TATE’S ON TOP, WITH HANNAH HOLDING DUKE ON THE INSIDE: A NEED FOR SPEED THE REAL TOM FROST MOMMA CINDY’S TRUCK
FIDELIO
THE PLAINS, VIRGINIA
European Elegance on 61 Acres Timeless luxury | Stunning European-inspired estate featuring reclaimed antiquity throughout Limestone floors, museum-quality finishes, hand-painted coffered ceilings, and exquisite mahogany doors and windows | 5 spacious bedrooms, 5 full baths, and 6 fireplaces
Exceptional kitchen and elevator The compound also includes a separate gallery/studio, a stone cottage, guest house, spa pool, tennis court, and lovely grounds with a stream, waterfalls, orchards, gardens, and river frontage
$8,300,000
helen MacMahon 540.454.1930
WARRENTON, VIRGINIA
Built 1840 – classic Greek Revival brick home | Located in Historic District/Old Town’s premier street | 4 BR, 5.5 BA, 8 FP High ceilings, wood floors, detailed moldings | Updated in 1944 and by current owners | Oversized 3-car garage + ample parking | Private 0.77-acre lot | Mature landscaping, saltwater pool, garden shed | Historic elegance + modern comfort
$2,200,000
Paul MacMahon
SAINT LOUIS ROAD
PURCELLVILLE, VIRGINIA
Hard to find 9.58 acres between Middleburg and Purcellville | Mountain views, woods and pasture with frontage on Beaverdam Creek
$600,000
Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905
EDWARDSVILLE
THE PLAINS, VIRGINIA
2 recorded parcels totaling 190 acres w/frontage on Old Tavern Rd & Old Winchester Rd across from Great Meadow | Farm has been in the same family since the 1940’s 34.89 acres, zoned R1 potential of 31 lots, balance RA acres can be total of 10 lots Conservation easement potential | 10 total residences, 9 currently leased month to month | “AS IS” condition | Land is gently rolling and mostly open, frontage on Piney Branch, large spring fed pond, mountain views in all directions
$4,950,000
Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905
Brian MacMahon 703.609.1868
GRACE HILL
PURCELLVILLE, VIRGINIA
Period home, original portion 1768, additions in 1850 and 1950 | Stucco exterior, metal roof, beautiful wood floor, 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, 3 fireplaces, spectacular living room with high ceilings | 20.21 acres, recorded in 2 parcels, mountain views | Frontage on Butcher Branch, room for horses, studio/guest house
$1,595,000
Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905
Brian MacMahon 703.609.1868
JOSEPHINE STREET
been rented for a long period and is being sold in “AS IS” condition | Needs work but could be charming | Large back yard and minutes to downtown Berryville
$199,000
Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905
Brian MacMahon 703.609.1868
ALDIE, VIRGINIA Opportunity
MIDDLEBURG, VIRGINIA The Old Middleburg Fire House | Lovely stone building centrally located | Bright, open and light filled commercial property Over sized display windows, high ceilings, spacious rooms & an ADA bath | Lower level has small kitchen, store room & additional office w/outside access for deliveries and storage | Great opportunity, charming and tremendous foot traffic | Includes 13
Here Comes Santa Claus, Dropping Into RFK
“I saw a helicopter flying around and I said to myself, ‘I gotta try that ... So I got my license to fly them, too.”
By Leonard Shapiro
The on-going demolition of RFK Stadium in Washington surely has stirred special memories for Middleburg native Trowbridge Littleton. They have very little to do with a John Riggins run, a Sonny Jurgensen touchdown pass or a significant victory by the longtime pro football franchise that called the building home for so many years.
Instead, it was a visit to RFK by Santa Claus back in December, 1970 that often brings a smile to Littleton’s face. After all, Rudolph and his reindeer pals did not deliver jolly old St. Nick to the stadium that day. He parachuted down from a helicopter, with none other than Littleton flying the aircraft. Minutes later, he landed it flawlessly on the 50 yardline, then lifted Santa back up, up, and away after his traditional holiday visit to a Washington home football game.
“It was definitely an interesting day,” Littleton recalled some 50 years later.
To say the least.
How he was at the controls that afternoon also involves an equally interesting tale about a young man who initially aspired to be a commercial airline pilot. He eventually became a widely respected local builder with more than 50 Middleburg homes to his credit, not to mention a dedicated long-time member of the Town Council. His son, Bridge, has been mayor since 2018.
The dream of flying the friendly skies for a major airline did not last all that long. After graduating from East Carolina University, Littleton enrolled in the Ag Aviation Academy in Minden, Nevada near Carson City in order to earn his commercial pilot’s license.
“I saw a helicopter flying around and I said to myself, ‘I gotta try that,’” he said. “So I got my license to fly them, too.”
Before long, he was working in the Gettysburg area for two years spraying crops from a helicopter. Then it was on to a new job flying oil company workers and executives out to offshore oil rigs off the Louisiana coast. One of his fellow pilots was a young man named Kris Kristofferson.
“We had five days on and five days off back then,” Littleton said. “One day, we were fishing off the side of a rig and I asked him what he was doing this weekend. He said he was going somewhere to meet a guy named Kenny Rogers and write some music together.”
Kristofferson obviously was soon headed for celebrity stardom. Trowbridge Littleton was
heading back to Middleburg because “my parents thought I needed to have a real job. I ended up at the O’Sullivan Rubber Company in Winchester manufacturing suitcases.”
Still, the fascination with flying never stopped. One day, Littleton said he got a call from late Middleburg resident William Haggin Perry, back then a prominent owner and breeder of champion Thoroughbred racehorses who knew of his flying background.
“He said he wanted to a buy a helicopter,” Littleton said, “and I told him to contact the people at Fairchild. They actually landed one on our property and I asked Frank Hugland, the regional sales manager, if I could fly it a little. I still had my license. I flew a bit and Mr. Perry bought the helicopter. Then Mr. Hugland asked me if I’d be interested in coming to work for them.”
Making suitcases at O’Sullivan paid him $6,500 a year. Fairchild offered $11,500 a year to join their sales force “and I’d be doing what I loved,” Littleton said.
This was a no-brainer.
And then, along came Santa Claus.
One day, Ed Uhl, Fairchild’s chairman, called and
asked Littleton if he’d be available to drop Santa off at RFK Stadium at halftime of an upcoming game.
“I said sure,” Littleton recalled. “We did a practice run into an empty stadium a few days before. Then I met Santa at National Airport on game day, went up to 1,500 feet and headed over to the stadium. I was in contact with the people on the ground and when I flew over the field, he parachuted out of the copter into the stadium. Five minutes later, I landed it on the 50. He got in and we took off.
“What I didn’t know at the time was that the heat the people in the stadium generated produced warmer air that was less amenable to the rotor blades. It wasn’t like that in the practice run. The place was empty. Going back out, I actually had to do an extra circle inside the stadium to gain altitude and not stall. If I’d had engine failure, there would have been a problem.”
Fortunately, Littleton made it up and out, dropped off Santa and then flew back to RFK and watched most of the second half. He doesn’t really recall much about the game that day, who Washington played or even the final score.
How could you blame him? After all, it was main mission clearly accomplished, and Santa Claus and Trowbridge Littleton definitely are still going strong.
Artwork by Tiffany Dillon Keen Who needs reindeer?
Distributed and mailed throughout the Virginia countryside and in Washington and at key Sporting Pursuits and Celebrations
MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 798
Middleburg, Virginia 20118
PHONE: 410-570-8447
Editor: Leonard Shapiro badgerlen@aol.com
Advertising Director Vicky Mashaw
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Meredith Hancock
Hancock Media
Contributing Photographers:
Doug Gehlsen
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Sarah Huntington
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Tiffany Dillon Keen
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Official Fine Artist
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Contributing Writers:
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Emma Boyce
Bill Cauley
Sean Clancy
Denis Cotter
Philip Dudley
Mike du Pont
Valerie Archibald Embrey
Michele Husfelt
Alissa Jones
Laura Longley
Hunt Lyman
M.J. McAteer
Jan Mercker
Linda Millington
Joe Motheral
Jodi Nash
Chris Patusky
Tom Northrup
Ali Patusky
Melissa Phipps
Pat Reilly
Linda Roberts
John E. Ross
Constance Chatfield-Taylor
John Sherman
Peyton Tochterman
John Toler
Leslie VanSant
Mike Wipfler
Louisa Woodville
For advertising inquiries, contact: Vicky Mashaw at vickymashaw@icloud.com or 409-381-0441
Leonard Shapiro at badgerlen@aol.com or 410-570-8447
ON THE COVER
This could have been one of our most difficult covers to photograph, and certainly one of the most unusual. You never know with a pony and two children in the studio, But Tate Johnson, sporting a Santa hat and an adorable grin, and sweetheart Hannah Fitzgerald holding perfectly docile Duke were marvelous. Seeing their parents behind me jumping up and down trying to get smiles and "ears up" would have been a sure winner on America's Funniest Home Videos.
/ Country Zest and Style / @countryzestandstyle / @countryzestand1 www.countryzestandstyle.com
of NOTE
BE ON THE LOOKOUT through this issue of for the hummingbird.
He appears in two ads and the first two readers to find him (one each) will receive a gift from THE RED TRUCK Rural Bakery, with locations in Warrenton and Marshall. Send your reply to badgerlen@aol.com
WOULDN’T IT BE NICE
By Leonard Shapiro
For a bit of a change of pace, and with a nod to The Beach Boys, wouldn’t it be nice in our final edition of 2025 to offer a few suggestions, observations, opinions and many, many thanks to our loyal readers, our superb staff and our awesome advertisers for supporting Country ZEST and, just as important, local journalism, as well.
Wouldn’t it be nice to express the deepest gratitude to the organizations and countless volunteers who provide a helping hand up and occasionally a safety net for so many people in our area, particularly Seven Loaves Food Bank, the Windy Hill Foundation, Middleburg FISH and the Churches of Upperville, among other local nonprofits.
Wouldn’t it be nice if some local drivers would start to pay attention to traffic signage, speed limits, and common sense rules of the road. For heaven’s sake, please STOP passing cars over double yellow lined two-lane country roads.
Wouldn’t it be nice to resurrect the long-gone-but-never-forgotten Coach Stop restaurant. A reasonably priced, sit-down Middleburg venue for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a hi y’all hostess and a Happy Hour included, would be so appreciated.
Wouldn’t it be nice to never even whisper the words “data center” on the Route 50 corridor between Gilbert’s Corner and the Ashby Gap.
Wouldn’t it be nice to recognize the determined conservation and preservation efforts by so many fine area organizations—The Land Trust of Virginia, Piedmont Environmental Council, Goose Creek Association, Citizens for Fauquier County, and Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area Association to name but a few.
Wouldn’t it be nice to acknowledge serial volunteer Punkin Lee for all she does in so many capacities, especially as head of the Middleburg Business and Professional Association.
Wouldn’t it be nice to salute Middleburg Police Chief Shaun Jones and his vigilant force, as well as all the similarly dedicated occupants of Middleburg’s town hall, Mayor Bridge Littleton and the town council.
Wouldn’t it be nice to recognize Joe Fargis, the modest, and so unassuming 1984 show jumping gold medalist at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, for his incredibly effective leadership as president of the Upperville Horse Show. And kudos, as well to executive director Emily Day and long-time operations manager Tommy Lee Jones.
Wouldn’t it be nice to say congratulations to the Hill School, celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026, to Chestnut Forks Tennis Club, marking 50 years under the Maloney family, and to Slater Run Winery and founders/owners Chris and Kiernan Patusky for ten fabulous years.
Wouldn’t it really be nice to acknowledge the amazing contributions of our phenomenal Country ZEST staff, and especially Vicky Moon, my beloved do-itall wife and ZEST cohort. It also includes the very special writers, photographers, and designers who have made this magazine what folks keep telling us is a coverto-cover must-read.
And wouldn’t it be nice to wish one and all a magnificent holiday season and a happy, healthy and peaceful new year. With lots of joyful ZEST included.
Leonard Shapiro Editor badgerlen@aol.com
410-570-8447
Doug Gehlsen and Karen Monroe of Middleburg Photo
A Memo from the Mayor
A Christmas Tradition Unlike Any Other
By Bridge Littleton
Many in our community remember the unassuming beginnings of the Christmas in Middleburg parade. By 1983, the celebration had grown from its humble beginnings in 1972 into a holiday tradition that stitched the town’s heritage to its community spirit.
The first parades were simple affairs: horses and hounds from the Middleburg Hunt, marshaling at the Red Fox Inn wearing red and black jackets, horns sounding as feisty horses and hounds trotted proudly down Washington Street.
By the late 1970s, floats had been added, bringing in schools, banks, churches, and local clubs, each putting their creativity on display—sometimes wholesome, sometimes a bit risqué, but always full of cheer.
The town’s Christmas decorations reflected the times. In the 1970s, bright tinsel and oversized plastic bells and horns gave Main Street a cheerful, if slightly garish glow. But by the early 1980s, thanks to beloved Hill School art teacher Em Sharp, handmade decorations began to grace the lamp posts with characters from Dickens and 18th century carols, giving the town the charm it still carries today.
Community was always at the heart of the event. Residents fondly recall Reggie Dawson of the Middleburg Bank, faithfully following the Hunt Review with a wheelbarrow and shovel, joking that “other duties as assigned” meant keeping Main Street tidy after the horses passed.
I can still remember the whimsical entry of my mother pushing Claudia Young down the street in a Safeway shopping cart, handing out candy to delighted children. That day ended with her dashing into Billy Leach’s Hardware store—ten dollars in hand, and leaving with a hammer for my father, the perfect gift found just steps from the parade route, even though he already had four of them.
The 1983 celebration still felt intimate, mostly neighbors sharing cocoa (usually with a bit of a jolt added to it), folks waving from porches, or marching with their clubs, schools, and Scout troops.
The morning Hunt Review brought the elegance of scarlet coats and horses trotting in perfect rhythm; the afternoon parade followed with floats, choirs, antique fire trucks, ponies, and corgis. It was a day where everyone either marched or waved, and when it ended, the town returned quietly to its weekend routines—hearts warm, streets covered with hay, and stories carried forward.
Looking back, Christmas in Middleburg in 1983 reminds us of the joy of simpler times, when a small town’s celebration was both spectacle and gathering place. And yet, even today, as visitors from around the world come to Middleburg each December, the magic remains the same: generations come together, horses and hounds still lead the way, and the timeless spirit of community continues to shine.
Mayor Bridge Littleton
Marshall Native KATE JENNINGS IS ALL IN At Na Nin
By Leonard Shapiro
Kate Jennings cherishes her childhood growing up in Marshall, dearly loves her proud parents, Chris and Dave Jennings, who still live there, and absolutely adores the thriving vintage and new apparel, fragrance and candle business she started in Richmond in 2009. There are now 14 employees, four brick and mortar locations and a significant on-line presence, as well.
It’s called Na Nin, translated from the Korean language to mean “I am.” Kate spent 14 months in South Korea teaching children English as a second language shortly after graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2007 with a degree in psychology.
One of her instructor colleagues at the school also was teaching Kate some very basic Korean language skills using phonetics. One of the first things she wrote down and said to Kate translated to “I am happy because I am with you.” That “I am” message became a reminder to her of the importance of acts of kindness, no matter how big or small.
How did Kate Jennings from Fauquier County wind up in Korea?
“I had just finished my undergraduate degree and I was really ready to take a break from school,” said Kate, also a graduate of Fauquier High in Warrenton. “I wanted to see the world a little. The more I heard about Korea, the more intrigued I was, even though I didn’t speak the language. But it was something I could do, and I went for it.
“Their work ethic, their self-discipline was really eye-opening to me. I was 23 when I went there and I so much appreciated so many people’s acts of kindness to me. I was far from home and living in a whole new world and the way I was treated really made a big impression. I came back feeling if I could ever offer a helping hand to make someone feel comfortable, to be kind, that really does matter.”
Kate clearly practices what she preaches, as evidenced from a comment on line from one of her many admirers.
“Let me tell you there just isn’t a lovelier and sweeter being,” read the post. “Every time I run into her she’s so genuinely transparent in that way that instantly makes you want to be one of her dearest friends. She always has such sweet, positive and encouraging words, regardless of whether you’ve just walked into the shop for the first time, or you’re a frequent visitor. She’s truly such a wonderful person to be around.”
When Kate returned to the U.S. from Korea, she taught kindergarten in the Richmond area for two years while also pursuing her passion for vintage clothing. “I just have an affinity for that sort of clothing that reminds me of my parents,” she said. “People would tell me I should make it a lucrative hobby, so I did it on the side.
“I opened the first Na Nin store in 2014. I just decided to make it a full-time career. I also got into creating fragrances and scented candles and some other things. I was able to devote all of myself to
my creative passions and pay full attention to it.”
That first store is still located in the iconic Fan District of Richmond and a second came along a few years later in the Bon Air sector of the city. Her clothing, candles, fragrances and scents, virtually all developed by Kate, also are available locally at the Frost Collective on—what else— Frost Street in Marshall.
That shop is only a few miles away from where Kate grew up not far from the Northern Fauquier Regional Park. Her parents are both retired former government contractors and Dave, with instruction from Kate, is a talented candlemaker himself now. His business, The Rural Squirrel, sells his popular wares on line and at farmer’s markets all around the area.
Na Nin also has a considerable on-line presence and wholesales a number of its products—many of them made in Richmond—to over 100 stores, most in the U.S. but with a worldwide market, as well.
In addition to their professional lives, Kate and her Richmond firefighter husband, Cody Oliver, are also quite busy with two young boys, Levi, 5, and Theo, 3. Kate likes to think they’re raising their children in the same lovingly way she herself flourished in Marshall.
“I’m proud to be their daughter,” she said of her parents. “They are just wonderful people and I am blessed to have grown up where I did. They have been so supportive of me and my sister Rachel. They had open minds and open hearts. I am so grateful.” There it is again. I am. Na Nin.
Kate Jennings at her Richmond shop, Na Nin.
A Masterful Marshall Schoolhouse Garden
By Leslie Van Sant
Heading west from The Plains on Route 55 towards Marshall, there’s an awkward bend in the road at the intersection of Whiting Road. From spring to first frost, you will be greeted there by a garden resplendent with the colors of the season.
All fall, the one-acre plot surrounding the historic Schoolhouse #18 is awash in a palette of yellows, blues and pinks. Coreopsis. Azuratum. Zinnias. The end of season cherry tomatoes were resplendent with sweetness. A water feature offered a place to relax and meditate.
The place was abuzz with pollinators. Honey bees flitted from bloom to bloom, jockeying for position with Silver-spotted Skippers, Monarchs and Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies.
This oasis at the historic Schoolhouse #18 was started just over 30 years ago. The last group of African American students who attended class at #18 was in 1964, Fauquier County Schools were still segregated at that time. But in the decades since, the Schoolhouse had lost its luster, instead becoming an eyesore, run down, a yard filled with illegally dumped trash. Motivated local citizens rallied to save the schoolhouse, one of the last remaining oneroom structures in the state.
“There were a couple of Master Gardeners among
the group working to save the school. And around 1992, they put a garden in around the school house,” said Timothy Ohlwiler, horticultural extension agent in the Fauquier County Extension Office.
The grounds were turned into a working garden, a training ground for future generations of Master Gardeners. Year after year, local Master Gardeners volunteered their time, maintained and expanded
the beds as a way to share knowledge. The Master Gardener training is just one of the programs offered through the Virginia Cooperative Extension on an annual basis. The next session will start in early 2026, interested gardeners should check back to the mgfrc.org website to learn more and register.
The one-acre garden is organized into smaller, themed gardens including: pollinator, herbs, vegetable, water, shade and Virginia native plants. This year, through a partnership with the Clifton Institute, a “Fauquier Native Garden” was installed as an extension of the Institute’s local seed bank.
For many years, the garden was closed to the public and could only be enjoyed from a car window.
Then, in 2008, the garden was opened to the public, but continues to serve as a “living classroom.”
“The gardens there are to help people learn about gardens. It’s sort of a passive teaching tool, most of the time. But several times a year, usually when the Schoolhouse is open for tours, our Master Gardeners hold classes for the public there,” said Ohlwiler.
Details: Admission is usually free or at a minimal cost. The park is now operated and maintained by Fauquier County Parks and Recreation. The gardens are open daily from dawn to dusk. Schoolhouse #18 is open for tours once each month (check the Parks & Rec website: https://www. fauquiercounty.gov/government/departments-h-z/parksand-recreation/historical-sites-new/schoolhouse-18)
“Appleton Campbell is the best company I’ve ever worked with. Their secret is clearly in the hiring of personnel of the highest caliber. The professionalism, skill and knowledge displayed from start to finish was top notch and never wavering. Great care was taken to protect floors and household furnishings while installing a water heater, new commodes, and other repairs.”
Courtesy Fauquier County Department of Parks and Recreation
The garden at Schoolhouse #18 in Marshall.
EGGNOG
By Vicky Moon
As a writer, I keep everything. You just never know when you might want to refer to something written ages ago or use a photo from who knows when. While going through some old files recently, I came across this jewel—a note and a recipe from the late, great Raleigh Burroughs, who worked at the Baltimore Sun and The Maryland Horse magazine and later wrote humorous columns for The Chronicle of the Horse. He sent this one in 1978, while I was in my first job at Spur magazine working for the late Gwen Dobson.
To which I say, “Drink up.” I feel certain he would agree.
Christmas DESIGNING
The Middleburg Community Center was filled with friends and flowers for a talk and book signing with Laura Dowling with her book, Designing Christmas. As a former White House Chief Floral Designer, she offered tips and tricks to the 100 plus gathered. The event was sponsored by The Piedmont Garden Club.
Photos by Donna Strama
Carmine Arwine
Laura Dowling
Lisa Catlett
Margaret Littleton and Tara Wegdam
Susan Lindholm Kristi Germinario
If you’ve never been to Middleburg for Christmas, you might be surprised at just how big our little town does it up! Come on out for the day or the weekend, and experience the truly unique Christmas in Middleburg. We’re proud that it’s earned international recognition – but even more proud that you’ll still enjoy the same charm, character and community that we’re known for. We can’t wait to see you!
Shop Local
An ideal village blend of refined luxury and unpretentious comfort.
Eat Well
Our restaurants, bistros, cafés, pubs, and brewery scene in our village rivals that of any big city.
Wineries
More than 20 wineries within a 30-minute radius.
Accommodations
Choose from a historic inn, traditional B&B, or a 5-star sprawling country estate and spa.
The Great Outdoors
Open spaces and rural calm inspire invigorating hikes, relaxing strolls, picnics & horseback riding for all levels.
HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES
Join us all December long for food, shopping, and festive activities -celebrate with a “Dickens of a Christmas in Middleburg”
Middleburgva.gov/holidays
• Pumping of Residential and Commercial Septic Tanks and Grease Traps Operation & Maintenance (O&M) for Septic Systems
• Real Estate Septic and Well Inspections Safe, Adequate, and Proper Inspections Septic System Repairs
• Installation for Both New Construction or Replacement of Older Systems Call to schedule your
Vice Mayor Bernard Adores His Adopted Town
By Alissa Jones
Middleburg Vice Mayor Chris Bernard holds a deep love for the town he and his family have called home for the past ten years. A Warrenton native, he fondly recalls spending a considerable amount of time in the village with his mother during his childhood. And his wife, Michelle, is a local.
“Our son, Maverick, attends the Middleburg Elementary Charter school and has become the town’s unofficial mascot,” Bernard said with a smile. “Seriously, we love the town we live in and we love the school our son attends. It has a great curriculum.”
Prior to joining the Town Council in 2018, Bernard focused on assisting small companies in scaling their operations and fostering growth. For the past few years, he has been working in commercial real estate, which aligns well with his responsibilities as vice mayor.
“Much of my work,” he said, “involves zoning, understanding land use, and comprehending the
workings of local government.”
Bernard said he’s always prepared to take over Mayor Bridge Littleton’s duties when Littleton is out of town.
“When necessary, we break up duties, and the Town Council is very good about sharing them with me,” he said, adding that there are seven council members and the mayor. “Council members get four-year terms and the mayor gets a two-year term. When there’s a mayoral election in January, we elect a vice mayor from within the town council. Everything functions super well and that makes it easy for us all. I’ve been serving as Vice Mayor since 2023.”
Littleton is delighted to have him in that position.
“We’re incredibly lucky to have Chris serving as vice mayor,” he said. “He’s a thoughtful, dedicated, community focused citizen, who cares deeply about our town, and ensuring we preserve not just the history, but the character of what makes Middleburg special. He truly believes in the people of our community and deepening the connection and sense of place we all have.”
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The Bernard family owns the Play Room Toy Store on Washington Street and they live in the village, an easy walk to school and work. With a population just under 800 residents, Bernard said he’s also delighted to see an influx of younger families with children, along with a number of new businesses opening up.
“As part of my duties, Im happy to make sure the water system is clean, that the town is safe, that we run fun events, and that our people are happy,” he said. “I’m also happy to make sure my efforts go toward balancing our bustling tourism with our slow paced residential lifestyle.”
Bernard believes Middleburg will continue to thrive by maintaining a harmonious balance between its bustling economy and the charm of a small town.
“We have been able to do what we need and what we want because we have the funds to take care of both,” he said.
“This area is beautiful, we live in an absolute picturesque part of the world, but what makes us special is the people. I threw myself into the middle of the community and found them to be very welcoming.
“It’s the most amazing place in the world. Anyone who comes here and wants to be part of a small town community can absolutely find it here. We talk about the Middleburg bubble. But everything just kind of exists here. While things go on in the world and we watch, we are very fortunate that our day-to-day lives are pretty chill.”
Chris and Michelle Bernard and their son, Maverick.
Alex Northrup: Tales Toponyms Tell Us
By John E. Ross
JOYCE GATES
Celebrating
Call me for all of your real estate needs joyce.gates@LNF.com 540-338-1350 Office
ver wonder if folks living in Bluemont chuckle deliciously as they take the Snickersville Turnpike home? Sometimes they must, because surely they giggle about living in a small historic village that once, apparently, was named for a candy bar.
Photo by John Ross
Alex Northrup stands beneath Middleburg street signs signaling how the lives of George Washington and James Madison intersected in the formation of the infant United States.
And take Bluemont itself. To lure tourists to mountain inns in this hamlet at the base of the Blue Ridge, in 1900 the W&OD Railroad changed the name of its station there to Bluemont to get rid of the “risible moniker of Snickersville,” according to official Loudoun County history.
We are surrounded by tales told by “toponyms,” according to Alex Northrup, Director of the Innovation Lab at Foxcroft School. He also teaches the advanced placement course in human geography.
The advanced placement study guide defines toponyms as “the names given to specific places or geographic features, reflecting cultural, historical, and linguistic contexts. They serve as critical identifiers of locations, offering insights into the cultural landscapes they belong to and the regions they represent.”
Throughout his education, B.S. from Georgetown, M.S. from Catholic University, and M. Ed. from Columbia, Alex never seriously studied advanced geography. But what he found was that geography is the discipline where everything—economics, history, sociology, geology— “sort of come together,” he said.
The older son of long-time Hill School educators Tom and Ann Northrup, Alex is a leader in state and national education geography. He serves on the Virginia Geographic Alliance and every June travels to Cleveland to score AP human geography exams.
Long fascinated by toponyms, Alex wrote a scholarly paper exploring renaming of John Mosby Highway to Little River Turnpike. He was invited to present his paper at the 12th International Conference on Geographic Naming and Geographic Education held in Seoul, Korea.
As he sat at a table in Brick House, home of Foxcroft’s resident ghost, Alex explained one of the key issues under discussion at the seminar.
Koreans insist that the historic name of the ocean separating it from Japan is the “East Sea.” Dominating Korea for the first half of the 20th century, Japanese maintain that the body of water is the “Sea of Japan.” Newer maps label it “Sea of Japan” but with “East Sea” underneath in parentheses. In the cartographic tussle over “Gulf of Mexico” vs. “Gulf of America,” Alex wondered if the same typographic solution might one day apply.
Restoration of “Little River Turnpike” as the name for Route 50 in Loudoun County by its Board of Supervisors in 2021 caused considerable angst among certain generations and a bit of mirth among others. How can you not be amused as the name of Route 50 changes as it weaves in and out of Fauquier County where the road remains as the John Mosby Highway.
For his Foxcroft students, the surrounding area is rich in toponyms that probe human history. Take Middleburg for instance. Students might ask what is it in the middle of. They learn that the town once called Chinn’s Crossroads was renamed “Middleburg” because it is mid-way on the historic route between Alexandria and Winchester.
Another question he poses for students is why in a town with so many of its streets named for founding fathers – Washington, Marshall, Madison, Hamilton, Jay – is there no Jefferson Street. A clue lies along Federal St.
Levin Powell, credited as Middleburg’s founder in 1787, was a staunch Federalist. He stood firmly opposed to Jefferson’s party, the Democratic Republicans. Federalists advocated a strong central government for the entire country. Democratic Republicans favored states rights, low tariffs, and immigration. A walk through Middleburg gives Alex’s students a solid opportunity to contemplate the partisan issues that divided the country so deeply at its birth.
Street names are toponyms and they change along the way. Take State Route 626. Middleburg residents know it as The Plains Road. In The Plains it’s labeled the Loudoun Road. And midway in Halfway, the thoroughfare is, what else, Halfway Road.
Alex takes his Foxcroft students deep into history through the etymology of names affixed to historic maps. They study John Smith’s 1624 map of the land that became northern Virginia. They see “Patawomeck” and learn of the native Algonquins through whose territory, the river we call the Potomac, flowed at the time of the arrival of European explorers.
A toponym definitely to remember.
Bunbury
“I concentrate on painting horses life-size in a traditional style, from life, using my own handground paints and hand-stretched canvases.”
An opening reception and exhibition at The National Sporting Library & Museum for Madeleine Bunbury: Modern Classic, was held in early October. This highly popular gathering celebrated the oversize pieces of renowned equine portraitist Madeleine Bunbury, who paints her subjects lifesize. Her skill in capturing not only the physical form but also the essence of each horse has gained her an international following. The exhibit continues through March 1, 2026.
Photo by Leonard Shapiro
Pamela Gaylin Ryder and husband Brad Ryder share a moment with artist Madeleine Bunbury at a recent reception at the National Sporting Library & Museum.
Pamela Gaylin Ryder, an interior designer in Washington and Middleburg, has this Bunbury image at the home she and husband Brad Ryder have in the city.
Paula Dowdy
Madeleine Bunbury puts an essential finishing touch on an image while at work several years ago.
Julie Banner, Clarice & Robert H. Smith Education and Marketing Director at the Sporting Library, brought her horse, Legally Gray, inside the Founder’s Room while artist Madeleine Bunbury and others painted an image of the horse.
Grace Church in The Plains Has a New Rector
The Rev. Santiago Rodriguez will serve as the 22nd Rector of Grace Episcopal Church in The Plains starting on Dec. 1.
The Rev. Santiago Rodriguez, the new rector at Grace Episcopal Church in The Plains.
Father Rodriguez presently serves as Associate Rector of Grace Episcopal Church in Alexandria, where he coordinates worship and pastoral care, supports the work of its outreach and justice ministries, and serves as the main liaison for La Gracia (the church’s Spanishspeaking community). Prior to joining the staff at Grace in Alexandria, he served as Curate & Community Engagement Director at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Austin, Texas.
Born in Colombia, Father Santiago did his undergraduate studies in Miami before moving to Canada where he was a member of the Jesuit order for seven years. He was received into the Anglican Church in Canada in 2015, and after returning to the U.S., he graduated in 2021 from the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest in Austin.
In a letter to the parish members, he wrote, “From
NEWS & NOTES
my very first encounter with Grace in The Plains, I sensed something holy: a community grounded in worship, beauty, and a genuine love for one another and for God. Your prayerful spirit, your care for tradition and renewal, and your generous hospitality drew me in right away.”
Middleburg Thoroughbred trainer Madison Meyers based at the Middlewbirg Training Center has had a breakout racing year In 2025, with new milestones, including career highs in both wins (18) and earnings of more than $940,000.
At Keeneland on October 10, her 4-year-old Yoshida gelding Desvio stormed down the lane to capture the track’s Grade 2 Sycamore Stakes at a mile and a half on the turf. It was the first graded stakes victory for both horse and trainer on a day when Desvio went off at 34-1, paying his relatively few backers $70.90.
Oatlands Historic House & Gardens in Leesburg has a new exhibition, Finery & Festivity: Garments from the Oatlands Collection, that brings history to life through fashion. On view from Nov. 22 through Dec. 28, it showcases period garments and accessories from the Oatlands textile collection, elegantly displayed throughout select rooms of the historic mansion and beautifully paired with the festive holiday décor.
Clothing primarily from the late 1800s and early 1900s is highlighted, including women’s dresses, shoes, gloves, hats, and a small selection of men’s garments. Each piece reflects not only individual taste, but also the artistry, craftsmanship, and cultural values of its time.
•••••••••••••••••••••
Long-time Middleburg resident Daphne Cheatham recently wrote to ZEST to add a footnote to a recent ZEST story about Daniel Cox Sands, founder of the Middleburg Bank and a seminal figure in the horse and hunt country.
“My father, Newell J. Ward (Buddy), became Master of The Middleburg Hunt in 1947 and retired as Master in 1972,” she wrote. ‘Mr. Sands was a huge mentor to him, as his own father died when he was a young boy. My brother, Daniel Sands Ward, was named after Mr. Sands. He was also my brother’s godfather. And when Mr. Sands became president of the then Middleburg Bank, there was a portrait painted of him. My brother did it. I remember there were practice sessions at home with a painting and a sheet!”
•••••••••••••••••••••
Middleburg native Dulany Morison has launched a new website/quarterly newsletter focusing on local conservation and preservation issues. Called MyRuralPiedmont, it’s online at myruralpiedmont.com.
Friday, November 21, 2025
Gordon Springs 5:30 PM
Purcellville, VA
Willing Warriors Retreat Marks Ten Years of Aiding Veterans
John and Shirley Dominic, driven by a desire to provide greater support for wounded, ill, and injured military veterans, founded the Haymarket based organization, Serve our Willing Warriors, in July, 2012.
By Alissa Jones
Witnessing firsthand the challenges wounded military service members face, like extended hospital stays and the debilitating effects of PTSD, during their visits to Walter Reed and Fort Belvoir, they recognized the need to do more. Their labor of love became giving these veterans and their families a safe and peaceful place to reconnect with one another away from their daily stress factors.
The Dominics established the Warrior Retreat at Bull Run, and it opened its doors in 2015. There are now three homes on the 37-acre property, located in the midst of civil war history, just 15 minutes from the Manassas Battlefield.
“Each home hosts one family for five nights,” said Executive Director Sarah Ford. “The homes are open throughout the year. The stay is meant to be a respite, a time and place of peace where the warrior and their family take a break from medical appointments, recover and rejuvenate after a hospital stay, reconnect and focus on one another.
“The retreat home gives the warrior and their family an opportunity to live life with their loved ones outside of the walls of a hospital or rehab for a few days.”
During their stay, the family can engage in regular activities, like preparing a meal, watching a movie, or making use of the playgrounds and half basketball court on the property. They can also enjoy simple pleasures together, such as tucking a child into bed or reading them a story. The time together is meant to be healing while enjoying each other’ s company.
Visiting Chef night is a highlight for the families. A military or community chef team comes out to the home and creates a five-star experience, with each course plated, presented and served to the family.
There are other activities, both on and off-site, over the five-day duration, all designed to bring families together. Additionally, each family receives a professional photography session to record their stay.
The three homes are open for veteran retreats throughout the year. On scheduled maintenance weekends, the property is open to the community, allowing them to come out and support efforts and volunteer with projects. Open house tours are also given.
“We have a small staff of six at Willing Warriors,” Ford said, “but we have between 50-70 volunteers during the week and rely heavily on them to make the warrior stays possible. They take care of all the things that make a house a home and we want everyone to know we appreciate their support of these warrior families.”
Volunteers plan and execute activities, maintain the grounds, and ensure smooth guest turnover.
Commemorating its tenth year, Willing Warriors recently hosted “An Evening to Remember,” an annual gala at the Lansdowne Resort and Spa in Leesburg. All proceeds were dedicated to supporting service members and their families.
Details: www.willingwarriors.org
John and Shirley Dominic started Willing Warriors in 2012.
It’s Horses on Canvas and Much More
By Joe Motheral
Artist Kim Richards grew up in Marshall and her work clearly reflects her love of her horse-happy home area.
A number of her paintings focus on equestrian subjects, both horse and rider, and her gorgeous landscapes reflect views of the same surroundings near the town she still calls home.
Asked about her inspiration, she said, “An image, composition, subject matter, color, or light affect stops me in my tracks whether I’m seeing it in person or in a photograph. And certain subjects will always interest me— country land and horses.”
plays volleyball in high school and Kim attends the games, both home and away. Sometimes far away, as in a recent road game in Atlanta. She also helps care for her elderly mother.
When she does go back to painting, “I’ll continue to paint country—scenes, landscapes, florals, horses, cows,” she said. “I’ll also paint biblically inspired scenes. ”
Why horses?
Richards is on somewhat of a hiatus from her artistry that likely will be only temporary. She said for now, she’s focused on her “full time job and family caregiving.”
She’s a senior project manager at General Dynamics—a government contractor. Her daughter
“I grew up in Marshall, not far from Middleburg,” she said, adding that her grandfather tended to horses at several local estates, including working for Paul Mellon and Harry Darlington. “So I saw a lot of them growing up. We also attended local equestrian events, like the Gold Cup races in The Plains. And we were always so grateful to see the hunt come through on my grandparents’ land.
“I just want to capture that wonderfulness on canvas. I see horses as majestic, graceful, intelligent, and immensely beautiful creatures. I never tire of watching them and just being around them.”
Kim Richards’ also described her interest in landscapes.
“The views around Middleburg and the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains are so scenic,” she said. “It’s in the spaces where I get the most joy and peace, and I can just breathe. I enjoy bringing this peacefulness to the viewer as well.”
Like many artists, passion for painting began as a child.
“I liked to draw and paint,” she said. “I just never let it go.”
She’s a graduate of Virginia Tech and raising a family has always taken precedence over anything. Then came “finding a career I could enjoy while keeping food on the table. My art training has been through observance , practice, and participating in classes whenever and wherever I could, like at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (in Richmond)”
Kim prefers to paint in oils because of their “creamy texture, blend-ability, and long working time.” She also uses acrylics “because its texture allows me to finish a painting very quickly.”
Watercolor, she added, is the “scariest of the mediums,” at least to her, so she generally avoids that medium.
Her work would likely be classified as realism, and her decision to take some time off would best be described as only temporary. That’s good news for her followers, for sure.
Photo by Joe Motheral
Artist Kim Richards and some of her award winning work.
Momma Cindy’s Is Simply the Best
By Laura Longley
“Best burger I’ve ever had, better than Five Guys, better than Fuddruckers, better than In-N-Out. Name a burger chain, Momma Cindy’s does it better,” one customer recently raved on Facebook.
Ask almost anyone who’s sampled her smashburgers, and they’ll probably agree. But few of those fans know the saga of how Cindy Brown came to run one of the region’s hottest new eateries on wheels.
Brown’s journey began in her grandmother’s kitchen near Bloomfield. “Had it not been for my grandmother, I don’t know,” she said. “I learned so much from her…I named the food truck for her.”
Cindy Brown was only 14 when her grandmother took her to work part-time at Oakendale Farm in Middleburg, where she stayed for eight years. Her next jobs took her to Leesburg’s Westpark Hotel and Golf Club, where she ran the snackbar for a dozen years, then to Tysons Corner, Springfield, and Aramark at Dulles. While at Aramark and living in Berryville, her future husband, Clyde Brown, encouraged her to go to culinary school.
“I would get up in the mornings, be at work at 6 a.m., leave work at 2 p.m., be in class at 6, out of class by 11, home by 1, and back at work again at 6,” she recalled. “I did that for two years, and oh my gosh, they really taught me what my niche is—sauces and gravies.”
The experience paid off when she saw an ad for a cook at the Middleburg Tennis Club. “I stayed for 13 years,” she said. “It was a blessing—some of the nicest people I’ve ever met were at that tennis club.”
One night at the club, Middleburg realtor Paul MacMahon asked her if she might be interested in working at nearby Meadowkirk Retreat, where he served on the board. She said yes and spent the next seven years there. The best part: “I was treated like a true chef.” On the side, she and Clyde catered for many members, including Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and his wife, Suzanne.
“Then COVID came along, and they laid everyone off,” she continued. “So, I said, ‘I’m going to try to get a food truck, but how do I make this happen?’ Even though it was 25 years later, I thought about the people who really treated me nice at the tennis club. I called Ben and Tara Wegdam (owners of four Middleburg shops) and they said, ‘Come down and talk to us.’ And we got a few more friends from the tennis club who invested.”
The next challenge was finding the perfect truck, which turned up in Manassas, fortunately with nothing in it so the Browns could outfit it themselves,
“That’s when Ben Wegdam and Andrew Stifler and more people from the tennis club came in,” she said. “With their help, we were able to get state-of-theart equipment. And now we’re doing lots of events.”
These days she’s especially excited about the upcoming holidays.
“We just got an invitation to be at the Middleburg Christmas Parade,” she said. And so, mark your calendar for Dec. 6 and come hungry for a pre- or post-parade smashburger at Momma Cindy’s food truck. As her logo proclaims, it’s “Simply the Best.”
Momma Cindy Makes a Swell Burger
PEC’S FARM-TOTABLE DINNER
The Piedmont Environmental Council’s annual Farm-to-Table Dinner was hosted recently by Barbara and Andy Ferrari at their exquisite Woodside Farm in historic White Post.
The celebration on a drizzly evening began with a tour of the farm. Dinner included veggies from the PEC Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows, followed by music and dancing.
David Aldrich, chairman of the board of directors of the PEC, offered a few words about the magnificent Clarke County property and its sweeping views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. He emphasized efforts to protect and restore the lands and waters of the Virginia Piedmont while building strong and sustainable communities. Chris Miller, the PEC’s long-time president, spoke about the group’s concern with the growing number of data centers in the area.
Many auction items offered were most appropriate to the philosophy of the PEC. Casey Trees provided three live oak trees, planted and donated by Sisi Gallagher and Michael Williams and there was a Shenandoah River canoe trip for 12 by Piedmont Excursions donated by Sarah and Greg Ellison, including a picnic lunch.
Photos by Leonard Shapiro
Andy and Barbara Ferrari
Tony and Terri Flay Christina Mangano Mackenzie, Maxine Janes Symes and Meg Davis Molenaar
Catherine Adams and Michael Kadick
George Ohrstrom
Lena and Lennart Lundh
Chris Miller, president of the PEC
Steven Jamison and Sandy Danielson High above Woodside Farm on gala night. by Hugh Kenny
Award-Winning Wines, Bold Brews & a Warm Welcome Await
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A Shooting Star and Designing Woman
By Linda Roberts
Teresa Condon is a rising star in her field of the sporting art of recreational shooting. This versatile local resident is also the brains behind creation of HerField.com, a select line of attractive and wellfitting shooting vests, designed specifically for the female figure.
Condon, a devoted equestrian who took lessons with Olympiclevel eventing coaches, found her way into another highly competitive sport while she held down several demanding positions in Fauquier and Clarke counties.
Following her post as executive director of Great Meadow just outside of Marshall, Condon recently was named executive director of Long Branch, a historic home and popular horse retirement farm near Millwood in Clarke County.
While working for Great Meadow she was introduced to Britton Condon, an avid recreational
shooter with a zest for competition at the highest level of the sport. The couple dated and later married. It was a natural step for Condon to eventually leave her equestrian interests and follow her husband into another highly competitive sport, which at the time she knew nothing about.
“I was wearing hand-medown men’s hunting clothing which didn’t fit,” Condon said of her attire when she joined her husband at shooting matches. The idea came to Condon that she could design the proper attire for women shooters, all of whom were wearing men’s shooting clothing at sporting matches.
Looking back, Condon said it was a “tremendous amount of work” to design the articles of clothing, find a pattern maker, locate attractive materials that would hold up, and patent her creations. Additionally, she insisted that her vests (the first item she manufactured) be made only in the United States.
Working alone found Condon continuously switching hats. She traveled to New York in search of the fabric, later testing what she purchased for its ability to hold up in the field at a competition, determining who would create her vests, all among a myriad of decisions necessary to bring a new product to market.
The over two-year process yielded vests in four sizes (small, medium, large and extra-large) and four colors (navy, royal blue, khaki, and moss green). The vests also incorporate micro-suede patches at the shoulder, and are machine washable and color fast.
Condon said her designs, which she feels are “art, really,” also noted that they have “sold very well.”
The vests, which are available at eight retailers, can be found locally at David Condon, Inc., the arms store her father-in-law has operated for some 40 years in Middleburg; Salamander Resort also in Middleburg and at Horse Country Saddlery in Warrenton.
Condon is currently working on creating a tweed vest to be followed by a shirt in women’s sizes. Not stopping at that, she is already looking forward to the design and creation of men’s shooting attire.
Details: See Teresa Condon’s designs at www.Herfield.com.
Photo by Joylyn Hannahs Teresa Condon has wonderful designs on shooting sports.
ON TO BEIRUT, THE LAST LEG
Long time Middleburg resident Bailey Davis was kind enough to share a long and fascinating letter she sent to her parents more than 50 years ago describing what she and her husband, Brad, had encountered while making their way across Europe, then on to their final destination in Beirut, Lebanon. This is the final installment about their journey.
By Bailey Davis
The Syrian border was a pain.
The border police demanded we purchase visas, and then the customs people kept us waiting for an hour while they conversed in Arabic, glancing at us every once in a while. There was much graft at the border and perhaps that’s why they kept us there for several hours because we had nothing to give them We can’t really give Syria much justice as we just passed through it at night because it’s on the road to Beirut.
This was the longest leg of our journey, a total of 21 hours from Ankara to Beirut. To say the least, we were exhausted when we got there. We stopped only once for gas at Latakia and met a wonderful man named Mohammed, and his father and brother.
Mohammed was the eldest son and was expected to take over the family service station business. He spoke perfect English and so, an hour later, while also trying to call Beirut, we were still talking with him. He was very bright and had been given a full university scholarship, but felt it was his duty to do as his father wanted, and so he was running the gas station.
His father also was a charming person who did not speak English. They begged us to stay overnight in their house. We regretted not having the time because it would have been a wonderful experience, so we compromised and had something to eat together.
Anyway, we made Beirut at 1:30 a.m. and were greeted by several bottles of champagne delivered personally by our friends. We didn’t go to sleep until 4:30 a.m.
Beirut looks like Miami Beach. I couldn’t believe it. Highrises in the midst of this old city, a big fashion and play town. And to swim in the Mediterranean is great. Blue, blue water and the sun was torrid.
The following day we collapsed and could hardly believe we’d made it. We had very good friends, Mike and Jacqueline Davies, who have lived there for 11 years and speak several languages, including Arabic. We were extremely lucky to have them give us a deluxe tour of the city. We ate in wonderful restaurants and visited all the surrounding ruins. One of them was Byblos, a city dating back to 600 BC, the oldest city known to man.
Mike Davies collects oriental rugs, so we spent a lot of time looking at those precious things. It’s a real education to learn about the hundreds of categories of oriental rugs, and none of them are cheap.
Our return trip back to London is another story in itself. We figured the blue bomb wouldn’t make it all the way back to England, so we booked a reservation on the freighter/liner Cynthia from Beirut to Naples.
It’s hard to believe we traveled 8000 miles total and realize how much more there is still to see. We’ll also missed England very much. We’ve met some wonderful and fascinating people here, all of whom have been extremely kind to us. Brad and I hope to get off Christmas cards, but if we don’t, please remember, we ’re thinking of you and wish you all a very merry Christmas.
Bailey and Brad Davis
Photos by Leonard Shapiro
Friends, family and more celebrated fall with Land Trust of Virginia for a memorable afternoon on one of Loudoun’s most scenic historic properties. This included live bluegrass, local BBQ, Virginia wine,and a sunset to remind all why conservation matters. This year’s event featured the Lonesome River Band, a must-hear for bluegrass lovers.
Mary Sue Conway
Rowan and Hunter Kent
Bess Putnam
Tria Dove and Jessica Lenehan
LTV Executive Director Ashton Cole
Artist Megan Caldwell
Emily and Jeremy Kelley and baby boy Rex.
Wildlife and Habitats –Blue Ridge Wildlife Center’s 25th Anniversary
Guests at the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center’s 25th Anniversary Gala stepped into a living showcase at the Salem Farm Showgrounds in Upperville of artfully designed replicas of native habitats where local species thrive. These displays were created by some of the region’s most respected landscape designers and native plant professionals— including Hill House Nursery, Virginia Working Landscapes Virginica, LLC/Fritz Reuter, Piedmont Nursery, Seven Bends Nursery, Blandy Experimental Farm, Bee’s Wings Farm, and Sugar Hill Gardens, VA.
Photos by Leonard Shapiro
Several of the Center’s Ambassador Animals—turtles, opossums, skunks, and a rat snake named Slim—made special appearances throughout the evening, each placed in its natural habitat. The immersive displays highlighted the ecological power of native plants, demonstrating how even smallscale sustainable gardens can provide critical food, shelter, and nesting spaces for wildlife. Guests left inspired to view their own landscapes as part of a larger, living network—one that supports biodiversity and strengthens the connection between people, plants, and the wild world around them. Total raised was $455,000, which included auction, sponsorships, tickets and donations.
The Blue Ridge Wildlife Center based in Millwood, Virginia is the only dedicated wildlife hospital in the region. It’s a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization that cares for native wildlife by integrating rehabilitation, veterinary medicine, public education, professional training and research. The center assists more than 3,000 native wildlife annually.
SILVER IN THE WILD
CENTRAL RATSNAKE
Slim was admitted to the Center in 2015 after being found stuck to a glue trap. The terrified homeowner called Fauquier County Animal Control who brought the snake to us to be safely removed from the trap. The snake had damaged scales from struggling to get off the trap and was given antibiotics. While waiting for her to shed to see if the damage was healed, her unnatural, friendly nature was discovered, and she became part of our wildlife ambassador team.
Wildlife Habitat
Central ratsnakes thrive in the varied terrain of upland riparian shrublands, a blend of open grassy patches and shrubby, forested edges near waterways. This habitat provides excellent opportunities for hunting and shelter. Ratsnakes are skilled climbers and stealthy predators, feeding on a wide range of prey, including bird eggs, nestlings, frogs, and small mammals like mice and voles. The dense shrubs and undergrowth not only offer effective camouflage from predators, but also regulate temperature through shade and insulation. These semi-open, shrubby areas are particularly important during the warmer months, allowing snakes like Slim to remain hidden, yet still have access to basking spots and hunting grounds.
• UPLAND RIPARIAN SHRUBLAND
Photo by Vicky Moon
At the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center’s 25th Anniversary Gala: Jacqueline B. Mars and Elizabeth von Hassell.
Kate Anderson and Ralph Shaffer
Manuel Simpson and Tara Wegdam
Sabrina Adelson and Sydnie Matde with a box turtle.
Tyson Gilpin Jr.
Wildlife board member Heidi Lesinski and Deshundra Jefferson
Unearthing a Century of Memories at The Hill School
By Leonard Shapiro
Burrowing into the basement for missing treasures can often produce remarkable results. At The Hill School in Middleburg, now celebrating its Centennial, that search has uncovered far more than old keepsakes. It’s also brought a century of stories, faces, and traditions back into the light.
In the office of Kelly Johnson, Hill’s Director of Enrollment, some of those discoveries are already on display. Large bins of photographs, once tucked away in the school’s basement, now sit neatly sorted by decade, capturing moments in Hill’s evolving story.
“Every photo shows a part of who we are,” Johnson said. “It’s inspiring to see students and alumni connect with the school’s history, using these images to understand how Hill has grown and the people who have shaped its journey.”
Many of the school’s historical artifacts are now being carefully cataloged and preserved, offering a glimpse into Hill’s rich past. Students, families, faculty and staff, and alumni will have opportunities throughout the year to explore these treasures, from old photographs and newsletters to memorabilia that captures life at Hill across the decades.
Among the most notable finds are items that reveal the every day life and traditions of the school—old report cards, vintage diplomas, letters, and keepsakes from past school events. Selected pieces will be featured during the school’s Centennial celebration, giving the community a chance to connect with the school’s history while looking forward to its next hundred years.
Reflecting on the milestone, Treavor Lord, Hill’s Head of School, said, “The Centennial is more than a celebration of an anniversary—it’s a testament to the enduring values, dedication, and spirit that define Hill. This milestone
reminds us that we are part of something larger than ourselves, and it inspires us to ensure that the next hundred years are as meaningful and impactful as the first.”
This year’s annual Country Fair, held in September, also paid tribute to Hill’s history and drew an enthusiastic crowd of alumni from across the decades. A school-wide assembly featuring a slideshow of Hill’s early years was another highlight—one of several centennial celebration events planned for the coming year.
Hill’s beginnings were modest. In 1926, a small group of five students gathered with their teacher in a single classroom above the original Middleburg Bank building at the corner of Washington and Madison Streets—now home to the King Street Oyster Bar. From those humble beginnings grew a vibrant independent school that today serves students from Junior Kindergarten through Eighth Grade, with a dedicated faculty and staff on a picturesque 170-acre campus.
“Our goal is to help students truly connect with the history of Hill,” Johnson explained. “Honoring our history reminds us of the trust placed in us—to guide and inspire the next generation so that Hill continues to nurture strong, joyful, and curious students for another hundred years.”
The Centennial year will blend the old with the new. This spring, a schoolwide assembly will open a time capsule created in 2003—an exciting glimpse into Hill life from 23 years ago. Each class is also contributing items to a new Centennial time capsule, to be sealed and opened fifty years from now.
Longstanding Hill traditions will continue, too—from the Maypole dance and the annual St. George and the Dragon performance to spirited Green and White team competitions. There’s even talk of reviving a once-beloved “National Hat Day.”
“For the Centennial, we’re honoring our beloved traditions while exploring ways to make them even more engaging and to involve more of our community,” Johnson said. “At the same time, we want to ensure that, above all, we celebrate the people—students, faculty, staff, alumni, and families—who have made Hill the special place it is today.”
At the heart of that mission is a simple, enduring promise: to help children grow strong and happy.
As The Hill School celebrates 100 years of memories and a century of community, that promise remains unchanged—and ready to guide the next hundred years.
Courtesy of Hill School
Kelly Johnson, Hill School’s Director of Enrollment, and her young friends.
AAHA Makes a Memorable Move to Warrenton
By Charlotte deButts
It was a bit of a surprise when they were approached with the opportunity to purchase their rented home of 28 years in The Plains. With over 10,000 square feet that housed a museum, an auditorium, offices, and a library, the staff and volunteers at the Afro-American Historical Association of Fauquier County (AAHA) were quite comfortable.
But purchasing that colossal place was not in their future. A capital campaign was not as successful as they had hoped, and the clock was ticking when AAHA President Karen Hughes White and her sister, Angela Davidson, the grants administrator, hit the real estate listings in search of a new permanent home.
By some miracle and plenty of heavy lifting, they opened their new doors to the public in the heart of old Warrenton at 135 Main Street within eight weeks of settlement.
Built in 1909 with high ceilings, large windows, and two porches, AAHA’s new headquarters has only 2,300 square feet, but provides an informative distillation of artifacts, books, historical records and work spaces for staff, volunteers, and visitors.
It also serves as a comfortable space for discussion about the history of the Black community in Fauquier County. Some descendants already have been able to trace their family history to the early 1700s due to many hours of work of AAHA’s committed staff and volunteers.
The African-American Heritage Association of Fauquier County is welcoming visitors to its new location at 135 Main Street in Warrenton.
Asked about the effort it took to make the move, White said she feels “relief, pleasure, humility, and appreciation….Without the Wrinkle In Time Foundation, there would be no AAHA as we know it. Without the community, the move would not have taken place.”
White and Davidson described that memorable day when professional movers from All Install, who had patiently dismantled three decades of accumulation, joined hands with strangers on the sidewalk to haul boxes and lug furniture inside.
Word on the street was that AAHA was moving in, and true excitement was in the air. Volunteers from the William C. Taylor Historical Society, the First Baptist Church Youth Department, the Lions’ Club, Laurel Ridge Community College, and the Mountainside Montessori School didn’t hesitate to help.
“I have mixed emotions,” Davidson said. “It was difficult to watch the museum being dismantled.”
Still, she’s also extremely pleased with their new headquarters and appreciates the outpouring of help from local museums, historical foundations and societies that made the move possible. She now looks back with disbelief that in six months’ time, they ran a capital campaign for the old space, searched for a new one, and completed the move, all while continuing their day-to-day work.
And the future?
AAHA will continue to provide that up-close experience with artifacts on display on a rotating basis. White also understands the importance of continuing to build a digital archive demanded by a digital generation. Because of their passion to preserve all they can about Fauquier’s AfricanAmerican history, they’re also determined to bridge the gap between the experiences of community elders and the curiosity of today’s generation.
A number of programs are in the works, including sessions on conducting African-American genealogical research, roundtable discussions of remembrances with older residents, and bus tours of the African-American segregated schools in Fauquier County. Partnering on programs with other non-profits also will be a focus in 2026.
The AAHA’s continuing goal is to spread awareness of the connections of all Fauquier County’s people and their histories to foster understanding and appreciation. This beautiful, welcoming, permanent home makes that seem very likely.
Photo by Charlotte deButts
Abernethy & Spencer Nursery: A Testament to Tenacity
By Bob Appenzeller
Just beyond the quiet village of Lincoln, Abernethy & Spencer Greenhouse and Garden Center continues to thrive and grow, a true testament to tenacity.
Prominently perched along Lincoln Road—just a mile south of Purcellville—this 100-year-old nursery isn’t just a supplier of mulch and garden varietals. It’s a living archive of Loudoun County’s agricultural soul.
Founded in 1925 as Hill Top Gardens by E.B. Gregg, the property once buzzed under the stewardship of Gregg and his family. Susan Pheiffer, E.B.’s daughter, still resides in the original family home adjacent to the nursery.
Before 1860, the village was known as Goose Creek, but by 1925 it was changed to Lincoln with commensurate Brave New World bravado in defiance of the rural hardships Loudoun faced after the Civil War and WWI.
The greenhouses were transported to Hill Top right after Pearl Harbor in 1942. Holmes Gregg, E.B.’s son, sold the nursery in 1979 with the moniker of being the largest pansy producer on the East Coast. David Lowman owned A&S from 1996 to 2024, which is how most Loudoun homeowners and bird aficionados know Lincoln and the nursery.
Now under new ownership, A&S is undergoing a metamorphosis, battling economic headwinds with infectious enthusiasm and a discernable flair for customer satisfaction.
The nursery was acquired in March, 2024 by former Pennsylvanians Hillary Pennington and her husband, Jacob Baker, along with Matt Lamberski, and Jim and Autumn Knowles. These entrepreneurs swapped sales/IT corporate paths for soil-stained gloves, driven by a shared passion for sustainability.
“None of us comes from a nursery vocation,” said Pennington, a former funeral director whose background in Green Impact IT honed her interest in environmental resuscitation.
Lamberski, a landscaper and disc golf professional turned horticulturist, brings analytical rigor to plant propagation. And the Knowles husband/wife team apply their business acumen (pharmaceutical IT sales) and skill with growing plants to navigate A&S through these turbulent economic times.
But success is incremental and just over the horizon. Northern Virginia’s once booming D.C. commuter economy has inflated land costs and squeezed small businesses. Today’s economic uncertainty has necessitated a pivot to basic survival, especially with $1 million in material inventory that requires constant turnover and a staff of 20.
“We’re not in the black yet,” Jim Knowles said, “but we are too far in to quit.”
Invasive species like autumn olive and wineberry choke the northern Loudoun woodlands, outcompeting natives and eroding biodiversity along Goose Creek’s scenic banks. A&S counters this with a robust selection of indigenous trees and shrubs—think mountain laurel, inkberry holly, and northern bayberry—that thrive in USDA Zone 7a and support pollinators.
“We need to be doing more on our own,” Knowles said. “Those invasives provide food for birds and restore nitrogen to the soil.”
Federal grants are available to eradicate the invasive plants—but something useful could be done with the wineberry (berries that go completely unused) and kudzu.
The 2024 renovations are proof of sweat equity and vision. Closing for the season, the owners gutted and refurbished eight historic Lord & Burnham greenhouses, some dating to the 1940s. They were relocated back then from Arlington Farms, the land where the Pentagon sits today.
They’ve added a coffee truck named Lola (after the resident cockatoo) and installed a state-of-the-art steam house. Now fueled by anthracite, it heats the irrigation water without belching smoke—a boon for the Lincoln neighbors.
The three Macaws and two cockatoos, beloved fixtures since the Lohman era, have spacious new indoor aviaries. “It’s like giving the rescue birds a forever home,” Autumn Knowles said with a smile.
These upgrades aim to transform the 18-acre site into a destination: part garden center, part eco-sanctuary. They even carved out a nature trail where several native trees and perennials are now planted, with more coming soon.
What truly sets A&S apart is its collective owners’ infectious glee in producing trees, shrubs, herbs, and vegetables for the residents of Loudoun and surrounding areas.
Community ties run deep: vegetable plant starts donated to Loudoun Hunger Relief have fed hundreds. In December, they’re ramping up with a Christmas season backdrop to lure families to the nursery.
For these new owners, survival hinges on support—shopping local, attending the events, spreading the word. In the euphoric spirit of the 1860s America with a newly-elected Abraham Lincoln, this nursery isn’t just selling plants and mulch; it’s cultivating hope. One native tree, shrub, or plant at a time, proving that even in nitrogen-deprived 7A soil, new roots can thrive.
Photos by Bob Appenzeller Hillary Pennington and a feathered friend.
Hillary Pennington and her husband, Jacob Baker, Autumn and Jim Knowles and Matt Lamberski.
Brandy Greenwell
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At Foxcroft, A New Leader Is All About Confidence
By Laura Longley
On a steamy September afternoon at Middleburg’s Foxcroft School, students, parents, and alumnae gathered in “Miss Charlotte’s Garden,” the perfect setting for the installation of founder Charlotte Haxall Noland’s tenth successor, Dr. Lisa Kaenzig.
There amidst summer’s late-blooming flowers, the new Head of School took up the theme of growth—of the school, its STEAM curriculum, but most importantly, its girls and their intellectual, emotional, physical, and personal growth.
“My promise to you,” said Dr. Kaenzig, speaking directly to the students, “is that I will work every day to lead this community where you can take risks, grow strong, and discover the full breadth of your unique voices.”
A week later, while talking with Dr. Kaenzig in her wood-paneled office, those voices come through loud and clear as students grabbed gear from their lockers in the nearby hallway and rushed off to class. “There’s a joyful noise here!” she said. “Girls laughing, debating, running to practice—it’s exactly what a vibrant learning community should sound like.”
Dr. Kaenzig knows that sound well. Before arriving at Foxcroft, she spent 22 years at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York, originally founded as two separate colleges—Hobart College for men in 1822 and William Smith College for women in 1908.
Today they share the same faculty, facilities, and administration yet the men and women take classes separately. As dean of the women’s college, Dr. Kaenzig found her calling, guiding young women toward confidence and leadership.
“I just loved my work at the college,” she said, “but I often found myself wishing I could reach the young women earlier—before college—when their confidence is still being shaped.”
That wish would eventually lead her home to Virginia, where she had earned
Dr.
Lisa Kaenzig,
New Head of Foxcroft School
and a STEAM program (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) that inspires girls to pursue studies in fields where women are underrepresented. Foxcroft also fields athletic teams in 10 sports and has a nationally known riding program that makes the most of the school’s 500 acres.
Mostly, though, it was Charlotte Noland’s enduring vision that affirmed Dr. Kaenzig’s decision to accept the post. “The founder,” she said, “had this wonderful phrase—’understanding hearts’—as Foxcroft’s vision for our girls: that they would grow into kind, thoughtful, understanding people who are supportive of each other.”
When Foxcroft celebrated its first century in 2014, the school received the largest gift ever bestowed on an all-girls secondary school—a $40 million bequest left by the grateful and generous alumna, Ruth Bedford (1932).
Several years later, four alumnae from the Mars family—Victoria Beth Mars (’74) and Pamela Mars Wright (’78) and their daughters Bernadette Schuetz Russell (’03) and Charlotte Audrey Rossetter (’12)—gave a multi-generational gift of $22 million for the STEAM phase of the school’s “Building for Our Future” campaign.
That campaign encompasses the renovation of the music building and Schoolhouse and the construction of a performing arts center and STEAM building set to open in January, 2026, with an 18,000-square-foot Mars STEAM Wing that will house state-of-the-art classrooms and labs.
For Dr. Kaenzig, who wrote her doctoral dissertation on women scientists, the project is especially meaningful.
“It’s thrilling to help girls see themselves as innovators and problem solvers,” she said. “I’m not a scientist myself, but I’ve spent my career championing women who are. The arts belong right there in that conversation; creativity and design thinking are at the heart of innovation.”
her doctorate at William & Mary. With her two daughters grown and thriving, she began looking into opportunities. Foxcroft was already high on her list of possibilities, so when the school reached out to her, she answered the call with an enthusiastic “Yes!”
She was drawn to Foxcroft as a place where tradition and innovation, spirited athletics and rigorous academics coexist. Foxcroft offers more than 70 courses in six disciplines, including 19 primary Advanced Placement and post-AP courses,
Looking ahead, Dr. Kaenzig plans to focus her first year on listening and learning— attending dorm gatherings, visiting classrooms, and joining students at breakfast.
“I want to understand the lived experience of every girl here and help them become confident, thoughtful, and brave,” she said. “At the same time, as Miss Charlotte told us, we must evolve with the times. That’s exactly what we’re doing—growing, while staying true to our heart.”
Photo Courtesy of Foxcroft School
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A Historic Convey Sails Into Loudoun’s Future
By Travis Shaw
In the spring of 1703, over a 100 ships rounded the Virginia capes and sailed up Chesapeake Bay, carrying goods, settlers, and indentured servants to the growing Maryland colony. Years later, Loudoun County also benefitted from that historic massive convoy.
Founded in 1634, Maryland’s population had reached nearly 30,000 by 1700, driven largely by the importation of indentured labor to sustain its tobacco economy. Among the new arrivals that year were three Irish brothers—William, Joseph, and Daniel Dulany—from County Laois. Daniel, only eighteen, disembarked at Port Tobacco to begin life as an indentured servant.
Fate intervened when George Plater, a prominent lawyer and official,
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Charles Carroll
purchased Daniel’s indenture. Plater trained him in the law, and by 1709 Dulany was admitted to the bar. Seven years later, he joined Gray’s Inn in London before returning to Maryland to begin a brilliant legal and political career.
By 1722, representing Annapolis in the General Assembly, Dulany became one of Maryland’s leading figures. He added much to his reputation by publishing influential pamphlets, helping to define the colony’s legal independence, and promoting settlement on Maryland’s western frontier, including the founding of Frederick County and the city of Frederick.
His son, Daniel Dulany the Younger, born in 1722, inherited both his father’s intellect and his ambition. Educated at Eton, Cambridge, and the Middle Temple, he returned to Maryland as a barrister and soon married Rebecca Tasker, linking him to one of the colony’s most powerful families. When his father died in 1753, Dulany the Younger inherited vast lands, enslaved laborers, and investments, becoming one of Maryland’s wealthiest men.
His fame, however, came from his pen. In 1765, as opposition to Britain’s Stamp Act swept the colonies, Dulany published Considerations on the Propriety of Imposing Taxes in the British Colonies. Rejecting Parliament’s claim of “virtual representation,” he argued that colonists could not be taxed by a body in which they had no elected voice. The pamphlet was celebrated on both sides of the Atlantic and became a cornerstone of American resistance.
Yet as the imperial crisis deepened, Dulany’s moderation set him apart. In 1773 he defended the colonial governor’s right to impose export fees, sparking a fiery newspaper exchange with another wealthy Marylander, Charles Carroll of Carrollton,
who published under the pseudonym “First Citizen” to Dulany’s “Antillon.” Carroll’s populist arguments captured the public imagination, while Dulany’s defense of traditional authority marked his political decline.
When revolution came, Dulany recoiled from the lawlessness he believed the rebellion unleashed. Though critical of Parliament, he saw loyalty to established government as a sacred legal duty. Many of his relatives fled to England or joined Loyalist regiments serving with the British Army.
His son Benjamin, however, sided with Washington, with whom he had a close personal relationship that was cemented by his marriage to Elizabeth French, Washington’s ward. At the outbreak of war, the couple gifted the horse Blueskin to Washington, and it became one of the Revolution’s enduring symbols.
During the war, much of the Dulany estate was confiscated. Daniel Dulany the Younger lived quietly at Hunting Ridge in Baltimore County, respected but politically irrelevant. When he died in 1797, his epitaph honored him as a man of “great integrity and honor.”
His son Benjamin carried the family legacy into the next century, settling in Loudoun County, Virginia, where his descendants purchased and expanded Welbourne. That home became the foundation of a new Dulany dynasty that would shape the region’s history for generations.
Travis Shaw is director of education for the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area As-sociation. This article is drawn from his talk at a recent VPHA event at Welbourne entitled “Divided Loyalties: The Dulany Family and the American Revolution.”
Daniel Dulany the Younger
Since 1957 Dealers and Appraisers for Fine Antique Firearms, Edged Weapons & Armor
Recipient of the United States Department of the Interior Citation for Public Service
Purchasing and consigning quality antique arms of all types since 1957. Appraisers to the Smithsonian, the National Park Service and the National Firearms Museum.
Recipient of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Citation for Public Service. Visit our shop!
109 E. Washington St (Rt. 50) Middleburg, VA 20117
We are always looking to buy vintage guns,daggers, swords,knives,bayonets,uniforms,flags,medals,belts, buckles and other collectable militaria.We also purchase sporting gun and military related books,gun related tools,vintage ammunition,etc.If you have any antique or collectable military or gun items that you want to sell please contact us for more information on our appraisal services,consignment rates or outright sale.
Artist Cathy Zimmerman grew up in the Middleburg area and transformed her love of the countryside into countless resplendent paintings. Just to add an extra touch of inspiration, she includes details on the mat border around the canvas such as tree branches, leaves, birds and other inventive details courtesy of Mother Nature.
Cathy is also a lifelong fox hunter and celebrates the beauty of the countryside as seen from the back of the horse. She recently sent a text message that began, “While riding today, I was thinking…”
Later in the day, she sat down and masterfully captured the thrilling aspects of the stirring sport and natural beauty of this region. Some of Cathy’s pieces are whimsical, others are tender and some are poignant. In a wide range of sizes, all are framed handsomely.
Her work has recently taken an inventive turn and will now include large and small prints in addition to note cards and gift sets. She will begin this new aspect of her creative life at Raymer’s Homemade Candies at 19 South Madison Street. Check out the store’s front window and stop in soon.
Visitors to Crème de la Crème at 23 East Washington Street also can find her colorful notecards. You might say that artist Cathy Zimmerman is off and running without her horse.
Cathy is also a lifelong fox hunter and celebrates the beauty of the countryside as seen from the back of the horse.
Untouched Road
Mallard and Rabbit
Pokeweed Pair
Cathy Zimmerman
Fox and Friends
A Middleburg area contingent of family and friends recently headed down to Woodberry Forest School in Orange to watch Buddy Wegdam (No. 70) in action in a big football victory against Georgetown Prep. Buddy is Woodberry’s 6-foot7, 280-pound starting left tackle and has already committed to play at Virginia Tech next fall. Left to right are proud dad Ben Wegdam, Jana Adams, equally proud mom Tara Wegdam, Buddy Wegdam, and Bill Driskill.
For
who
Put this book on your wish list, for next year.
Kudos to Ali Patusky on her horse Prince Verde. They won the Welcome Stakes and were Reserve Champions in the Zone 3, 1.10 meter adult in Upperville.
those
like discovering quirky roadside attractions, head to Wytheville. This tiny town is home to a giant pencil that’s over 20 feet long.
William Wiseman joined in as a vendor as the Buchanan Hall Farmer’s Market concluded the 2025 season. He planted and grew his own crop of pumpkins just in time. When ZEST spotted him, he had sold 150 of the gourds, which are actually a fruit.
Denis Cotter and Bill Ferster gave a presentation and screened their short film, “Where We Live: Oak Hill,” at the Aldie Mill Historic Park in and event sponsored by the Middleburg Museum and Mercer Tavern Antiques. Oak Hill belonged to President James Monroe from 1823-1830.
Casey Tree Farm Remains on Its Historic Mission
By Linda Roberts
An hour’s drive west from the Nation’s Capital to Clarke County, the fertile soil of a 730-acre farm borders the Shenandoah River. Locals often still refer to this property as Springsbury Farm, but the scenic property is now the Casey Tree Farm.
How the property came to its present use as a thriving tree nursery makes for a fascinating look back. Washington, D.C. residents Eugene and Betty Brown Casey purchased Springsbury, well known for its earlier use as a celebrated horse farm, as their country home in 1958.
Eugene died in 1986 but Betty continued to maintain the farm. An article in The Washington Post about the diminishing tree canopy of the Capital sparked her interest and motivated her to make a difference. The article stated that the Capital’s tree canopy had dropped from an estimated 50 percent in the 1950s to barely over 35 percent by 2001.
In 2008, she deeded the farm to Casey Trees, a 501(c)3 non-profit foundation based in Washington and funded by an endowment. Its mission is to plant, care for and enlarge the tree canopy of Washington, D.C. Mission-driven; the foundation seeks to plant large shade trees that will produce the highest impact and largest environmental benefit.
Betty lived to see Casey Trees become the Capital’s provider of large shade trees that will have the most environmental impact as they grow and mature. By 2032, the foundation’s goal is to reach 40 percent tree canopy coverage of Washington Tree. Ut’s now estimated to be at 37 percent. To work toward this goal, Casey Trees has planted over 60,000 different types of trees.
Washington has more tree canopy than most major American cities. Tree canopy is defined as the layer of leaves, branches and tree stems that cover the ground when viewed from above.
The city’s love of trees dates back to the country’s first president, George Washington, whose love of trees and interest in horticulture led to the planting of tens of thousands of trees in the 1800s. This earned the Capital its nickname, “The City of Trees.” Planned to support a lush tree canopy, Washington has the most green space per capita than most U.S. cities.
While caring for Washington’s green space, Casey Trees earns income with the Departments of Transportation in Maryland and other states to also supply trees to the city of Baltimore. Nearby Charles Town, West Virginia, and Berryville and other local towns and cities have also benefitted through purchase of trees. Enthusiastic volunteers support the ongoing efforts of Casey Trees.
Casey Trees nurtures about 50 species of trees on the Clarke County farm, including oak, sycamore, maple, redbud, and sweet gum. The young trees, which are primarily native to this area, are carefully monitored, transported and planted at their new homes in the spring and fall by Casey Tree farm’s staff of 14 employees. The trees will most likely grow for two to three years in Clarke County prior to shipment to new homes.
With climate change widely accepted as a major threat to the environment, nurseries like Casey Trees are facing major changes in the selection, care and ultimate transplanting of their nursery stock.
Cheers to Slater Run Vineyard’s First Ten Years
Photos by Vicky Moon
It was an evening to celebrate recently at Slater Run Vineyards in Upperville. Founders and owners
Kiernan and Chris Patusky greeted a most appreciative gathering of family and friends to mark the tenth anniversary at a popular, welcoming and visually stunning winery, located off Crenshaw Road. Top it off with magnificent views of rows of lush grapevines and rolling hills all around.
2023 The Hunt
30% Merlot
25% Cabernet Franc
25% Cabernet Sauvignon
20% Petit Verdot
Slater Run celebrates its tenth vintage with the release of “The Hunt”, an estate grown 2023 Bordeaux-style blend from one of our very best growing seasons.
Aged for 18 months in 60% new French oak barrels, the blend includes the four red grapes we grow: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. The wine is lush and fruit-driven with good structure, not at the expense of texture, and has a medium-long finish. The photo shows the Piedmont Hunt in 1950 riding south on Plum Run Farm representing the same view that can be seen today from the tasting room. Released Saturday, October 11th at our 10th Anniversary Celebration.
Kiernan and Chris Patusky, owners of Slater Run Vineyards
Marie Nicolosi with Bob and Alice Slater
Rick Stanert and Sally Yankee
Photo by Jodi & Kurt Baier
NV Stirrup Cup Port-Style Wine 100% Norton
Music from the Munday Blues: Bobby Criman, Will Myers, Brennan Edwards and Ben Hirsh
Leo Grant from Mold Me Fitness enjoys the music
Steve Barren and Lisa Seeley
A very tasteful table
Priss Hurst Al and Rachel Williams
Tom Frost, A True Influencer From A Bygone Era
By John Toler
“Influencer” is a relatively new word used to describe someone who has the knowledge and expertise to effect action, or change.
While that word didn’t exist in the three decades of the mid-20th century, it could have easily been applied to Fauquier County native Thomas Newton “Tom” Frost (1905-1969), remembered as a hard-working entrepreneur, dedicated community leader and respected local and state-level political leader.
Tom’s family was brought to Fauquier County by his grandfather, Dr. Henry M. Frost (18391917) after the Civil War, eventually settling in Marshall, where he practiced medicine. Tom’s father, Thomas L. Frost (1874-1923) was an accountant, and served clients in Marshall and Warrenton until his health failed.
Tom, then a student at Virginia Episcopal School in Lynchburg, came home to support the family. After taking odd jobs in Marshall, in 1921 he was hired by Warrenton Supply Co., the local Ford dealership. He started at the proverbial bottom, sweeping floors, washing cars and changing tires. It was the beginning of Tom’s love affair with automobiles and the business. It was also when his trademark greeting originated: “I’m Tom Frost. May I help you?”
Early in his career at Warrenton Supply Co., Tom became interested in auto racing, and in 1924 organized a team to race modified Model T Fords locally and at state fairs. A combination of speed and endurance competitions, the “Warrenton Supply Special” frequently came in first place.
Tom was also a charter member of the new Warrenton Volunteer Fire Company.
Miss Frances Hundley, a native of Essex County with relatives in Fauquier, came to Warrenton to teach school in 1928. She was soon introduced to Tom Frost, and in 1930, they were engaged.
Tom retired from auto racing, sold his two race cars, and purchased two acres off U.S. 211 west of town for their first home. Construction started soon afterward. Tom and Frances were married in 1932, and moved in after their honeymoon.
Tom worked his way up to management at Warrenton Supply Co., and in 1934 was appointed vice president. It was in the depths of the Great Depression, and in 1936 he left the firm to start his own business.
Many people in Warrenton noted Tom’s risky move, and it was reported in The Fauquier Democrat that people were “Glad that Mr. Frost was not leaving the community.” His influence would continue to grow.
In May, 1936, he rented the old Texaco gas station at the bottom of Waterloo Street, which he expanded with a shed next to the station for car repairs, and added Firestone tire sales. He later became the local agent for Plymouth, Dodge and Oldsmobile cars.
In November, Tom opened the Silver Tower restaurant on Main Street, offering an oyster bar, sandwiches and beer, and in 1937, he opened a second restaurant next to the Texaco station.
Despite all his hard work, making a living during the Depression was difficult, and in order to pay their mortgage, the Frosts took in tourists and built an apartment above their garage to rent out.
By 1941, their financial picture had improved, and Tom became more involved in community affairs. They were active in St. James’ Episcopal Church, and Tom served on the vestry. He joined the Warrenton Rotary Club and served with the local chapter of the American Red Cross.
Also in 1941, Tom was called to lead the local ”Fight Polio Campaign,” and with America’s entrance into World War II, he headed the county’s War Bond Sales effort.
In support of the military personnel from Fauquier serving at home and overseas, Tom produced a booklet – at his own expense – called “With the U. S. Armed Forces from Fauquier County,” listing the names and addresses of thousands of local service members. It was sent out in December, 1943 and 1944 as his Christmas gift to the troops.
New automobiles available at the outbreak of the war were a precious commodity, and the War Production Board and Office of Price Administration required they be carefully stored and rationed, as all automobile production had been shifted to war material.
Tom, then a Dodge and Plymouth dealer, answered the call and built four huge sheds near the bottom of Waterloo Street and U.S. 29. Over 1,400 new
Delegate Tom Frost (1905-1969)
Tom Frost and his partners raced modified Model T race cars on the half-mile dirt track at Snow Hill. Shown with one of their race cars are Tom (standing) and Harry Edwards behind the wheel.
automobiles were stored and maintained there until rationed by the government.
In 1944, Tom purchased the northeast corner of the intersection of Waterloo Street and the Warrenton Bypass, occupied by the Robert E. Lee Restaurant and the Mills and Compton gas station. He had big plans for the property.
Warrenton Supply gave up its Ford franchise in 1945, and Tom assumed it in January 1946. By August, his modern Ford dealership with a showroom, repair shop and Firestone store was in operation. In 1951, Tom opened FrostWorthington Tractor Sales in his old facility across the Bypass.
Still interested in the restaurant business, in 1955, he opened the Frost Diner in the unique aluminum dining-car shell brought in there. The venture was short-lived, as he leased the business to someone else in 1960. Frost Diner remains today as a local landmark.
In 1965, the Firestone store was moved to a new building on West Shirley Highway. It was managed by Bill Mayo, who bought the business from the Frost family in 1985.
Perhaps best remembered is Tom’s passion to provide his community with a new hospital. A small hospital opened on Waterloo Street in Warrenton in 1925, but closed in 1940. A year later, a group of local doctors reopened the facility as Physicians Hospital, A money-losing proposition, it was put up for sale in 1953.
Local citizens created a board to purchase and operate the hospital, which was called the Fauquier Community Hospital. Tom Frost was elected chairman, and led the fundraising effort. Needed was $110,000; the group raised $130,000. By mid-1954, the hospital was back in operation.
In early 1955, Tom went to work raising money for a new hospital. In April 1956, a 17-acre site on a hilltop above the Bypass was donated by the R. D. van Roijen family. Necessary planning and fundraising was started, and construction of the new Fauquier Hospital began in April, 1957.
In March, 1951, Tom announced that he was going to run for the Democratic Party nomination to represent his district in the Virginia House of Delegates. He would replace L. Lake Triplett of Marshall, who was retiring. He won the primary in August and then the General Election in November, taking office in January 1952. He would be re-elected nine times, often running without opposition.
Tom’s role as an influencer was fully evident in the General Assembly. Called upon for his knowledge of the automobile business, he was the patron of new laws pertaining to highway and vehicle safety.
These laws included displaying a valid safety inspection sticker on all motor vehicles (Tom Frost Ford had the distinction of being “Virginia Inspection Station #1”), and requiring that auto sales contracts clearly include “No Liability Insurance.”
Costing $1,456,000, the facility was dedicated on Nov. 16, 1958, and Tom’s support of the hospital continued. “When he was in Warrenton, he visited the hospital nightly, coming into every room with a cheerful word for each patient,” according to the Sept. 25, 1968 edition of The Fauquier Democrat. “For some, he was their only visitor.”
The hospital’s first major expansion was a $780,000 project that increased the bed count to 91. It was dedicated Jan. 26, 1969, and named the Tom Frost Wing, in honor of the man who had done so much for the hospital.
Tom Frost originally entered local politics in 1936, when he was appointed by Judge John Alexander to serve Isham Keith’s unexpired term representing Center District on the Board of Supervisors. He would later be reelected three times, serving as chairman from 1948 until leaving the board in 1952, for good reason.
Related bills included defining what qualified as an antique vehicle, and he sponsored a bill that prohibited billboard advertising on Virginia’s new interstate highways
Unrelated to autos, Tom was a patron of a bill protecting the Dogwood, the state tree, from “careless or wanton destruction.” He was instrumental in building Fauquier County’s National Guard Armory in Warrenton in 1963, and advocated for the state acquisition of the John Marshall Birthplace property near Midland.
Because of the ongoing confusion resulting from Virginia counties starting and ending Daylight Saving Time on different schedules, in 1963 Tom sponsored the Uniform Time Bill for Virginia,” which passed in 1967.
Among Tom’s many friends was Fauquier County Clerk of the Circuit Court, the late Harvey L. Pearson. As a youth, Harvey worked at Tom’s restaurant at the bottom of Waterloo Street, and with the attack on Pearl Harbor joined the U.S. Army Air Corps. He was elected Clerk in 1958 and served until retiring in 2000.
Harvey was dining with Tom at the Commonwealth Club in Richmond on the evening of Sept. 18, 1969, when Tom was stricken by a fatal heart attack. His loss was felt throughout the Commonwealth.
“ Tom Frost’s concern and helpfulness toward others exemplified his generous and unselfish spirit,” wrote Gov. Mills Godwin. In public service he gave unstintingly of himself to the people of his district and the entire state.”
“In Tom’s obituary in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Guy Friddell noted that as vice chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Tom “ramrodded members of that powerful committee into session. An unlikelier ramrod never existed than the roly-poly, red-faced Mr. Frost. He was at his best as a host, helping others.”
Tom Frost’s funeral was held at St. James’ Episcopal Church, followed by interment in the Warrenton Cemetery.
Courtesy of John Wayland.
In the early 1940s, Tom Frost’s businesses at the bottom of Waterloo Street in Warrenton across the bypass included his Texaco station, auto agency, repair shop and restaurant. Ford tractor sales were later added.
In 1944, Tom Frost purchased the property on the northeast corner of Waterloo Street and the two-lane U.S. 29 bypass. There he built a modern Ford dealership and Firestone retail store north of the existing Esso station and Robert E. Lee Restaurant.
For many years, bringing a modern hospital to Fauquier County was one of Tom Frost’s greatest passions. Fauquier Hospital as it appeared in the early 1960s.
Anita Baarns Loving Life in the Fast Lane
By Leonard Shapiro
Anita Baarns can ’t really explain her need for speed. She only knows there are times when she likes to go fast. For a number of years, she satisfied that urge galloping a horse across fields and over jumps. These days, she’s mostly whizzing around an asphalt racing surface behind the wheel of a powerful Porsche.
She also knows how to go slow.
A widely acclaimed, prize-winning artist, her gorgeous paintings are meticulously produced over many weeks. And she plays a highly competitive game of golf, a sport that usually takes over four hours to complete 18 holes. Slow play is frowned upon, but usually par for most courses.
A native of the Netherlands and long-time Round Hill resident, Baarns has always been a fan of Formula 1 racing, an extremely popular sport worldwide, and particularly in Europe. When her husband, James, purchased a BMW 850M convertible for her 60-something birthday in 2022, it also marked the beginning of her transition from swift four-legged Thoroughbreds fueled by oats and hay to zooming four-wheeled race cars feeding on hi-octane gasoline.
Unable to unleash the full power of her new BMW on speed restricted local highways and byways, a friend told her about a private Driver’s Club that meets at Summit Point Motorsports Park in nearby West Virginia two days a month. With some initial instruction, she could potentially step on the gas and push her BMW to its own speedy limits at the track.
Long-time car enthusiast and Middleburg resident John Dinegre, another friend, invited her to join him one day at a Driver’s Club session as he steered his high powered Porsche Cayman all around the ten-turn, two-mile main Summit Point course. The facility was owned for many years by the late Bill Scott, a world championship race car driver himself, and his wife, Barbara, long-time Middleburg area residents.
“John drove and we did seven laps and at times we were going 125 to 140 miles an hour,” said Baarns, beaming just at the thought of it. “I fell in love right away and said to myself ‘this is what I really want to do.’”
She started by taking one of Summit Point’s popular accident avoidance courses, then began working with an instructor, Greg Haas, the track’s motorsport programs manager.
“I signed up for My Track Time, a two hour event, which includes a half hour classroom session. Greg
explains why driving the racing line is so important and car dynamics. You then drive your own car and follow Greg around the two-mile road track with four other cars. He basically shows you the racing line and pit lane procedures.”
She then signed up for FATT (Friday At The Track) events, and before long, Baarns had advanced to the point where she no longer was a novice and had qualified to drive solo. And while she loved that BMW, one day while doing some window shopping at a dealership in Sterling, she spotted the red nose of a powerful Porsche 911 Turbo S jutting out between other cars.
“I called Greg to see what he thought about me driving it,” she recalled. “John thought it might be too much car. Then Greg called me back and said, ‘buy it, you’ll grow with the car.’ I told him ‘okay, I’ll do it, but you have to be my instructor.’ He’s been my coach now for three years.”
Almost immediately, Baarns gave it a name, Maxime. She had Red Beard Racing upgrade the car by putting in a new suspension system, added larger, lighter wheels, a better cooling system, a half cage and race seats with six point harnesses. When it was all done, she shaved four seconds off her best time around the track, with more improvement still to come.
Last February, Baarns enrolled in a two-day
by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA).
“It was two grueling days of classwork and more time on the track and not even time to eat over a full day,” she said. “It was so intense, but I graduated and learned so much more about racing.”
She received her SCCA novice racing license and on October 12th earned her full competition license. She’s also purchased and outfitted a new race car, a Porsche Cayman S that once had been used in the famous 48 hour event at Sebring. That car has a name, too, Freyja, the Norse Goddess of Love, War and Magic for seeing and influencing the future.
Baarns is giving back with her race cars, as well. She often takes Maxime to local assisted living facilities for seniors to ogle (but not drive). She also helps pay for track time at Summit Point for high school boys and girls who may be interested in racing.
“One of my goals is to inspire women to go to the track and learn how to drive,” she said. “I love the atmosphere. It’s like a family environment, people bring their kids, their dogs. And someone is always there to help you if you need it. Even when you compete, there are no hard feelings afterward. It’s a very special place.”
Especially for a woman with an insatiable need for speed.
competition school at Summit Point run
Anita Baarns atop Freyja, her latest ride.
Perspectives on Childhood, Education, and Parenting Time to
Pay Attention to the Smallest Events
““Kids should love school.”
—MacKenzie Price, founder of Alpha School: A New Approach to Education
By Tom Northrup and Mike Wipfler
MacKenzie Price’s daughter, a second grader over a decade ago, came home after school one day and told her mother that she hated school.
The Hill School offers an education as unique as your child. Come visit our community to learn how our program of Total Education – strong academics and meaningful participation in art, music, sports, and theater – helps build character and confidence in our students and gets them started on the path to being happy, successful adults.
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Mike Wipfler and Tom Northrup
Price, a Stanford educated psychology major, decided to do something about it. She founded a school in Austin, Texas in which the use of artificial intelligence (AI) plays a major role in her curricular and programmatic design. From that small beginning there are now 17 Alpha Schools in six states, and one has opened this fall in Chantilly.
In this conversation and our next one, Mike Wipfler and I will discuss our thoughts on Price’s approach to reform and improve schools. To prime our thinking we met with our retired Hill School colleague, Hunt Lyman, and Bill Ferster, a former parent of two children we both taught.
Hunt and Bill know a great deal more about technology than we do. They are currently writing a book on the use of AI in education, and Hunt regularly writes on this topic for Zest, including a column in this issue.
Tom: Mike, let’s begin with MacKenzie Price’s founding principle—children should love coming to school. Do you agree?
Mike: I think it’s important that children want to be at school. I’m hesitant to say that children should love coming to school because I worry that implies every moment at school should be joyful and comfortable when in truth, productive struggle and some discomfort are required for growth.
As someone who has spent his entire adult life thinking about the factors which motivate students to want to learn and grow, Tom, what
conditions do you feel schools need to provide to ensure that children will want to attend, day after day, year after year?
Tom: I agree that children should want to come to school. They may or may not “love” it, but they need to show up and be engaged.
I believe the most important conditions for this to happen are that they feel known, respected, and cared for by their teachers; that they feel safe to ask questions and make mistakes without being put down or made to feel incompetent; that they have opportunities to succeed and struggle, both academically and co-curricularly, and that they have a reliable friend, possibly a teacher.
Before we talk about the instructional role that AI could play, does MacKenzie Price speak to the importance of these conditions?
Mike: Absolutely, she believes the current model for classroom instruction is not designed to build community or for teachers to get to know the student at a deeper level. She makes the case that AI, which can provide personalized and targeted instruction, frees up time for students and teachers (who are called Guides at Alpha Schools) to develop meaningful relationships.
In her Alpha Schools, core academics and skill development are completed in-person. She also uses AI in a two hour block and leaves the remaining four to six school hours for the group work or individual skills she calls “The Four Cs”-— Critical thinking,
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Communication, Creativity, and Collaboration.
Because many of these skills are learned through group projects or activities, Price contends that her school’s use of AI frees teachers to have the time to allocate their energy and focus to gain a better understanding of how to inspire each student.
Tom: As you know, Mike, I’ve always been a late adopter of technology in schools. I’ve observed and learned from those who were on the “cutting edge” before we invested. It was instructive to me that both Hunt Lyman and Bill Ferster were more skeptical of the Alpha School’s use of AI than I was. None of us cared for the term “guide” rather than teacher.
Master teachers certainly “guide,” but the great ones have much more to offer. We’ll discuss this in more detail in our next conversation.
Mike: The general structure of most schools and classrooms has remained basically the same for the last 150 years, even as the world has changed dramatically.
I think it is essential that educational leaders evaluate the standard school model and consider ways to incorporate new technologies which might better meet student needs, increase student engagement, and prepare students to become productive adults. I commend Price for her leadership and vision, and I remain curious about what educational leaders can learn from the Alpha School’s approach. And, I look forward to discussing the role of AI and the teacher.
talk about your dreams over lunch, our treat. Don’t forget to stop by and say hi to Lucie, our four-legged customer service star!
For Tom Sweitzer, What a Place to Be After 15 Years
WBy M.J. McAteer
hen he was eight years old, a Sunday school teacher saved Tom Sweitzer’s life.
His was a troubled home, he said, with a mother who was chronically ill and a father who was alcoholic and schizophrenic. But that Sunday school teacher provided him with a sanctuary away from his dysfunctional family, one that happened to be filled with song. From her, Sweitzer learned firsthand about how music can heal and elevate the spirit, a revelation that has shaped his life ever since.
Some Middleburg residents know Sweitzer from the 17 years he spent as head of the theater department at The Hill School, where he brought professional standards to eighth-grade productions such as the musicals “Pippin” and “Fiddler on the Roof” among many others.
“I found my footing as a teacher and a director at the Hill School,” he said.
Others know him as the co-founder of A Place to Be, now celebrating its 15th year and offering oneon-one music therapy, social enrichment classes, summer camps and performance opportunities for children and adults with emotional or intellectual disabilities.
A Place To Be, Sweitzer said, came about after he directed a musical version of “Cinderella” for Very Special Arts, an organization founded by Jean
Kennedy Smith to give disabled children and adults opportunities to perform. The production featured a cast of 60 emotionally and physically challenged actors.
“I realized then that I need to be doing this,” Sweitzer said. “I needed to be a teacher for this community that might not otherwise have an opportunity.”
His own Cinderella story led him to go back to school to earn music therapy credentials to complement his undergraduate degree in music theater and to the co-founding, with dance movement therapist Kim Tapper, of A Place to Be. Their nonprofit, which started in Middleburg, now serves about 275 clients a week at its location on Jay Street and, more recently, at a second site in Leesburg.
Hill School and A Place To Be are hardly the sum total of Sweitzer’s resume. The long-time Middleburg resident also is a successful playwright and actor. His one-man show, “20 Seconds,” which leveraged the story of his painful childhood to tell a tale of reconciliation and forgiveness, ran off-Broadway for six weeks in the fall of 2023.
“Twenty seconds is how long you should hug somebody for it to work,” Sweitzer said, explaining the title of his play. And now, “20 Seconds” is poised to become a musical with a cast of 12 and 17 songs. Sweitzer has been at work for 2 1/2 years on revamping his play with the help of Kyle Boardman.
Like Sweitzer, Boardman is a living example of
music’s restorative powers. He came to A Place to Be as a client in need of emotional support after his parents had abandoned him. He was afraid to express himself, and, mostly, he stayed silent. But at A Place to Be, Boardman learned his value and found his voice. He became a mentor to other clients, then a staff member, and, now, as A Place To Be’s artistic manager, “he helps run the place,” Sweitzer said.
People who want a firsthand experience with the transformative power of music that’s shaped the lives of Sweitzer, Boardman and many others might not be able to get to New York City to see the musical version of “20 Seconds,” which should make it to the stage some time next year.
However, they can catch one of the holiday events that A Place To Be will stage this month. First, from Dec. 12-14, will be a musical version of “A Christmas Carol,” written and directed by Boardman and starring A Place To Be’s clients. It will be performed at the Mars-Schmidt Theatre at the Village at Leesburg. That event will be followed by a free Dec. 21 recital at Salamander Resort and Spa.
Sweitzer predicts “a lot of tears and a lot of tissues” for the audiences at both performances, as families looking for hope are able to see their loved ones become stars, if just for an evening.
“The world is in need of stories of resilience and hope,” he said, and his plan is to keep providing that, one note at a time.
Details: For information on both performances, visit aplacetobeva.org.
Photos Courtesy of A Place To Be Tom Sweitzer on the couch performing his play ”20 Seconds” in New York.
Tom Sweitzer, co-founder of A Place to Be.
Ho, Ho, Ho and How to Help By Donating a Car
The holidays are coming and what better way to show a huge dose of Christmas spirit than by donating that old car sitting in the garage collecting dust and maybe even a few mice who now call it home.
Habitat for Humanity is always looking for vehicles of all types that can be rehabilitated and given to those in need. The following is Habitat’s succinct guide and how to get to done, and answers to any questions you might have.
What kinds of vehicles can be donated?
Habitat accepts almost all vehicles, including cars, trucks, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, boats, snowmobiles, farm equipment and construction equipment. If you want to donate your vehicle, call 1-877-277-4344.
When my vehicle is sold, how much of the money goes to Habitat?
Our partners at Advanced Remarketing Services return a higher percentage than any other vehicle processing entity. On a monthly basis, more than between 78% and 82% of the gross revenue generated from vehicle sales comes to Habitat for Humanity.
What happens after my vehicle is picked up?
Your vehicle will be sold on behalf of Habitat through a national network of auctions and direct buyers. After the vehicle has been sold, you will receive an acknowledgement letter providing your vehicle sale information.
How do I know my car is in good hands once it’s been picked up?
All the auctions and direct buyers used by Habitat are licensed, insured and bonded in the states where they operate. By signing the title directly to Advanced Remarketing Services, you are legally transferring ownership of your vehicle to Habitat for Humanity. When the title is received and the vehicle is picked up, you are no longer responsible for the vehicle.
What happens to donated cars?
About half of our cars are sold to licensed dealers at wholesale auctions and are reused for transportation. The other half are typically transported to auto salvage yards where all reusable car parts, batteries, tires and fluids are removed. Vehicles that can be recycled are crushed, shredded and recycled into steel.
Recycling cars keeps a huge amount of steel out of landfills – enough to build nearly 45,000 steel-framed homes every year. The energy saved each year is enough to power approximately 18 million homes. Habitat receives funds for each donated vehicle, although a car sold at auction generally generates more revenue than one that is recycled.
Habitat receives funds for each donated vehicle, although a car sold at auction generally generates more revenue than one that is recycled. Every donation makes a difference and the families that partner with Habitat are extremely grateful for your help.
For Charlie Plante, a Life of Advocacy and Service
By Denis Cotter
Charles Lawrence Plante (1931-2015), known to one and all as “Charlie,” lived a quiet life during his years of retirement in Middleburg. It was a pleasant windingdown after a long, active career committed to public policy and public service.
Few in his adopted community knew of his career as a highly successful healthcare lobbyist in Washington, D.C. and almost no one knew about his greatest achievement.
In the late 1960s and early ’70s, Plante represented the National Kidney Foundation and played a pivotal role in the enactment of the 1972 Medicare Amendment End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) legislation, one of the most consequential laws in modern U.S. medical history.
Treatment then and now became available for patients whose kidneys had completely stopped and who were facing imminent death from uremic poisoning and associated congestive heart failure.
The legislation provided continuing, guaranteed universal coverage for kidney dialysis treatment to everyone in the U.S. regardless of age, other health conditions, or ability to pay. The legislation has made
the difference between life and death for millions of Americans for more than fifty years.
Plante was born in Minot, North Dakota in the early years of the Great Depression. He was the youngest of three boys in a devout Roman Catholic family. Growing up, he considered entering a monastery and becoming a priest.
He attended Catholic elementary and high schools and went to college at the all-male liberal arts school, St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota, run by the Benedictine Order. In 1953, he earned a bachelor’s degree in history. Two years later, he obtained a Masters in western U.S., history at the University of Montana.
After college, he began his long career of public service by volunteering for the military draft. Eventually, it helped him obtain G.I. Bill benefits for further education. From 1955 to 1957, he served as a Specialist Third Class (SP3) at Fort Meyer in Arlington, where he met and married Mary Ann Vandegrift.
After an honorable discharge from the Army in 1957, Plante began a nine-year stint on Capitol Hill by joining the staff of his home state senator, William “Wild Bill” Langer (R-North Dakota). He strongly supported Langer’s spirited advocacy for
public health, rural development, Native American healthcare, and racial integration of federally funded hospital facilities.
After Langer’s death in 1959, Plante became chief of staff for his successor, Senator Quentin N. Burdick (D-North Dakota), and later became chief of staff for Sen. Thomas J. Dodd (D-Connnecticut).
For a while in the early ‘60s, Plante took an assignment at the U.S. Department of the Interior where he worked in the Bureau of Land Management. While there, hearkening back to his academic work and his North Dakota roots, he wrote “A Brief History of the Homestead Act.”
The book commemorated the law’s 100th anniversary in 1962. The Homestead Act had a significant impact on the Dakota Territory, encouraging massive settlement and agricultural development by providing 160 acres of public land to any U.S. citizen or head of household who agreed to live on and cultivate the property for five years.
While holding down that full time day job to support his family, Plante used his G.I. Bill benefits to go to Georgetown University as a night student, earning a doctorate in international relations in 1963.
By 1966, Plante wanted to serve his country in a
CLP Associates
Charles Lawrence Plante
FAMILY PHOTO
Charlie Plante - 1980
Domain
Homestead Law - A Brief Sketch in United States History
different arena. He’d been a Fulbright Scholar and was inspired by President John F. Kennedy and his brother-in-law, Sargent Shriver, to join the Peace Corps. He applied for and received a two-year appointment as regional director for Southeast Asia, based in the Philippines.
Over that time, he guided and directed the work of hundreds of American volunteers working in education, health, and agriculture before returning to the U.S. in 1969. At that point, he and his family settled in Great Falls and his career as a healthcare
lobbyist began. He formed a small boutique firm, CLP Associates, located at 1 Farragut Square South in Washington, just a block from K Street.
The firm mainly represented professional healthcare organizations, including the National Kidney Foundation (NKF); the American Society of Transplantation (AST); the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS); the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS); and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS).
Dr. James Mongon, a former president of Massachusetts General Hospital, once described Plante as “not a lobbyist who traded in campaign contributions and lavish entertainment, but a lobbyist who traded in information and bringing people from different cultures – medicine and politics – together. He was then, and throughout his career, the best of what a lobbyist should be—not a corrupter of the system, but an essential liaison between citizens, interest groups and legislators.”
Plante’s next door neighbor in Great Falls was Dr. George Schreiner, a nephrologist. He persuaded Plante to work for the NKF – and persuaded the NKF to pay for a professional advocate in Washington. It was a dynamic partnership that resulted in a few short years in ending the kidney dialysis “God Committees” in America – memorably described in a November 9th, 1962, LIFE magazine article, “They Decide Who Lives, Who Dies.”
Other major healthcare contributions by Plante included foundational work in organ transplantation policy; support of the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act that established a regulatory framework for the donations of organs and tissues and expanded Medicare coverage for immuno-suppressive drug therapy for transplants to help prevent organ rejection.
Plante also was a major advocate for establishing in 1984 the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), the central hub that coordinates the USA’s organ donation and transplantation system. It had 48,000 successful organ transplants in 2024.
Passionate about scientific discovery and medical research, he successfully advocated for increased
funding for the National Institutes of Health. He helped establish the George M. O’Brien Kidney Research Centers at the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Disease. He also obtained significant funding increases for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Plante also was a tireless advocate for the environment. He supported the Pinchot Institute for Conservation, dedicated by President Kennedy in 1963 at Grey Towers in Milford, Pennsylvania, the former home of Gifford Pinchot, the first Chief of the U.S. Forest Service.
The institute remains a prominent voice for rational, science-based management of the nation’s natural resources.
In 1980, Plante married Cynthia Garber of Great Falls. After his retirement from CLP Associates in 1997, they moved to Middleburg. Away from public life, he painted, sculpted, wrote poetry, enjoyed his children and grandchildren, and attended St. Stephen’s Catholic Church.
He became a member of the Middleburg Library Advisory Board and an active supporter of the community-funded expansion of the building. He cut the ribbon at the grand opening and scholarships in his name are still rewarded to local students.
A true gentleman and a scholar who mentored many people, he often advised “never use the word ‘I’ because nothing happens solely because of one person. Positive outcomes are achieved by many people working together.”
Recognition in his honor include the prestigious Charles L. Plante Annual Public Policy Lecture from The American Society of Pediatric Nephrologists, and the Charles L. Plante Washington D.C. fellowship for a neurosurgeon resident from The Congress of Neurological Surgeons.
After he passed away in 2015 from complications of Parkinson’s disease, the Middleburg Library Advisory Board established the annual Charles L. Plante Book Scholarship for local students in his honor. His widow, Cindy Plante continues to serve on the library board today.
FAMILY PHOTO
Charlie Plante in his office
The Decide Who Lives, Who Dies - LIFE Magazine
FAMILY PHOTO
Charlie Plante and Senator George McGovern, 1989from North Dakota and South Dakota, respectively
THE ENKIJAPE PROGRAM: A Highland Partnership That Thrives and Serves
COURTESY OF HIGHLAND SCHOOL
The group of Highland families and students who visited Kenya in 2019 receivedl red robes called shuka. The traditional blankets were hand-stitched with Highland School on the back in recognition of the ongoing connection and support.
By Susan Pragoff
Born from the initiative of lower school art teacher Alice Laimbeer, the Enkijape program is just one of the ways the Highland School in Warrenton fulfills its mission to “thrive, lead, and serve” a community greater than its own.
It began in 2001, after Alice Laimbeer and her husband, Rick, travelled to Kenya on a safari. While staying at a lodge in Chylulu Hills, she was introduced to the Enkijape school, located on the Mbirikani Group Ranch. It enrolls pre-kindergarten through eighth grade children and was severely overcrowded, with very little funding.
Convinced she could help, Alice returned to Highland and gained faculty support to assist the school. The program quickly gained momentum, and in 2007, she began to lead trips to Kenya for volunteers to work at the school and host important programs like dental and vision clinics.
Additionally, Highland families over the years have built dormitories and other school buildings on the ranch to address the issue of overcrowding. They also raised funds for water containment, and funded food programs for the community, especially crucial during the Covid pandemic.
“It not only helps us help others in obvious ways,” Alice said. “but also allows our students to connect in unexpected ways.”
Highland supports the school through an NGO called Big Life, which promotes community conservation in Kenya and Tanzania. Alice said it “encourages the local communities to conserve wildlife by promoting an understanding of the value the wildlife can bring to their communities.”
Students who travel to Kenya with her have begun to understand the importance of water conservation when exposed to the country’s arid landscape, as well as the importance of wildlife conservation.
Because of Highland’s involvement with Enkijape, which it considers a “sister school,” other doors have opened to connect students with organizations in Kenya. For example, the second grade class recently participated in a conversation with one of the Big Life wildlife guides about their study regarding Endangered Species.
Highland students also have participated in pen pal programs to connect with children from a different culture. Alice said her favorite memories from her trips are made when Highland families are introduced to the local Masai families the school has helped, and many of those same families have participated in the pen pal program.
The most impactful thing Highland families do for the families of Enkijape students is to sponsor a child’s education. Many of those families who have visited the Kenyan school have offered to financially support a child through Enkijape, as well as high school and college.
Highland also raises funds for the program with Enkijape Dress Down Days and an annual Highland Enkijape rummage sale. Those contributions also provide salaries for three teachers at Enkijape as well as two high school scholarships and five sponsorships for students attending Enkijape. It costs about $225 a year to provide an education to a child who otherwise would not be in the financial situation to attend the school.
Details: For more information on sponsorship opportunities or learning more about the program, contact Alice Laimbeer at alaimbeer@highlandschool.org.
Highland’s New Head Leads Year of Historic Growth
COURTESY HIGHLAND SCHOOL
Adam Seldis, in his second year as Highland Head of School, with some sixth graders.
“The mental health crisis enveloping our youth is hitting increasingly younger kids. Social media, iPads, phones – they are getting access to these earlier and earlier, so the issues are developing at younger ages. This is the thing that keeps me up at night.”
By Jody Warfield
“Magical!”
That’s how Adam Seldis – now in his second year as Head of Highland School – described a morning spent with third grade students as they reported on their day of study at Warrenton’s Clifton Institute.
“It’s my best memory of this year,” Dr. Seldis continued. “In these Project Approach presentations, the kids are doing the teaching. The buzz is incredible. It encapsulates everything Lower School education should be about: the kids choosing their own area of a subject to delve into; creating their own materials; designing their own method of presentation.
“The kids are happy. The parents are happy. The faculty is happy. This is education. This is what it’s all about. I think it’s this great range of opportunities we offer each child that fueled our record-setting enrollment this year.”
The Project Approach curriculum Highland launched a dozen years ago was one of the major factors that attracted Seldis and his wife, Maggie, to the school.
“We have three boys, and they are very different kids, different learners,” he said recently. “The beauty of Highland and the Project Approach teaching is that each of them is challenged and supported as appropriate.”
That day, Seldis was particularly enthusiastic about his boys activities.
“One is on a boat on the Chesapeake Bay for three days. One gave his 3rd grade Project Approach presentation. And one is beyond
excited for his Middle School B Team soccer game this afternoon. They are having a great experience.”
Seldis’s job is much bigger than making sure his own children are properly educated. Under his leadership this year, Highland opened with 564 students in grades pre-kindergarten to 12, the school’s highest enrollment since its founding 97 years ago. He said he’s inspired by the increased flexibility and resources this growth gives him to fully address the topics he sees as the biggest challenges facing students and families right now.
The number one challenge?
“Mental wellness,” he said. “The mental health crisis enveloping our youth is hitting increasingly younger kids. Social media, iPads, phones – they are getting access to these earlier and earlier, so the issues are developing at younger ages. This is the thing that keeps me up at night.
“How do we develop in our students the tenacity to deal with all this? So much of it takes place online, unseen by adults. It is far beyond anything our generations had to face. We are so often forced to be reactive rather than proactive, because so much is happening out of our sight, not in the halls or the classrooms or the playgrounds. And kids are good at hiding what they are battling.”
Seldis believes it’s critical for Highland and other independent schools to lead the way in addressing the youth mental wellness crisis.
“We have resources and flexibility the public schools just don’t have to delve deep into this issue,” he said. “We can take the lead, and then share what we learn with all schools.”
Faculty wellness is also a priority for Seldis.
“We have to position our teachers to be the best educators they can be, to be able to support our students.” He and his counseling team have added a new wellness curriculum, partnered with Mental Health Fauquier for speakers and programs, and are researching other wellness resources.
Seldis came to Highland from The Steward School in Richmond, where he was the Director of Upper School. As Head of School now, he laments having less direct connections with students, but appreciates the opportunities to impact their education to a much broader degree.
“I’ve gained a deep understanding of what our Lower School teachers do, and what they need,” he said. “The patience and skill set they must have to produce the magic they do is so impressive.”
Seldis took over the reins of Highland from Head of School Emeritus Hank Berg, who retired after an unprecedented 19 years. A natural question is, “What changes are you making?”
“I’m simply building on the DNA of Highland – the culture where faculty and students are seen, heard and valued. Highland’s culture has evolved over almost 100 years,” he said. “I’ve been given the microphone to tell this school’s story, to celebrate all those who’ve gone before us, and sustain all they achieved.
“It’s a challenging environment today for teachers. Part of the Highland DNA is giving our faculty the freedom and bandwidth to innovate, to create the educational magic and to be great educators. Our folks want to be here.”
As for Seldis and his family, “We love being part of this community. I love coming to work. I can’t wait to see what we can accomplish in our next 100 years!”
Middleburg Community Center Displays a Glistening New Rose
By Carina Elgin
The Middleburg Community Center (MCC) opened its doors in 1948, conceived by Mrs. Howell E. (Dorothy) Jackson as a hub for “community spirit and civic work.” Seventy-seven years later, the oldest continuously operating non-profit in Loudoun County is set to be “The Heart of Hunt Country,” offering more opportunities for people to participate and belong.
This past summer, the board, under the direction of Chair Lynn Wiley, made important changes by hiring two women resolved to “re-center the center” and make it a place where everyone is welcomed, and the sense of community is key.
Elizabeth Rose returned to Middleburg to be the center’s director of development and events. Originally from Texas, Rose attended Foxcroft for four years, graduating in 2006. She’s thrilled to be back, and said she’s looking forward to bringing people together in the center’s handsome surroundings.
Her first big project was a complete upgrade to the center’s website (www. middleburgcenter.org) where the revived attitude of inclusivity are front and center. The building’s facilities are beautifully presented in photos and videos, from The Grand Ballroom, to the Herb Garden and the historic swimming pool. The Terrace Room received a magnificent transformation a few years back, and is filled with fascinating photographs and clippings of the center over its many years.
Rose noted that MCC is proud to offer some 20 events free of charge to the Community. Many memories have been made at the ever popular “Hot Dog, It’s Halloween” and best small town Fourth of July ever, as well as at free concerts and movies.
She also is actively fundraising to bring even more free events, as the MCC is funded “By the Community, for the Community.” Half the annual operating budget comes from local residents, organizations and businesses. Rose is especially keen on bringing back more performing arts, once the ballroom stage gets a needed safety makeover.
As the website clearly shows, rental rates for various spaces have been significantly reduced to make them very affordable for locals and non-profits. “Locals” residing in Loudoun, Fauquier and Clark counties are offered 50 per cent off the usual market price for facility rentals, while non-profits get a full 75 per cent off. (What a deal: $37 per hour for the Ballroom!). While the venues are fully booked for the rest of 2025, Rose recommends making plans six to twelve monhs in advance, if possible.
A new “Friends of the Community Center” program is now featured. There are different levels of membership, offering perks like discounts and pool time. Starting from $100 every three months on up, everyone is encouraged to participate, if they can, to “be a part of it.” There is also a new “Best Friends of the Center” for volunteers, with their hours counted and awards and benefits given.
The “New Neighbors’ Club” is quickly becoming a popular event, where people new to the area are welcomed to meet each other, as well as MCC staff and board members. Other local non-profits and organizations also are invited to introduce
themselves.
Working with Rose is director of operations Sue Foote, whose role is the dayto-day management of the complex. Foote has lived in the Middleburg area for 24 years and worked at the Center for five years, starting in 2018. She left to work for the town for two years, and said she’s absolutely thrilled to be back.
“I am so happy to be part of this community,” she said. “I love working here and making a place for people to make connections.”
Rose and Foote make a great team, and both welcome feedback from the community. The top of the new website prominently offers a survey, and they’d love to hear new ideas for the Center as it moves forward.
PHOTO BY CARINA ELGIN
Elizabeth Rose with her dog, Jojo, is the Middleburg Community Center’s energetic new director of development.
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Fly Fishing Just Comes Naturally to Marcia Woolman
By John Ross
In a charming home on Burrland Lane lives Marcia Woolman, one of this region’s most tenacious conservationists. She summers in Silver Gate, Montana, an intimate little community at the northeast entrance to Yellowstone National Park.
Ever since she married the late Hank Woolman and moved to The Plains in 1993, she continues to be an indefatigable advocate for clean water and restoration of native trout brook trout, Virginia’ s official freshwater fish, and cutthroats, the state fish of seven mountain states in the West.
Marcia came by her tenacity naturally. She was raised along with five brothers on a farm near York, Pennsylvania. She earned a bachelor’ s degree at St. Francis College in Lorreto, Pa., and soon after graduation, she landed a job teaching kindergarten at nearby Gallitzin. She also began working on her master’s degree at Penn State.
Her 40-mile trek from Gallitzin to State College carried her through the core of the Keystone state’s finest spring creek watersheds. Foremost among them is Spruce Creek where Presidents Eisenhower, Carter, and H.W. Bush came to fish. The beauty of trout streams and the tranquility they offered from her day-to-day duties as a divorced single mom raising two teenagers appealed to Marcia.
Never shy, in retirement she sought lessons from national fly fishing legends, including George Harvey and Joe Humphries. Though not an equestrian per se, she also enjoyed riding horseback.
In 1992 a mutual friend suggested to Hank Woolman that he and the fly-fishing divorcée from Spruce Creek might enjoy each other’s company. After a few visits back and forth, Hank and Marcia became a couple.
To test their compatibility, they planned a trip to Yellowstone, Marcia’s first. Instead of staying in motels, Hank suggested camping in a tent along the way. Leaving the park’s Northeast entrance at Silver Gate, Hank nonchalantly gestured to a rustic cabin and mentioned that he owned it. On up the road, they turned into a campground, pitched their tent to spend the night. They married in 1993.
For nearly 30 years, Marcia and Hank, who passed away in 2019, summered in that cabin in Silver Gate. The house was divided into two abodes. They stayed in the smaller one and rented the larger one on a week-by week to fly-fishing anglers. A finger of Soda Butte Creek runs through the back yard. Standing on the footbridge across the creek, it’s not unusual to see Yellowstone’s iconic native cutthroats gently finning in the current.
Fishing almost every day from mid-June through September for three decades, Marcia came to know intimately all of the park’s famous trout streams. Every year, she and Hank would pack-in by horse to the headwaters of Slough Creek camping along the way. Encounters with grizzly bears were not uncommon.
Marcia learned how rainbows, an alien species to the park’s waters, are interbreeding with native cutthroats. With the same vigor she devoted to conservation issues as a board member of the Goose Creek Association, Marcia took a leading role in working with the park’s fisheries biologists to remove rainbows and improve water quality. For years she chaired the Beartooth Alliance, a non-profit similar to the Piedmont Environmental Council.
Marcia still fishes and seems to know every undercut bank and every pool on every stream where large cutthroat are waiting. Moreover, she knows which fly patterns will provoke a strike. Yellowstone trout streams are, indeed, her home waters.
Photo by John Ross
Marcia Woolman (left) and Anne Morris of Clemmons, N.C. are delighted with Anne’s first ever cutthroat taken on a fly in Yellowstone’s Soda Butte Creek.
Going Wild in Yellowstone Park
My late husband, Hank, and I made Soda Butte Creek near the northeast entrance of Yellowstone Park our summer home in 1993 and quickly began immersing ourselves in learning about all of the wonderful places to fish and explore. It only took a few years to become aware that this special place would only remain so if we did our part to protect it. In fact, we only had to look a mile downstream, where Willow Creek meets Soda Butte Creek, to see the importance of conservation.
The predators in this part of the creek for a while included invasive brook trout. It’s believed they may have been released outside the park, or even far upstream in Montana, by well meaning fisherman who thought diversity would be fun for catching fish. What they did not know was that brook trout are an aggressive, dominant species that feed on native cutthroat trout.
It was critical for the biologists to remove the invasive brook trout before they reached Ice Box Canyon, several miles past the northeast entrance. Fortunately, biologists from Montana and Yellowstone figured out a way to remove the brook trout from Soda Butte Creek before they could spread further downstream.
After hearing this and many other stories of conservation throughout Yellowstone, Hank and I quickly engaged in protecting the park and all of its inhabitants. We decided to become fishing guides in the park so we would have an opportunity to share the knowledge we had as conservationists. We became lifetime members of Trout Unlimited and shared the idea of protecting the water and the fish with everyone we met.
If you take care of the environment, the wildlife and fisheries will survive. Nature heals itself. With a new and enlightened understanding, we found it gave us even more enjoyment and love for this place where we were blessed to live.
Hank and I frequently spent our early summers exploring the downstream meadows where we could see the elk and moose with their calves. As the weather warms, most will move up the mountains for better grazing as green grass replaces the snow in the higher elevations.
One such day I was taking a game trail through the meadows to start fishing downstream in Soda Butte Creek. I did not want to walk along the creek, for fear of spooking the fish I would soon be trying to catch as I came back up.
As I worked my way down toward my desired starting place on the creek, I ducked under a low evergreen limb, and when I stood up, I was face-to-face with a mother moose and her calf.
Moose are considered by some locals to be the most dangerous animals in Yellowstone. A mother moose is going to protect her calf and she will charge you if threatened. I immediately ducked back under the branch as quickly as I had stood up, all the while, speaking to her in a gentle, calm voice. It worked as she was about 30 yards from me and decided I was not a threat.
Over the years, I have seen black bears, elk, coyotes, and Buffalo and caught many colorful, smaller cutthroat trout. You must never stop being prepared. When fishing or hiking, always have bear spray on your belt or in your hand. You can never be too careful.
Going Wild: 30 Summers in Yellowstone,” by Middleburg resident Marcia Woolman.
Yikes! Frankenstein, Meet Artificial Intelligence
By Hunt Lyman
Recently, I’ve had the pleasure of substitute teaching Frankenstein to advanced placement literature students at Highland School.
Mary Shelley’s gothic masterpiece, written when she was only 18, is at once a ghost story, a philosophical meditation, and a warning. At its heart is humanity’s temptation to play god, an urge that feels remarkably current. Whether we are cloning genes, editing embryos, or developing artificial intelligence (AI), the question Shelley poses remains the same: what happens when our creations outgrow our control?
Let me be clear: I don’t believe that AI models such as ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini are conscious beings. They are sophisticated pattern recognizers, not living entities. Many scientists scoff at the idea that a machine could ever be “alive” in any meaningful sense. Still, it’s tempting to indulge in a little imaginative speculation.
Across Silicon Valley, AI leaders are racing toward what they call Artificial General Intelligence, an AI that equals or surpasses human intelligence across all domains. Whether that goal is realistic remains uncertain. But the deeper and more haunting question is whether such an achievement would necessarily involve creating consciousness.
Many computer scientists argue that consciousness depends on biological brains that interpret the world through sensory inputs, translating sight, sound, taste, and touch through intricate structures such as the amygdala and hippocampus. Machines have no eyes, no ears, no bodies. How could they possibly be conscious?
it, only emerged in humans a few thousand years ago as a product of language and culture rather than biology alone. He raised the possibility that consciousness may not be a single phenomenon but a spectrum with multiple forms.
For centuries, even animals were denied a place on that spectrum. René Descartes argued that they were mere machines that imitated feeling and awareness but possessed neither. His view, influential in early modern science, helped justify centuries of experimentation on living creatures without ethical concern. Today, few would claim that animals cannot suffer or experience emotion. Our definition of consciousness has expanded before. It might again.
Meanwhile, the human brain remains largely mysterious. We don’t understand how neurons, synapses, and neurotransmitters combine to create the vivid inner experience of thought and feeling. Yet this mystery hasn’t stopped scientists from trying to model it.
And yet, I’m not sure the discussion ends there. Even if AI can never achieve human consciousness, might it develop some other kind? The term “consciousness” is slippery, implying self-awareness and a sense of an unfolding life story.
The psychologist Julian Jaynes once proposed that consciousness, as we know
Modern AI systems composed of neural networks succeed precisely because they imitate the structure of the brain. Engineers create vast webs of artificial “ neurons,” feed them enormous data sets, and adjust the connections until the system begins to mimic human reasoning.
If we accept that intelligence involves learning, adaptation, and problem-solving, then AI already qualifies as intelligent. What reason, then, do we have to assume that consciousness cannot eventually emerge from the same process? It might not resemble our consciousness at all. It could be something alien, abstract, even unrecognizable, but no less real.
The thought is both thrilling and chilling. Once again, humanity is poised to create what it may not fully understand. Somewhere in a lab in Silicon Valley, a modern Frankenstein might one day look at a screen flickering with unexpected awareness and utter words forever linked to Mary Shelley, though she never actually wrote them:
“
Hunt Lyman
Seven Loaves Now More Important Than Ever
On Friday, Dec. 12, in cooperation with the Middleburg Police Department and Safeway, Seven Loaves will host the “Stuff the Cruiser” event to secure items for Holiday Food bags.
By Leslie VanSant
While no one would ever say that a car and a person are similar. One thing is certain: neither one runs without fuel.
The Middleburg Race and Rally Club held a vintage car rally and exhibition recently to raise funds for Seven Loaves, Middleburg’s long-time good pantry based at the United Methodist Church.
It was a picture perfect fall day. The 25 vintage cars and drivers started the day racing around the track at Summit Point in West Virginia. Later that afternoon, they pulled out their maps and started to rally through the Virginia Piedmont towards Middleburg where festivities were open to the community.
The event raised $7,750 for Seven Loaves, according to Tami Erickson, pantry operations manager. “This will be enough to purchase two to three weeks of fresh and canned food,’ she said.
In 2024, Seven Loaves in Middleburg provided more than 255,000 pounds of food and other items including diapers, feminine and personal hygiene products, and household cleaning supplies to 435 families.
Seven Loaves was the beneficiary of Rallye Middleburg recently, and area children participated on slightly smaller pedal-powered vehicles.
“Seven Loaves is open to everyone. You don’t know what any person’s situation is at any moment. Many are just one missed paycheck away from needing the food pantry,” Tami said.
Families come to Seven Loaves from Loudoun, Fauquier, Warren, Frederick and Clarke counties. Food and supplies are distributed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon. They can visit once per week to receive upwards of 50 pounds of canned goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, dairy, eggs and more depending upon what can be purchased or has been donated.
“We make it easy for people to access our services,” Tami said. “They can stay in their car. I talk with each household and then we prepare bags according to their taste and needs.”
Feeding America estimates that one in six children nationwide are food insecure. In Loudoun County, one of the wealthiest in the nation, one in fourteen people is food insecure. With the recent shutdown of the federal government, furloughed workers and lack of funding for programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), needs clearly increased.
“Usually, we see about 115 to 120 families per week, Since the middle of October, we’ve been seeing 140 to 160 families each week,” Tami said, adding that other food pantries in the region are seeing similar jumps in numbers.
Seven Loaves accepts donations of food supplies and, of course, financial support is always appreciated. They need donations of diapers (all sizes), baby wipes, feminine products, canned goods, cooking oil, coffee, tea, cleaning products like laundry pods. If you have laying hens and extra eggs, those are also welcome.
Details: Immediate and urgent needs are listed on the website, www.sevenloavesmiddleburg.org.
Sunday, December 7, 2025; 5 pm
A Baroque Christmas
(Paragon Philharmonia)
Celebrate the holiday season with the joyous sounds of Vivaldi! We’ll be joined by guitarist Cristian Perez and the Grace Church Choir for festive favorites and carols.
Grieg - selections from Holberg Vivaldi - Guitar Concerto in D Vivaldi - selections from Gloria Other holiday favorites
Paragon’s most popular concert is a great way to usher in the holiday season! Enjoy festive music featuring the Grace Church Choir and soloists. Bring the kids and grandkids!
Join us before the concert in Grace Church’s Parish Hall at 4:30 p.m. for our Candy Cane Concert, where students from Northern Virginia Preludio Strings will perform holiday favorites.
Sunday, March 15, 2026; 5 pm
Amit Peled and the CelloGang
(Grace Church Concert Series)
Dance through History with the CelloGang. A night of dance music for cello choir. Tango, blues, salon dances and much more. A CELLOBRATION you don’t want to miss!
Sunday, March 29, 2026; 5 pm Mozart and Mussorgsky (Paragon Philharmonia)
Location: The Hill School, 130 Madison St, Middleburg, VA
Sunday, May 3, 2026; 5 pm
The Suspicious Cheese Lords
A captivating evening of chamber music for strings and winds featuring the elegance of Mozart and the vivid imagination of Mussorgsky in his “Pictures at an Exhibition”.
(Grace Church Concert Series)
For thirty years, the Suspicious Cheese Lords have specialized in Renaissance choral music, seeking out works by less familiar composers. The group’s name is derived from the Tallis motet, Suscipe quaeso Domine.
6507 Main Street, The Plains, Va 20198
https://gracetheplains.org/music/concert-series/
Photo by Leslie VanSant
Banneker Elementary Thriving With Community Involvement
By Sarah Brissing
Nestled in the heart of Loudoun County’s historic village of St. Louis, Banneker Elementary is the only existing original African-American school in Loudoun County still operating as a now fully integrated elementary school.
Since 1948, Banneker, just off the St. Louis Road/ Rt 611, has served generations of students from Airmont, Bloomfield, Bluemont, Howardsville, Leithtown, Macsville, Mountville, Middleburg, Millville, Philomont, Purcellville, St. Louis, Unison, Welbourne, and Willisville.
Rooted in a legacy of learning, perseverance, and community pride, Banneker continues to thrive because of the strong partnerships that link its classrooms to the greater Middleburg area. Through the generosity, creativity, and commitment of local businesses, organizations, and families, the Banneker parent-teacher organization (PTO) creates opportunities that enrich learning, celebrate connection, and support every Bronco.
This year, the Middleburg Community Center (MCC) has been a cornerstone of that support, helping fund new shirts for Banneker’s House System as part of their PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Supports) initiative. Hosting bake sales and popcorn bars during MCC Bingo Night has been both fun and fruitful for Banneker students and parents, while also raising funds for the school.
Additionally, the MCC is opening its doors to host the annual Turkey Trot run and Read-A-Lot while
the school undergoes renovation. Their continued partnership reflects the spirit of togetherness that defines Middleburg.
The same sense of collaboration was on display at the Middleburg Spring Races last year. Students poured lemonade for a cause, learning entrepreneurship while giving back to their school community.
Scott Stine, the owner of the Upper Crust Bakery, made the school’s Stuff-a-Bronco event even sweeter by donating cookies for every participant. Stine and many others who help Banneker are a visible reminder that kindness, collaboration, and giving are the most important ingredients in a recipe for community engagement.
Drew Bishop, owner of the Philomont Store, haa a long relationship with the Banneker community.
They have extended their generosity by supporting the school’s Election Day Bake Sale. Partnerships with local businesses add flavor and fun many school events.
From local businesses to service organizations, the school’s partners help create the experiences that make attending classes memorable. All of these events have helped Banneker raise funds for student activities, experiences, classroom resources, and special events that keep students engaged and motivated to learn.
“Banneker students benefit greatly from having family and community partner-ships in the area,” said Banneker Principal Robert Carter. “Our community has so many assets and we are just beginning to realize their full potential. I’m grateful for the Middleburg partnerships that we’ve leveraged past, present, and future.”
Some partnerships even stretch far beyond Middleburg’s borders. Consider Middleburg native Porcha Dodson and her nonprofit, Project Knapsack. Through the program, every Banneker student received school supplies and their fourth graders joined in a pen pal exchange with children in Africa, building friendships and global awareness one letter at a time.
Local organizations continue to nurture Banneker’s students in meaningful ways. Middleburg United Methodist Church’s Backpack Buddies Program continues to aid families in need by providing Banneker students with meals to ensure that no child goes hungry over the weekend.
Sarah Brissing is a long-time educator and reading specialist at Banneker.
Remodeling for the Holidays
By: Jeff Weeks
As the holiday season arrives, our homes become more than just the backdrop to daily life, they become the setting for connection and comfort. Whether hosting family, welcoming overnight guests, or simply managing the bustle of winter routines, the design of your home plays a key role in how well it supports the moments that matter most.
Thoughtful design can help your home work smarter during the holidays. From adaptable spaces that serve more than one purpose to stylish, smart storage that keeps winter gear under control, it’s all about creating a home that feels ready to welcome, gather, and celebrate.
When every room is designed purposely with your family’s routines in mind, your home feels both welcoming and efficient. As households expand to accommodate guests and festivities, multiuse spaces offer the flexibility to shift seamlessly between work, play, and rest.
There are challenges. They include:
Limited guest space. When home offices or hobby rooms double as guest suites, comfort and function often compete.
Lack of flexibility. Fixed furnishings or layouts can make it difficult to transition a space for entertaining or overnight visitors.
Cluttered common areas. In shared spaces like kitchens and family rooms, clutter builds up fast, especially during the holidays. Without purposeful design elements like defined storage, furniture with built-in function, or clear zones for daily tasks, these areas can quickly feel chaotic instead of cozy.
And there are solutions:
Opt for convertible furniture. Murphy beds, daybeds, or desks that fold away make it easy to shift a room’s purposeLightweight or modular seating, nesting tables, or furniture on casters support easy room rearrangements.
Use modular pieces. They move and adapt quickly, transitioning a room from workday mode to hosting or overnight accommodations
Add smart storage and subtle zoning. Incorporate built-in cabinetry, concealed shelving, or dual-purpose furniture to keep shared spaces organized. Use rugs, lighting, or a built-ins to subtly
define areas for working, lounging, and hosting.
All of the above matters because multi-functional rooms give you the freedom to entertain without compromising daily comfort. With smart planning, even smaller homes can function beautifully for both every day living and holiday entertaining.
Smart seasonal storage also helps. With winter coats, boots, and festive décor making their annual return, strategic storage becomes essential to maintaining a sense of calm and keeps clutter out of sight.
There are other design solutions. You may want a custom mudroom with built-in cubbies, benches, and hooks to keep gear accessible and orderly. Hidden closets or paneled storage areas blend seamlessly into hallways or living spaces. And it’s important to design closets or storage zones with labeled bins or adjustable shelving to simplify seasonal swaps. When everything has its place, it’s easier to focus on what the season is really about: connection, comfort, and creating memories. Smart storage design ensures your home feels peaceful, polished, and guest-ready, no matter how busy life gets.
Jeff Weeks is a project leader at Bowa.
Courtesy of Banneker School
Banneker students man a popcorn stand at a recent Middleburg Community Center event under the watchful eye of Middleburg Police Chief Shaun Jones.
Jeff Weeks
Mattingly’s
A Few Tweaks for a Happy New Year
By Dr. Norris Royston
This time of year, we’re inundated with marketing promotions for fad diets that promise health, vitality, and longevity. It’s often difficult to determine fact from fiction and even harder to sustain the radical changes many of these diets require.
Instead, I’d like to discuss a few simple changes that could have a huge impact on your health, mind, and body, and can be easily incorporated into your lifestyle and daily habits in the coming new year, if not sooner.
Plant-based foods: Plant-based foods can help save your life. Pack your cupboards with whole foods—vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, and seeds—a virtual army of defense against disease that can contribute to a longer, healthier, and more enjoyable life.
Fruits: A half cup of blueberries daily reduces your lifetime risk of developing diabetes by 50 per cent. They are particularly helpful in preventing colon cancer and stroke. Strawberries have been proven to help in the prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease. A Harvard Study showed that people who eat more berries have a significantly lower risk of developing Parkinson’s Disease.
Nuts: Nuts and seeds include almonds, cashews, pistachios, pecans, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts, the nut highest in antioxidants and Omega-3 content. Data shows we should ingest a handful of nuts three times weekly.
Vegetables: Go Green to stop disease before it starts. Cruciferous vegetables (non-starchy vegetables) like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, arugula, and bok choy have several benefits.
Kale is known as the “Queen of Greens,” rich in Vitamin C, selenium, and beta carotene. It promotes bone health, may protect against heart disease, and studies show it lowers cholesterol levels and protects against macular degeneration and glaucoma.
Broccoli and turnip greens include chemicals known to be cancer fighters. They help keep normal cells from turning into cancer. Eating these vegetables also is a strong defense against DNA damage, so the cancer cells cannot proliferate.
Whole Grains: Whole grains include quinoa, brown rice, gluten-free bread, tortillas, oats. They are all high in fiber, helping prevent diabetes, lower blood pressure, and lower the risk of obesity, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
Sleep: It’s extremely important to get adequate sleep, with a goal of seven to nine hours per night, not including interruptions. Sleep in a cool, dark room with the temperature set ideally at about 68 degrees. If you’re having difficulty getting to sleep, try a white noise machine. A warm bath, shower, or foot bath one to two hours before going to bed also helps.
Stress Management: Non-medicinal measures that have shown health benefits include listening to music, meditation, social connectivity, and exercise. Walking 30 minutes and including stretching and resistance exercises five days per week can increase your predicted lifespan by twelve years. Be sure to drink at least 40 ounces of water throughout the day.
It’s also important to have a physical every year from your health care provider and to make sure all vaccines are up to date. Also see your dentist. And being informed on all of the above is very important. A few good resources include: “How Not to Die” by Dr. Michael Greger; “The Balanced Plate” by Monika Jacobson and Brea Seaburg and “The Heart Attack Gene and Healthy Heart, Healthy Brain” by Bradley Bale, M.D., and Amy Doneen, D.N.P.
I hope you’ll find these simple, moderate tweaks in your daily routine helpful. And I wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year.
Middleburg area native Dr. Norris Royston is the founder of Countryside Family Practice in Marshall and has been practicing medicine for 52 years.
Hand Crafted
Dealing in Amish Outdoor Furniture Located in Loudoun County Since 1973.
55 E. Colonial Highway (Old Rt 7) Hamilton, VA 20158 Parking in rear
Dealing in Amish Outdoor Furniture Located in Loudoun County Since 1973.
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Dr. Norris Royston
Rue de Noël Emmanuel For Christmas Shopping Magic
By Pat Reilly
In its 78th year, the Christmas Shop at Emmanuel Church in Middleburg will be transported from the North Pole to Paris, reimagined as Rue de Noël Emmanuel (Christmas Street Emmanuel).
The fresh look will debut on Dec. 5 and run through Dec. 7 and promises to be, as planners say, “a unique, joyeux and romantique experience.”
A special thank-you cocktail party for major donors will start the festive weekend on Thursday night, Dec. 4. The financial success of the shop has always relied on the sponsors who realize the shop’s importance to Emmanuel Church and its local charities.
The Rev. Gene LeCouteur, rector of Emmanuel Church, a Francophile himself, said he looks forward to seeing the Parish House reimagined as a Parisian street. “The magic of Paris makes it my favorite place to visit in all the world,” he said. “The proceeds from the Christmas Shop are an annual boost to Emmanuel’s work in the community and its local nonprofits.”
In the best Parisian style, Rue de Noël features first-class pop-up shops, French music and pastries and bumping into friends while shopping beautifully displayed holiday items.
In keeping with the theme, there will be flowers,
fresh Christmas greens and merchants offering trendy and traditional items. Among the highlights are: custom-designed pearls, crisp linens, cashmere, woolens, alpaca, country and countryclub clothing and resort wear, pretty tennis and pickle ball clothing, Riding stock ties and winter collars, unique giftware and birdhouses.
Rue de Noël Emmanuel has been curated and designed by Chairperson Sandi Young. Young has
a reputation for creating magical events benefiting hospitals, children and conservation.
“Rue de Noël Emmanuel is both a worthwhile event and a challenging one,” she said. “It takes months to hand-select exceptional vendors and then to stage and create an event worthy of this celebrated tradition, which benefits Emmanuel’s missions, and a joyful experience for shoppers from Middleburg and all around. This event owes its success to generous donors and hard-working volunteer elves who make it magnifique!
“Don’t miss local baker Preppy Pretzels, Lovely Macarons and Caps by Nezzie, the youngest vendor, and Fly Home Birdhouses on Saturday during Middleburg’s Christmas parades,” Young added.
Founded in 1947, the Christmas Shop was envisioned by a group of local women as a way to kick off the holiday season while raising funds for Emmanuel Church and its community charities. While the retail landscape has changed completely in the intervening years, Emmanuel’s Christmas shop has remained a beloved tradition.
Details: Rue de Noël Emmanuel will open to the public on Dec. 5 at 10 a.m. at 105 East Washington Street for a full day of shopping before the weekend crowds. More at emmanuelmiddleburg.org
Experiences Rich in Flavor
Indulge in vibrant and flavorful creations meticulously prepared with the fines locally sourced ingredients from Virginia’s Piedmont region.
As Virginia’s newest Forbes Five-Star restaurant, every exquisite bite sets a new standard for culinary excellence.
Courtesy Emmanuel Church Oooh-la-la: A touch of France comes to Emmanuel Church’s Christmas shop.
Horse Country – Much More Than Meets the Eye
By Jodi Nash
It’s more than you think—the place, the owner, the eclectic merchandise, the atmosphere, the warm welcome when you walk through the front door.
Horse Country, the iconic store located in the heart of Old Town Warrenton is a mecca for equestrian needs for competitive athletes (dressage, show jumping, eventing, and riding to hounds) but also for recreational riders and fashionable country clothing seekers.
This unique boutique shop is vibrantly decorated and packed with artful displays of antiques, art, sculpture, tapestries, jewelry, housewares, pillows, throws, lamps, books, cards, decorative hardware, leather goods and a variety of street apparel for men, women and children. It’s also full of delightful gift options.
Its adjoining building is brimming with a huge inventory of custom designed hunt apparel and formal equestrian attire in varying weights of cloth and multiple designs. And true to its roots, Horse Country also remains a tack and saddlery store, with product lines for horses, mules, donkeys, ponies and dogs.
Marion Maggiolo is the creative force behind this remarkable 56-year-old enterprise. With an entrepreneurial spirit, penchant for superior quality and sharp design eye, she has now become a national brand.
Growing up in rural New Jersey, her life changed when her parents sold their farm and relocated to Hume, Virginia. In 1970, her parents opened Horse Country at the intersection of Routes 17/211 and 29/15, where Marion helped out the summer before her senior year at college.
An English and journalism major, after graduating from Wichita State University, she came home with the intention of working at the store until she found a job.
“I wanted more adventure—maybe go to New York and work for an antique dealer or intern for Bergdorf-Goodman ,” she said. “But I got home from Wichita at midnight and at 6 a.m. my father called up the stairs, ‘Marion it’s time to go to work.’”
After a year, her mother gave Marion the keys, saying she couldn’t go in that day. “I opened the store, and she never asked for them back. A few months after that, she handed me the payables and the checkbook,” Marion said.
And so, her plan changed.
Originally a Western tack store, in the 1970s Marion slowly built her English riding style customer base by doing trunk show road trips to Charlottesville, Richmond, Virginia Beach, Charlotte and Raleigh in North Carolina, and Atlanta.
“I had a big van,” she said with a smile. “I loaded and unloaded riding apparel, boots, hats, and accessories, and took measurements for custom fit items.”
Trainers traveling with as many as 20 riders would shop in Warrenton and her customers invited her to their stables, where Marion often joined them afterwards in true “bon vivant” style for dinner.
As Western riding faded in the area and English show riding grew in popularity, Marion connected with vendors in Great Britain, flying there twice a year seeking inspiration for new apparel lines and to shop for unique antique items and art.
“If I think I’d like to live with it, I put it in the store,” she said. “My dad instilled a real appreciation for old things in me – carriages and old antique harnesses and saddle racks.”
That willingness to wander served Marion well over the years, along with her innate market savvy and keen eye. Realizing that fox hunting needs were under-resourced, in 1985 she expanded her apparel line to include rich tweeds and hunting coats. Next came marketing catalogues, in the beginning on newsprint with beautiful illustrations and later, on glossy paper with brilliant color photos.
She also discovered she had a flare for original design, often recruiting friends (artists or designers) to draw a scene or motif, which her makers then reproduced on a bag, throw pillow, or jacket for her Horse Country label. This thoughtful detailing and collaborative approach led to production of new gift and clothing items each year.
“I recently had a customer who wanted a fascinator in a tartan plaid,” she said. “So I called my hat vendor and asked him can we do it?”
She has removed the flaps and seams from a riding jacket for a cleaner silhouette many women prefer, and made her own riding britches and shirts in new high-wicking fabrics.
In 1988, she made her boldest move, purchasing the Warrenton Wholesale House at 60 Alexandria Pike, basically tripling the floor space. Gone was the drive by convenience of highway access, to be replaced by small historic town charm.
When she opened in her new location in December, 1989, she had a clientele cultivated over 20 years and willing to drive to Horse Country as a specialty shopping destination.
“It was a huge expansion,” she recalled. “When my dad saw it, his first response was ‘Can you fill it?’ I did have to spread out my merchandise at the start.”
In 1990, Marion launched her quarterly publication “In and Around Horse Country” which expertly covers fox hunting, flat and steeplechase racing, point to point races, carriage driving, breeders’ classics, showing and in general the outdoor sporting life. It’s a colorful punchy publication that takes readers from “Barn to Boardroom” by featuring Horse Country’s merchandise.
There’s even a humorous contribution from Osmun, Marion’s loyal Scottish Terrier who is her companion at the store and at all the events she attends.
As Osmun staunchly observed in print about his territory, which he fiercely protects from interlopers, “Some things are about pride. This is my corner of Alexandria Pike—parking lot, hill and all.”
Marion Maggiolo has transformed Horse Country in Warrenton into a must-shop destination.
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Root to Table: A Fabulous Foodie Formula
By M.J. McAteer
Visitors to the Blue Ridge and Piedmont areas of Virginia and West Virginia have always displayed an appetite for the area’s natural beauty, but in recent years, they have developed a taste for its culinary experiences, as well.
“All of a sudden, chefs are on the menu,” said Nancy Craun, president of Root to Table, a nonprofit she founded to promote the food culture of the region.
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Root to Table doesn’t have members, per se, but partners. Even though the organization got its start only last year, its roster already includes about 40 farmers, chefs, restaurant owners, wine makers and agricultural artisans (such as beekeepers) scattered around the region.
Partners who may be familiar to local foodies include Cheryl Strasser and Bree Grant of Cowbell Kitchen in Leesburg; Neil Wavra of Field & Main in Marshall; and Amanda Luhowiak, co-owner of the Whole Ox, also in Marshall. Ovaka Farm in Paris, Ayrshire Farm in Upperville, Mackintosh Fruit Farm in Berryville and Barrel Oak Winery & Brewery in Delaplane are all local Root to Table partners, too.
Craun’s organization has a dual purpose, she said. One is to hold a series of public events each year to showcase the agricultural bounty of the region and the work and talent that goes into producing and preparing it. In June, for example, Root to Table’s “On the Road” program featured 12 chefs and 24 farmers who gathered at a picturesque lodge in the mountains of Southwest Virginia for three days of workshops and cooking demonstrations capped by a multi-course, fireside dinner.
That same month, a bit closer to home, Field & Main hosted “Defining Piedmont Cuisine with Chef Ian Boden.” The eight-course feast was prepared by the two-time nominee for the James Beard Award for Best Chef of the MidAtlantic, and his menu highlighted four regionally sourced ingredients--corn, pork, trout and peaches.
Boden is a prime example of how food has become such an integral part of the travel experience for many people. In a review in The Washington Post, food critic Tom Sietsema described the chance to eat at Boden’s Staunton restaurant Maude & Bear as “a compelling reason to spend time in the area.”
Events like the “defining Piedmont Cuisine” dinner are outward facing, but the second part of Root to Table’s dual focus is inward, Craun said: To provide opportunities for the members of the region’s agricultural and hospitality sectors to gather, collaborate and support best practices.
Recently, that opportunity took the form of a potluck lunch, with the chefs bringing home-cooked--not restaurant--food and some of their favorite snacks, such as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Oreos and milk. “As operators, most of us don’t have the chance to get out much,” Wavra said.
Food tourists these days are in search of not just healthier meals but sophisticated ones, and, though the ingredients Root to Table chefs strive to use are from close to home, their cooking is in no way provincial.
Most of the chefs have cooked in many places, and they have absorbed a number of intriguing flavors along the way. Bolden, for instance, is known for some decidedly non-Staunton-sounding dishes such as matzo brei with smoked whitefish roe, a homage to his Russian and Hungarian Jewish roots.
The menu of Clem Tamasang, executive chef of the Bavarian Inn in Shepherdstown, can be equally worldly. Although Tamasang grew up in nearby Martinsburg, his cooking style is heavily European—and of course, Germaninfluenced. He also sometimes taps his North African heritage to create dishes such as Moroccan-spiced lamb with roasted root vegetables.
As Wavra described it, the ingredients are the frame for the many colors with which Root to Table chefs such as Tamasang paint.
Craun said her nonprofit’s current goal is to show people why locally sourced food is important to their lifestyle. Given the innovative menus crafted by Root to Table chefs, that’s a goal destined to be met one bite at a time.
Photo by Marcus Repp
A recent taste of excellence event, “Defining Piedmont Cuisine with Ian Boden” included, left to right, Nancy Craun, Amanda Sweeney, Neal Wavra, Ian Boden, Amanda Lukowiak,, Marcus Repp, Tyler Johnston and Joffre Reyes.
Virginia Fall Races
Photos by Leonard Shapiro
Heading out
Porcha Dodson
Photo by Doug Gehlsen of Middleburg Photo Sean Clancy (center with coat and tie) in the winner’s circle with friends and family.
Karen
Virginia Fall Races at Glenwood Park in Middleburg,
and owned
Photo by Tim Sudduth/Eclipse Sportswire
Potus (4) ridden by jockey Graham Watters won the James P. McCormick Memorial Timber race at the
he is trained by Jack Fisher
Renee and Lauren Woolcott
Meg Mullery
Baby Robert and his mom, Sarah Bennett
John Coles and Emily Hannum
Bull Run Conservancy
The American Chestnut Making a Comeback
By Michael Kieffer
Imagine hiking on the Bull Run Mountains on a cool fall day. In the flood plain, we find sycamores and tulip poplars four to five feet in diameter. After losing ourselves in a swift, cold stream teeming with darners, minnows, shiners, and brook trout, we try to decipher sights and sounds that are coming faster than our senses can discriminate.
Immediately after departing one treasure, our upward ascent brings us to coves, hollows, and gentle eastern slopes that all appear to be molded by 130foot red oaks, white oaks, various hickories, and white ashes. On the west-facing side of the hollows we have barren acidic chestnut-oak/heath and pine-oak/ heath communities that have been scarred by fire; on the east-facing side, rich basic oak hickory forests appear unburnable.
When we reach the ridge line, we enter an extensive stand of pitch pines. Their trunks bear clusters of short, needle-loaded branches that give them an unshaven look.
Their deeply fissured bark scales resist fire as they effectively burn like hairs on a hand, far from the life giving cambium. The scene melts into a pure stand table-mountain pine, whose lower branches droop gracefully and are loaded with squat cones composed of large scales that once open, expose large, stout, strongly hooked spines.
As we join the human struggle to find a consistent thread in this world, we reflect back on our journey, only to stumble upon the fact that one type of tree “sows” this mountain together: Castanea dentata, the American chestnut.
In the bottomlands, these trees sky to 150 feet and have six-foot diameters. In the mid-slopes they are dominant in many of the hardwood communities. On the ridge they are sub-dominant in all of the hardwood communities. In fact we never were out of sight of a chestnut on the entire hike.
Luckily in this fictional walk, we did collect some of the American chestnut mast throughout the hike, even robbing some of the squirrels’ caches along the way. Time to make a little extra cash by selling them to city folk as a major holiday treat, as in “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…”
Today, most of the elements in the mountain communities are intact, but the thread that was part of almost every hardwood community in all of Appalachia, the American chestnut, is nothing but a ghost, with only rootstock sprouts to remind us of what used to be a constant.
Introduced around 1890 with a nursery shipment of Asian chestnuts, the first signs of the fungus blight, Cryphonectria parasitica, were witnessed in the trunks of American chestnuts by 1904. The American chestnut was completely eliminated, as a defining component to any North American hardwood forest community, in less than 40 years.
The American Chestnut Foundation has hybridized American chestnuts (Castanea dentata) with the desirable characteristic blight resistance of the Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima), using a technique known as “backcrossing.”
Instead of the usual story line of loss and destruction, the American chestnut offers the hope of renewal and resurrection. Here’s hoping our grandchildren will once again be roasting American chestnuts on an open fire.
Courtesy of Bull Run Consrvancy
A chestnut burr is alive and blossoming in the Bull Run Mountains.
A Classics Night at Charles Town Track
Teachintherelease, a 4-year-old gelding originally purchased for $20,000, paid off nicely on that investment with an impressive 14-length victory in the $300,000 Sam Huff Breeders Classic on Oct. 11.
By Carol Holden
Teachintherelease was one of five favorites to go to the winner’s circle that night for 39th running of the 10race West Virginia Breeders Classics at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races with over $1 million in purses up for grabs.
Owner Robert L. Cole, Jr. and trainer Stephen Murdock had claimed the 5-year-old gelding in May, 2024. He broke well at the start and was never challenged, increasing his career earnings to $533,000.00. The race is named for Breeders Classics co-founder, the late Sam Huff of Middleburg, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and a West Virginia native.
The Cavada race, the co-feature on the championship night of racing for West Virginia-bred horses, was won by Petty Perfect. The 4-year-old filly is bred, owned and trained by Kristy Petty.
Another popular winner on the card was 7-year-old No Change, who won his third consecutive Onion Juice Breeders Classic. He is owned and trained by Cyndy McKee, who joined him in the winner’s circle for his 19th career victory.
The champions of the future got their first starts on the Classics card in races for 2-year-olds. The first winner was the filly, Edy’s Flame, taking the West Virginia Triple Crown Nutrition Breeders Classic for owner Richard Burnsworth.
Tricks R For Juba won the Vincent Moscarelli Memorial for owner, breeder Casey’s Legacy and trainer Ronald G. Sigler. The team of Juba, Casey’s Legacy and Sigler also took home the trophy for Jubaslilballerina in the Roger Ramey Distaff.
Sprint races are always a staple of the Charles Town Races program. The Dash for Cash Breeders Classic saw Time To Rock win the 4 ½-furlong race for breeder/owner Jill Daniel and trainer Stacey R. Viands.
Veteran Charles Town trainer Jeff Runco and jockey Arnaldo Bocachica had wins with Zip Start in the West Virginia Lottery Breeders Classic and Spotafreeone in the Russell Road Breeders Classic.
Photo by Tim Sudduth Eclipse Sportswire No Change defeated Juba's Hat Trick in the WVTBA Onion Juice Breeders Classic.
Photo by Tim Sudduth Eclipse Sportswire Teachintherelease in the clear winning the Sam Huff Breeders Classic.
above
The 88th running of the International Gold Cup took place on a crisp fall day at glorious Great Meadow, with a familiar champion prevailing in the $50,000 timber stakes contested over 3 1/2 miles. Actually, the winner, Keys Discount, and seven competitors went a little further after taking a wrong turn and briefly veering off course around the first turn. With jockey Graham Watters, the six-year old trained by Jack Fisher—winner of the Gold Cup last spring—is now unbeaten in his last six races.
Graham Watters on Keys Discount won the 88th running of The International Gold Cup.
Diane Jones, Beth Jones Kearns and Debbie Easter, president of the Virginia Equine Alliance.
Julia Baumgardner and her prize winning pumpkin hat.
Jonelle Mullen
Bradley Chance Hays and the art of the horse. Billy Howland
Tony Horkan, Kiley Lewis and Coe Eldredge
Cheri Thomas and Joe Gloriosa
Photo
by Doug Gehlsen of Middleburg Photo, others by Len Shapiro
Holiday Concert
Sunday, December 7 - 3PM
Sugar Plum Fairies are abound for our annual Holiday Concert with the Nutcracker. Bring the whole family and kick off your Holidays with the PSO! Featuring PSO Principal players as our soloists to perform Corelli's timeless Christmas Concerto, and J. Thomas Mitchell to present his 3rd original holiday composition premiere. Get in the spirit with the PSO! Children 18 & under are FREE!
UPCOMING PSO PERFORMANCES
Young Artists Competition: February 15 - 3PM Lord of the Rings
PSO Live!: April 12 - 3PM
2X Grammy-nominee Raul Midón in Concert
ROCK-maninoff: June 7 - 3PM Carlos César Rodriguez, piano
A Legacy of Love and Family: Bedford Lee Opens in Middleburg
By Michele Husfelt
n the heart of historic Middleburg, a new gem of a shop has opened its doors: Bedford Lee, a charming boutique that feels like it’s always belonged there.
Owner Sarah Horton has breathed new life into a quaint historic space, transforming it into a haven of creativity, connection, and community.
For Sarah, opening a shop in Middleburg isn’t just a business venture; it’s a homecoming. While she grew up in California, her mother and grandparents were raised in Upperville, and Sarah fondly remembers spending summers and holidays celebrating at Bollingbrook,
“There’s something deeply grounding about being here,” Sarah said. “It feels like I’m bringing a piece of my family’s story full circle.”
During the Covid pandemic, Sarah was living in California and had to work from home for several months, which gave her the opportunity to return to the area and work remotely while spending time with her grandparents, the late Jud and Page Glascock, in their final years. It was during this period that Sarah decided she was ready to head back to the east coast and come back to her deeply held roots in Virginia.
“Having a little shop has always been in the back of my mind,” she said, “and it was a good time to start a new chapter in my life.”
With the charm of Middleburg beckoning, and her creative business background combined with her love for community and people, Sarah took a big leap. She moved to the area with the vision of opening a cozy shop in a historic space.
The shop’s name, Bedford Lee, honors that legacy by combining her grandfather, Thomas Bedford Glascock’s, middle name with her grandmother, Page Lee Glascock’s maiden name.
More than just a shop, Bedford Lee is designed to be a gathering spot; a comfortable place for thoughtful gifts, home accents, and personal treasures.
“I wanted to create a place where people can stop in for a hostess gift, find a card that makes them smile, or treat themselves to something special,” she said.
Every item in the store has been carefully hand-picked by Sarah, reflecting her passion for beauty and her keen eye for detail. Her curated selection includes artisanal home décor, one-of-a-kind gifts, and unique finds that cater to a variety of budgets, ensuring there’s something for everyone.
’s passion extends beyond the shelves. She enjoys the social side of shopkeeping, getting to know her neighbors, chatting with visitors, and making connections that make small-town life so fulfilling.
“Middleburg has such a wonderful sense of community,” she said. “I love being part of that; it’s what makes this place so special.”
In a world that often feels hurried and impersonal, Bedford Lee offers something rare: a space filled with warmth, creativity, and the joy of belonging.
Whether you’re picking up a last-minute gift or simply stopping in to say hello, you’ll leave feeling inspired and maybe a little more at home.
Details: Located at 101 West Federal St., Middleburg
Photo by Michele Husfelt Sarah Horton returned to her Virginia roots with her new Middleburg shop, Bedford Lee.
Emma Walsh: A Year of Endurance, Tradition, and Teaching
By Michele Husfelt
Middleburg native Emma Walsh has had a remarkable year that blends elite athleticism, family tradition, and a passion for mentoring the next generation.
From claiming victory at the World Championship Ride & Tie in Michigan to completing the ODEEO Triple Crown and running the Marine Corps Marathon, 2025 has been a testament to Emma’s endurance, heart, and heritage.
In August, she returned from Michigan after winning the short-format Ride & Tie World Championship, a unique endurance event where a team of two people and one horse complete a 20mile course by alternating between running and riding. One partner rides ahead, ties the horse to a tree, and keeps going on foot, while the other runs to the horse, rides, and repeats the process.
Emma and her teammate used a more aggressive strategy of shortening transitions every 0.2 to 0.3 miles and performing quick, smooth swaps, including spontaneous “flying changes.”
“We just took off and left the pack behind,” Emma said. “I think we finished maybe 10 or 12 minutes ahead of the other teams. It was really fun. I’d never done a Ride & Tie before.”
Emma finished her season by earning the ODEEO Triple Crown, completing No Frills in April, Old
Dominion in June, and Fort Valley in October. According to the Old Dominion Equestrian Endurance Organization website, the Triple Crown is awarded to members who finish all three rides, celebrating both beginners and seasoned riders under the AERC motto: “To Finish Is To Win.”
With its stunning fall colors and crisp weather, Fort Valley provided the perfect ending. “I wasn’t
going to do Fort Valley because it was the weekend before my marathon,” Emma said. “But I’m so glad I did. It’s our first Triple Crown.”
Just one week later, Emma completed the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. in under 4 hours and 30 minutes, an impressive feat, especially considering she was dealing with some injury issues beforehand.
Her dedication to riding runs deep. Born into a horse-loving family, her father, Peter, was a long-time steeplechase rider and fox hunter. Emma learned the values of horsemanship early on and now works with her mother, Haley, teaching children how to ride, emphasizing cross-country and fox hunting.
“Our real goal,” she said, “is to teach horsemanship and help kids enjoy the outdoors.”
They also are active with the MOC Beagles, a nonprofit group that promotes fox hunting and environmental education for youngsters. Children learn about land stewardship, conservation, and animal habitats. In the summer, the group conducts stream monitoring and wildlife studies, often partnering with the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center.
“The kids get to learn about different animals, and we go over there a lot,” Emma said. “It’s really cool; they really enjoy it.”
Whether she’s teaching young riders, competing in equathons or marathons, or working with wildlife conservationists, Emma Walsh clearly helps uphold a tradition of endurance, outdoor connection, and land stewardship.
Photo by Michele Husfelt Emma Walsh is a talented rider, runner and teacher.
A Tale of Two Orchestras: Building Experiences and Leaving Legacies
By Alissa Jones
Piedmont Symphony Orchestra (PSO)
Conductor Glenn Qauder and Loudoun Symphony Orchestra (LSO) Executive Director Karen Knobloch share a strong belief that music has the transformative power to profoundly impact individuals’ lives.
Quader and Knobloch believe that hope and inspiration are the keys to preserving the legacy of the symphonies. They recognize the significance of passing the torch to future generations and prioritize reaching young audiences. To accomplish this, they have established programs that create unforgettable experiences and inspire young musicians.
The PSO hosts concerts throughout the year, featuring a diverse lineup of artists. However, Quader said their holiday concert is the most popular event in terms of attendance. On Sunday, Dec. 7 at Highland School, the orchestra will be performing the immensely popular Nutcracker Suite as part of its holiday lineup.
“What makes it particularly special,” he said, “is that everyone gets to participate; it showcases the entire orchestra, featuring all the instruments.”
Another well-known piece, the Corelli Christmas Concerto, is in line this holiday season as well. “It will feature three of our principal string players in the solo parts out front with the Orchestra” Quader said.
Thomas Mitchell, a colleague of Quader’s from the Frederick Symphony Orchestra, also will join the PSO this year. “Thomas is a very gifted composer; a principal cellist, and our assistant conductor at the Frederick Symphony.” said Quader, “For the last two
Courtesy of PSO
Conductor Glenn Quader, standing, and the Piedmont Symphony Orchestra.
“The LSO has done really well over the past 10 years even without a performing arts center, and we have continued to grow our audience as well as the youth orchestra.” Knobloch said.
years we’ve done two of his original compositions with him guest conducting. Some of our members have played with him in other groups.”
Knobloch joined the LSO in the fall of 2013, taking on a part-time role as executive dsirector. Prior to that, she was a corporate executive, dealing with member services, fundraising, and business development. Subsequently, she established her own consulting practice, specializing in fundraising and other member relations or business development for nonprofit organizations.
Knobloch also a singer and admitted, “I wasn’t an orchestral musician. I’ve had many years of singing with various choirs, but I didn’t realize how much I didn’t know until I joined the LSO.”
Knobloch said she believes hope and inspiration is the thread that keeps community members engaged. “What we’re trying to do is bring outstanding and unique experiences to our community which don’t require them to travel to New York City or Washington D.C. I’m about building connections to execute a vision.”
Knobloch is particularly proud that the LSO now
has four youth orchestras.
“The LSO has done really well over the past 10 years even without a performing arts center, and we have continued to grow our audience as well as the youth orchestra.” Knobloch said. “We do not try to replace what is happening in the music programs in public schools, we just try to give talented young people an opportunity to perform.”
The LSO will hold holiday concerts Dec. 6 at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Ashburn and Dec. 7 at Lightridge High School in Aldie.
“We’ll have all sorts of pre-concert fun activities, and crafts, including pictures with Santa,” Knobloch said, adding that the concerts also will feature Washington soloist Maleficent Scarlet and the orchestra will perform traditional carols and part of the Nutcracker.
“We want the members of the community to engage so we always do an audience sing-along,” says Knobloch, “There’s nothing like seeing 600 people stand up and join in singing.”
Meanwhile, the PSO also has a new board
president, Bene Giglio. Long-time past president Earnie Hueter invited Giglio to be part of the PSO Board in 2023 after several members stepped down. Giglio moved up to vice president, and when Hueter decided it was rime to pass his own baton, he invited Giglio to fill that position.
“I had no experience on a board but I absolutely love music,” she said. As a voice major in college, Giglio received her Masters degree in music education and taught general music with Fairfax County Public Schools from 1994 until 2024.
She also shares the same vision as Quader and Knobloch of reaching young people to assure the future of their symphonies.
“We have to show young people that all genres of music are amazing,” she said. “A connection can be found through all of them, connection is what its about.”
Giglio said she welcomes emails from students inquiring about the PSO’s apprentice programs.
“This is what’s important to us as a board,” she said. “Our goals are community and legacy.”
Lena Scott: “Design is everything. Everything is design.”
By Leland Schwartz
When you say “Lena,” there is a flash of “energy, determination, music.”
But hold that note. Lena Scott has another life.
She’s one of the founding principles and owner of one of Washington’s leading architecture and interior architecture firms which has created award-winning spaces all over the D.C. region—the “‘Scott” in ‘Davis Carter Scott/DCS Design.
“Design is everything. Everything is design,” Lena said, quoting the motto of the 70-plus person firm she helped start 45 years ago in Tysons with architects Doug Carter and Bob Davis. “You have to design a building from the inside out. It has to function or it just won’t work. If it doesn’t work, who wants to be in it?”
The company started at a time “when interior architecture was confused with interior design; confused with interior decoration; confused with a bit of fluff. No more,” according to the firm’s published history. “Lena would abandon no one to the misconception that interior architecture is anything other than the profession that it is. Lena was a trailblazer back then and is today.”
She’s also known as a “champion of all true talent.” The consequence, the company says, is that the firm is filled with “the most talented men and women from around the world, each with an eye informed by the cultural discernment of their origin.” They represent 26 different nations, Lena pointed out, adding that DCS is 50/50 men and women.
It was the week before Christmas in 1997 and Marcia Calhoun was sitting in the DCS lobby, preparing to interview for the marketing manager position.
“The office was without doubt the most beautiful space I had ever been in,” Marcia recalled. “All around me were glass walls and pristine white marble with black veining. There was a stunning, round, white marble table in the center of the lobby space with a vase of the most exquisite blood red gladiolas.
“Suddenly this vivacious, beautiful woman swooped into the lobby from outside. Her energy and presence were palpable, and I thought to myself ‘Who IS this amazing woman?’”
Twenty-eight years later and now vice president/ associate principal, Marcia said what’s impacted her most “is Lena’s complete commitment to excellence -- from incredible interior architectural design to how we interact with our clients and how we treat and interact with one another -- right down to those beautiful red gladiolas.”
Lena is from Brantevik, Sweden, a small village south of Stockholm on the Baltic Sea, known for having had the largest sailing fleet in the country. She came to America at 19, remembering that, “I wanted
to be me. There I was supposed to fit into something and I said ‘the hell with that.’”
Indeed, Lena not only started up her own design firm in Georgetown in the mid-1970s, but became one of the first female members of the Economic Club of D.C., where she networked with official Washington. She also became a member of the Federal City Council, which she describes as “all CEOs and the government behind the government.”
“That’s how I did my marketing,” she said, and also how she met Doug Wheeler, then head of Washington Performing Arts. She later became board chair of one of the country’s gold standard arts organizations.
Her vision for the arts, said Jenny Bilfield, WPA’s current president and CEO, “has been anchored in community: building and nurturing a community of arts lovers, and ensuring that all members of a community feel engaged in the arts. The genius of her leadership of Music in the Country, truly resides at the intersection of these values.”
“I grew up with music,” Lena said. “We all sang in choirs. We had evenings of music. My father read poetry. I played the piano. It was a real gift from my parents. I sat every Sunday and listened to the great composers….I had music in me.”
Lena was instrumental in starting three music programs in Fauquier: the Grace Church Concert Series, started 25 years ago with Jacqueline Mars; Paragon Philharmonia, the ensemble she helped fund its first two years, and, with some friends, Music in the Country, which rotates performances through the homes of its 70+ members and gives its proceeds to the WPA and its inner-city school programs. She’s also chair of the Community Music School of the Piedmont, which teaches music and makes instruments available to underprivileged students.
Tom Foster, who created Middleburg DocWeek, remembers the day Lena called several years ago and said she had wonderful news.
“In fact, Steve (Dahllof) and I had been selected to host a party for Music in the Country,” Tom said. “I was delighted, feeling as if I had just won the Powerball lottery. We talked about the details and I found myself effortlessly agreeing to everything she proposed.
“After I hung up, I realized I’d just committed to host an extremely expensive event, to move half the furniture out of my home in order to accommodate the crowd and to organize a dinner for 70 people. Bottom line, I agreed because it was Lena and because of how much I respect her. I like her, respect her and am just a bit scared of her.”
“Good combination,” he quipped.
When attorney Trevor Potter, president of Washington’s Campaign Legal Center got to Virginia 40-plus years ago, there was no music in the country. “It really is true that she’s made the countryside sing and hum,” he said.
Jacqueline Mars, who endowed the Grace Church Concert Series with Lena, praised her attributes and said they all point to “kindness, strength and smarts.”
Lennart Lundh, the Swedish journalist who covered Washington for SVT, Sweden’s counterpart to American public television, said he fell in love with Lena the second they met at a party in 1986 and have been married for 37 years.
“The many kind things that have been said about her are all true.” he said. “She’s completely trustworthy and always honest about everything, good or bad. She is also the most generous and unselfish person I ‘ve ever met. She comes from generations of ship owners and sea captains, and she’s definitely the captain of our ship. I love her for what she is and does.”
Photos by Leland Schwartz Lena Scott
ANNUAL REPORT IS
The 2024 Annual Report highlights the importance of community involvement to our mission, our resident services programming, while also detailing key metrics, including financial statements, ongoing priorities, and key initiatives that are in the pipeline.
We are grateful for the incredible ongoing support from our donors, volunteers, and community partners whose commitment helps provide transformative change in the lives of our neighbors
Scan the QR code to read the report, or to request a hard copy, Contact: info@windyhillfoundation org
For more information:
For more information about corporate matching gifts, event sponsorships, designating the Windy Hill Foundation in your will, or other ways to make a planned gift, please contact Eloise Repeczky at eloise@windyhillfoundation org, (540) 687-3997.
LIVING FIT & WELL
Functional Strength, and Muscle Mass Leads to Longevity
By Mark Nemish
In my previous article, I discussed the problem of aging in relation to loss in lean skeletal muscle mass, specifically Type II fibers, and the resultant loss in strength. Following up, I’ll outline why a loss in muscle mass/strength is detrimental and mitigating these losses are crucial to leading a long, productive life.
Falls for men and women over 65 are one of the biggest factors related to loss in strength and muscle mass, also known as sarcopenia. Approximately 30 per cent over that age report at least one fall each year. For some, the combination of a fall and low BMD can result in fractures that require hospitalization.
For those with a history of falls, it’s recommended they undergo several screenings that include functional strength and balance testing.
In my personal physical assessments of older clients, I find that those with low skeletal mass in
their legs typically have poor lower body strength and a much higher propensity for failing in a variety of lunging assessments. This can also be accompanied by poor posture, core control, and a lack of awareness of how their feet interact with the ground.
A recent 2024 study of older Swedish women (average age 77.8 years) found a 48 per cent higher risk of fractures for those with sarcopenia verses women without sarcopenia. Muscle mass and functional strength (hand grip strength and gait speed) were the specific factors defining sarcopenia.
In a 6.4-year follow up with the same subjects, those who were sarcopenic had a 3.4 times higher mortality than those without sarcopenia. In a 2022 meta-analysis of 56 studies examining the relationship between sarcopenia and mortality, sarcopenia was associated with a two times higher risk of mortality in males and females.
Since hospitalization often accompanies sarcopenic-related falls and fractures, it’s often a
vicious circle of further loss in strength and muscle mass when hospitalized.
Another factor not often mentioned is the association between sarcopenia and mental health. Older people with dementia are three times more likely to be sarcopenic than those who do not experience dementia.
Those who have less muscle mass have less of a “sink” to store glucose (ingested carbohydrate). As a result, incidence of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes can be aided by low muscle mass.
Less muscle mass, due to lack of exercise, can result in higher inflammation, oxidative stress and thus impaired mitochondrial function, all hallmarks of cognitive decline with aging.
While the impacts of sarcopenia may seem daunting, my next column may provide some hope in helping reverse this condition, outlining the need for specific training/nutrition that can be incorporated at any age.
Mark Nemish is the current owner/director of Precision Health Performance. He’s spent 22 years as head strength and conditioning coach for the Washington Capitals (2007-23) and Nashville Predators (1998-04) in the NHL.
Mark Nemish and the Washington Capitals’ Stanley Cup.
Oh Deer, Motorists Need To Pay Attention
Motorists are now in prime time for deer collisions, and a drive home without watchful eyes on the road can become a financial nightmare in a flash.
The chances of colliding with deer peak in the fall, when hunting and mating seasons drive droves of deer into roadways throughout the day and night.
“You can almost set a clock to deer claims,” said Roby Young, physical damage manager for Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. (VFBMIC) “We usually see the largest influx starting around mid- to late-October, but it really gets full swing in November.”
VFBMIC handled a total of 2,682 deer claims resulting in over $13 million in losses from August, 2024 through August, 2025.
“Vehicle complexity increases the cost of repairs these days,” said Anne Baskette, VFBMIC director of claims administration. “The average loss for a deer strike in 2019 was $3,240, compared to $4,866 in 2024 and 2025.”
And industry-wide repair costs for vehicles three years old or newer have increased by around 46 percent, according to CCC Intelligent Solutions.
Motorists can avoid costly deer collisions by:
Simply slowing down and staying alert—especially on roads with previous deer sightings. Keeping hands off the phone, radio, GPS and avoiding other distractions is key to preventing any type of collision, and seatbelt safety is paramount to preventing injuries.
Next to utilizing headlights and fog lights, switching on high beams when there’s no oncoming vehicles can help illuminate lurking deer at night. If a deer is spotted on or near the road, slow down, and consider coming to a complete stop. Remember that deer typically don’t travel alone, and there likely will be another one, or more.
“Never assume the deer standing on the side of the road are going to stay there, because once they see a vehicle approaching, they’re going to try to get to the other side,” Young cautioned.
And deer mating season, commonly known as “rut,” causes erratic activity. When bucks are chasing does, they likely aren’t looking both ways before crossing the road.
Those living in rural areas and near farmland also should stay mindful of potential livestock on roadways.
In the event of a deer collision, pull over where it’s safe to do so and ensure the vehicle is safe to drive. If there’s fluid leakage, other visible issues or any uncertainty, call a tow truck to avoid further damaging the vehicle. And VFBMIC insureds should immediately call their insurance agent for further guidance.
“That’s what we’re here for,” Young said. “File the claim and let us guide you and do whatever we can to take out all of those additional steps and headaches.”
It’s also important to call the police in case there’s a carcass obstructing the road or a future need for an incident report.
Baskette encouraged all vehicle owners, including those with older models, to acquire Other Than Collision Coverage to help with common claims like glass breakage, deer damage and any other animal strikes.
Details: This story was written by the Virginia Fam Bureau. Visit vafb.com/insurance/ auto for more information.
Duane and Cyndi Ellis
Gomer Pyles and Natalie Lacaze AIM Executive Director Sandy Danielson and David Gring
Gayle Ford and one of her paintings.
Drew Babb and Sarah Huntington
Great Meadow Big News @
Photo courtesy of Sunset Polo @ Great Meadow
The Howard Gardner School
Katie Charnley: A Do It All Charter School Educator
By Leslie VanSant
Katie Charnley wears many hats.
She’s a mother of three. She’s an educator who has been teaching elementary education since 2013. She’s a dedicated and respected leader. This year, she was named assistant principal at Middleburg Community Charter School (MCCS).
She’s an innovator and entrepreneur. In 2024, she founded the Virginia Charter School Alliance to provide support, networking and collaboration opportunities for educators at the state’s seven charter schools.
And, earlier this year, she was named one of Loudoun County’s 2025 “Top 40 Under 40” (years old) for her innovative and entrepreneurial approach to education.
Katie Charnley grew up just over the mountain in Clarke County. Like many little girls, she said she always enjoyed “playing school” and pretending to be a teacher.
“I grew up knowing that I wanted to be a teacher, or the president,” she said. “I had so many inspiring teachers, and my mom is a teacher.”
Starting at 7:45 a.m. on school days, you’ll find Katie Charnley welcoming students and staff to the MCCS. This is her second tour at the school.
After graduating from James Madison University and receiving her Masters in Education from Shenandoah, she spent two years in the classroom in Warren County before joining MCCS in 2015, the
second year the school was open. She spent three years there as the lead teacher for 4th and 5th grades.
MCCS opened in 2014 thanks to the dedicated effort of local parents and leadership at the town, county and state levels. Charter schools must adhere to the Virginia Standards of Learning and tests to monitor progress, but teachers have more autonomy on the delivery and scheduling of curriculum.
Katie described that first time teaching at MCCS as “magical…Teaching at a charter school is more like an art” instead of just a job.
She met her husband while working at MCCS, and left to start a family and work at a “regular school” in 2019.
Then came Covid.
She had a lightbulb moment. There were different needs and levels throughout and following the larger county-wide curriculum was not going to work. She could see how some students could easily fall through the cracks.
Somewhat disheartened, she considered leaving education completely.
But a teacher friend from MCCS who was moving to a new state asked her to be a reference. She also suggested that Katie ought to think about returning to the Middleburg school.
She quickly decided that was definitely the proper path for her.
“I accepted the job offer while I was in the hospital with my third child,” she said. “It felt exciting and I found my passion for teaching again.”
Katie came back to a new role that supported all the students and teachers. She’s instrumental in the deployment of new technology. And she facilitates some of the programs that make MCCS stand out as an institution.
She also started reaching out to the educators and administrators at Virginia’s six other charter schools. Those informal conversations to compare, network and share information sparked an idea, and in 2024, she founded the Virginia Charter School Alliance to help her colleagues navigate state administration, advocacy and pursue innovation.
For Katie Charnley, lot of hats, and countless rewards.
Photo by Leslie VanSant
Katie Charnley a true force of nature at the Middleburg Charter School, and beyond.
LETTER from RECTORTOWN
Step by Step, Edwin Moses Reached the Promised Land
By Leonard Shapiro
The Middleburg Film Festival is history now after four days of memorable movies of every genre. When its organizers start planning for the 2026 event, they’d be wise to include a recently released fabulous documentary on Olympic gold medal winning hurdler Edwin Moses.
It’s called “13 Steps,” a reference to the number of strides Moses would take between each of the ten hurdles in one of the most grueling events in all of track and field. How he and his equally brainy friends calculated that number is as much a part of this fascinating story as Moses winning gold in 1976 in Montreal and 1984 in Los Angeles.
A few weeks ago I watched the documentary at the Washington West Film Festival at a theater in Reston. I’d been invited by its founder, Brad Russell, a pastor and long-time movie buff who lives in South Riding. He’s particularly proud that every cent that comes into the festival’s box office since it began in 2011 has been donated to local charities.
We had met at an event two years ago to promote a Middleburg documentary festival. Like so many wonderful folks who occasionally tell me they read my sports coverage in the Washington Post for years, Brad asked me that night if ever there was an appropriate film on their program, would I be available to introduce it, or handle a question and answer session afterward.
Absolutely I told him, and no fee necessary. I
would gladly be compensated by what my old boss at the Post, the late, great executive editor Ben Bradlee, used to call “psychic income.” It doesn’t pay the mortgage or the tuition, but it’s definitely good for the heart and soul, with a little ego boost, as well.
A few months ago, Brad did call to see if I’d be interested in leading a post-screening session with Edwin Moses, who would be attending the festival.
You think?
What an honor, and what pure pleasure, even if I’d never been to any of his races or attended the ’76 or ’84 Summer Games. I did make my Olympic chops covering four Winter Games starting with Innsbruck in 1976 and ending at Calgary in ’88. In between, I was in Lake Placid for the 1980 Olympics and covered the U.S. hockey team’s shocking Miracle on Ice upset victory over the heavily favored Soviet Union on the way to the gold medal. It will forever be my No. 1 career highlight.
But I digress.
Sadly, Moses did not compete in the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow. The Russians had invaded Afghanistan, and President Jimmy Carter decided to protest the aggression by pulling the U.S. team out of the competition, a move that surely denied Moses a third Olympic gold medal.
As the film indicated, Moses and most American athletes were not happy with the boycott, mainly because they had trained for months, even years, to make that Olympic team and earn medals (and money) themselves.
Still, in the scheme of things, it was a mere blip on Edwin Moses’ athletic resume. His numbers tell you why.
In addition to 13—as in those critical steps—there are others. Specifically nine, nine, nine and 122. That would be nine years, nine months and nine days, an unprecedented span when he was not beaten in 122 straight races. No one in track and field history has ever gone that long or that many events without losing.
In the film, Michael Johnson, himself one of the all-time greatest sprinters, a four-time Olympic champion, recalled that he once had a streak of 50-something races without a loss, and was simply in awe of Moses and his amazing 122.
Now 70, Moses is the antitheses of so many modern “look-at-me” athletes. Soft-spoken, modest, and thoroughly engaging, he stayed long after the Reston screening to chat with members of the audience who surrounded him in front of the big screen.
The film also reminded me of something I’d forgotten about Moses. A brilliant honor graduate of prestigious Morehouse College in Atlanta, he was an accomplished aerospace engineer even as he was competing. He and several of his math and physics major college classmates had actually formulated the complicated equations that led to the 13-step approach. And their collective brainstorming produced almost instant results.
“He literally changed the sport in a year,” renowned track coach Bobby Kersee said in the film.
Step by 13 steps.
Olympic gold medalist Edwin Moses and ZEST editor Len Shapiro at the Washington West Film Festival in Reston.
