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Voice Magazine for Women

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February 2022 | Volume 19 | Issue 2

Voice Speaks

Janie C. Jessee, Editor-in-Chief 4

February Hot Hunk Hunt!

The January “Hot Hunk” was Lucas Bravo in the LiveWire Radio ad on page 31.

Cooper Kupp Each month Voice will “hide” a picture of a “Hot Hunk.” If you find him, fill out this form, mail it in, and you could win a book from Jan-Carol Publishing!

Name: Address: City: State: Zip Code: Phone Number: July Hot Hunk Hunt!

Email:

The April “Hot Hunk” was Robert Downey Jr. on page 31.

HOT HUNK LOCATION: Where did I pick up my copy of Voice Magazine?

Congratulations to: Brenda Hall Abingdon, VA as the winner in the January Hot Hunk Hunt!

Thanks to ALL for sending in your entry!

Mail this submission form to: Voice Magazine P.O. Box 701 Johnson City, TN 37605 or e-mail: hothunk@voicemagazineforwomen.com Deadline for submission is February 20, 2022.

PLEASE, ONE ENTRY PER HOUSEHOLD As the selected winner, you must contact Voice Magazine for Women at 423-926-9983 within 90 days to claim and receive your prize. After 90 days, winning becomes null and void and the prize cannot be claimed.

Pantone Color of the Year 5

Valentine’s Day Ideas 6

Kitchen Hacks: Keepers & Sleepers Pam Blair 8

Quick Plants April Hensley 9

What is Your Love Language?

Deana Landers 10

Voice Magazine Celebrates 18 Years!

14

Costa Rica Nancy Binder 16

Jan-Carol Publishing New Releases 18

Jan-Carol Publishing Accepting Submissions for Anthologies 19

Celebrating Black History Month 22

February is Heart Health Month

VoiceMale

24

Ken Heath 11

Low-Cost Ways to Revamp Living Areas

YWCA Prom Dress Sale 28

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voicemagazineforwomen.com | February 2022 | 3

VOICE Speaks

FREE Celebrating our 17th anniversary!

We wouldn’t be here and there without all of you!

F

ebruary is an exciting time of the year for us! Voice Magazine for Women celebrates in each February a milestone of serving the region. This February marks 18 years of providing a free women’s magazine in the region. We are excited about this year’s celebration!

With the last two years being challenging for any business due to the Pandemic, we know how special it is to be able to continue to serve the region. Thank you to all of you who show support and support our advertisers and authors. We could not be here without you!

As we enter a new year and new chapter of doing business, we know that more changes are ahead. We will continue to change with the demand of readers. Voice Magazine and Jan-Carol Publishing are becoming more active than ever online with our websites and social media. If you have suggestions, please share them with us!

Please be a part of our continued change and growth. We ask that you if you have Gmail, please leave a good review for us on Google.

As we expand our JCP website, please consider purchasing books through our website. We offer free shipping! Our JCP books are available through Amazon and other websites such as Walmart and BAM, but it supports JCP and our authors on a local level to have readers purchase our books through our website. However, if you would like to leave a review on Amazon, the book must be purchased through Amazon. They validate purchases before reviews can be placed.

Our authors are searching for venues to secure in-person book signings. Hopefully this year will open up more opportunities for them. Watch for our authors’ scheduled events, and stop by to let them know that you are supporting them! If you are looking for opportunities to bring in more customers to your business, consider hosting a book signing. Give us a call (423-926-9983).

Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and join in the fun of giveaways and other happenings. To request our e-newsletter offering recipes, the latest happenings, and updates, email communciations@jancarolpublishing.com.

Would you like to share information with others? Voice Magazine for Women is always looking for experts in coupon shopping, decorating, crafts, cooking, health, fashion, or topics of interest to women.

Submit your article for consideration. Visit our website, voicemagazineforwomen.com for article submission guidelines, or email communications@jancarolpublishishing.com.

As we move into another year of doing business, we want to say thank you for your continued support to Voice Magazine and our advertisers, as well as Jan-Carol Publishing and our authors.

Happy Valentines’ Day! Feel the love!

Thought of the month: “If someone is strong enough to bring you down, show them that you are strong enough to get up.” Author Unknown Verse of the Month: “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” Psalms 37:4 KJV

LITTLE CREEK BOOKS MOUNTAIN GIRL PRESS EXPRESS EDITIONS ROSEHEART PUBLISHING DIGISTYLE FIERY NIGHT SKIPPY CREEK BROKEN CROW RIDGE “ every story needs a book”

voicemagazineforwomen.com • jancarolpublishing.com Serving Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia!

PUBLISHER Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc PO Box 701 Johnson City, TN 37605 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Janie C Jessee, 423.502.6246 publisher@jancarolpublishing.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS April Hensley Nancy Binder

Cindy Sproles Ken Heath

Nancy Williams - TLC Publisher/Associate Publisher nancywilliams@thelauruscompany.com Savannah Bailey - Communications Director/Production Editor communications@jancarolpublishing.com Chanie Garner - Project Editor

We Welcome!

Morgan Henschen - Development/Content/Review Editor GRAPHICS/PRODUCTION Tara Sizemore - Senior Graphics Designer tara@voicemagazineforwomen.com graphics@jancarolpublishing.com SALES Office Phone/Fax: 423.926.9983 DISTRIBUTION Karen Corder Staff PUBLISHED BY JAN-CAROL PUBLISHING, INC. (Volume 19, Issue 2)

While every precaution has been taken to ensure accuracy of the published material, Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc. / Voice Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions or facts provided by its authors, advertisers or agencies. All rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without written permission.

Agencies, Advertisers and other contributors will indemnify and hold the publisher harmless for any loss or expense resulting from claims or suits based upon contents of any advertisement, defamation, libel, right of privacy, plagiarism and/ or copyright infringement. The views expressed in Voice Magazine for Women are not necessarily those of the publisher. © 2022 EDITORIAL MISSION:

Janie C. Jessee, Editor-in-Chief

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Pam Blair Deana Landers

Voice Magazine for Women wants to provide a useful and complete reliable source of information for women and their families. We seek to celebrate women’s successes, and support their growth by defining and recognizing their needs and providing a concentration of resources for them. We want to be that “link” to all women.

A New Pantone Color Whose Courageous Presence Encourages Personal Inventiveness and Creativity.

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isplaying a carefree confidence and a daring curiosity that animates our creative spirit, inquisitive and intriguing PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri helps us to embrace this altered landscape of possibilities, opening us up to a new vision as we rewrite our lives. Rekindling gratitude for some of the qualities that blue represents complemented by a new perspective that resonates today, PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri places the future ahead in a new light.

We are living in transformative times. PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri is a symbol of the global zeitgeist of the moment and the transition we are going through. As we emerge from an intense period of isolation, our notions and standards are changing, and our physical and digital lives have merged in new ways. Digital design helps us to stretch the limits of reality, opening the door to a dynamic virtual world where we can explore and create new color possibilities. With trends in gaming, the expanding popularity of the metaverse and rising artistic community in the digital space PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri illustrates the fusion of modern life and how color trends in the

digital world are being manifested in the physical world and vice versa.

“The Pantone Color of the Year reflects what is taking place in our global culture, expressing what people are looking for that color can hope to answer.” added Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute. “Creating a new color for the first time in the history of our Pantone Color of the Year educational color program reflects the global innovation and transformation taking place. As society continues to recognize color as a critical form of communication, and a way to express and affect ideas and emotions and engage and connect, the complexity of this new red violet infused blue hue highlights the expansive possibilities that lay before us”.

Encompassing the qualities of the blues, yet at the same time possessing a violet-red undertone, PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri displays a spritely, joyous attitude, and dynamic presence that encourages courageous creativity and imaginative expression.

ABOUT PANTONE COLOR INSTITUTE™ Pantone Color Institute is the business unit within Pantone that highlights the top seasonal runway colors, selects the Pantone Color of the Year, forecasts global color trends, and advises companies on color for product and brand visual identity. Through seasonal trend forecasts, color psychology, and color consulting, Pantone Color Institute partners with global brands to effectively leverage the power, psychology, and emotion of color in their design strategy.

voicemagazineforwomen.com | February 2022 | 5

Valentine’s Day Gifts Couples Enjoy Together

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alentine’s Day is a time to bring smiles to the faces of loved ones—particularly the special someone in a person’s life.

Gifts that appeal directly to spouses or significant others may be the standard, but gifts couple can use together can bring them closer together. The following are some great Valentine’s Day gifts couples can enjoy together.

• Matching robes: Plush terry cloth robes need not be reserved for luxurious stays at premiere hotels. Coordinating robes can be monogrammed and worn on lazy days when gathering in front of a cozy fire.

• Charcuterie set: A romantic meal is the start of any Valentine’s Day celebration. Invest in a compact charcuterie board with two matching wine glasses and enjoy the set on date nights at home.

• MasterClass lesson: Purchase a MasterClass instructional (www.masterclass.com) and learn photography tricks or insider tips from established professionals together.

• Travel excursion: Jet set to an exotic locale with a planned adventure. Parents can arrange for a sitter, friend or relative to look after the children so the trip provides some one-on-one time. This trip can serve as the second honeymoon couples dream about.

• Fancy coffee maker: Couples who spend more time in take-out coffee shops than they probably should can brush up on their barista skills at home. There are plenty of coffee makers on the market that can help couples whip up lattes, cappuccinos or espressos with ease.

• Wine club membership: Couples who enjoy sampling the latest vintages and flavors may enjoy a wine subscription. Winc.com is just one of the delivery services available. Or couples who prefer to be a little more hands-on can experiment with winemaking kits.

• Hot tub: What can be more relaxing than soaking in a warm bath of bubbling water? A backyard hot tub turns up the heat on relaxation and time spent together.

• Tokens of love: Matching or coordinating bracelets, necklaces, or even tattoos can serve as enduring symbols of a couple’s love.

Valentine’s Day gifting may be even more enjoyable when gift-giving focuses on presents couples can enjoy together.

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How to Create a Romantic Night at Home

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omance is a key component of successful relationships. Couples may discover they don’t need to leave the house to enjoy a romantic night together.

Alternate watching films Both of you probably have all-time favorite movies, but they may not be the same films. Encourage bonding time by queueing up two separate films to watch, yours and your significant other’s. Whether one is a rom-com and the other is an action flick, watch them in succession while cuddling on the sofa.

Prepare a meal together Valentine’s Day dinner can be all the more intimate when you dine alone at home. Together, shop for the ingredients for a delicious meal you both enjoy. Pour two glasses of wine and divvy up meal preparation tasks. Steal a few sample bites (and kisses) along the way. Cook to a romantic playlist to really enhance the ambiance.

Dress up the bed Create a warm and inviting bedroom with some luxury bedding. Splurge on sheets with a high thread count and a new down duvet. Fluffy new pillows and room accents can make the space even more inviting. This new bedding may inspire extra cuddling together under the covers.

Slow dance When was the last time you enjoyed a dance in each other’s arms? Turn up “your song” and sway to the beat.

Dancing together can rekindle romantic feelings and needn’t be reserved for special occasions like weddings.

Dialing up the romance at home for Valentine’s Day comes down to simple, thoughtful gestures.

Budget-friendly Valentine’s Day Ideas

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veryone may be spending more on Valentine’s Day this year due to inflation. In 2021, used cars and trucks, oil, meats and poultry, airline fares, and women’s apparel were just some of the items that increased significantly in price.

Finding ways to be frugal may be challenging this February, but these ideas are a start.

DIY card While a card may be the smallest purchase on your shopping list, you can still save an average of $3 to $5 on a card by making one yourself or sending a free digital greeting.

Dine in Restaurants are popular options for couples on Valentine’s Day, but they can be busy and prices may be inflated.

Many also offer limited prix fixe menus. By making a meal at home and picking and choosing less-costly ingredients, couples can save a substantial amount of money.

Christmas. Then use floral wire or pipe cleaners to turn bite-sized packages into a handmade chocolate bouquet.

Otherwise, purchase various chocolate bars and package them with hot chocolate, chocolate cookies and other decadent offerings in a themed gift basket.

Saving on Valentine’s Day comes down to being creative and focusing on the sentiment rather than the price.

Be flexible with jewelry You don’t have to spend a fortune to make an impression with gifts. Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but other stones are often less costly. Try giving a birthstone as an alternative. If gold is out of your price range, many sterling silver options are just as beautiful. In addition, consider warehouse retailers for jewelry purchases, as they may have lower costs.

Frugal flowers The cost of roses definitely goes up near Valentine’s Day, so consider giving another flower. Lilies can be lovely or maybe that special someone has a signature flower. A flowering plant, which will cost less than many bouquets and will last far beyond Valentine’s Day if given care, is another alternative to consider.

Save on chocolate Sweet treats are the name of the game, but many popular chocolate boxes can be pricey this time of year. Plan ahead and keep a stockpile of chocolates from Halloween or

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voicemagazineforwomen.com | February 2022 | 7

KITCHEN HACKS: A

By Pam Blair

Keepers & Sleepers

merica is hooked on cooking, as evidenced by the vast number of magazines, cookbooks, and TV shows devoted to the subject of food and how to prepare it. I love to cook, but who doesn’t appreciate a few good shortcuts in the kitchen?

Using kitchen hacks to streamline food preparation equals more time to savor the results of your hard work.

Everyone, from Chef Gordon Ramsay to the Pioneer Woman, has kitchen hacks to share, as summarized in my article, “Kitchen Hacks That Really Work!” (February 2021 issue of Voice Magazine for Women). After one year of testing and re-testing, I realized quite a few of the hacks are “keepers,” but some are “sleepers.”

The sleepers just don’t work as well as advertised, and I wanted to share what I’ve learned. I’ve also included several new “keepers” that you will love to try.

Keepers:

Grate cheese with ease. Give the grater a light coating of cooking spray before grating cheese. The spray will keep the cheese from sticking, making clean-up a breeze. If you have semi-soft cheese like Fontina or Havarti, freeze it for about 15–20 minutes to make it much easier to grate.

Juicier lemons. Microwave a lemon or lime on high for 10–30 seconds, depending on size, then roll it on the counter. It will yield more juice and won’t blow up in the microwave, I promise.

It’s a wrap. My sister-in-law, Carolyn, keeps a head of celery fresh for two weeks longer by cutting the bottom off and wrapping the entire head in aluminum foil. With the price of fresh produce higher than ever, this reduces waste and is a great money saver.

and gorgeous. Combine one cup of dark chocolate chips with one cup of heavy cream in a 4-cup glass measuring bowl, heat in the microwave for 30 seconds; stir, then heat for 30 seconds more and stir again. The ganache is ready to drizzle on cakes or cookies, or to use as a dip.

Sleepers:

Hull a strawberry with a straw. I wanted this one to work, as it’s a great party trick when you push a steel or reusable straw through the base of a strawberry and the green hull pops right off.

It works some of the time, but really depends on the size of the strawberry and perfect straw placement.

Get cracking. Crack an egg on a flat surface, like the countertop, and not on a bowl. It helps to keep the membrane intact and prevents tiny bits of shell from landing in the bowl or pan.

No more soggy mushrooms. Wiping mushrooms clean with a paper towel or dry sponge is great if they are not too dirty, and it prevents them from becoming soggy. Sometimes washing is necessary to remove all the dirt, so I try to wash them in the morning and leave them on a paper towel to dry before dinner.

Cover your spuds. Keep diced potatoes from turning yucky brown or gray by covering them with cold water. Don’t leave them sitting on the cutting board, as they will change color due to oxidation. While perfectly safe to cook and eat, the color is not appealing.

Stop burgers from shrinking. Placing a small dent in the middle of the patty before grilling doesn’t always prevent shrinkage, and they may not be as juicy. To hold their shape, use 80/20 ground meat and shape the patties to be wider than the buns.

Good to the last drop. Freeze extra broth—or wine—in an ice cube tray, then put the frozen cubes in a plastic freezer bag.

They’re perfect for that recipe that calls for a little broth or wine for flavoring.

Do you have a kitchen hack to share? We’d love to hear from you!

Easy chocolate ganache. My sister, Lisa, runs a gluten-free bakery business in Ohio, and she makes a ganache that is shiny 8 | February 2022 | voicemagazineforwomen.com

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Pam Blair is a former medical librarian and communications manager who gets nervous when she doesn’t have something to read. She loves descriptive writing and has authored and edited a book and numerous other publications.

Contact her at pblair919@aol.com.

Quick Plants

By April Hensley

I

t’s that time of year again, when gardeners are pouring over seed catalogs for the tastiest vegetables and eye-catching blooms. Some long germinating seeds, like peppers and petunias, may already have been planted or soon will be. Within just a few weeks perennial plants, strawberries, and asparagus will begin erupting from the garden after a long winter nap. We will be surrounded by new life breaking winter’s cold grip.

Planting by seed is not the only way to begin new plants. Propagating plants is an age-old practice of starting new plants from roots or cuttings. You have an exact replica of the plant that the cutting came from without any risk of cross pollination.

• Many fresh herbs are so easy to root from cuttings, even some you may have picked up from the grocery store for a recipe. Basil, rosemary, sage, and parsley are a few that can be used to propagate new plants. Strip the leaves a couple of inches on the bottom of the cut stem and place in seed starting soil. Keep moist and out of direct sunlight. Transplant after roots form.

• Instead of throwing sweet potato and potato peels in the compost pile, place the ones with rootlets or eyes in a pot full of sterile potting soil or seed starter. When spring arrives you will be able to

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transplant them to start a crop that will be leaps ahead of starting from scratch.

Blackberries, blueberries, elderberries, and raspberries can be rooted from cuttings from a mother plant. Blackberries are so prolific through cuttings that you must take care to clean up any pruning you do because they can take root just from laying on the ground and become invasive.

In early summer when your garden is in full swing, you can multiply your tomatoes by pruning stems from healthy plants. Place in water in a shady area for a few days. The cuttings will grow roots that you can then plant for another mature plant.

Geraniums, lavender, and hydrangeas are some flowers among many that can be rooted in water or potting soil. You may have to use a rooting hormone for some blooming plants.

Lilac, azalea, and forsythia bushes are super simple to propagate. When I was a child, my mother grew a gigantic flowing forsythia bush from a tiny cutting that she rooted in water in a pop bottle.

April Hensley works as an office manager and is an avid gardener, writer, and greenhouse hobbyist. April loves the outdoors and is passionate about animal welfare and the environment. She can be reached at aprils1105@embarqmail.com.

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What is Your Love Language?

By Deana Landers www.morningcoffeebeans.com

I

t only took 40 years for my husband to realize that bringing me coffee in bed was one of the ways that I felt loved. Of course, he’s not a coffee drinker, so the smell and taste of freshly brewed coffee in the morning is not a big deal for him.

After we retired, we bought a 26 foot RV and traveled out West to Alaska. It had a small table, a chair, a bathroom, and a tiny kitchen area next to the bed. So, only one of us could be at the cooking area at a time.

One morning while I was still sleeping, he woke me up and handed me a cup of coffee. I was so surprised!

“Wow, thank you,” I said. “I didn’t know you knew how to make coffee.”

“Well, I read the directions on the coffee package,” he responded. “So it is easier for me to make you coffee than it would be for you while I’m cooking breakfast.”

That went on for the many months we traveled.

Recently, ten years later, I was lying in bed when he opened the door and said, “Wake up, honey. I’ve made you coffee.”

Again I was surprised and asked him why he made me coffee this morning. “I know it’s one of those things you’ve always wanted me to do. I just wanted you to know how much I love you.”

Acts of Service is one of the love languages in the book, The Five Love Languages, written by Gary Chapman. It means expressing your love by doing things you know your spouse would like you to do.

Chapman also explains the other four love languages he writes about in his book. But first, he talks about the love tank.

“One’s love tank is full when you feel extraordinary amounts of love coming from your partner. The issue is it empties a little every single day, so you must find ways to replenish it,” he writes.

Another way to express our love for each other is through words of affirmation. Words are so powerful. Have you ever thought about how you speak to your partner? The kind of words we choose can fill our partner’s love tank and make our relationship a lot better, or at times, it can push them away from you forever.

However, Chapman says that what makes one person feel loved emotionally is not always the thing that makes another person feel loved emotionally.

Gifts are visual symbols of love. Chapman writes that they are items you purchased or made or are merely your presence made

10 | February 2022 | voicemagazineforwomen.com

available to your spouse. Gifts demonstrate that you care, and represent the value of the relationship.

I remember and cherish one gift — when my husband wrote letters to me and mailed them. The sender’s name was anonymous.

The first time I received the letter, it talked about how beautiful and kind I was. When I let him see the note, he said that was very true. I asked him if he had written them, and he assured me he didn’t. He even slanted his letters in the opposite direction so that it didn’t look like his writing.

It was a time when I felt stretched to my limits. I was a pastor’s wife, a mother, and a full-time nurse at a very active clinic. It was the first church we pastored, and I knew so little about what my role was supposed to be. I was stressed.

I received a few more letters that year, and each time we would read them together, he would smile and say he thought my secret admirer was right. I was all those beautiful words.

But then one day, I realized the postmark on the letter was from the small town we lived in, and I suddenly knew it was him.

When I asked him what made him do that, he said he felt I needed to know how very amazing I was.

Spending quality time with the one we love through sharing, listening, and participating in activities together communicates that we genuinely care for and enjoy each other.

Sometimes, our quality time includes going out to eat. My husband says it is because we can sit and talk without cooking and cleaning up. Other times we like to do crossword puzzles or take a ride together.

For some, physical touch is their primary love language. As a gesture of love, physical touch reaches the depths of our being.

It is a powerful form of communication, from the slightest touch on the shoulder to the most passionate kiss as a love language.

The benefit of human touch has been proven in studies showing infants and children who are touched thrive and survive painful procedures more quickly than those who are not touched or held. Touch is so important. Sometimes people sink into depression because they miss the touching hands of their companion.

It is essential to recognize what makes us feel loved and safe and share that with our life partners. Of course, the primary message is about expressing our heartfelt commitment to our mates, but I firmly believe these same five love languages should be how we treat our children.

Chapman suggests that we ask ourselves and those we love questions like; What is your primary request in your relationships?

What makes you feel the most loved? What hurts you deeply? And what do you desire most of all?

I’m not sure when I’ll get another cup of coffee served to me in bed, mostly because I am up before him, but when I do, it is a gift.

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Deana Landers, a retired nurse and health educator, is Christian speaker who strives to educate and encourage. She may be contacted at dlanders1511@ gmail.com or 276-780-7355.

Voicemail

Male

By Ken Heath

From Marion with Love

L

ast November, I marked 27 years in my current gig.

That’s staggering to me! It truly seems like yesterday I left the “air chair” at WMEV to take on the fledgling initiative of helping lead the charge to revitalize my hometown. The lost, bespectacled kid with a heart full of passion and a mind full of dreams quickly faced the reality of where we were as a community.

The multitude of issues facing small towns across rural America is overwhelming. It’s like going to clean out the garage and realizing the basement, attic, and garage are all overflowing with stuff, the gutter needs work, the yard needs mowing, and the bath tub is leaking. It can cause paralysis—doing nothing because we can’t do everything. I’ve seen it happen with communities I’ve worked with, large and small. So to carry another analogy, it’s more like football. Every yard gained, every first down, moves us toward the goal line.

When I started the Marion project, we were suffering. BIG. Sidewalks hadn’t been replaced in two generations, only patched with asphalt. Old sign posts were still sprouting like skeleton trees from one end of Main to the other. The concrete blocks where the parking meters, long gone, used to sit were still there, crumbling. No street trees, just weeds, and plenty of them.

Two buildings in a block sat empty, and more businesses were leaving as quickly as they could shutter the doors.

Facades hadn’t been kept up, few upper story apartments were worth living in. Disinvestment across the board. I sat in my office, a bland pale green concrete room that was shared with the volunteer fire chief, and

pondered what I had given up a career in radio for. But I knew there was a master plan, and I was comforted in knowing I didn’t need to know it, just follow it. And we did. We talked with property owners who stubbornly— and rightly—wouldn’t invest in their facades because the town let their spaces fall apart. The town didn’t have any money to address much of anything. The handful of faithful volunteers we had were quickly disenfranchised as one property owner assessed the situation and declared we were wasting our time because there was too much to do and too little to do it. But surrender is never an option for me.

We went to work, first cataloging all that plagued our downtown, then identifying the steps and budget necessary to address each one. “Define the problem, determine the solution.” That’s become my life’s mission.

So, like the old adage of eating an elephant, we started one bite at a time. We tackled the easy stuff, the cheap stuff, and celebrated big. The momentum grew, so we started to be able to attract investment, started winning grants, and tackled bigger issues. The point is, we never stopped moving forward because of the enormity of the job ahead.

In this work, there’s a lot of elephant to eat. Don’t get choked on the whiskers at the trunk, because there’s a lot to be working on at the same time to get to the tail. It’s not binary—it should be comprehensive. Work on it all, that’s the only way for long term survivability and success.

It’s daunting to say the least, but it works. In towns across Virginia and across the US, Main Streets have sprung back to life. The easy disappointment is in those wanting to have the Main Street of 1950. Unless you can get a time machine, that isn’t happening. But it’s imperative that we all devote ourselves to making our downtown the best downtown it can be for now, and for the future.

And it’s gotta start with those trunk whiskers!

We have much work yet to be done here in Marion, and we have so many great partners making it happen every day. I’m honored to be the guy up front waving the baton, and the real music is played by those in the orchestra. We’ve learned much, made our share of mistakes, and celebrated our successes. Most of all, everything we’ve done can be done by any community. Let me know if I can help!

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Ken Heath is a Marion, VA hometown boy who expresses his passions in his writings and through music. After his ‘real job’, Ken is owner of the legendary Cliffside Roadhouse, doggie dad to Miss Reagan and their rescue Scottie the Wonder Dog with his wonderful wife. Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter at #kenheath.

voicemagazineforwomen.com | February 2022 | 11

Low-Cost Ways to Revamp Living Areas

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iving rooms are some of the most frequently used spaces in a home, and they can use an update from time to time to stay on trend or to make the area more functional for a changing family dynamic.

Here are some budget-friendly ideas for breathing new life into living room designs.

• Establish the budget. Homeowners should figure out how many dollars they can designate to a living room makeover before purchasing supplies or hiring out the work. Figure out the scope of the remodel, visit stores or suppliers to price out materials, get estimates from contractors, and then plan for some unforeseen circumstances along the way to determine if this type of renovation is affordable.

• Change the paint color.

Lighter and brighter colors are on trend. A can or two of paint can do wonders for updating a space without a large financial commitment.

Pair that new paint color with new window coverings and

complementary throw pillows to pull the theme together with minimal expense.

• Update the flooring. Tired, outdated carpeting or other f looring can use an overhaul. While solid hardwood flooring may be preferable, there are many types of laminate flooring that mimic the looks of popular wood colors and styles for a fraction of the cost. Plus, many are sold at home improvement retailers and even at warehouse clubs or online for reasonable prices.

• Introduce a fireplace. Fireplaces were once hot commodities, but that popularity waned in the 1970s and 1980s.

Homeowners with chimneys may discover a fireplace was boarded over and the bare bones still exist that can be renovated to bring back character. There also are ventless freestanding units that are quite affordable that can mimic the look of a built-in fireplace.

NEW YEAR...NEW YOU...

NEW HOME? I Can Help!

508 Princeton Rd., Ste. 106 • Johnson City, TN RealtorRobinMiller@gmail.com www.premierhomestn.com • 423-647-9476 12 | February 2022 | voicemagazineforwomen.com

Robin Miller

Real Estate Professional

• Reupholster instead of replace furniture. There’s no need to throw away quality furniture if the fabric is the only thing impeding design.

New upholstery or even a slipcover can update designs.

• Conquer clutter. Rather than adding something to the living room, remove clutter to give the room a more airy feel.

This can instantly change the look of the room. Use cord covers to tame plugs for electronics and remove unnecessary furniture from the room.

• Improve lighting. Another easy and often inexpensive fix is to change lighting fixtures, including using brighter, more energy efficient LED bulbs, and to assess lighting needs to eliminate dark corners of rooms that can make the space seem drab.

Living room spaces in need of an update often can benefit from improvements that go easy on the wallet.

5 Tax Prep Tips

T

ax season isn’t something most people look forward to, particularly if they suspect they owe money. However, a few tax prep tips can make the process of filing a return and, if necessary, paying back taxes as pain-free as possible.

1. Call your tax preparer early. If you use an accountant or another tax preparer, be sure to book the appointment as soon as possible because slots fill up quickly. You don’t want to wait until the last minute and find there are no remaining appointments.

2. Establish a tax preparation folder. Beginning in January, certain documents will arrive in the mail that will be needed to file your taxes. Documents include earnings statements, banking interest statements and documents indicating investment profits. When items arrive, stash them in your tax folder so you’ll have all necessary paperwork at the ready.

3. Avoid tax scams. As tax season draws near, tax scammers target unsuspecting individuals. You may find that you receive calls or texts from those purporting to be with the Internal Revenue Service. However, financial experts say that the IRS or the U.S. Treasury will never call you on the phone; their mode of contact is via the U.S. mail.

Another scam is individuals advertising a bigger refund when you use their services. This is not how tax laws work nor is it possible to get a return larger than what is owed. Avoid anyone promising a bigger return, advises Bankrate.

4. Consider increasing health spending account contributions. Lisa Greene-Lewis, a blog editor at TurboTax,

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5. Utilize tax software. If you’re not using an accountant and have a relatively cut-and-dry financial situation, modern tax software can be an easy and inexpensive way to do your taxes. These sophisticated programs ask a series of detailed questions and the entire process can be completed in relatively little time.

It’s almost time to get income taxes in order. Certain tips can make the process go more smoothly

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voicemagazineforwomen.com | February 2022 | 13

We are Celebrating 18 Years! “every story needs a book”

E

stablishing Jan-Carol Publishing/ When JCP stepped out into the Voice Magazine for Women in book publishing arena almost nine 2003, I never saw the obstacles years ago, Voice Magazine for Women that were going to be thrown my way. grew even stronger as a voice of I was blindsided by the harsh realities women and the region. It was another of running a business. I tried to keep challenge that has proven to be an my focus and my vision on providing exciting road to travel each and every a fun and informative magazine to day. women in the region, but sometimes my As we march into the New Year disappointments clouded my focus with of 2022, there will be unforeseen tears and more questions than answers. challenges and surprises. The However, when I have been at my pandemic has established a new lowest points, there have always been normal, but JCP’s ‘new normal’ friends and strangers telling me how reflects our ‘old normal’ by standing much they “love the magazine!” Hearing firm with our mission statement that never gets old, and that never and our promise to provide work ending support keeps me motivated and of integrity. We continue to move Photo by Rebecca Griffin / London Vine Studios uplifted! forward. Our faith will keep us strong Publisher Janie C. Jessee I am amazed at the number of and your support will keep us thriving! readers who tell me that they have every copy published. These Thank you many times over! women remind me how the magazine has changed through Here are some frequent questions I am still asked: the years. Change is an understatement! Just as there have been growing pains and hard knocks, there have been many Are you from the region? exciting times and more happiness than sadness. How do you Yes—With roots in Russell County, Virginia, I was raised show appreciation to the thousands of people in your corner on a farm in a God fearing, hardworking family. My Dad was every month? Our readers and their unwavering support have a blue collar worker, and worked on the farm as well. My continued to stay with us throughout the pandemic! Thank mother worked at home and took care of her family, which you! We could not be here without all of you. was Dad, my bother, and me.

Through these years, I have met so many super people!

From the advertisers, to the readers and the authors, my JCP Where did you go to school? team, and the contributing writers—the list could go on and I graduated from Honaker High School, in Honaker, on. I never, in my wildest vision, could have imagined the Virginia, and attended Southwest Community College, but never ending joy and support! This encouragement is a small ultimately received my BS in Psychology/Social Work from backdrop to each month’s copy of Voice Magazine for Women East Tennessee State University. and the company’s growth over these eighteen years. continued on next page

14 | February 2022 | voicemagazineforwomen.com

What did you do before establishing Jan-Carol Publishing?

Most of my background has been in banking, retail, and sales, including real estate. I lived on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina for about seven years selling real estate. When I moved back to the region, I worked for a local newspaper, a direct mailing company, and also owned a ladies consignment shop in Elizabethton, Tennessee. My resume would be pages long and would make a large book with the number of jobs I have had. I feel all of my previous jobs provided experiences that have built the foundation to where I am today.

provided a pathway for them to see their works in print and have their books offered globally. It is very exciting!

How did you get started in the print industry?

In 2003, the corporation, Jan-Carol Publishing was formed to start the local women’s magazine, Voice Magazine for Women. It started on a wing and a prayer, and today, through the pandemic, the magazine continues to move forward. I have had many fans and supporters of the magazine because it was the first of its kind in the region. It has grown and taken on its own personality. I never get tired of readers telling me “I just love that magazine!”

Almost nine years ago, JCP purchased a local book publishing company, Mountain Girl Press, and another small press based in Florida. The book publishing has exceeded all my expectations. There is so much local talent in our region, and being able to publish local authors has

What does 2022 hold for you and your company?

Being very goal oriented, I do have many goals this year for the company. With the pandemic altering the way business is done, I am concentrating on building a stronger online presence. Some ideas include broadening our audiobook library, reaching out to different markets in selling JCP books, and developing new resources. There are many new ideas being discussed. However, personally, no one knows the future but our Creator, so I pray to God that He will always guide my steps and my direction.

MARCH 31 TO APRIL 16

What are some of your hobbies?

I love my work—more than a hobby, it is my livelihood.

But I do enjoy the outdoors. I enjoy tennis, flying, golf, which is not my best sport, and traveling. I completed the ground school flying classes, and my significant other is a pilot. He and I enjoy flying. In quiet times, I enjoy drawing, painting, and writing. And I love shopping, especially at consignment and thrift stores.

Any last words?

Love what you do...and do what you love! Great words to live by!

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voicemagazineforwomen.com | February 2022 | 15

Costa Rica

Volcanos and Macaws

Article and Photographs

By Nancy Binder

La Fortuna, Costa Rica is located 75 miles northwest of the capital San Jose. Even though the distance looks short it can take between 2 ½ and 3 hours to get there. Mountainous roads with switchbacks, traffic, slow agricultural vehicles, and bad roads all combine to make traveling in Costa Rica a slow process, but it gives you time to enjoy the scenery.

Our destination of La Fortuna is a small town near the base of Arenal Volcano which after being dormant for almost 400 years violently erupted in 1968 decimating three villages and killing 87 people. Arenal continued eruptions from 1968 until 2010. Since 2010 it is considered dormant.

The square in front of San Juan Bosco Church provides a nice spot to sit and watch the local activities and gaze at Arenal Volcano. We ate lunch at Restaurante Rana Roja (red

San Juan Bosco Church—Arenal Volcano in background.

16 | February 2022 | voicemagazineforwomen.com

Plant with bumps to make butterflies think eggs already there. frog) while gazing at the Arenal Volcano which continues to puff out smoke. When lunch was served the rice was in the shape of the volcano. To work off some of that lunch, we walked in Volcano National Park, where we saw lots of leaf cutter ants taking their heavy leaf load back to the ant mound. They are amazing creatures and smart enough to know to eat only the green part of the leaf and leave the stem alone so as not to kill the plant and their food source.

Another interesting plant raises bumps on its leaves when it feels a butterfly land on it. This was to trick the butterfly into thinking that other eggs were already on the leaf, so they will look elsewhere to lay their eggs that produce caterpillars that eat the leaf. In the park we saw our first toucan. It is amazing that they can hold up their heads with such large and heavy looking beaks.

Arenal Volcano still gives off steam and it provides hot mineral springs. The resort where we stayed had several pools filled with varying degrees of hot mineral water. I went for the lukewarm one and soaked even though the phosphorous rich water was the color of what goes into a Foley bag! It did soften my skin. In the early mornings it was quite foggy, so viewing the green parrots and other birds was a challenge.

We went to Hanging Bridges where we walked along the paths viewing birds, bats, and flora. When we came to the first swaying, bouncing, hanging bridge, another woman and I opted to take the escape route and not walk on it. Both of us are frightened by heights. I had experienced a series of hanging bridges in the Amazon and thought that scaring myself half to death once was enough. continued on next page

Children performing cultural dances.

Scarlet macaws

We spent an interesting afternoon at a side of Costa Rica is drier and hotter. We school where some children gave up their stayed at a lovely resort in Punta Leona in an Saturday afternoon to come and entertain area noted for the scarlet macaws. They are us with cultural dances and give us a tour beautiful, noisy birds with loud squawks and of their school. The school gets support not squeaks. In the wild they live 40 to 50 years. only from Road Scholar but also Grand They are monogamous and remain with one Circle and Overseas Adventure Travel. They partner throughout their lives. had an air-conditioned computer lab and a Our last place to visit was up in the small library. The children learn gardening cloud forest. We drove over the continental and produce fruits and vegetables for their divide at 11,000 feet before descending into lunches. When asked what they wanted to do a valley on a very narrow, steep grade with as adults most of them said doctors, lawyers, lots of hairpin turns and no guardrails. Once and other professionals. One little boy was down there it was beautiful. I enjoyed watchgoing to be a soccer player! Later in the day ing the clouds form and come in from the Blue-capped mot mot we toured the organic farm Vida Campesina Caribbean. The prevailing winds in Costa where they raised food for their families and Rica are east to west. The lodge had beautienough to run a small restaurant operation. The meal they ful flowers and grew a lot of their foods. There was a trout served was one of the best of the trip. farm in the valley. I had excellent trout dinners twice. We The center of the country is very mountainous and there were on a quest to see the elusive resplendent quetzal, a beauare over 100 volcanos but only 3 are active. We stopped for tiful bird with a very long tail. This area has a lot of wild avoa lovely boat tour on the Tarcoles River where we saw croco- cados, which is the bird’s favorite food. I have searched for diles, many species of birds, and a few fishermen. The Pacific them in Guatemala and Belize without seeing them, and Costa Rica was no different. Maybe I will see one on my next trip to Central America!

I had a great two weeks in Costa Rica and experienced a lot. I was most impressed by the people who are so passionate about maintaining Costa Rica’s rain forests and keeping wild lands wild. Tourism is the number one industry. Their government is stable, the crime rate is low and in comparison to neighboring countries their standard of living is so much better. It was a wonderful place to visit.

Crocodile on Tarcoles River

{

Nancy Binder is a retired application software developer turned freelance writer combining her love of travel with her desire to share her experiences. She is passionate about exploring the outdoors and has been “bitten by the African safari bug,” now her favorite travel destination. Contact her with comments or travel questions at nancybinder@ sbcglobal.net. voicemagazineforwomen.com | February 2022 | 17

“every story needs a book”

NEW RELEASES

OUT NOW! Heart of Hearing

entertaining story for children to ghlights aspects of the world wear them. A portion of the Hearing, Inc. created by the

d-winning broadcast meteorologist. g aids and is a dedicated advocate eaf communities. Meaghan created , Inc. to raise funding for those who out more information and how to ng.org.

COPYRIGHT 2021 AUTHOR PHOTO BY CHELSEA ROCHELLE JAN-CAROL PUBLISHING, INC. WWW.JANCAROLPUBLISHING.COM

Written by Illustrated by

Meaghan Thomas

Miriam and Sean Balsano

The Mitchellgoshes

Those Devils in Baggy Pants

Written by Meaghan Thomas Illustrated by Illustrated by Miriam and Sean Balsano Heart of Hearing is an animated and entertaining story for children to encourage them to wear their aids. It provides and highlights aspects of the world around us that would be missed if they chose not to wear them. A portion of the proceeds will go directly to the non-profit, The Heart of Hearing, Inc. created by the author, Meaghan Thomas.

Written by Retta West Illustrated by Grayson Campbell Two little boys from different backgrounds meet and form a friendship while exploring new possibilities.

Originally Written by Ross S. Carter Revised and Republished by David Ross Fraley Those Devils in Baggy Pants was originally published in 1951 by Ross S. Carter, a member of the 82nd Airborne Division during WWII. Carter, one of the three surviving members of his original platoon and Silver Star and Purple Heart awardee, sadly, was never able to see his book in print. Instead, the final chapters were pieced together by his brother, shortly after Carter’s passing, with the help of Carter’s meticulous notes. After its original publication in 1951, Those Devils in Baggy Pants sold one million copies, was a Reader’s Digest condensed book, and was translated into multiple languages. Now, years after being out of print, the hit best seller is being republished by a member of Carter’s own family—David Ross Fraley. In republishing his relative’s incredible tale it is Fraley’s hope to honor both

Two little boys from different

backgrounds meet and form a friendship

Written by

while exploring new possibilities.

Retta West

“The Mitchellgoshes is a fun story about a visit with

Grayson Campbell

very magical characters. The illustrations are superb

Illustrated by

and they truly bring the story to life.”

— D.S. Barna, Author of Burrito the Donkey

COPYRIGHT 2021 JAN-CAROL PUBLISHING, INC. WWW.JANCAROLPUBLISHING.COM

es the reader as the pages

hor of Under the Weeping Willow

story and storyteller.

The White Room

Written by Jeff Geiger Jr. Jonah Bosworth was only nineteen years old when he discovered a room full of unbelievably dark secrets, a room most people didn’t make it out of alive. Four years later, Jonah tells the tale of the White Room, how he was forced to go in there, and how he managed to live to share the story.

Achaiah knew the dangers of falling to earth for the love of his human, Nev. When Nev falls for her guardian angel, Achaiah, she is unaware of the danger that their love puts her in. That’s why fallen angels have one rule: Never fall in love with a human.

“The Order of the Fallen slowly burns as Nev and Achiah connect and disconnect

drawn into the world of

until the surprising climax. Jacqueline Marinaro has developed a new spin on the

the safety of the people

angel-human relationship that had me wondering about my own guardian angel.”

e likely than we’d like to

— Courtnee Turner Hoyle, author of the Pale Woods Mystery Series

u read the final page.”

of the Pale Woods Mystery Series

“Warmth and sweetness abound in this YA romance. Nevaeh is a lonely girl, and Achaiah is the angel created just for her, but when Achaiah decides watching her from afar just won’t do anymore, the young couple walks a dangerous line for their

uthor of “Helen’s Hill,” aunted Hills: A Collection s in Zephyrhills, Florida,

love. This low-angst, lighthearted read is just perfect for anyone needing a little danger and a whole lot of innocent love in their days.”

— M. N. Henschen, author of To Survive Divinity

COPYRIGHT 2021 JAN-CAROL PUBLISHING, INC. WWW.JANCAROLPUBLISHING.COM

Jacqueline Marinaro

Jacqueline Marinaro

lives in Florida with her husband and son where she enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family.

CK

The Order of the Fallen

when he discovered room most people nah tells the tale of n there, and how he

THE WHITE ROOM

Jeff Geiger spins a tale of

fierce determination and

Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc. is a small independent publishing press with a motivated force of authors.

Mountain Girl Press, Little Creek Books, Express Editions, DigiStyle, Broken Crow Ridge, Fiery Night, Skippy Creek, and RoseHeart Publishing are all imprints of Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc.

The Order of the Fallen The Order of the

FALLEN

Written by Jacqueline Marinaro Achaiah knew the dangers of falling to earth for the love of his human, Nev. When Nev falls for her guardian angel, Achaiah, she is unaware of the danger that their love puts her in. That’s why fallen angels have one rule: Never fall in love with a human.

Jacqueline Marinaro

Langston

Written by Michael Grindstaff Illustrated by Tracy Grindstaff Neil is a boy with an imaginary friend, Langston. As Neil grows older, he loses contact with his friend. Langston has not been forgotten, but will they ever find one another again?

The Legend of Miren

s, but not one true res as she learns how herself.

Misty, the Lonely Mermaid

ook, I was excited message! We were ng as we believe come along.”

Written and Illustrated by JeanAnn Taylor Misty has many sea-creature friends, but not one true mermaid friend. Follow her adventures as she learns how to make friends while staying true to herself. We are meant to have friends and as long as we believe in ourselves, the right friend will come along.

t Sleepover

Written and Illustrated by

JeanAnn Taylor

18 | February 2022 | voicemagazineforwomen.com

Written and Illustrated by JeanAnn Taylor Miren meets many enchanted beings while she searches for a way to return to her home—and to her true self. Along the way, she learns that the journey is often met with unexpected and serendipitous surprises.

Sweet Sofie Sue and Her Beach Adventures

Written by Debbie Neal Illustrated by Brooke Beaver and Jessica Beaver Sweet Sofie Sue will teach your child to help, love, and value their friends, family, and loved ones through Sofie’s adventure at the beach.

JCP is Now Accepting Submissions for the Fourth Installment of These Haunted Hills: A Collection of Short Stories

JCP is Now Accepting Submissions for our 2022 Spring Anthology — Daffodil Dreams The theme for Daffodil Dreams is short stories about Appalachian women. There should be a strong sense of place, i.e., Appalachia. Stories must be fiction. Stories must have a minimum of 1500 words and a maximum of 3500 words per story.

Authors whose stories are accepted will receive 2 free books after publication. Payment for shipping is required.

The submission fee per story is $10. You may call the office at 423.926.9983 with a credit card number or mail a check to JCP at P.O. Box 701, Johnson City, TN, 37605. To submit, email submissions@jancarolpublishing.com. The submission deadline is March 31st, 2022.

The These Haunted Hills series began with the first installment in fall of 2017, and has since produced second and third editions. Each anthology is filled with stories that indulge readers’ curiosity for the supernatural from an array of accomplished authors.

These Haunted Hills: Book 4 is set for publication in autumn of 2022. Authors whose stories are accepted will receive 2 free books after publication. Payment for shipping is required.

Stories submitted to the fourth edition of JCP’s haunting anthology collection should follow the theme of spooky or supernatural stories set in the Appalachian region. Stories must be fiction. The submission fee per story is $10. You may call the office at 423.926.9983 with a credit card number or mail a check to JCP at P.O. Box 701, Johnson City, TN, 37605.

Stories must have a minimum of 1500 words and a maximum of 3500 words per story.

The deadline for submissions is May 31st 2022. Send your submissions to submissions@jancarolpublishing.com.

Richlands, VA “every story needs a book”

AUTHORS on the ROAD ROSIE HARTWIG-BENSON Petals of Distinction

Saturday, March 5, 10 am – 11:30 am Speaking and Book Signing First Evangelical Free Church Benson, MN

LINDA HUDSON HOAGLAND

Snooping Can Be Regrettable; Snooping Can Be Scary; Snooping Can Be Uncomfortable; Snooping Can Be Helpful – Sometimes; Onward & Upward; Missing Sammy; Snooping Can Be Doggone Deadly; Snooping Can Be Devious; Snooping Can Be Contagious; Snooping Can Be Dangerous; The Best Darn Secret; and anthologies Easter Lilies; Broken Petals; Wild Daisies; Scattered Flowers and These Haunted Hills: Books One, Two, and Three

Inclement weather may cause a cancellation and the event will be rescheduled at a later date.

Thursday, February 3, 10:30 am – 12 pm Lost State Writers Guild Zoom Meeting Speaker: Linda Hudson Hoagland Topic: Self-Publishing Friday, February 4, 10 am – 4 pm Book Signing, Food City, Coeburn, VA Saturday, February 5, 10 am – 4 pm Book Signing, Food City, Marion, VA Tuesday, February 8, 12 pm to 1 pm AAG Board Meeting Presentation: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Theatre Tricks to Promote Books – Rick McVey Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator Abingdon, VA Friday, February 11, 10 am – 4 pm Book Signing, Food City, Damascus, VA Saturday, February 12, 10 am – 3 pm Book Signing, Winter Honey Festival

Friday, February 18, 10 am – 4 pm Book Signing, Food City, St. Paul, VA Saturday, February 19, 10 am – 4 pm Book Signing, Food City, Wise, VA Friday, February 25, 10 am – 4 pm Book Signing, Food City, Radford, VA Saturday, February 26, 10 am – 4 pm Book Signing, Food City, Wytheville, VA

APPALACHIAN AUTHORS GUILD MEETING Tuesday, February 8, 2022, the Appalachian Authors Guild will conduct a business meeting from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm at the Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator, 852 French Moore Jr Blvd, Abingdon, VA. From 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm there will be a workshop presentation from Rick McVey (Barter Theatre) on Theatre Tricks to Promote Books. All are welcome to attend the business meeting and the presentation.

voicemagazineforwomen.com | February 2022 | 19

demanding attention in every page. The key ingredient is the magic between the main characters. The readers will find this novel is built on emotion, the struggles of survival, and brilliant displays of passion. It w the hearts of millions.” —Kristine Cabot, author of Soaring Passion in Eag

This Month’s Featured Books M

arcia had to learn how to survive. To do so, she was introduced to the escort service. After escaping that line of work, she decides to sp in Paris to rebuild her life. She meets Stephane, heir to a wealthy famil and falls in love with him, but to her horror she discovers that Stephan Etienne, is engaged to marry Mason, a former dysfunctional client. Will her past life? Or should she confess to Stephane and chance losing him Etienne?

Ann El-Nemr resides in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. She loves to hear feedback from her fans and their opinions about her books. She

Mike Grindstaff

Charlotte S. Snead

Ann El-Nemr

can be reached at www.annelnemr.com, Facebook,

Kristine Cabot

LinkedIn, or Instagram.

Fall In Love wit h t hese Books!

Moon Over Knoxville

Marwin Gelstone, a divorced pharmacist with a unique practice, tries to get through the daily grind of pharmacy while simultaneously trying to understand his adolescent children. His life takes a drastic turn when his partner’s wife commits suicide. Madeline Montgomery is a well-known socialite in the Knoxville community who abruptly ends the life that so many have longed for. The senseless nature of her suicide leads Marwin to search for an answer to the age-old question of why a person takes their own life. As he explores Marwin becomes entrenched in a twisted plot that could cost him everything, including his life.

Michelle Meets Her Match

Michelle Meets Her Match follows Michelle through her pediatric residency at Johns Hopkins University, where she falls in love with a fellow resident who is from South Africa. His father is a diamond merchant, and both he and the doctor’s mother meet Michelle before they are married in the USA. As dual citizens the couple travel back and forth between the two countries sharing their families. The two of them are united around the care of critically ill children.

Secrets in Paris

Marcia had to learn how to survive.

To do so, she was introduced to the life of the escort service. After escaping that line of work, she decides to spend a year in Paris to rebuild her life. She meets Stephane, an heir to a wealthy family fortune and falls in love with him, but to her horror, she discovers that Stephane’s sister, Etienne, is engaged to marry Mason, a former dysfunctional client. Will he expose her past life? Or should she confess to Stephane and chance losing him to protect Etienne? Does all come to a crashing end?

The Reckoning Dale Crotts

COPYRIGHT 2019 COVER DESIGN: TARA SIZEMORE JAN-CAROL PUBLISHING, INC. JANCAROLPUBLISHING.COM

Soaring Passion in Eagle Hills

Recently widowed, Lily Roberts leaves her Appalachian hometown seeking serenity in the Carolina coastal town of Eagle Hills. Instead, she stumbles into a world of intrigue, murder, and passion. Lily’s encounter on the beach with a mysterious stranger arouses an unquenchable thirst. Will she satisfy her desires or fall victim to a secret political agenda? This fiction story is a fascinating tale of romance, murder, and mystery. Surprise twists and turns are woven with passionate love scenes, scandalous secrets, and an ending that’s sure to tug at your heartstrings.

Order this book directly from JCP — for a discounted price and FREE shipping!

Call 423-926-9983.

Fifteen years ago, Spencer Rawlings left Michigan and a three-year law practice after discovering his father, a judge, was involved with a murder cover-up for a well-known Detroit mob family, the VanWarners. When he returns to Traverse City, Michigan for his father’s funeral, he becomes drawn deep into a mystery involving his father, the VanWarners, and a missing ten million dollars. As Spence pieces together the clues to find the money, he suddenly finds himself on trial for murder, while learning just how involved his father was with the VanWarners. While eluding the police to find the evidence to clear his name, Spence may have found the love he has been searching for in Macy Merit, an avenger with a strong military background and desire, not only for Spence, but to find justice. A page turning unpredictable mystery with a dash of romance, The Reckoning creates a compelling story you will be unable to put down.

Jan-Carol Publishing Books

www.Jancarolpublishing.com • www.Amazon.com • www.Barnesandnoble.com 20 | February 2022 | voicemagazineforwomen.com

Books You May Have Missed!

Yesterday’s Books and Tomorrow’s Reading

Lub Dub

Princess Dreams

By Ed Tasca

By Cheryl MacMillan

A heart donor delivery becomes a disaster, when the driver of the delivery van spots his girlfriend in the arms of another. Unable to resist he follows her through a succession of comic episodes and hurdles until he loses the heart completely and finds the mission, his love relationship and his sanity totally in jeopardy. An enraged cardiologist, the consummate professional, who accompanies him needles and prods him throughout for his foolishness. All ends well, saved at the last by the intervention of, ironically, the driver’s brilliant girlfriend.

Malcolm MacMillan faces numerous obstacles to keep the woman of his dreams and capturing her from her powerful uncle is only the beginning. Circumstances quickly change, when the two young newlyweds are kidnapped and taken to the northeast Coast of France, where she discovers she is of royal blood and an identical twin she knew nothing about. Intrigue, greed, attempts of murder and revenge, propel this adventure to new heights and eventually great joy as the Highland Laird series continues.

Moon Over Taylor’s Ridge

Dreams of Amelia

By Janie Dempsey Watts

Love-at-first-sight sparks memories of a past love, blindsiding 17-yearold Norah James after her move to Amelia Island, FL, from Toronto, Canada. Meeting Ryan Flynn, her rescuer from an ocean riptide—and the boyfriend of her new friend Ashley—unleashes her psychic abilities and prompts memories of a past life on the enchanting island.

Norah’s nemesis from that life has also returned as Ashley’s brother, Elliot. An earthbound spirit, an ominous hurricane, and a missing child add to the complications of Norah and Ryan’s blossoming romance.

Avie Williams Cole has a mission: take a quick trip to Georgia to settle her father’s estate. Too busy to go, her attorney husband, Michael, sends her off with their asthmatic son, Joseph, to keep her company. In tiny Taylor’s Crossing, Avie settles in but is soon thrown off course by overbearing and meddling family members and her son’s fascination with a legendary Cherokee Silver mine. Their search for the silver mine leads her up to Taylor’s Ridge and to a new friend, Will. As her stay lengthens, her life begins to unravel even as she begins to blossom and make new friends. For the first time in her life, she must learn to stand on her own and find her way.

By E. Louise Jaques

Jan-Carol Publishing Books

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voicemagazineforwomen.com | February 2022 | 21

Notable Figures to Celebrate this Black History Month

E

ach February, individuals across Canada and the United States celebrate Black History Month. Both nations have much to celebrate, and these are just a few of the individuals who have done much to advance the causes of Black people in the United States and Canada.

• Fannie Lou Hamer: The subject of a new biography by historian Keisha N. Blain released in late 2021, Fannie Lou Hamer rose to prominence during the

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Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s in the United States. Born to sharecropper parents in Sunflower County, Mississippi, in 1919, Hamer became an activist in 1962, ultimately providing a powerful voice to a widely underrepresented segment of the African American population fighting for civil rights in the 1960s.

• Viola Davis Desmond: Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1914, Viola Davis Desmond took a stand for African Canadians in 1946 when she refused to sit in the balcony at the Roseland Theatre in New Glasgow, a section designated for Blacks. Desmond was forcibly removed and arrested and ultimately fined and sentenced to 30 days in jail. She took her case all the way to the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, which upheld the verdict. Desmond passed away in 1965, but in 2010 the province of Nova Scotia issued an official apology and pardoned her.

• Bayard Rustin: The March on Washington is among the most widely remembered events during the civil rights era in the United States, and Bayard Rustin was one of the event’s principle organizers. Rustin, who was candid about his sexuality as a gay man in private, often worked behind the scenes during the Civil Rights Movement, which occurred during a period when homosexuality was still criminalized. Rustin later became a public advocate for gay rights in the 1980s.

• Elijah McCoy: The son of former slaves who had escaped enslavement in Kentucky via the Underground Railroad, Elijah McCoy was born in Colchester, Ontario, in 1844. Despite his humble origins, McCoy would become an influential inventor and engineer, ultimately holding more than 50 patents in Canada, the United States, France, Austria, Germany, Great Britain, and Russia.

African Americans and African Canadians have contributed much to the United States, Canada and the world.

A young woman’s life turns upside down when her father, who was her best friend, suddenly dies. Throughout her pain, she decides to turn her tragedy into triumph by writing a collection of poems in memory of her father. Her faith in God gave her the strength to survive such a challenging time in her life. This collection of poems gives hope to people who suffered the loss of their father and will show how God brings restoration through hope and prayer. This collection is my poetry journey from pain to purpose for Christians who can identify with the loss of a loved one.

Available:

www.patricewilkerson.com www.amazon.com

Outdoor Activities That are Perfect for Seniors

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he great outdoors beckons people of all ages. Fresh air can be hard to resist and the benefits of spending time outdoors are so numerous that it behooves anyone, including seniors, to answer the call of nature.

Seniors who are retired or even aging empty nesters who are still in the workforce can make great use of their free time by venturing into the great outdoors. The following are a handful of senior-friendly outdoor activities that provide a great reason to get off the couch and take in all that Mother Nature has to offer.

• Hiking: Hiking provides a great workout and an ideal opportunity to spend time in an idyllic setting. Hiking is an especially attractive outdoor activity for seniors, as many parks feature trails with varying degrees of difficulty, ensuring there’s a trail for seniors whether they’re seasoned or novice hikers.

• Water aerobics: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that water-based exercises can be especially helpful individuals with chronic diseases, a category many seniors fall into. Seniors can reap these benefits by going for a dip in their own backyard pools or a local body of water, such as a lake or ocean. Many swim clubs also offer discounted memberships to seniors, making these another great and affordable way to reap the benefits of swimming.

• Fishing: Of course not all outdoor activities need to make seniors huff and puff. Fishing provides a

great reason to get outdoors, and many individuals devoted to fishing report feeling less stressed after a day spent casting for their favorite fish. Individuals who consume what they catch also can benefit by improving their diets, as the American Heart Association notes that consuming certain types of fish has been linked to a lower risk for heart disease and obesity.

• Volunteering: Local environmental groups often sponsor cleanups at parks and waterfront attractions like beaches and lakes. Volunteering with such organizations is a great way to get outside and give back, and working with like-minded individuals can be a great way for seniors to meet new people. In addition, a national study sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service in 2019 found that 88 percent of Senior Corps volunteers who initially reported a lack of companionship reported a decrease in feelings of isolation after volunteering.

The opportunities for seniors to enjoy the great outdoors are endless. Taking advantage of such chances can benefit seniors in myriad ways.

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4 COMMON HEART CONDITIONS

C

ardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death across the globe. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 17.9 million people die each year from cardiovascular diseases, which are a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels.

Education is valuable asset in the fight against heart disease. Individuals who are aware of common heart illnesses can discuss them with their physicians and take measures to reduce their risk.

1. Angina: Heart & Stroke notes that angina is another word for chest pain. The discomfort associated with angina, which can feel like squeezing, suffocating or burning, is caused by a temporary disruption in the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart. Though angina symptoms typically do not last long, they are considered warning signs for heart attack and should be discussed with a physician immediately after they appear.

2. Atherosclerosis: Atherosclerosis is characterized by the buildup of plaque on the interior wall of an artery. That buildup makes the walls of the artery thick and hard, thus restricting the flow of blood, and can potentially contribute to a blockage. The experts at Johns Hopkins Medicine note that risk factors for atherosclerosis include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, and a poor diet that includes lots of saturated fats.

3. Cardiomyopathy: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that cardiomyopathy often goes undiagnosed, making it hard to determine just how common the condition is. But the CDC estimates that as many as one in 500 adults have cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for the heart to pump oxygen-rich blood to the body at optimal capacity. Heart & Stroke notes that cardiomyopathy can lead to heart failure.

Early stages of cardiomyopathy may not produce any symptoms, but as the disease gets worse individuals may experience fainting, irregular or rapid heartbeats, light-headedness, and swelling of the hands and feet, among other things.

4. Coronary artery disease: Heart & Stroke notes that coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common form of heart disease. CAD occurs when one or more of the coronary arteries narrows or becomes blocked.

CAD causes damage or disease to major blood vessels that supply blood, oxygen and nutrients to the heart.

Individuals can speak to their physicians about how to maintain a healthy blood pressure and a healthy weight, limit stress, and reduce their cholesterol, all of which can lower risk for CAD. Heart disease claims the lives of millions of people each year. Recognizing common heart conditions and how to prevent them can help individuals lower their risk for this deadly, yet often preventable disease.

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Eat, Drink, and Be Merry

By Cindy K. Sproles

A

s covid continues to surge throughout the country, many of our seniors are quarantined. Of course, their quarantine isn’t constant like it was in 2020 and a big part of 2021, but they still feel the effects on a short-term basis.

Facilities like senior living communities, assisted living, and nursing homes are going day to day and imposing quarantines when staff or residents test positive. It’s enough for the average person to be confined at home, but they at least have the freedom to walk onto their porch and breathe in the fresh air. Our seniors are often quarantined to their one or two-room living spaces, unable to even walk through the facility’s halls or step outside the building. This time of quarantine has been especially difficult for seniors.

Facilities have lost their ability to do community activities, encourage friendships and visitations, and even eat in open dining rooms. Seclusion, once controlled, is now taking up residence and wreaking havoc, preventing necessary exercise, personal interaction, and even secluding seniors’ meals to their rooms alone. For our aging parents to thrive, they need to eat well, exercise, and enjoy physical interactions.

Now is the time for families and groups to step up and lend a hand. Physically being present is always best. When we can’t, we find creative ways to interact with those who are confined.

Begin with communication. Phone calls and handwritten cards bring great joy to our seniors. Families have access to phone numbers, but groups can ask facilities for individual permissions to gain phone numbers to call. Church women’s groups are wonderful to take on this project by taking permission slips to facilities, securing individual residents’ signatures and numbers, and calling them. Talking ear-to-ear can change the demeanor of a senior in one call.

For example, my mother is a master quilter. I post photos of her quilts on Facebook regularly. People love to see her work.

When she turned 95, I asked readers to drop her a card for her birthday and tell her how seeing her handiwork blessed them.

To my surprise, fifty cards arrived at the assisted living facility.

She was overjoyed, not just at the cards from people she did not know, but that they loved her work. Months later, hoarded in a little box under her loveseat, she pulls them out regularly and reads them. A simple task changed so much.

Dollar stores are great places to secure inexpensive puzzles and word search books, trivia cards, and adult coloring books.

Discount overstock stores carry loads of best-seller books at a fraction of the cost, and they’re new. Using the mind is always a plus for aging seniors.

Hand puzzle games and flashcard games are inexpensive and help with dexterity and memory.

Family members can order and take their parent’s favorite restaurant meals to the door at facilities, and workers will happily deliver.

Visits at the windows of loved ones provide the distance necessary and give a perfect opportunity to talk in person.

If your senior is a bit more technologically savvy, electronic devices such as Amazon’s Alexa Echo or Facebook’s Portal allow easy setup and the capability to talk face-to-face. They also can be used to deliver family photos, music, and movies.

Our aging parents need activity, and even in a time of quarantine, there are simple, easy things we can do to accommodate that need. Bring in a little creative activity and see a vast improvement in your loved ones throughout this challenging time. After all, there is merit in the phrase, eat, drink and be merry. Take time to bring that added joy into the lives of your loved ones.

{

Cindy K. Sproles is a novelist, speaker, and conference teacher. She is the cofounder of ChristianDevotions.us and the managing editor for Straight Street Books and SonRise Devotionals, imprints of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. Visit Cindy at www.cindysproles.com.

Named Christian Novel of the Year and Gold Medal Illumination Award

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AVAILABLE FROM AVAILA BOOK RETAILERS NATIONWIDE voicemagazineforwomen.com | February 2022 | 25

God is Love

By Mike DeVries “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” 1 John 4:7–8 KJV Interpretation: “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God for God is love.”

T

here is an old Far Side cartoon that I find fascinating. It’s a picture of God, with a full grey beard, sitting on a high-tech throne gazing intently into a computer screen in front of Him. As He observes the world below, the screen focuses on a single person and God’s finger hovers over a button with a single word etched onto it…smite.

It’s odd, is it not, that these sort of images are ones we’ve come to associate with God? Yet, if we were truly honest with ourselves, we would have to admit that this is exactly how many people in our world see God: a vengeful god, looking upon his creation with disgust, safely tucked away far from the wretchedness of this world, peering and looking for someone doing something “wrong.”

Judgment. Wrath. Anger. Condemnation. Here’s something worth pondering: When we present God to an unbelieving world, are these characteristics the hallmarks of how we describe Him? Do we primarily point the finger, in order to expose “evil” and “darkness?”

If that’s all we do, it’s no wonder that the unbelieving world views God in these terms. But, there’s so much more we ought to say to paint a fuller picture of the God we serve!

I find it remarkable that when John speaks of God, he simply says, “God is love.” I think we can easily forget the revolutionary nature of that statement. Though God is seen in the Scriptures employing wrath, anger and judgment, when it comes to defining God they never describe Him in terms such as “God is judgment,” or “God is wrath.” Rather, they proclaim, “God is love.” God’s essential character is, first and foremost, love. Everything God does, He does through the lens of love. He does nothing outside of love.

Because God is love.

And if we are to believe what John wrote, those who know God ought to make it their priority to be and do the same.

Very few times do the Scriptures make this kind of amazing statement — do you want to know what it means to know God, to be born of God? One single word: Love. Those who love know and are born of God. Those who do not love do not know God. In short, it is inconceivable to John that a follower of God would not be and do what is the most essential character of Him whom they claim to follow, namely, love.

We say God is love, but do we actually love? Do people in your life feel a deep sense of Complete your home with decor from The Old Town Emporium in Jonesborough. being loved, or being condemned? Only one of those is the way of God. Love. Just love.

Located inside the Jonesborough Visitors Center, 117 Boone St, Jonesborough, TN 37659 26 | February 2022 | voicemagazineforwomen.com

A Valentine’s Dinner to Warm You Up Treating that special someone in your life to a delicious meal can be done any time of the year, but is especially poignant and romantic on Valentine’s Day. Even though plenty of people may be tempted to dish up gourmet fare, comfort foods can be equally appealing, especially on a cold February day.

Soup can be both filling, tasty and customized with individuals’ favorite flavors.

Italian seasonings and ingredients are on display in this recipe for “Hearty Tuscan Soup” from “Season’s Best: Fast, Fun & Fabulous” by The Pampered Chef® Test Kitchens. Try it for a satisfying Valentine’s meal for two or more.

Hearty Tuscan Soup

1.

2.

3.

Drain and rinse pinto beans in a small colander. Transfer half of the beans to a food processor; process until almost smooth. Set aside both whole and mashed beans. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes or until shimmering. Cook sausage 4 to 6 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles.

Wedge onion, then chop. Cut sweet potato into chunks, then coarsely chop.

Add onion, sweet potato and garlic to Dutch oven; cook and stir 5 to 6 minutes or until onion is softened. Stir all beans, chicken stock, tomatoes, seasoning mix, and pepper into Dutch oven. Cover; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium; simmer, covered, 10 minutes.

1.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly coat the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform or regular cake pan with nonflavored aerosolized spray. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.

2.

In a double boiler or a stainless steel bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate. In a separate small saucepan, bring the tea leaves, water and butter to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir to melt the butter, allowing the tea leaves to infuse in the water-butter mixture for 3 minutes. Pass through a fine sieve into the chocolate.

Stir to blend. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes.

3.

Separate the eggs, place the whites into a perfectly clean, fat-free bowl of an electric mixer and the yolks into the chocolate mixture. Beat whites until soft peaks form. Sift flour and malted milk powder together and then fold in egg whites. Fold this flour-malted milk powder mix gently but thoroughly into the chocolate base. Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake for about 35 minutes, or until the cake appears firm, but not dry. This cake is very moist inside and will fall as it cools. Make the ganache.

Preheat broiler. Remove Dutch oven from heat; add spinach. Cover; let stand 2 to 3 minutes or until spinach is wilted.

Top soup with melba rounds; sprinkle with cheese. Place Dutch oven 2 to 4 inches from heating element. Broil 2 to 4 minutes or until croutons and cheese are lightly browned. Ladle soup and croutons into bowls.

Source: Season’s Best: Fast, Fun & Fabulous by The Pampered Chef™ Test Kitchens

Assam Ganache

Milk Chocolate Torte with Assam Tea Ganache Serves 8 2 15-ounce cans reduced-sodium pinto beans

7 ounces heavy cream 2 tablespoons Tippy Assam tea leaves 7 ounces dark milk chocolate, cut into 1⁄2inch pieces 1 tablespoon unsalted (sweet) butter 1.

In a heavy 1-quart saucepan, bring the cream and tea leaves to a boil.

Remove from heat and allow to infuse further for 3 minutes. Pass through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Slowly add the chocolate and gently stir to blend, without aerating. Add the butter and stir until completely melted. Set aside.

2.

Assembly: Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place the cake on a cooking rack, then place the rack on the cookie sheet. Pour the ganache over the cake, using a spatula to spread the ganache evenly as needed. Allow to set. Scrape up any ganache that drips off the cake and pour to cover the cake a second time. (Reheat slightly over a pot of simmering water, if necessary, to loosen the mixture.) Cool at room temperature.

1 tablespoon olive oil 8 ounces Italian turkey sausage (about 2 links), casings removed 1 large onion 1 medium sweet potato, peeled 4 garlic cloves 4 cups unsalted chicken stock or chicken broth

Serves 6 to 8

1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

4 tablespoons Tippy Assam tea leaves

8 ounces dark milk chocolate

1 tablespoon Pampered Chef™ Rosemary Herb Seasoning Mix

1⁄2 cup water

1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper

4 large eggs, separated

1 package fresh baby spinach leaves, washed and dried 16 melba toast rounds

4 ounces sweet butter 1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour, sifted twice 2 teaspoons malted milk powder

Source: Cooking with Tea by Robert Wemischner and Diana Rosen

3 tablespoons shredded Italian cheese blend voicemagazineforwomen.com | February 2022 | 27

O

YWCA Prom Dress Sale

ne of the most special events in the life of a teenage girl is prom night. While the night’s glitz and glamour is a big part of what makes it a night to remember, the cost of formalwear is a financial impossibility for many families. Our regional YWCA is making sure every girl in northeast Tennessee and southwest Virginia has access to affordable formalwear fit for an unforgettable evening. A service project of the YW Junior Board of Directors, the Prom Dress Sale offers all dresses for only $25 each and has given hundreds of girls their dream dress for their special night. Scholarships are also available so that no girl goes without the perfect dress. This year marks the 13th annual YWCA Prom Dress Sale. The sale will resume as an open door event, no reservations required. Attendance will be limited to 15 or under at any given time and shoppers are asked to wear a mask. It is also recommended that

28 | February 2022 | voicemagazineforwomen.com

shoppers wear a light layer of clothing to try on dresses over. We will not be able to offer dressing rooms.

The YWCA Prom Dress Sale features hundreds of like-new prom dresses, shoes, and accessories donated by the surrounding community. The YWCA will be accepting donations through February 28th. Donations can be dropped off at the reception desk at the YWCA or at participating YMCAs. Gowns sizes 14 to 28 are especially needed.

The YWCA Prom Dress Sale will be held at YWCA NETN and SWVA in the gymnasium on Thursday and Friday, March 10th and 11th from 12:00 noon – 6:00 pm and Saturday, March 12th from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm. The YWCA is located at 106 State Street, Bristol, Tennessee.

Volunteers are greatly needed during the sale to assist girls in finding a gown that they feel confident and beautiful in. If you or your organization would like to participate as a volunteer, please contact the YWCA NETN and SWVA. Proceeds from the sale benefit YWCA programming and is a community service project of the YWCA Junior Board of Directors. The YW Junior Board is a diverse group of young women ages 20–40 that have a desire to acquire more leadership and service skills within the community. For more information about the Prom Dress Project or Junior Board, please contact Heather Smith at YWCA NETN and SWVA at hsmith@ywcatnva.org.

voicemagazineforwomen.com | February 2022 | 29

The goal of Sudoku is to fill a 9×9 grid with numbers so that each row, column and 3×3 section contain all of the digits between 1 and 9.

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WES SCHUM

Amateur Radio’s Unsung Hero

BY: DOMINIC TUSA, K5EF On Thanksgiving Day 1961, Wes Schum was unstoppable.

His Central Electronics Company had produced the world’s most advanced single-sideband transmitter, setting the amateur radio world ablaze. Three months later, it was all over.

60 years later, learn why and what could have been.

Available for Purchase at Jancarolpublishing.com Amazon – Barnes and Noble – and Select Retailers

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CLUES ACROSS 1. __ de Mornay, actress 8. Surrenders 13. Omission 14. The white poplar 15. They become butterflies 19. Used to chop 20. Select 21. Volcanic craters 22. Consumer price index 23. Utilize 24. “True Blood” actress Paquin 25. Got up 26. Sank in 30. Retail 31. Giants 32. Most bald 33. Changes color 34. Unit of loudness 35. Undresses 38. Fathers 39. Learned skill 40. Remove qualification 44. Covered with frost 45. Speak up 46. Nowhere to be found 47. Part of surgery (abbr.)

48. Type of wrap 49. Church seating 50. Mathematical figure 51. College football conference 55. Turkish officer title 57. Organized body of knowledge 58. Smooth and glossy 59. Left

CLUES DOWN 1. Get back 2. Pass or go by 3. Having a sharp taste 4. Midway between east and southeast 5. Cairo Regional Airport 6. Peace officer 7. Brings to life 8. Automotive vehicles 9. One point south of due east 10. Football position 11. Goes by 12. Most attractive 16. Road divisions 17. Not the sea 18. Small, faint constellation 22. Cabbage 25. Least frequent 27. Change slightly 28. A country in NE Africa 29. Metric units of measure 30. More coherent 32. Make uninteresting 34. Nausea 35. Institution of Oceanography 36. Of little value 37. Hindu model of the ideal man 38. Biblical exclamation 40. You throw it at a board 41. Be about to happen 42. Brutal 43. Opened one’s mouth widely 45. 19th letter of Greek alphabet 48. Saturate 51. The woman 52. Someone who is highly skilled 53. A way to launch an attack on 54. Where golfers begin 56. Atomic number 58

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