Showcase Magazine January 2021

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CONTENTS

Showcase Magazine

JANUARY 2021

THE F UTURE ISSUE Showcase Magazine

@showcaseDVA

showcasemagazineva @ info@showcasemagazine.com

FEATURES Looking Towards the Future 2021 will be a bright year in Danville 9

Paws for a Cause Meet Poppy 19

Guys Weekend

in Martinsville— Henry County 20

Looking Towards the Future 2021 will be a bright year in Danville

PG.

9

May The New Year Be Kind To Us All 22

ALSO INSIDE Editor’s Letter

All Systems Go 6

Games

Crossword & Wordsearch 14 From the Kitchen of

Confessions of a 30 Something Awakening 13

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Big Bear’s Wife 30 Minute Pantry Chicken Noodle Soup 16 JANUARY 2021

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PG.

20

CHANGE STARTS HERE

Scan To Activate

Leadership Development - Community & Civic Engagement Placemaking - Social Equity - Network Building

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showcase

EDITOR’S LETTER

All Systems Go Way back in 1986, an obscure “new wavish” band going by the name Timbuk 3 sang about a future so bright you were going to have to wear shades.

JANUARY 2021

CEO Andrew Scott Brooks scott@showcasemagazine.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Paul Seiple | paul@showcasemagazine.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kim Demont | demontdesign@verizon.net

After the year we just lived, that may seem a little far-fetched. But there are good things on the way for our community, and you’ll find out all about them in this month’s cover feature, written by the City of Danville’s Public Information Officer, Arnold Hendrix.

FINANCE MANAGER Cindy Astin | cindy@showcasemagazine.com

So, get those shades ready.

ADVERTISING Lee Vogler | Director of Sales and Marketing lee@showcasemagazine.com | 434.548.5335

January is a year’s way of gifting us a new journal with 365 blank pages and saying, “Be better than last year.” For many, the new year starts off with resolutions, and by February, 80% of those resolutions have failed. I’ve said this before… resolutions are only goals wrapped in a shiny new word. And goals are only achieved by changing habits. It sounds easy. It isn’t because the villain to a habit change is self-discipline. And self-discipline can be the toughest final level boss you’ve ever faced.

In order to create a good habit or eliminate a bad one, stare self-discipline in the eye and don’t blink when it tries to coerce you to fall back into a bad habit. This, my friends, is more difficult than eating only one potato chip. But it’s essential to creating a brighter future.

And you need a system. Our bodies, minds, habits, routines, and so on are an operating system. The core of change is to take a deep dive into your systems and find the things keeping you in the same cycle. That’s truly the starting point to becoming better.

In Atomic Habits, James Clear wrote, “You don’t rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” If you don’t defrag your system, you’ll always have that little spinning rainbow wheel popping up to impede your progress. For those who use Macs, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Whatever you choose to change in the new year, don’t be too hard on yourself if you fall into that 80% who have hiccups before the end of February. Change is a marathon, not a sprint. Allow yourself to fail, but don’t accept that failure as a way out of accomplishing the change you seek. Taking a deep dive into your system also means being honest with yourself. Get to (really) know yourself. Figure out why you failed and find out how to correct it.

2021 is the future. It’s up to each of us to do our part to make it as bright as possible. Be aware. Be kind to each other. And do better.

Enjoy the issue.

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Kenny Thornton Jr | Account Executive kenny@showcasemagazine.com CUSTOMER SERVICE Subscribe to Home Delivery for $24 per year 753 Main Street #3, Danville, VA 24541 Phone 434.709.7349 info@showcasemagazine.com www.showcasemagazine.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Angie Barrett | Paulette Dean Arnold Hendrix | Brandie Kendrick Martinsville-Henry County Tourism | Lee Vogler CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Angie Barrett | Captured Portraiture Brandie Kendrick | Lee Vogler Martinsville-Henry County Tourism COVER Meredith Collie, Shunta Wilson, Rae-Yao Lee Cover photo by Captured Portraiture Scan with your smart phone for

EXCLUSIVE ONLINE CONTENT at showcasemagazine.com

STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES AND IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE www.dewberry.com www.showcasemagazine.com

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FEATURE LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE

Looking Towards the Future

2021 Will Be A Bright Year In Danville

BY ARNOLD HENDRIX PHOTO BY CAPTURED PORTRAITURE

2

020 was a year unlike no other (thanks to the

pandemic). Still, it also gave further evidence that

the city is undergoing a remarkable transformation to a safe city with a diversified, modern economy.

Consider the following events in 2020 (to name a few): • The Police Department reported crime is down in most categories, and violent crime (homicide, robbery, forcible sex offenses, aggravated assault) reached historic lows.

Some property crimes, such as burglary, experienced the lowest reported incidents on record. The numbers are attributed to focused deterrence efforts and community partnerships.

• Police Chief Scott Booth received the Excellence in Policing Award from the Radford University Center for Police Practice, Policy and Research.

• Robert David, youth services and gang violence prevention coordinator for the City of Danville, was named a winner of the national Frederic Milton Thrasher Award by the National Gang Crime Research Center.

The award recognizes David’s accomplishments in gang intervention.

• Danville and the region won the 2020 Community Economic Development Award. The Southern Economic Development Council awarded Danville, Pittsylvania County, and the Southern Virginia Regional Alliance for its long-term plan to regain jobs and investment.

• Site Selection Magazine recognized the City of Danville and Pittsylvania County as a Top 10 Micropolitan Area in the United States.

• Danville was named a national Digital Cities Survey winner, coming in first place in its population category.

The Center for Digital Government uses the survey to recognize cities for their use of technology to tackle social challenges, enhance services and strengthen cybersecurity.

• The National Civic League awarded Danville the prestigious 2020 All-America City designation. The city was one of only 10 communities nationwide to receive the designation that recognizes communities best at tackling critical challenges.

And last but not least, Danville voters in November approved casino gaming by a margin of more than twoto-one, with 13,022 ballots cast in favor of a gaming establishment to be built at the former Dan River Mills industrial complex in Schoolfield.

As we look to turn the page to 2021 (and hopefully say goodbye to the pandemic), there is much on the horizon that will continue transforming our city and region. Be sure to look for these events ahead (again, to name a few).

Casino Gaming Following the referendum, Caesars Entertainment made an upfront payment of $15 million to the City of Danville as stipulated in the development agreement. Caesars made that payment on Dec. 8.

A portion of the payment will go toward the new police station project. The remainder will be used for various capital improvement projects that City Council, with public input, will approve in the months ahead.

Steven Gould, a partner in the law firm Byrnes Gould that is working with Caesars, says citizens can expect the following milestones in 2021: • In the first or second quarter, Caesars will provide opportunities for community feedback in the design process for the casino resort. The method for citizens to engage will be dependent on public health guidelines but will be publicized in advance.

• In the second or third quarter, Caesars will announce the general contractor and hold informational sessions on opportunities for construction jobs, subcontracting, suppliers and vendors.

• In the fourth quarter, Caesars will submit permit applications and hold a groundbreaking.

In 2022, construction continues. In 2023, hiring for the casino resort will occur in the first quarter, with Continued to Page 10 www.showcasemagazine.com

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FEATURE LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE

Continued from Page 9

construction concluding in the second or third quarter and the resort opening in the third or fourth quarter.

“I want to thank our community for the strong support that was shown in last month’s referendum,” Gould told the City Council in December. “I believe this is a project that our entire community will be able to be proud of, and it is a project that will benefit not only Danville but the larger region.”

Tourism The Danville Office of Economic Development has received approval from the City Council and the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors to become the designated marketing organization for both localities and tap their full tourism potential.

The plan for 2021 is developing regional tourism assets and supporting existing tourism-based businesses. With casino gaming providing a revenue source, there will be new opportunities to invest in tourism and marketing.

The first step will be to hire a tourism manager who will build a tourism brand for the community and launch a tourism website and social media accounts.

Parks and Recreation The Parks and Recreation Department remains committed to offering services, programs and events in 2021, such as the opening of the farmers market in the spring and music and family events in the summer.

The Riverwalk Trail and local parks will be fully open — and the community can expect continuous improvement to both.

Also, 2021 will see the return of a bike-share program.

The Danville Public Library will offer new services. An outreach vehicle will visit locations throughout the city to deliver materials, serve as a mobile internet hotspot, and act as an emergency relief vehicle during outages and crises. Also, a student access program will grant students, teachers, and faculty of Danville Public Schools access to library resources.

E-services The Information Technology Department in 2021 will release a new permitting, licensing, and land solution portal for all customers.

The portal will enhance contractor and citizen access to permits and inspections through a custom web interface. Users can easily apply for new permits, manage existing permits, and schedule permits utilizing a public-facing website.

Additionally, users can submit plan reviews for an integrated collaborative experience. The portal will connect to a payment management system to enable online payments.

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Enhancements also are planned for the utility portal, including one that will allow users to text information about a power outage.

Utility Projects Several utility projects are planned for 2021, including electric substation upgrades, installation of a battery storage system, completion of the 20-year natural gas main replacement program, and installation of water and wastewater infrastructure at the Southern Virginia Mega Site at Berry Hill.

Substation upgrades: Danville Utilities has been working toward upgrading electric substation infrastructure to increase reliability and reduce outages. In 2020, the Riverside and Schoolfield substations in Danville were upgraded. In 2021, upgrades to the Kentuck and Whitmell substations in Pittsylvania County are scheduled by June.

Upgrades to the Southside and Westover substations in the city are expected by December. The new equipment will last for 30-plus years.

Battery storage system: This energy project is designed to shave peak charges and save money. The project will be sited on an unused land plot, about 100 feet by 70 feet, outside the Danville Utilities warehouse in Danville. The batteries would be charged during off-peak hours when energy prices are lower and discharged during on-peak hours to offset or avoid transmission and energy capacity costs.

Danville Utilities is targeting December for the operation of the battery system. It would be the utility’s first energy storage system. According to estimates, the battery system would save $1.2 million in transmission and capacity costs in the first year.

Gas main replacement: Crews have been working over the past 20 years to replace 337 miles of cast-iron natural gas main with a longer-lasting polyurethane gas main. The project has encompassed every neighborhood in the city. As cast iron main has been removed from the system, the staff has reduced gas leaks associated with gas mains.

Southern Virginia Mega Site at Berry Hill: In 2020, the City of Danville took over the water and wastewater infrastructure at Berry Hill to serve the tenants within the industrial park. In 2021, the wastewater infrastructure will be installed by June, with the majority of the water infrastructure being installed by June 2022. The City of Eden and the Pittsylvania County Service Authority will provide the water. Eden will provide all the wastewater treatment.

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CONFESSIONS OF A 30 SOMETHING

Confessions of a 30 Something

Awakening

BY LEE VOGLER PHOTO BY LEE VOGLER

One of my favorite bands, Green Day, has a famous song that says, “Wake me up when September Ends.” Over the years, it has become sort of a metaphor for wishing a difficult time period would come to a close. I’m sure many of us have been saying, “Wake me up when 2020 ends.” Well, that time has arrived.

All joking aside, 2020 was a rough time period for nearly everyone, but even during all the tumult, there were positive things that happened, especially for the City of Danville.

arrival of a world class Caesars Resort & Casino. Estimated to hire 1,300 people and bring in $38 million per year in new tax revenue, it has the potential to transform Danville almost overnight.

In May, Site Selection Magazine recognized the City of Danville and Pittsylvania County as a Top 10 Micropolitan Area in the United States. In August, Danville was awarded the prestigious 2020 All-America City designation by the National Civic League. The city is one of only 10 communities nationwide to receive this designation, which is awarded annually to recognize communities that are best tackling critical challenges. In the fall, Police Chief Scott Booth received the Excellence in Policing Award from the Radford University Center for Police Practice, Policy and Research.

We will now have the ability to fund (and improve) our schools, strengthen our city’s infrastructure, build up our reserve funding, and many other things. These decisions shouldn’t solely be made by those at City Hall. We need our citizens involved in the process. This is a critical time period for Danville’s future. Every man, woman and child should make sure their voices are heard in how Danville invests in its future. We will never have a greater opportunity to do so than what we have right now.

There were several other awards and recognitions given to Danville in 2020. Possibly, the biggest story, however, coming out of our River City last year was the voters approving the

We have woken up from 2020. Now it is time to meet this new year, and decade, head on and each do our part to make it the best one that our region has ever seen.

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EXTRA GAMES

Games

Crossword Puzzle ACROSS 1 Fox holes 5 Declare openly 9 Stack of paper 13 Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries 14 Harriet Beacher __ 15 __-a-sketch (child’s toy) 16 Rue 17 Blood carriers 18 Canal name 19 Switch 21 Upper body muscle 23 Flower start 25 Tack 26 Mouser 29 Red deer 31 Pine 34 Goof 35 Neon fish 37 Binds 39 Attracts lures 41 Movie 2001’s talking computer 42 Magic lamp dweller

43 Every 44 Era 46 Former USSR’s secret police 47 Stow 50 Santa call (2 wds.)

51 Her 52 Happy cat sound 54 Violent quarrel 56 Pointed 59 Chops 63 What a clock tells 64 Held high 66 Dog food brand 67 River dam 68 Bores 69 Surprise attack 70 Chances of winning 71 Apex 72 Young Men’s Christian Association DOWN 1 Take off your hat 2 Fencing sword 3 Approach 4 Clean thoroughly

5 Snacked 6 Inane 7 Proprietor 8 Boy on “Mr. Belvedere” 9 Evoke a feeling of shared emotion 10 Decorative needle case 11 Did well 12 Megacycles per second 14 Slender 20 Wants 22 Fasten 24 Take a bath 26 Give 27 Tapestry 28 Pamphlet 30 Illustration 32 Roller skating areas 33 Horse noise 36 Disinterested 38 Southeast by east 40 BK burgers 42 Grave robber 45 Torsos

48 Fear 49 List of errors 53 Keepsake 55 Journal

56 Equal 57 Among 58 Residence hall 60 Shellfish

61 Great 62 Cola 63 Pair 65 Fixed charge

Word Search DISTRACTION

IMAGINATION

PLAN

CHECKLIST

EXERCISE

MEDITATION

PRODUCTIVE

CLEANING

EXPERIMENT

ORGANIZE

SIMPLIFY

BLUEPRINT

CLUTTER

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STRESS

Answers on Page 18

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FEATURE BIG BEAR’S WIFE

From the Kitchen of

Big Bear’s Wife 30 Minute Pantry Chicken Noodle Soup WRITTEN BY ANGIE BARRETT OF BIGBEARSWIFE.COM PHOTO BY ANGIE BARRETT

Need a fast and easy home cooked meal using pantry ingredients? Have no fear, 30 Minute Pantry Chicken Noodle Soup is here.

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning • 12 oz egg noodles

PREP TIME: 10m; COOK TIME: 20m TOTAL TIME: 30m

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Drain and Rinse canned chicken. Break chicken chunks into smaller pieces.

2. Add water and chicken bouillon cubes to a large pot.

Bring to a boil.

3. Add everything but noodles to the water.

4. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes.

5. Add noodles and cook for the remaining 10 minutes or let soup cook alone and cook noodles separately in a pot of boiling water then add noodles to soup before serving.

INGREDIENTS • 2 cans (12.5 oz each) chunk chicken breast in water, drained and rinsed • 8 cups water • 4 chicken bouillon cubes • 1 can (14.5 oz) sliced carrots, drained • 1 can (15 oz) green peas, drained • 1 tablespoon onion powder

NOODLES For the noodles, you can either add them to the soup now and let them cook in the broth for the last 10 minutes until they’re tender OR you can cook them separately in a pot of boiling water and add them before serving.

NOTES: When I make this soup, I cook the noodle separate because we normally have leftovers, and I don’t want the soup to turn into mush in the fridge with the noodles soaking up all of the broth.

I also store the cooked noodles separately from the soup in the fridge. When ready to reheat from the fridge, we reheat the soup on the stove or in the microwave.

Then add the cold noodles to a bowl and pour the hot soup over them. The hot soup warms the noodles up quickly and this prevents the soup from turning into mushy stew in the fridge.

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Games Solutions Continued from Page 14

Word Search

Crossword Puzzle

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PAWS FOR A CAUSE

Paws for a Cause WRITTEN BY PAULETTE DEAN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DANVILLE HUMANE SOCIETY

January 1, 2021, is probably one of the most anticipated days in recent history. The vast majority of us looked forward to the end of 2020; it was not the easiest year the world has had. The animal problems never decreased for us as we continued our opendoor policy.

appeared. The right combination of warm temperatures, water, and fluorescent lighting has given it new life.

Sadly, though, I suspect that New Year’s Day will not bring any magic that will solve all the problems for humans or animals. Maybe there is a lesson for 2021 in my geranium.

My sister- and brother-in-law gave me a huge beautiful geranium for my birthday in the spring. I kept it on my screened-in porch, and it did a wonderful job keeping many insects away. It bloomed most of the summer.

MEET MEET POPPY POPPY This four month-old girl is sweet, but oh my, she has a lot of energy! She loves life.

I began to get concerned about it as fall temperatures came and knew hard winter days were ahead. In fact, I will gladly admit that I woke up in the middle of a few nights, worried about it being outside. Geraniums, though, have a strong smell and are dangerous for my pets, so I could not bring it inside.

Instead, I took it to my office. Leaves had fallen, others had turned yellow, and all the blossoms were gone. I had read that geraniums can live for many years, so I wanted to do what I could for it.

On January 1, 2021, we will still have animal problems in this area. However, we will work diligently to: 1. Offer spay/neuter assistance. We have assisted with over 35,000 surgeries and have prevented millions of unwanted puppies and kittens from being born.

2. Continue to find loving, responsible homes in this area.

3. Expand our transfer programs to other trusted groups.

4. Teach respect and kind treatment for all animals.

Sometimes our work easy and sometimes it is hard. It is always done with love for the animals with whom we share the earth. We will do everything in our power to help the work for animals blossom through coming hard days.

DANVILLE HUMANE SOCIETY

After a week in my office, three new beautiful blossoms www.showcasemagazine.com

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EXPLORE GUYS WEEKEND IN MARTINSVILLE - HENRY COUNTY

Guys Weekend

in Martinsville—Henry County

BY MARTINSVILLE-HENRY COUNTY TOURISM

Weekends are for the boys, and Martinsville-Henry County is the perfect place to spend that valuable comradery time.

From camping and fishing, to kayaking and golfing, and much more, you can easily fill your weekend with action packed activities.

Day 1: Start your guys’ weekend Friday evening by checking into one of the many campgrounds throughout MHC, many of which are near Philpott Lake and the Smith River, and spend your Friday night connecting with nature.

Lily Pad RV Campground: Situated along the bank of the Smith River, Lily Pad offers campers a unique stay in Henry County featuring full hookup sites with water, sewer & 30/50 amp electricity. Plus 10 tent camping sites. Other amenities include a general store with grill, a bathhouse, laundry facility, fire rings, horseshoes, corn hole, and river access.

Philpott Lake: The group campground is in a private setting overlooking Philpott Marina and has 10 camping spaces with extra room for tents. Each space has water,

electric and sewer hook-ups. The campground also features a picnic shelter, tables, fire rings and a bathhouse facility with restrooms and showers. This is the only group campground on Philpott Lake and can be rented nightly.

Need to update your fishing gear, service your boat or RV? Head over to Angler’s Choice Marine in Martinsville, VA for all your fishing, boating and camper needs. The awardwinning dealership offers exceptional service and products that will make you a lifelong customer.

Other lodging options include Rick’s Place on the Smith, Lee Ford Camp, Indian Heritage RV Campground, and Fairy Stone State Park.

Day 2: Wake up Saturday morning bright eyed and bushy tailed and take the fellas to an all-you-can-eat breakfast at Red & Mae’s. From biscuits and gravy, to waffles and bacon, to eggs and sausage, the all-you-can-eat breakfast at Red & Mae’s will satisfy any hunger. Feel like cooking your own meal first thing in the morning by the fire pit? If so, stop by Horn’s Marketplace, near Philpott Lake Dam, and pick up some local meats and produce for your fireside feast.

After a filling breakfast, head over to Smith River Outfitters; your one stop shop for guided fishing and paddling adventures on the Smith River. Enjoy a guided fishing trip and experience the thrill of a world class brown or rainbow trout taking your bait and making your fishing rod bend towards the waters of the beautiful Smith River. And If you don’t want to fish, you can rent a kayak to float the river. Smith River Outfitters also offers shuttle service to make your adventure easier.

After spending all day on the Smith River, head back to the campsite to get cleaned up and ready for supper at Checkered Pig BBQ. Checkered Pig has been showcased on the Food Network and Destination America, and has won many awards for great tasting sauces, ribs and more. The Champions Feast and Brisket Nachos are some

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local favorite dishes and will surely be a hit with your taste buds and your best buds. Other succulent supper options include Dixie Pig BBQ and Hylton’s Wood Cooking Grill.

After a hearty meal, make your way to Mountain Valley Brewing; Martinsville-Henry County’s first farm to table brewery. Taking pride in growing their own hops, Mountain Valley Brewing offers a wide selection of craft beers which pair perfectly with live music that is played most nights. Nothing brings friends together like some cold, fresh craft beer while reminiscing on the day’s funfilled events.

Day 3: Unwind Sunday morning and enjoy a leisure round or two of golf at Forest Park Country Club. Open to the public, Forest Park provides players with an exceptional 18-hole course at an affordable rate. Enjoy the Bermuda fairways, bent greens, and gently rolling terrain. If you forget to schedule your tee time, consider Beaver Hills Golf Course or the Driving Range at the Smith River Sports Complex.

Start planning your guys’ weekend in MHC today by visiting www.VisitMartinsville.com, or by calling us at 276.632.8006.

Insider’s Tip: Plan your guys’ weekend in MartinsvilleHenry County during one of the two NASCAR races at Martinsville Speedway for an even more action-packed weekend.

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FEATURE MAY THE NEW YEAR BE KIND TO US ALL

May The New Year Be Kind To Us All

BY BRANDIE KENDRICK PHOTO BY BRANDIE KENDRICK

L

et’s all breathe deeply and take a collective sigh of

relief. We did it. If you are reading this, then you

survived the year 2020. If you survived in 2020, you can “virtually” survive anything. Get what I did there? The year started off fairly normal for most, but took a sharp turn left that no one was expecting.

Half the continent of Australia was on fire in 2020. The entire world shut down for some time, and a massive global pandemic swept through the entire world. Let’s not even talk about the toilet paper shortage. I am still uncertain about the correlation between COVID-19 and toilet paper. Not to mention, no one even blinked an eye when the Pentagon released information stating that UFOs are real. For quite a while some of us were working from home while teaching our children. I mean, are we not superheroes? I think so!

Now here we are in a new year. A fresh start. I don’t know about you guys, however, my mindset is a little like squint your eyes and wait for the chaos. Grin and bear it mentality as we wait to see what fresh havoc awaits

us. Maybe it is PTSD from 2020. Guys, I am ready for a new year. I am ready for something different. I think 2020 may have tossed us around like a broken washing machine and then hung us out to dry. Even though 2020 was hard on us all, it has taught me a lot. It has taught me that there is always something to be thankful for. It is not easy, but it is possible. You can find gratefulness even in small things. I remember the joy of a sunny day during the lockdown. A break from the cold and an opportunity to walk outside and get fresh air. I remember the pure laughter that came from my children when we set up their swing set in the backyard. I remember Friday night movie nights. I remember a good glass of wine and a strong cup of coffee bringing a smile to my face. These were all things I have taken for granted before the pandemic. I remember the first time that we visited with our family after three months of being only the four of us. I remember hugging my dad for the first time in months. It felt like home.

It felt different; it felt appreciated. If 2020 taught me anything, it is that family is most important. Maybe being washed up and hung to dry by 2020 allowed for me to be rid of all the things that seem so important but, in reality, did not matter. Like nice clothes, a polished car, or a booming career. Do not get me wrong, it is okay to find joy in those things, however, when the world shuts down, family is all you have.

I look forward to what 2021 can bring because I feel like I have a fresh perspective and a new appreciation for the simple things in life. While I know we are not in the clear from the coronavirus, I hope that 2021 will redeem us from the crazy that occurred in 2020. I hope that you can enter 2021 with the same mentality. My wish for you in the new year is that you hold on to hope and embrace the new year with open arms. May you sip your coffee in the mornings and appreciate the silence, if only for a second. May you act silly when your kids are watching, have weekly dance parties, and hold on to the only thing that matters if the world were to shut down again... your family. 2020 taught us gratitude now let us allow 2021 to teach us joy.

Brandie Kendrick has a graduate degree in child development and holds a certification in human development studies. For more of her writing visit pickledproverbs.com.

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together, WE can...

forge a thriving Dan River Region encourage and engage all residents build healthy lives

Danville Regional Foundation (DRF) is one part of a large collaborative network of partners from all sectors working together as agents for innovation promising a sustained positive impact on the entire region.

Our Vision DRF envisions thriving Dan River Region communities where all residents are encouraged and equipped to build healthy and productive lives for themselves and their families.

Our Mission DRF’s mission is to be a catalyst for long-term transformation through the development, promotion and support of impactful activities and programs that address the health, education and well-being of all the Dan River Region’s residents.

To find out how you can be a part of this work, visit www.drfonline.org.

URW