s children work at the dealership with him now and have, at least on and off, since they were teenagers. His daughters worked in customer relations, and his son washed cars and worked in parts. Now, Teresa, his youngest daughter, is Vice President of the company and his other children are both in upper management.

Continued to Page 16 www.showcasemagazine.com

| AUGUST August 2017 | Showcase Magazine 15

Family is the one thing that has stayed constant through Wiseman’s life. He and his wife Mary will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary in 2018. Through his entire career, Mary has been his rock.

Darrell Wiseman is the American Dream personified. Growing up a coal miner’s son, serving in the military, and then paving his own path to starting his own business has created a method of success worth emulating.

“She was my biggest supporter,” Darrell said.

“We’ve been all over the world with Toyota, had meetings with everybody, got about every award they had, and she was always right there. She was there from those days when I was going to work at 7 or 8 in the morning, getting home at 10 at night, and she has supported me all the way.”

Wiseman wouldn’t say this himself, but his daughter Teresa said two things have brought him to where he is today. Vision and humility.

Wiseman is also invested in his community.

Danville Toyota is one of the largest supporters of local non-profit God’s Pit Crew, donating thousands of dollars each year to support their disaster relief efforts.

Wiseman said the most important thing was dedication on his road to entrepreneurism.

“You have to be 100 percent dedicated, and you have to know what you want in life,” Darrell said. “If you don’t, you’re not going to get there.

But if you know what you want in life, and you put it into a higher power’s hand and believe, really believe, that you can do it, you can do it.”

In addition to the three posters in his office, Wiseman has an entire room in his house dedicated to his “heroes.” The room’s walls are covered in photos of men Wiseman admires.

Mostly western stars like John Wayne and Butch Cassidy, but all men of courage and honor.

“He’s never lost himself,” Teresa said. “He’s never lost that West Virginia kid who grew up on a mountain with a coal miner father.”

Building a Better Customer Experience Darrell Wiseman’s youngest daughter Teresa serves as Vice President alongside her father.

She spent 10 years at Danville Toyota in customer relations and loved it.

Teresa, along with her sister, Tracie, served as Customer Relations Managers. She said that prepared them for the roles they are in now.

Continued to Page 18

Teresa Wiseman, Tracie Scearce, Ryan Wiseman

16 Showcase Magazine

| AUGUST August 2017 | www.showcasemagazine.com

www.showcasemagazine.com

| August 2017 | Showcase Magazine 17

“It always helped us stay grounded with our customers and make sure all of our guests leave with an exceptional experience,” Teresa said.

Teresa Wiseman took on the Vice President role in 2013 after receiving her MBA from Averett University alongside an induction into the Sigma Beta Delta honor society. Since assuming the position, she said her biggest challenge has been working on restructuring the processes of the business to provide a better experience for each customer.

“We were going in one direction for so long, and it was time for that course to change,” Teresa said. “If you really want to sum it up, it’s been changing the culture.”

She said she has redone almost every process, start to finish, for nearly every employee of the business. She’s taken cues from the greatest customer service experiences in the world —

Teresa Wiseman

18 Showcase Magazine

| AUGUST August 2017 | www.showcasemagazine.com

Danville Toyota and the Wiseman family believe in giving back to the community. Here are just a few of the organizations they support: Knights of Columbus Riverview Rotary NRA Danville Cancer Association Danville Harvest Jubilee God’s Pit Crew Peyton Sellers Junior Wednesday Club Danville-Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce Pittsylvania County Public Schools River City Mustang Club United Way Dan River Middle School Scholarship Calendars of GWHS City of Danville Steakhouse Gift Cards Rotary Clubs of Danville Danville Little League American Legion Baseball & Bowling Lewisburg Rotary Foundation Danville Braves The VFW 647 Cameron Graves D2G Boys & Girls Clubs of the Danville Area American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Shriner’s Annual Football Game GWHS Yearbook Butcher Hollow Hunt Club AAF Tank Museum Sacred Heart School - Gym & Fall Fling Dan River High School Yearbook God’s Storehouse Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History Ducks Unlimited Hadassah Blessed Hope Food Pantry Salvation Army Chatham Rotary Club Burch Creek Motorsports

think Disney and the Ritz-Carlton — to bring Danville Toyota’s service to an entirely new level.

Ryan Wiseman

As busy as she is, Teresa said when she does get that rare time off, there are a few things she expects to be doing.

“There’s probably going to be a four-wheeling adventure, me painting somewhere, and a whole lot of dogs.”

Axels and Axes Ryan Wiseman is the Director of Fixed Operations at Danville Toyota. He started working with his father when he was 13, washing and detailing cars at the family business “I’ve been in the car business about all my life,” Ryan said. “When you grow up in it, it’s a part of you.”

He manages employees day-to-day and oversees operations within the service and parts departments. He is also the liaison between Toyota and each of the individual service and parts center management team members.

“It’s always something going on, it’s exciting,” Ryan said.

Outside of cars, Ryan is a music lover to the core. He grew up listening to bands like KISS, Creed, and Van Halen, and his passion for music has yet to wane.

“You see Mark Tremonti’s right next to me, and that’s Scott Stapp,” Ryan said gesturing to a photo taken of him with Creed in 1999. “I was always a big fan of Tremonti’s, so I had to buy his signature guitar.”

Not only did he have to buy that guitar, he also purchased seven others to flesh out his signature guitar collection.

He said the Tremonti signature Paul Reed Smith guitar is his favorite, but he also has a Gibson Les Paul autographed by Ace Frehley, the original lead guitarist of KISS. “I got that in the case — I wouldn’t ever play that,” Ryan said of the Frehley autographed guitar.

In addition to his love of music, he also has a deep love for animals. This ranges from animals in the wild, to his house pets. Ryan’s pets include two African grey birds, a blue-and-gold macaw, and two English bulldogs.

“I love all of my animals, they are really like my children,” Ryan said. “I have always felt like that is how they should be treated, so they’re spoiled”.

Turning Customers into Friends Tracie Scearce began working with her father in the early 1990s, answering phones and working with customers. She worked for around 10 years before leaving to start her own family.

Now that her children are a little older, Tracie has gotten back into the car business and assists her sister, Teresa, in overseeing day-to-day dealer operations.

“I started going in to work with my dad on Saturdays when I was 12 years old, and I’ve just always worked in it and always loved it,” Tracie said.

She said for her, working in the car business is really about working with people.

Continued to page 20 www.showcasemagazine.com

| AUGUST August 2017 | Showcase Magazine 19

their family as well. Whether that be through donations to local non-profits such as God’s Pit Crew or community events (see page 18) like their “Heels on Wheels,” they want every customer to feel like they’re a part of the family too.

In March 2018, Danville Toyota will be hosting its “Heels-on-Wheels” event. The event is being held as a “women’s empowering event” and will be open to 100 women. Each woman is also allowed to bring one female guest.

“We are in the process of finalizing the details and specifics now,” Teresa Wiseman said.

“This event will be held annually and will continuously have a different theme. For 2018, the theme is to be Unstoppable.”

Sign-ups will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. You do not have to be a customer, or even a Toyota owner. The only requirement is to be female.

Tracie Scearce

“Buying a car is the second-largest purchase a person makes,” Tracie said. “So, I love being there with them through the process and eventually having those customers turn into friends.”

She stays busy outside of the dealership as well.

Her son Stephen, 14, is on a traveling basketball team, and her daughter Sarah, 10, has her own horse and competes in equestrian competitions.

Just like her parents before her, family takes top priority for Tracie and her husband Gary.

“I had always heard Danville was a great place to raise a family — that was always the thing,” Tracie said. “Now having a family, I’ve gotten to experience that.”

Making the Community Family The entire Wiseman family is tightly knitted. Not only do they work together, they spend a lot of time together outside of work as well.

“We’ve always been together,” Teresa Wiseman said. “For the longest time, we all lived within four minutes from each other.”

She said they’re now, at most, 12 minutes apart.

Family is the cornerstone of Danville Toyota, and they do their best to bring the community into 20 Showcase Magazine

| AUGUST August 2017 | www.showcasemagazine.com

“We will start with the introductions of our power team, with a small background on who we each are, where we came from, and share a struggle we faced,” Wiseman said.

The “power team” encompasses the ladies of Danville Toyota. Currently, females hold the following positions in the company: • Vice president • Business development center manager • Salesperson • Service writer • Guest care reception • Cashier • Customer relations • Building detail maintenance • Shuttle drivers • Accounting Women in attendance will be given car buying tips, useful websites, information concerning the various lights a vehicle has and what they mean, a video on how to change a tire with a takeaway sheet to keep in their car, a short self-defense demonstration and a motivational “be unstoppable” speech at the end. Each attendee will receive gifts, and there will be prizes as well.

www.showcasemagazine.com

| August 2017 | Showcase Magazine 21

22 Showcase Magazine

| August 2017 | www.showcasemagazine.com

Your therapy shouldn’t take the day off.

Call us for a tour and to discuss a plan of care to fit your individual needs.

®

We Offer 7 Days a Week of Rehab!

Piney Forest Health & Rehabilitation Center 450 Piney Forest Road • Danville, VA 24540 • 434-799-1565 PineyForestRehab.com

Piney Forest HRC Seven Day Rehab_quarter page ad.indd 1

10/11/2016 10:33:44 AM

Watch For it!

Exciting things are coming to the Center!

Academy | Gallery | Chef’s Palette

Featured Artist

Jane Carter

WEEKLY IN AUGUST

I started painting 30+ years ago while living in Connecticut and being a stay-at-home mom. But after three years I got discouraged and turned to an interior design career. Then, on moving to South Carolina in 1989, I itched to paint again and have been doing so for the past 25+ years.

Watercolors were my medium until a few years ago when I discovered that oils were so joyous. So now I produce my water media (watercolors, pastels and acrylics) and my oils in my beautiful Art Barn in North Carolina.

I’ve become more and more enamored with abstracts and find great joy in creating them. I also find the painting on Yupo paper allows my creative muses much freedom while bringing great success in national show entries.

Tai Chi with Wynona Witcher Tuesdays 10:00 - $10 per person

24 Reid Street Chatham, VA 434.203.8062 Sign-up for our email notifications

reidstreetgallery.com

Reid Street Gallery

Follow us on Facebook and check out our website for more events and information…..www.ReidStreetGallery.com

www.showcasemagazine.com

| August 2017 | Showcase Magazine 23

Complied by Larry Oldham Source: Wikipedia— For more information please go to Wikipedia or search the Internet for a wider range of historical knowledge about each of these famous Danville celebrities.

NANCY ASTOR Nancy Witcher Langhorne was born in May 1879 at the Langhorne House in Danville, VA. She was an American citizen who moved to England at age 26. She made a second marriage to Waldorf Astor as a young woman in England.

After he succeeded to the peerage and entered the House of Lords, she entered politics, in 1919 winning his former seat in Plymouth and becoming the first woman to sit as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons.

EMMETT GOWIN Emmet Gowin (born 1941 in Danville, VA) is an American photographer. He first gained attention in the 1970s with his intimate portraits of his wife, Edith, and her family. Later he turned his attention to the landscapes of the American West, taking aerial photographs of places that had been changed by humans or nature, including the Hanford Site, Mount St. Helens, and the Nevada Test Site. Gowin taught at Princeton University for 25 years.

RICHARD BENJAMIN HARRISON - Richard Benjamin Harrison Jr., (also known by the nicknames The Old Man and The Appraiser) (born in Danville, VA March 4, 1941), is a Las Vegas businessman and reality television personality, best known as the co-owner of the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, as featured on the History channel

24 showcAse Magazine

| August 2017 | www.showcasemagazine.com

series Pawn Stars. Harrison was the co-owner of a pawn shop with his son Rick Harrison, which they opened together in 1989.

Photo by Ron Ba

ker

MOJO NIXON - Mojo Nixon (born Neill Kirby McMillan, Jr.; August 2, 1957) was born in Chapel Hill but raised in Danville, VA is an American musician, known for playing psychobilly music. He has officially retired from playing live and recording, though he does host several radio shows on Sirius Satellite Radio and has come out of retirement for onetime events, such as an event to support fellow musician Kinky Friedman’s candidacy for Texas governor.

RICKY VAN SHELTON Ricky Van Shelton (born in Danville, VA January 12, 1952) is an American former country music artist.

Active between 1986 and 2006, he charted more than twenty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. This figure includes ten Number One hits: “Somebody Lied”, “Life Turned Her That Way”, ‘Don’t We All Have the Right”, “I’ll Leave This World Loving You”, “From a Jack to a King” (a cover of the Ned Miller hit), “Living Proof”, “I’ve Cried My Last Tear for You”, “Rockin’ Years” (a duet with Dolly Parton), “I Am a Simple Man”, and “Keep It Between the Lines”. Besides these, seven more of his singles have landed in the Top Ten on the same chart. He has also released nine studio albums, of which his first four have all been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

www.showcasemagazine.com

| August 2017 | showcAse Magazine 25

26 Showcase Magazine

| August 2017 | www.showcasemagazine.com

www.showcasemagazine.com

| August 2017 | Showcase Magazine 27

by Bill and Linda McConahey, Mindful Connections Coaching

Whether your summer was jam packed with activities or filled with complaints about being bored with nothing to do, kids often have a tough time making the back-to school transition.

Here are some tips for both parents and kids to make the change easier on both.

ABOUT THE

Drs. Bill and Linda McConahey are certified relationship coaches for singles and couples. Through company, Mindful Connections Coaching, they offer individual and group coaching, seminars and workshops.

Dr. Bill McConahey, trained in Internal Medicine and Emergency Medicine is the Director of the Wound Care Center at Danville Regional Hospital.

Dr. Linda McConahey is a retired Clinical Psychologist.

Contact information: Drs. Bill and Linda McConahey Mindful Connections Coaching 2087 NC Hwy 700, Pelham, NC 27311 www.mindfulconnectionscoaching.com 336.388.9964

28 showcAse Magazine

| August 2017 | www.showcasemagazine.com

For Parents: As with any new or potentially unsettling situation, like starting school for the first time or entering a new grade or a new school, allow your kids time to adjust. Remind them that everyone feels a little nervous about the first day of school and that all will become routine before they know it.

Be sure to emphasize the positive things about going back to school such as hanging out with old friends, meeting new classmates, buying cool new school supplies, getting involved in school sports or other activities and showing off some new duds or accessories.

It’s also important to talk to your kids about what worries them and offer reassurance. Are they afraid they won’t make new friends or get along with their teachers? Is the thought of school work stressing them out? Are they worried about the bully from last year? Remind them that what they feel on the inside can’t be compared to what others look like on the outside. Even the most confident acting person can be feeling scared on the inside, but we just can’t see that.

It’s beneficial for parents to be home after school for the first week, but if your schedule doesn’t permit that flexibility be sure to try and arrange your evenings to give your kids as much

time as they need that first week in school. Consider adjusting your own schedule to make the transition easier.

wants to hang around with you. Or maybe you don’t get along with your teacher. You might feel different or worry that you don’t have enough friends.

If your child is entering a new school, contact the school before the first day to arrange a visit to scout out the lay of the land. To help ease the back-to-school butterflies try to transition into a consistent school-night routine a few weeks before school starts. Make sure that your children: • get enough sleep • eat a healthy breakfast • write down the need-to-know school information such as locker combinations, class times, room numbers, bus numbers, etc.

• organize and set out what they need the night before—clothes, homework, lunch.

Sometimes it’s a problem with your classes or schoolwork.

May the work is too easy and you get bored. Or maybe the work is too hard and you don’t feel as smart as the other kids. When you stop to think about why you don’t like school, you can start taking steps to make things easier. It’s a good idea to talk to someone about your problems with school. You mom, dad, relative or school counselor will be able to help you. It’s especially important to tell an adult if you’re being bullied or someone hurts you physically.

Although it’s normal to be anxious in any new situation, a few kids develop real physical symptoms such as headaches or stomachaches associated with the start of school. If you’re concerned that your child’s worries go beyond the normal back-to-school jitters talk with your child’s doctor, teachers or school counselor.

For kids: After a summer of sleeping in or doing things on your own time, the alarm bell announcing that first day of school can be a rude awakening. There’s a lot of “new” in the first day of school. New teachers, new friends, new shoes, new notebooks and sometimes a new school.

Dread it or love it, you’ve got to go to school. School is a big part of your life and you spend a lot of time there.

The next time you find yourself disliking school try the following: • Write down everything you don’t like about school • Make a list of the good things you enjoy.

What can you change on the “don’t like” list? Can you get help with school work that’s hard? Can you talk about a worry or problem you’re dealing with? You may not be able to change everything on your “don’t like” list but that’s OK. Focus on what you can change and you may be able to put the cool back in school.

Remember that how you feel on the inside may not be seen by others. Ask for help when you need it and try to keep your focus on the positive.

Here are some ways to make the transition easier and the experience better: • If you’re attending a new school arrange a visit beforehand to locate areas of necessity and interest • Pack your backpack the night before school starts to avoid a last-minute scramble. Hunt down any school forms sent to you over the summer and be sure they’re filled out and signed, if necessary.

• Decide what you you’ll wear the first day of school the night before. The key is to wear what makes you feel good. If you plan to wear a new pair of shoes be sure to break them in first.

• Be open to any changes in the way the first day unfolds. Some schools start with home room or an assembly while others may jump right into the first period class.

• Although you might already know a lot of the kids in your classes, the first day is a great time to make a new friend so say hello to the kids you know and the ones you don’t.

But what should you do if you hate your school? Have you ever had that thought? Lots of kids do. Usually this feeling doesn’t last long. But what happens if you feel that way too much? If you don’t like school the first step is finding out why. You might not like school because a bully is bothering you, or because a kid you don’t like www.showcasemagazine.com

| August 2017 | showcAse Magazine 29

by Kirkland Gee photos by Kirkland Gee

Originally born and raised in California, Rena DeAndrea had no idea what to expect when she arrived in Danville.

DeAndrea moved here with her husband to plant New Ground Church.

“All I knew about Danville before we came is that it was this cute little city that we were called to,” DeAndrea said. “We didn’t come and see the city before we moved here. We just shipped our stuff, pulled our second car and drove across the country.”

When they initially moved, they stayed with friends in North Carolina, but on their first day in the city, they found an apartment, and DeAndrea’s husband found a job. They spent their first month commuting back and forth to get everything in order before settling in Danville.

DeAndrea said Danville had a drastically different culture from California, and it took some time to adjust. In California, people operated at breakneck pace.

“California, as a whole, is very fast-paced and very goaldriven,” DeAndrea said. “You work for yourself, you do things for yourself. It is just a little more selfish.”

But, in Danville, she said things were different. A few years ago, her son was sick with the flu and missed a few days of school. A fellow mother sent her a text after not seeing her son just to check in on them.

“It was so foreign for someone to notice those kinds of things that I was a little taken aback by just her kindness,” DeAndrea said. “She noticed, she was intentional about seeing if our cars were there and noticing my son wasn’t on the playground. Those kinds of things, really, are my favorite thing about this city.”

That generous spirit she noticed now plays into her professional life as well. DeAndrea serves as Executive Director for Transitions Pregnancy Solutions, a non-profit center who works with men and women facing unplanned pregnancy.

DeAndrea began volunteering for what was, at the time, Little Life Pregnancy Center — the organization is now known as Transitions Pregnancy Solutions.

30 showcAse Magazine

| August 2017 | www.showcasemagazine.com

“Even before I left California, I wanted to volunteer at the local pregnancy center,” DeAndrea said. “When I got here, I met with the director and started volunteering.”

She served on a volunteer basis for about a year while also working with Danville Parks & Recreation before taking on the role of Director of Advancement for the pregnancy center.

“After talking to my husband, praying about it and thinking about it, we decided it was a good choice, so I took that on,” DeAndrea said.

Transitions offers pregnancy tests, ultrasounds and mentoring meetings with clients. DeAndrea said “keeping a pulse” on the center is a priority for her, so she continues to mentor alongside her busy schedule as director.

“I feel like the minute I get out of touch with what we do here on the frontlines is the minute that I’m too busy to do my job correctly and adequately,” DeAndrea said. “The best way for me to (stay in touch) is to see it, breathe it, feel it, touch it.”

Her passion for helping these men and women comes from her own life experiences. When she was younger, she and her husband struggled with infertility before having their first child.

“I had my first surgery at the age of 15 and then was told I would never know if I could conceive until I tried,” DeAndrea said.

In addition to that, she spent nearly two years caring for the child of an unplanned pregnancy. They were in the process of adopting the child, but eventually ended up giving custody of him over to his paternal great-grandparents instead.

DeAndrea said these things she has dealt with and been through inspire her to help others in the same boat.

“Parenthood is a gift,” DeAndrea said. “For some people they’re able to schedule it and plan it, but for others, not so much. It’s not something that’s always fun, but it’s something we are gifted to be able to do. I want to share that with others, to be passionate about parenting the next generation, not just existing as a parent.”

www.showcasemagazine.com

| August 2017 | showcAse Magazine 31

32 Showcase Magazine

| August 2017 | www.showcasemagazine.com

Not So Common – Common Sense!

How do we interrogate our own reality as a learning organization?

by Stan Jones, Superintendent of Danville Public Schools

happy New Year and welcome Back as we begin the 2017 – 2018 school-year. while many businesses have only one grand opening, Danville Public schools has a grand opening every year. we are excited to begin the new year of learning not only for our students but for ourselves as leaders of learning. By the way, leadership by my own definition is less positional and more a matter of function. In other words, we are all leaders. teachers are leaders. students are leaders and so on.

As we enter another school year, it is my responsibility as a leader to interrogate our current reality as a school division.

By using of the term “interrogate”, I am using susan scott’s definition that “a fierce conversation is one in which we come from behind ourselves into a conversation and make it real.” (scott is the founder and CEO of Fierce Leadership; http://www.fierceinc. com/about-fierce/leadership-team/susan-scott-ceo and well known for her book entitled, Fierce Conversations – Achieving Success at Work and in Life, One Conversation at a Time. so please indulge me as I “get real” about where we are as a school division. what is our current reality or interrogation of that reality from my perspective?

First, we are an organization that is striving to improve foundational learning, known commonly as the reading, writing, and arithmetic. Foundational learning is those basic skills, knowledge and the application of knowledge that is fundamental to a student’s ability to be a productive citizen. the International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE) defines foundational learning as the knowledge and skill a school or district requires all students to achieve. In Virginia, foundational learning is known as the standards of Learning. In DPs, our work over the past two years has been aimed at creating, supporting, and implementing high quality, research-based instruction in all classrooms through our instructional framework best known as Learning Focused. with hundreds of teacher strategies and practices used by educators, it is easy to get lost in strategies and practices without an instructional framework. stated simply, high-quality instruction should be the rule not the exception throughout any learning organization. second, excellence is the extent to which students take opportunities for rigorous and relevant learning beyond the minimum requirements (foundational learning.) excellence is about stretch learning. stretch learning encourages students to participate in interdisciplinary activities and competitions, to enroll in honor courses, or pursue credentials or courses of study beyond the minimum. examples of stretch learning include Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, career and technical education, dual enrollment courses, and other opportunities that enable students to develop college and career readiness skills. In DPs, we have to do both foundational and stretch learning. Doing one at the exclusion of the other is a

disservice to the students we serve.

Finally, we have to help students with personal skill development which includes ideas like goal setting, organizational skills, social skills, empathy, and emotion control. other personal skills include leadership development, collaboration, and team building. these skills when coupled with true engagement by learners with their teachers, peers and school community, help students to become intrinsically motivated and become more readily involved in the learning process. through these experiences, students feel a sense of personal satisfaction, belonging, and achievement. our challenge as a learning organization is to provide all of these learning criteria as core dimensions of how we do the business of teaching and learning. organizationally, we are implementing these practices to improve our student learning and performance results. At best, improvements in results will be incremental over the next few years.

A STRONG EDUCATION BUILDS A STRONGER COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

Wilkins & CO. supports education Danville Office • 428 Piney Forest Rd. • 434.797.4007 Chatham Office • 12413 US HWY 29 • 434.432.3009 Property Management • 434.797.4009 www.WilkinsAndCo.com

www.showcasemagazine.com

| August 2017 | showcAse Magazine 33

34 showcAse Magazine

| August 2017 | www.showcasemagazine.com

Cardiology expertise looks like this

“We are committed to providing excellent care to each and every one of our patients in Danville.

We are here for you.”

“Caring for your heart is such an important part of living a healthy life. Start early and never stop.”

Evan Ownby, MD

Stephen Davis, MD

Cardiologist

Cardiologist

At Centra Danville Medical Center, healthcare is more accessible and convenient than ever before.

We are committed to you – our friends and neighbors – and are eager to show you the next level in providing Excellent Care for Life.

Our full range of medical and surgical specialties include: Cardiology Mammography Neurosurgery

Physical Therapy Plastic Surgery Primary Care

Sports Medicine Urgent Care Urology

Danville Medical Center Urgent Care Open seven days a week 8 am – 8 pm

Primary Care Monday – Friday, 8 am – 5 pm

Physical Therapy Monday – Thursday, 8 am – 5:30 pm Friday, 8 am – 12:30 pm

To learn more about our services, visit CentraHealth.com

Centra Danville Medical Center | 414 Park Avenue | Danville | 434.857.3600