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Bloom celebrating Valley women

Po r t r a i t Of T he Ar tist

Valerie Smith talks on arts education and advocacy.

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Making A Difference In Our Community “With your oral health being an integral part of your total well being, Dr Hall together with Dr. Dean are committed to making a difference in serving their patient’s needs.”

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INSIDE BLOOM

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Free your mind Christina Kunkle offers a six-step guide on self-leadership and personal freedom.

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16 Dancing with the bear

Valerie Smith talks about conflict, art and building community. your BEAUTY Beauty oils are making a splash on the holistic skincare scene. page 12

your RELATIONSHIPS Meetup.com offers many people a way to connect with other locals. page 5

your TABLE Valley residents talk about their reasons for going vegan. page 20

your CAREER Focus on the challenges of re-entering the workforce.

Bloom

Valley faithful talk about the pros of raising your children in a church. page 6

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your HEALTH Disproportionate numbers of ACL injuries in women have many asking why. page 22

ello, ladies! Thanks for joining us for the Summer 2015 edition of Bloom.

As longer days invite us to get outside and get active, we ask Valley experts why women are more vulnerable to ACL injuries (Page 22).

With all the fun in the sun and playing at the pool, don’t forget to take care of your skin this summer. Chlorine, wind and the sun all dry the skin out. Explore the potential benefits of keeping moisture in with beauty oils on Page 12.

Between work, vacations and trying to experience all the outdoor enjoyment the Valley has to offer, the summer months can leave little time for planning healthy meals. A few Valley vegans offer some quick dishes and discuss their decisions to go meat free on Page 20.

Columnist Christina Kunkle also gives some advice for keeping your mind healthy with

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If the spirit moves you

Summer 2015

steps for achieving personal freedom on Page 10.

Commitments with Larkin Arts and community committees keep Valerie Smith busy no matter what the season. Catch up with the downtown arts center founder on Page 16.

Also in this issue, we talk to area experts on re-entering the workforce after a long period of unemployment on Page 6, the advantages of raising children in a religious environment on Page 14, and ways to expand your social circle with online community Meetup on Page 5.

In this issue, we also get ready to say goodbye to reporter Hannah Pitstick. While we all will miss her, we wish her joy and luck as she continues her journey.

Thanks again for reading ladies, and as always, keep blooming!

Kyleen Kendall, Editor

Bloom Staf f Kyleen Kendall, editor

Matt Gonzales, staff writer Aleda Johnson, staff writer Hannah Pitstick, staff writer Bloom is a publication of Rockingham Publishing Co., Inc. Copyright Š 2015 Rockingham Publishing Co., Inc. 231 S. Liberty St. Harrisonburg, VA 22801 For advertising information, call 540-574-6220.

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your RELATIONSHIPS

Circle of friends

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Local gals use Meetup as opportunity to broaden social sphere n the aftermath of the September 11 terror attacks in New York City, Meetup.com co-founder Scott Heiferman noticed the typically brisk demeanor of his neighbors defrost slightly, revealing a friendlier side of New Yorkers rarely seen before. According to an interview on businessinsider.com with the co-founder of the website, that period of unprecedented community inspired him to create a social media platform that used the Internet to bring people together offline.

Though Meetup has been around for 13 years now, there are many who have yet to hear about the site that allows users to create groups, often based on an interest or hobby, and post events as a way to meet people in their community.

In the dead of this past winter and in the midst of a divorce, Lydia Forsythe of Harrisonburg logged on to Meetup and created a social group called Harrisonburg Girlfriends. It was a call to other women also going through a big life change that depleted their social circles or to those just wanting to grab dinner occasionally and meet

ARTICLE BY HANNAH PITSTICK

Photo by Austin Bachand

LEFT TO RIGHT: Emily Rhodes, Kayla Payne and Jenny Yoon, members of the Harrisonburg Girlfriends Meetup group, get together for steal a pint night at Capital Ale House in Harrisonburg on Tuesday, June 23.

new people. On the other side of town, Beth Grabau was notified of the group’s creation and immediately joined.

“I was involved in a lot of the Meetups beforehand, and there weren’t a lot of social groups centered in Harrisonburg,” Grabau, 29, says.

“Lydia and I hit it off because we have the same personal stuff going on; we’re both

going through a divorce.”

“Your circle changes a lot when you’re going through a divorce, and a bunch of her friends from JMU had recently moved away,” Forsythe, 32, adds.

The group’s first event was a dinner at Beyond, which Forsythe says was “a little awkward,” but the group has since gone to see the Alabama Shakes

together, gone to the movies, grabbed drinks at a bar and participated in a 5k run. The group currently has 125 members online, with a core group of 7-10 that consistently shows up to events.

Grabau says that Meetup is one of the few ways to meet people in town if you can’t See CIRCLE, Page 30

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your CAREER

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Getting back into the job market?

Valley experts talk on challenges of re-entering the workforce

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ARTICLE BY MATT GONZALES

hen Lauren Huber landed her first job offer in more than three years, her emotions took control of the steering wheel.

She recalls feeling happy and a bit nervous, but mostly anxious. Not only was she starting a new job in a new town, but she also had to have a game plan for child care for her children. And she had just a week to complete the tasks.

“It all happened so quickly,” Huber, a Harrisonburg resident, said.

Huber had been a stay-at-home mother to her three children for two years while living just outside of Sonora, Calif., near the Sierra Nevada Mountains. She had planned to continue the endeavor for another year when she moved to Harrisonburg with her family in July

2014. She always had wanted to be a stayat-home mother and enjoyed spending time with her kids.

But a thought began gnawing at her.

“I was concerned about the gap in the resumé,” she said. “I was concerned because I had not been in the workforce for a couple of years.”

This concern is not uncommon for many looking to re-enter the workplace after a period of unemployment.

It is just one of many worries that weigh on unemployed individuals, according to local career counselors.

How will a gap in my resumé look to employers?

Is my skillset fading?

If I’m hired, what will I do with my kids?

These are a few among a bevy of questions for those who begin searching for a job after a long stretch of unemployment.

An underlying issue that may exacerbate concerns is low self-esteem, according to Kristy Koser, a Harrisonburg psychologist who specializes in career counseling.

See WORKFORCE, Page 8

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“The concerns center around self-esteem and self-confidence,” Koser said. “There’s a curiosity with regards to ‘who will hire me?’ and ‘what skills will I have to compete with graduate degrees?’ especially after being out of work for a while.”

According to Psychology Today, an organization that explores ideas from renowned psychologists, the unemployed face a decreased quality of “mental health, life satisfaction and objective physical well-being,” which leads to an increased risk for binge drinking, depression, anxiety and even suicide.

“People can experience a depressed mood by excessively worrying about the future,” said Corey Reed, Ph.D., a Harrisonburg psychologist who specializes in career

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counseling and anxiety. “People are local communities, before taking even at risk to being vulnerable to time off to be a mother. She began illness.” to worry that her time away from For many, the the workforce could Some people can put her at a disadloss of a job is on lose their sense vantage against felpar with any other of identity, loss in one’s life, low applicants or accomplishment such as a family cause employers to and meaning as be reluctant to give member, said Reed, well. which can lead to her an opportunity. grief and a perpetHowever, her Corey Reed, ual state of worry. city psychologist who concerns were put to specializes in career rest sooner than she “Some people counseling and anxiety anticipated on her can lose their sense of identity, accommove to the Valley. plishment and meaning as well,” While browsing job listings in she added. the Daily News-Record, Huber Huber had her own set of con- saw an ad posted by Harrisonburg cerns, though she never entered a Downtown Renaissance for the state of depression. She had spent position of director of resources. much of her career fundraising for The job, which involves nonprofit organizations in Califor- fundraising, organizing and comnia, such as the Snowshoe Foun- munity-involvement in an effort to dation, an organization that seeks revitalize downtown Harrisonburg, to enhance the quality of life in was too good a prospect to pass

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Summer 2015

up, she said.

“I wanted to make sure this was the right opportunity,” she said. “I didn’t know if an opportunity like this would present itself in the future.”

Shortly thereafter, Huber sent her resume to HDR Executive Director Eddie Bumbaugh, who reached out to her within the week.

After two separate interviews, Huber was offered the position.

Ten months later, Huber says she enjoys everything that comes with the job, specifically the community interactions, as well as the newfound balance in her life between working during the day and being with her family in the evenings.

“I got to spend two years with [my children], which I am grateful for,” said Huber. “And now they’re See WORKFORCE, Page 9

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happy with what they do during the day, and I’m happy with what I’m doing, so it all works out.”

Staying active

As Reed explained, being cognizant of time away from a job may contribute to an individual’s lack of confidence, igniting personal doubt with regard to their professional skills and ways in which they can contribute to society.

“Sometimes they don’t understand they do have something positive to offer,” said Reed.

Remaining active during unemployment by volunteering, or learning computer-based programs — such as social media or word processing applications — can go a long way toward maintaining confidence. It allows the unemployed person to add a new layer to their existing skillset in a

Metro Creative Photo

Corey Reed, a Harrisonburg psychologist who specializes in career counseling and anxiety, says remaining active during unemployment through education or volunteering can go a long way toward maintaining confidence.

21st century workforce.

“You could also do an analysis of your skillset as well as your interest and values,” said Reed. “It’s important to recount your successes of the past, and use that to your advantage.”

The process of searching for a

job may seem endless, and it may lend itself to episodes of discouragement. But as Koser noted, it’s always important to remain positive and concentrate on your strengths, as they will come to good use once employed.

In the meantime, it may be

helpful to get in contact with a career counselor in order to perfect your resumé.

“They also offer lots of testing and assessment tools that help you find what you’re good at,” said Koser. “And it’s a place to be open about some of those fears when looking for a job or new career.”

Huber has some advice for mothers out there who may be between jobs, or who are reluctant to search for that perfect 9-to-5 due to family commitments.

“We [as mothers] put so much [pressure] on ourselves,” she said, noting how this “mom guilt” raises questions like whether their children will miss them or need them while they are on the job.

“Just go out there and find a job you’re excited for, so that when you do land a job, you’re not regretting that decision,” she said.

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Christina Kunkle’s six steps to

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Personal freedom

e are blessed to live at a time and in a country where our choices are virtually limitless. Each of us has been given the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Yet many women tell me that they feel trapped in circumstances where it seems their choices are very limited, or their voices are going unheard.

My mentors teach that “Courage + Self-Discipline = Freedom,” and rather than a final destination, it’s an ongoing journey of spurts, dips and spirals.

As my resilience-coaching practice

crosses in to its eighth year, I’m both humbled and honored to experience the transformative freedom of doing what fulfills me every day.

Here are six steps to self-leadership that I take time and time again and that have had a major impact on my own sense of personal freedom:

1. Decide

Everything that happens to us starts with a choice. With freedom comes responsibility to lead yourself and create a life by design, not by default. Choose to be the CEO of YOU and create balanced (not toxic) success.

What

core values will you choose to guide your thoughts, feelings and actions?

2. Intend

Set a clear intention based on what having more freedom means to you.

Perhaps it’s being released from selfcriticism, shadow comforts — like alcohol, food or drug addiction — work that doesn’t fulfill you, financial struggle, fear of criticism, chronic pain or dysfunctional family dynamics. Maybe you declare “enough is enough” and start speaking to be heard, even if you’re the only one listening.

3. Attend

Give your goal the attention it deserves, and put inspired action behind what you say you want. First, grab your journal and write down everything that holds you back or ties you down.

Your path will become clear. Armed with a plan, you can confidently schedule that tough conversation, ask for support from trusted friends and family, chop up that credit card, find your tribe of likeminded women or sign up for the See STEPS, Page 11

Thinkstock Photo

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“You don’t have to spend one more day feeling stuck or unheard.”

Steps

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class that your new direction requires.

4. Persist

Yes, this is where self-discipline comes in. If you’re anything like me, you just cringed a little. It still comes fully equipped with a paddle and feels a lot like punishment. So, look at discipline this way: Consistent, small steps create amazing breakthroughs over time. It means staying committed to taking actions based on your definition of freedom, even when you don’t feel like it. It’s so easy to take action based on our emotional reaction in the moment, but discipline means that we are creating our life instead of just reacting to it.

5. Deviate

Setbacks are an expected part of breakthroughs and comebacks. There will be times you go numb and selfsabotage or veer off course due to circumstances you can’t control; instead of beating yourself up or giving up altogether, love yourself right back on track.

6. Re-Decide

Start Over! (It’s a spiral, remember?)

I encourage you to think more about what freedom means to you. At the heart of my “Synergy Success Mani-

festo” are the core values I help my clients cultivate as they move away from burnout and toward their potential for balanced success.

Coach Challenge:

How about writing your own manifesto, or “Personal Declaration of Independence?”

■ man*i*fes*to — a public declaration of intentions, opinions, or purposes.

■ dec*la*ra*tion — a statement that is emphatic and explicit, either spoken or written.

You don’t have to spend one more day feeling stuck or unheard. You’re the one you’ve been waiting for. Be your own hero.

As Benjamin Franklin said “The U.S. Constitution doesn’t guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself.”

Christina Kunkle, R.N. and CTA Certified Life and Wellness Coach, is founder of Synergy Life and Wellness Coaching, LLC, creator of the “Synergy Success Circle” and “SOAR” a Heart-Centered Leadership Development Program. She helps busy women prevent burnout by promoting bounce-back resilience to stay focused, positive and excited about the challenges of work and life. To learn more please visit her website www.synergylifeandwellnesscoaching.com or call (540) 7465206.

SYNERGY SUCCESS MANIFESTO Core values intentionally cultivated by heartcentered, purpose-driven women who strive to create balanced success without burning out.

SUCCESSFUL — purposeful, intentional, collaborative, team player YOU-NIQUE — out-of-the-box, authentic, dares to be different, creative NURTURING — heart-centered, compassionate, generous, expanded EXCEPTIONAL — high-achieving, extraordinary, dedicated, accountable RESILIENT — courageous, victorious, fierce, focused, no-excuses approach GRATEFUL — appreciative, looking for gift hidden within struggles YOUTHFUL — spirited, fun-loving, passionate, inspirational SYNERGY = SUCCESS

STRONG IN FAITH — daily spiritual practice, foundation of inner peace UNUSUALLY OPTIMISTIC — past does not define worth nor dictate future CONFIDENT — perfect in imperfection, quick to celebrate progress COMPETENT — committed to excellence, skilled, single-minded EMPOWERED — energetic, healthy and happy in mind, body, spirit SENSE OF OWNERSHIP — CEO of own life, takes full responsibility for self SYSTEM-ORIENTED —designs & implements blueprint to get desired results

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your BEAUTY

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a f c t a i a l k c o l o e l ansers h s e r f A Local experts weigh pros and possible pitfalls of

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beaut y oils ARTICLE BY ALEDA JOHNSON

rom the moment our first pimple appears during puberty, teens are taught that oil is bad and retinol and salicylic acid are the miracle cures needed to zap their zits.

But a new movement of holistic skincare taking hold of the beauty industry is giving oil a reprieve from its time out and thrusting it into the spotlight.

Mariza Dovis, oil expert and manager of Cedar Stone Spa on Lucy Drive in Harrisonburg, has been using oils on her skin her whole life. She is an advocate for herbal wisdom and plant medicine, which is encouraged at Cedar Stone Spa. Dovis understands the paradoxical view of using oil to treat oily skin, but she stresses that it really does work.

“Some people think oils aren’t good for oily skin or that they make you oily, but it actually doesn’t,” she said. “Some products will dry your face when they say there is no oil in it, but natural oils will help your skin balance the oil out, depending on the plant and what you’re using as a product.”

While Mary Kathrine Mather, a dermatologist with Access Dermatology in Harrisonburg, says that moisturizing with oils to slow oil production is a myth, she does say that it helps lock moisture into the epidermis.

“Everything we do with moisturizing is Thinkstock Photo / Metro Photo, Page 13

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trying to keep water in the epidermis,” Mather said. “Whether that’s a traditional moisturizer or an essential oil, it comes down more to preference than great data of one being more superior to the other.”

In the know

If you decide to take the plunge, there are some things to consider.

First, there are different kinds of beauty oils. An essential oil is a potent oil that is derived directly from the petals, leaves, bark, stem or even roots of plants through a distillation process, See OILS, Page 13

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according to Dovis.

Carrier oils are derived from the fatty portion of plants, nuts and seeds, and they are used, for our purposes, as a solution to dilute essential oils, Dovis said.

Carrier oils tend to be thicker and have little to no aroma, which is another reason they mix so well with more fragrant essential oils.

Each carrier and essential oil has unique properties that pose benefits to the skin ranging from increased elasticity and acnefighting to antiseptic and anti-inflammatory.

Common essential oils are lavender, tea tree, lemon, frankincense and chamomile, which can all either help with blemishes and acne or disinfect, according to Dovis.

Jojoba, rosehip, almond and castor oils are common carrier oils, which all mix well with one another and have some form of acne-fighting and skin-smoothing properties, according to Dovis.

Dovis uses castor oil on her skin regularly, and said that even though it is thick, it really works.

“It has a lot of great healing properties, like reducing the visibility of scars or aging spots,” she said. “It promotes quicker healing and cellular production,

which means new skin.”

Recipe for success

When deciding which oils to use, remember the oil solution you choose can be Carrier oils can be used on their own, as unique as your skin. mixed with an essential oil or with another For instance if you have oily, acnecarrier oil. prone skin, try frankincense essential oil — Castor oil, a carrier, also is a dry oil, which has antibacterial and anti-inflammameaning that when genertory benefits — with joously rubbed on your [Castor oil] has a joba oil — which is skin, it will actually dry it lot of great healing naturally similar to human out instead of moisturizproperties, like sebum (or skin oil) and ing it, according to theoilreducing the will balance oil produccleansingmethod.com. visibility of scars or tion, according to online Mixing it with another aging spots. peer-support community carrier oil, like jojoba or Mariza Dovis, acne.org. sunflower seed oil, can Or if you have dry, irrioil expert & manager at help dampen this propCedar Stone Spa tated skin, try mixing olive erty. oil — which is antioxiBut when it comes to essential oils, dant-rich and great for dry skin and Dovis stressed, it is very important to dilute eczema — with lavender essential oil — them because of how potent they are. which helps regenerate skin cells, according The magic number depends on how to acne.org. much carrier oil is being used, but accordBut whatever oils you choose, it is iming to the National Association for Holis- portant to research the properties of each tic Aromatherapy, essential oils should be oil before choosing the one right for you, in a 1-to-2.5 percent dilution when used on Mather said. the face.

For example, lemon essential oil can alThis means that for every 2 table- leviate dandruff and work as an anti-mispoons of carrier oil, 6-15 drops of essen- crobial, but it also makes the skin tial oil should be used, depending on how photosensitive, Dovis warned. sensitive your skin is. For more sensitive See OILS, Page 27 skin, use less essential oil.

Mixing it up

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your SPIRITUALITY

ARTICLE BY MATT GONZALES / PHOTOGRAPHY BY AUSTIN BACHAND

Rebecca and Aaron Swope watch as Amanda Garber, pastor at RISE, baptizes their son Jaxon, 11 weeks, during a service at Court Square Theater on Sunday, June 21.

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A question of faith

Valley devout weigh advantages of raising children in religious institutions

he topic of religion is one that often evokes fervent discussions and debates.

Some circles view religion as a vital element to a person’s wellbeing, a moral compass by which individuals live their lives. Others view it as nothing more than a set of beliefs not to be taken seriously.

To wit, many parents instill religious principles in their children at a young age, which includes the teachings of a given religion’s doctrine, while others avoid religion altogether.

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In October 2014, Deborah Mitchell, a Dallas, Texas-based freelance writer who runs the blog, “Kids Without Religion,” touched on this subject through a piece for CNN.com titled “Misconceptions of Godless Parents.”

In the article, Mitchell, the mother of two teenaged boys, outlined and responded to some of the comments she has received over the years from those who protest her desire to eschew raising her children to believe in God. She listed some of these “misconceptions” and responded to each

one, explaining her thoughtprocess as a parent.

For example, she touched on her preference and tendency to focus on the needs of her children on an emotional level, rather than a spiritual one. When asked how she would be able to teach her children right from wrong, Mitchell noted “morality doesn’t come from religion,” rather it comes from “self-awareness, selfreflection and empathy.” She explained that this social construct is best learned from a child’s parents, rather than religion.

While she may not be alone in her sentiments, there are those with contrasting views when it comes to religion and children.

This schism in beliefs leads to the question: Are there benefits to bringing up a child with religion?

And do these benefits outweigh any perceived disadvantages?

According to Harvey Yoder, an ordained minister in the Virginia Mennonite Conference and a licensed professional counselor and licensed marriage and family See FAITH, Page 15

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therapist for the Family Life Resource Center in Harrisonburg, there are some clear advantages to doing so. One advantage relates to establishing a sense of community for the child, which often accompanies interactions within a church community.

“I think every human being needs a good support network of caring people, regardless of religious doctrine,” said Yoder, noting how this is often established through the church. “We all need to have a sense of community, of people who are accountable to each other, care for each other — that sense of extended family.”

A healthy congregation, no matter where it lies on the theological spectrum, can be a benefit to a child’s mental health, Yoder explained, as he has seen a strong

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correlation between good mental health and this sense of belonging.

“I am struck by how many people come in with great distress as to how minimal their support network is,” he added.

Amanda Garber, pastor at RISE, a United Methodist Faith Community in Harrisonburg, shares this opinion, noting how raising a child with this sense of community can be transformational.

“The church, when it is at its best, can offer a sense of love and community that can nurture, shape, form, challenge and transform a child,” said Garber, who founded RISE in September 2010.

“It enables that child to understand who God is, and when a child is exposed to that radical grace and love, it’s transformative.”

Garber opined that it is the responsibility of every parent or

caregiver to raise a world-changing, radical human being, which can be a tough task to do alone. Parents need help, whether it is from extended family members, friends, teachers, mentors or a religious congregation.

“It takes a village,” she said.

While Garber emphasized the phrase, “at its best” with regard to the church, she also touched on what she considers to be its obstructive aspects.

She maintains her gratitude for the love and forgiveness she has received from the church, but noted how she also has witnessed it become “abusive” by instilling fear, discrimination and exclusion through words — something she considers to be a “dangerous” aspect of religion, especially when children are involved.

“I’ve seen people love the church yet also rejected by the

church, which left them deeply wounded,” explained Garber.

“Many people have not experienced radical grace; rather they’ve experienced legalism and fear.”

She says this type of environment can undoubtedly have an impact on an impressionable child, as they are looking for answers to so many questions at an early age.

These questions are best answered through actions, said Garber.

“I’m floored by what my 10and 6-year-old pick up,” said Garber, before noting how so many teenagers and young adults are “walking away from the church” after being in such an environment throughout their childhood.

Statistics back up this claim.

According to a study conducted by Christianity Today, a “globally minded” evangelical magazine that See FAITH, Page 31

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Choosing to

‘Embrace Difficulty’ Valerie Smith shares defining moments ARTICLE BY ALEDA JOHNSON | PHOTOGRAPHY BY HOLLY MARCUS

itting in her dorm room during her freshman year at James Madison University, Valerie Larkin Smith was being led on an imaginary journey. She was asked to picture herself walking down a path and to describe the path and what she saw on all sides of her.

Suddenly a bear jumped on her imaginary path. While most people would choose to fight the bear, hide from it or shoot it, without any hesitation, Smith chose to dance with the bear.

Looking back on the exercise, Smith, now 37, says she knew the activity was supposed to represent how she sees herself. What she discovered was that how she chose to deal with conflict and difficulty defined her.

“I think in that moment, dancing with the bear means approaching conflict full of love and not allowing fear to dictate choice,” she said. “I chose to embrace difficulty and learn from those experiences and move on; to enjoy it rather than letting that hold me down.”

Smith’s inclination to dance with the bear was the core

S

impetus to becoming an art educator and founding Larkin Arts, her gallery and store in downtown Harrisonburg.

‘Art truly saved my life’

Smith and her brother and sister grew up in a strict, fundamentalist Christian household in Front Royal, Va., that Smith said was very controlling.

Smith didn’t even know college was a real place and not just fiction on a television screen until she was in high school because she was forbidden to attend.

To handle their intense situation at home, Smith’s siblings turned down a destructive path. Her sister became dependent on drugs and attempted suicide, while her brother became depressed and dropped out of life for 10 years.

But looking at Smith now as she sits cross-legged and relaxed in a plush armchair in Larkin Arts, her past clearly hasn’t gotten her down.

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And she attributes her happy life to art.

“I don’t think it’s a belief; I think it’s a fact that art has a power to change lives,” Smith said. “Art truly saved my life.”

Smith claims that art was always there for her. She would come home from school every day and draw, and that artistic outlet gave Smith the ability to express things and heal in a way that was intuitive and natural. “[My siblings and I] had the same choices in life, but I had this one thing that they didn’t, which was the ability to express all that was negative that was living on the inside,” she said.

It is a big part of why she is a staunch advocate for non-censorship of children’s artwork, especially in the public school system.

“When you allow someone to put all of that nasty and yuck on paper or on canvas or in a sculpture, it doesn’t live inside of them anymore,” she said. “No matter how upsetting the images are, you feel how wonderful it is that it no longer lives inside you.”

Despite not having art classes in school until she was in eighth grade, Smith loved art and decided to pursue it in college — against her parents’ wishes — when she consecutively earned a spot in JMU’s summer arts program that brought younger students into college classrooms for further education.

But just like her gut reaction to dance with the bear, Smith’s reasoning for going to college and ultimately for starting Larkin Arts happened because they “just felt right.”

“It felt like everything fell into place, just like it feels like my work

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Photo by Holly Marcus

Valerie Smith (center), owner of Larkin Arts on Court Square in Harrisonburg, teaches several art camps for kids at the studio through the summer.

here is easy, but it’s not,” she said.

“When you’re following the right path, there are obstacles like the bear, but it doesn’t feel like work.”

The dream

Smith graduated from JMU in 2001 with a degree in Studio Art and Art Education and taught for three years near Washington, D.C. The idea for Larkin Arts began in the spring of 2001, and Smith attributes it to the lack of smartphone technology at the time.

Driving her old, blue Oldsmobile down Interstate 81 in 2001, Smith was coming home from a friend’s house and her radio broke.

Sitting in silence for hours, without the ability to flip on an iPod or turn on a podcast, Smith started dreaming instead.

After she had a house paid off, settled in with a family or given to charity, what would Smith do? Arts education was her first thought, because she knew she wanted to be a

teacher, but education as advocacy came next.

“It’s so amazing how much people love art and how much people undervalue it,” she said. “So part of my goal with Larkin is to educate the public as well about the value of art, the value of an artist, the financial as well as intangible value.”

But the dream was put on hold as Smith moved back to Harrisonburg for a job with Harrisonburg City Public Schools, where she worked as an elementary and middle school art teacher for 12 years, while teaching various afterschool and summer programs.

During that time, Smith’s dream began to take form as Larkin Studios came to fruition. From 200609, Smith and her husband, Scott Whitten, 31, ran Larkin Art Studios on Newman Avenue in Harrisonburg, a small one-room business that consisted of a gallery and school that ran year-round classes.

The studio began to grow after six months and Smith became a director, instructor, curator, administrator, grant writer, housekeeper and liaison between the studio and community organizations in addition to teaching full time for the public schools.

“There came a point when I felt actual stress, and I recognized that it was a little too much,” she said.

As the work became too much for Smith, the studio closed from 2009-12, and she decided to just focus on teaching. But after a year of having nothing to do, Smith “got the itch” and began planning again.

“There’s an art of doing nothing, and it’s important to do nothing, to have time to get bored,” Smith admitted. “That’s where our innovations and our creativity comes from.”

The idea began to develop as Smith worked on a business plan and took in community input, and

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the current Larkin Arts Center opened on Aug. 27, 2012, on Court Square in downtown Harrisonburg.

When Smith began Larkin, she always thought she would be the one putting most of the work into the project, but she soon found it brought her closer to her husband.

As the workload began to build again, Smith grappled with whether to quit teaching because she couldn’t afford to hire a manager for the store. Her husband, who works fulltime as a bartender, volunteered to take care of the store while Smith taught during the day.

The opportunity actually allowed the couple to spend more time together than they had before Larkin opened.

“He was here while I was teaching, and I would come here after teaching to relieve him. We would talk business then he would go bartend, and I would close the store,” Smith said. “This afforded us the opportunity to see each other in the afternoon, because he wouldn’t go in to work until later, and we had time to talk.”

Since then Smith has quit teaching, but Whitten remained Larkin’s retail manager, and Smith said she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“We make each other better in every way together,” she said.

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covergirl photos for this issue of Bloom; Holly Marcus worked with Smith’s middle school students on a day they did movie filming for a mini Super Gr8 film festival.

And Smith admits she loves working in committees like those she is involved in, because she wants to be a part of the action.

“Most teachers or professors are assigned to committees because it’s required and most people groan, but I really love it,” Smith said. “Because when you get a small group of people who are all working toward a common goal, you can get so much accomplished.”

And no one would know how involved Smith is in the community better than fellow committee-lover Paul Somers, Larkin Arts Gallery co-director and owner of The Golden Pony in downtown Harrisonburg.

The pair have been working together since Smith was running Larkin Studios and Somers was bartending and arranging art shows at the Artful Dodger.

Somers was all for Smith opening Larkin Arts because it added to what the downtown square had to offer. Or as Somers puts it, Harrisonburg’s “fireplace mantel.”

“What we have in the downtown square in the community says a lot about what’s important to us.

And you’ve got the courthouse, church, lawyers offices, but then there’s this art supply store, gallery and studio spaces,” Somers said.

“As somebody who lives in the community, [opening Larkin] felt like a huge step in the right direction for what the people that I knew who were active in the community would be very excited about.”

The pair have since been collaborating to run Pegasus, the Larkin Arts overflow gallery in The Golden Pony.

According to Somers, his working relationship with Smith is just another example of how downtown businesses are partnering to further promote the arts and the collaboration happened effortlessly

because of their friendship.

“It’s taking an aesthetic perspective to business ownership that I don’t think you see with the older businesses,” he said. “Because there’s such a strong and vibrant arts community here, every single one of these people are major contributors to the arts community. So when the opportunity arose [to start Pegasus], it just so happened that we were there and it worked.”

Smith is pushing toward the future by educating one person at a time. Sarah Hade, who started working with Smith a year ago as a graphic design intern and did all of Larkin Arts’ branding, is now learning how to run a gallery and will be taking over Pegasus when she graduates from JMU next year.

Smith easily slips back into her teaching role with Hade as she learns the ins and outs of putting a gallery show together, and Hade said Smith is a very See SMITH, Page 29

A part of the action

Now, serving on the Arts Council of the Valley board of directors, a member of downtown organizations like Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance, and on the community action team for Any Given Child with the Harrisonburg City School System, Smith is involved in many aspects of the Harrisonburg arts community.

She even has a connection with the photographer shooting the

Photo by Holly Marcus

Valerie Smith’s idea for Larkin Arts began in the spring of 2001, and she attributes it to the lack of smartphone technology at the time.

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your TABLE

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Gone vegan

T

Valley residents tout benefits of plant-based diets, share recipes

hree years ago, Essa, 39, and Kurt Paterson, 49, of Harrisonburg, decided to go on an all-plant-based diet in an effort to improve Kurt Patterson’s heart health.

“His cholesterol and blood pressure were incrementally going up every year, and we tried other diets, but nothing seemed to work,” says Essa Paterson, who works as a medical translator in Harrisonburg. “But when we made the move to a plant-based diet, things changed dramatically. I don’t know if it’s perfect for everybody, but we have young children, so he wants to be around to see them grow up. And I want him to be here too, so it’s kind of a no brainer for us.”

According to Emily Shaber, a registered dietitian at Sentara RMH, a plant-based diet has the potential to decrease a person’s risk for many chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, cancer and hypertension.

“Anytime we have someone come in with heart problems, we

Josie Kinkade, who has been vegan for 15 years, cooks a Sun-Dried Tomato Eggplant Pasta at her Harrisonburg home on Thursday, June 18.

ARTICLE BY HANNAH PITSTICK PHOTOGRAPHY BY AUSTIN BACHAND

recommend they start on the Mediterranean diet, which primarily incorporates plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts,” Shaber says. “It also recommends replacing butter with healthy fats, such as olive oil, limiting red meat to no more than a few times a month, and eating fish

and poultry at least twice a week.”

The complete package

Opponents of an exclusively plant-based diet sometimes will argue that cutting out animal protein entirely could lead to deficiencies in four key areas.

“There are several nutrients that people get concerned about,

and they are iron, calcium, protein and vitamin B12,” says Josie Kinkade, retired physician and vegan of 15 years. “It’s easy to get all the protein you need with beans, and there’s even protein in kale, for heaven’s sake. But it turns out that we just don’t need near the amount of protein people think we do, and we certainly don’t need complete protein.”

A complete protein, generally found in animal products but also found in some plant-based products, provides your body with all nine essential amino acids in one source, according to the National Institutes of Health. Kinkade explains that if within a day or two you eat a variety of foods that have different amino acids in them, your body knows how to combine them into complete proteins on its own.

As for iron, Kinkade points out that there’s plenty in legumes, greens and potato peels. Tofu, leafy greens and plant-based milks contain calcium, and vitamin B12 See VEGAN, Page 21

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FROM PAGE 20

can be found in fortified plantbased milk and nutritional yeast.

“It’s controversial whether or not people truly are obligate meat eaters because of the B12 issue,” Kinkade says. “People are on this Paleo Diet, but there’s actually some thought that the actual paleo diet was almost completely plantbased because there wasn’t much meat, and that the plants they pulled up and cooked had so much dirt in them that the B12 was clinging to the roots, and that’s where they were getting their B12.

They also only lived to be 22, so why would I want to go on a Paleo Diet?”

Why go vegan?

The top three reasons a person may choose to adopt a vegan diet are for health, environmental or

Kinkade says that many people who consider going vegan have a particular food they say they would have trouble living without. “My main failing is milk chocolate,” Kinkade says.

ethical reasons. Kinkade became a vegan for ethical reasons, but soon realized the health and environmental benefits as well.

“I definitely came at it from the animal compassion viewpoint,” she says. “But it also turns out that by the time my mother and aunts

were my age they were considerably heavier than I am. And all had terrible cholesterol, and some of them were diabetic, and one of them had had a stroke. And I don’t have any of those ... problems.”

For those who are new to cooking plant-based foods, Essa

Paterson recommends thinking beyond American dietary norms.

“Think about how a lot of the rest of the world eats, and get ideas from Ethiopian, Mexican, Greek, and Mediterranean food — it makes it a lot more interesting for sure.”

Kinkade points out that the majority of vegan food is “normal,” and you can be a vegan without ever having to eat tofu or kale.

“I wasn’t too fond of tofu until I learned to cook it,” she says.

Many would-be vegans say they can’t imagine life without [insert animal product], and both Paterson and Kinkade admit it can be difficult to either find substitutes or give up a favorite food.

“My main failing is milk chocolate,” Kinkade says. “Cheese I was able to give up, and most people See VEGAN, Page 25

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your HEALTH

Staying in the race

M

With more women facing ACL injuries, many are asking why ARTICLE BY MATT GONZALES

ixed martial artist Ronda Rousey.

WNBA player Skylar Diggins. U.S. Soccer stars Alex Morgan and Brandi Chastain. Tennis player Mary Pierce.

All of these ladies share several characteristics, some more obvious than others: They’re all athletes.

They’ve all played their respective sport on its highest platform. Each has gathered a bevy of awards, recognitions and fan support during their career.

Another shared characteristic? A torn anterior cruciate ligament.

On the surface, this may be far from surprising. ACL injuries are fairly common in today’s sports climate, especially one in which world class athletes must brave rigorous training activities year-round. What may be startling, however, is the fact that female athletes are afflicted with ACL injuries at a rate that is 2- to 10-times more common than male athletes participating in the same activity, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

Whether you’re a high-profile professional athlete, a high school competitor, or a run-of-the-mill sports enthusiast who chooses to play an afternoon game of pickup soccer at a local park, if you’re a woman playing a sport, the likelihood

Thinkstock Photo

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of suffering this debilitating knee injury increases.

A wave of consternation has swept the nation over the root of these happenings in recent years.

Medical experts and athletic trainers around the country continue to actively research and hypothesize in an attempt to alleviate such an injury.

Yet, the question remains: Why are women so vulnerable to ACL injuries?

Reasons

Mike Downey is no stranger to knee injuries.

In fact, as head athletic trainer at Eastern Mennonite University, he crosses paths with athletes who have endured these injuries, specifically ligament sprains and tears, multiple times each year. During his 25-year tenure with the university, he has come to recognize what statistics already suggest: Women suffer knee injuries at a much higher rate than men.

“At least one female [athlete] goes through an ACL surgery every year, while we could go a couple of years without a male athlete having an ACL [injury],” said Downey, noting how he once encountered a female athlete who sustained four ACL injuries prior to college graduation.

The ACL is a fundamental rubber band-like ligament that holds the tibia (the shin bone) and femur (the See ACL, Page 23

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Whether it is planting your left foot in order to kick a soccer ball with your right, or jumping toward the rim in an effort to corral a basketball, when an athlete is planting their leg, decelerating or changing direction in some fashion, the impact with the ground causes a chain reaction within the lower body increasing the chance of rupturing the ligament, says Mike Downey, head athletic trainer at Eastern Mennonite University.

FROM PAGE 22

thigh bone) in place, which provides rotational stability to the knee. The tearing of the ligament occurs when these bones go in opposing directions, in turn forcing the ligament apart.

“When that force exceeds tensile strength, a partial or full tear occurs,” added Downey.

The ligament tear may occur during contact or noncontact activities that employ jumping and cutting, such as basketball, field hockey and soccer, according to Downey. When an athlete is planting their leg, decelerating or changing direction in some fashion — whether it is planting your left foot in order to kick a soccer ball with your right, or jumping toward the rim in an effort to corral a basketball — the impact with the ground causes a chain reaction within the lower body, starting from the pelvis and ending at the knee, increasing the chance of rupturing the ligament.

“When they plant, there’s so much ground reaction force, which has to do with body weight and how fast you’re moving,” explained Mike Martin, owner of Next Level Athletic Development, a sports training organization based in Harrisonburg.

Biology plays a significant role in the ACL injury, specifically as it pertains to knee alignment, Martin said. Women have what is called a high valgus angle of the knee — also called a “Q angle,” or more commonly referred to as “knocked knees.” Wide hips cause the knees to cave inwardly due to the angle at which the femur attaches to the hip and knee, as well as the internal rotation of the hip, creating an instable dynamic.

“Women have wider pelvises for childbearing, resulting in this

Metro Creative Photo

higher valgus angle,” explained better than Vernon.

Chad Muxlow, D.O., at Sentara The McHenry, Md., native tore RMH Orthopedics and Sports the ligament during a ski accident Medicine. “So when they jump, it at Seven Springs Mountain Resort puts more force on the knee in Pennsylvania in January 2008. At causing a higher chance for in- the moment of the injury, she rejury.” called hearing a Women have Hormonal lev“pop” in her knee wider pelvises for — a common els are also thought childbearing ... So theme for those to be a contributwhen they jump, ing factor, as they who sustain similar it puts more force injuries — which influence the strucon the knee. ture of the ACL drew immediate and influence the Chad Muxlow, D.O., concern. muscles and ten“It was instant of Sentara RMH Orthopedics and Sports dons around the pain,” explained Medicine Vernon. “But the ligament. An increase in estrogen and elastin may funny thing is, after about an hour, result in more ligament laxity, cre- the pain is completely gone.” ating a looseness that comproHer rehabilitation process was mises the overall stability of the a long road, testing her both physknee, Muxlow said. ically and psychologically. After “When hormones are let out surgery, the first couple months to have a child, it is thought that were spent relearning to walk. our ligaments and tendons stretch Physical therapy came next, cona little bit,” said Callie Vernon, an sisting of range-of-motion drills athletic training major at James and aerobic-style maneuvers that Madison University. “And this allow a person to regain full flexicould lead to a potential injury.” bility.

“It consisted of stretching out the knee, biking and electrotherapy Recovery The road to recovery for some- in order to break up the scar tisone coming off an ACL injury can sue,” explained Vernon, noting be arduous. Nobody knows that how breaking up scar tissue gives

“

way to a more effective healing process.

Next were drills such as box jumping, ascending and descending flights of stairs, and other activities that build back strength in the knee.

“You must work on weightbearing exercises such as simple squatting and balancing in order to get that strength back,” added Downey. “Then that turns into the functional exercises of running and jogging in order to get your basic endurance back.”

The last line of activities was agility drills, which typically include planting and cutting and other sports-specific exercises in order to rebuild trust in the knee.

Eight months post-injury, Vernon was cleared by her doctor to play recreational soccer that fall.

Recovering from ACL reconstruction surgery may take as little as five months or longer than a year, though for most female athletes recovery time spans between six and 12 months, according to Downey. In many instances, the athlete comes back in better overall physical shape than she was preinjury. The increased intensity during workouts lends itself not only to rebuilding the knee, but also building a stronger overall body.

See ACL, Page 31

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FROM PAGE 21

have tremendous trouble with cheese.

But I’m more of a sweets person, and cheese is just so bad for you. As a physician treating people for cholesterol year after year, I could picture cheese just lining the arteries.”

Kinkade says she would recommend a plant-based diet for anyone, even those who say they became anemic after making the change.

“If for some reason you’re not absorbing iron well, for one thing, increase your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables that have vitamin C, which helps you absorb iron, but for another, take iron,” she says.

“But I don’t want to push this on anybody,” she emphasizes. “Food is next to the soul. And people are very attached to what they eat and their beliefs around food — life is not long enough to sit around judging people.”

Sun-dried tomato eggplant pasta 1 regular size eggplant 1 onion 1 jar sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil 1 can quartered artichoke hearts 1 clove garlic 1 handful of fresh

cherry tomatoes, halved Salt and pepper to taste GoVeggie “parmesan cheese” 1 box spaghetti or linguini of your preferred thickness

Quinoa salad with hearts of palm 1 cup white quinoa 2 cups cold water ½ teaspoon salt (optional) 1 can hearts of palm 1 can artichoke hearts 2 small green onions 2 small jars of pimientos ¼ teaspoon granulated

garlic ½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger (optional) 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil (leftover oil from sundried tomatoes is great) ¼ cup apple cider vinegar ½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce (optional)

Put 4 quarts of water with 1 tablespoon of salt on to boil. Dice the eggplant and the onion, mince the garlic, and sauté in a bit of the oil from the tomato jar.

While you’re sautéing the veggies, cut the dried tomatoes into small pieces and add to the pan. (Save the rest of the olive oil in the jar for later use).

Add the pasta to the water and cook according to package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, add the artichoke heart quarters and cherry tomatoes to the eggplant mixture and heat through.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Drain your pasta, scoop the sautéed veggies over it, sprinkle a bit of GoVeggie parmesan, and enjoy!

Rinse the quinoa to get rid of the “soapy” bitter flavor, unless you have bought pre-rinsed quinoa. A large strainer works well for this. Place in a 2-quart saucepan with water and optional salt. Bring to a boil and cook covered on low heat for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it continue cooking covered for another few minutes. Test for doneness. Cool the quinoa by placing the saucepan in a sink or larger pan that has ice water in the bottom. While the quinoa is cooking and cooling, prepare your other ingredients: Drain the pimientos for a few minutes (you can use the rinsed strainer from the quinoa.

Dice the hearts of palm and artichoke hearts into small pieces. Slice the green onions fine Add the oil to the quinoa first and stir it up, then combine and add the rest of the ingredients.

Adjust the seasonings to taste. Serve cold, or warm it to room temp in the microwave to maximize flavor.

Recipe courtesy of Josie Kinkade

Recipe courtesy of Josie Kinkade

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FROM PAGE 13

And while tea tree oil is popular for treating acne, athlete’s foot and inflammation, Mather warns that studies have shown 5 percent of people who use it develop an allergy to it.

Putting it in practice

Exfoliation is an important part of using oils because it gets rid of dead skin, which in turn helps the oil sink in after application.

Dovis recommends using salt or sugar scrubs as natural exfoliators and warns not to over exfoliate.

“To over exfoliate would mean drying your skin out more, so I would say doing it maybe once or twice a week, depending on the type of work you do,” she said.

“Because I do body work, I tend

Page 27

to get other people’s oils on my face, so sometimes I find I need to exfoliate a little more often just because I can feel the buildup.”

There also are many ways to use face oils, depending on what you want them to do and your skin type.

The oils can be used in addition to or in place of a moisturizer. Just wash your face as normal and rub a small amount of your personalized blend into your skin until absorbed.

The oil cleansing method uses natural oils in place of a facial cleanser.

Just put a quarter-sized amount of your chosen mix — like a castor and jojoba oil mixture — into your hand and massage all over your face.

Take a clean, warm washcloth and hold it over your face until it cools. Gently wipe the remaining

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Though it goes against everything most teens are taught when they reach puberty, Dovis says this method works for the same reason that oils are better than any overthe-counter makeup remover at clearing the skin of even the toughest waterproof mascara smudges.

One of the most basic principles of chemistry is “like dissolves like,” so the best way to dissolve a nonpolar solvent like sebum (skin oil) is with another nonpolar solvent like a natural oil, not water, which is polar. Because most make-up is oil-based, using oil removes it the best.

Even the most basic forms of soap adhere to this principle by including fatty acids and oils such as coconut acid and palm acid (the fats in coconut oil and palm kernel

oil) that react with lye to produce soap, according to Dovis.

Plus, she said, water that comes out of the tap is treated with chemicals that could cause dryness.

“There are all the products that come through the filtration systems to making [the water] potable and ‘clean,’ but in actuality that chlorine is drying your face,” she said.

Things to remember

Dovis has a few precautions for using oils on your face.

First, you should make sure you have no allergies to the oil and plant extracts you’re using.

Dovis recommends finding a spot on the body you don’t mind possibly getting a little bit of a rash, but that also is sensitive, like See OILS, Page 29

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FROM PAGE 27

the inside of your forearm, and dabbing a small amount of the new oil on the area.

“Once you know you’re not allergic to two or three oils, you can make a little spritz spray for your face,” she said.

The other tip Dovis gives is what to do if oil gets into your eye or reacts poorly on the skin.

Dovis said this happens with peppermint essential oil sometimes. Though it is cooling, there also is a heat when it’s put on a sensitive spot on the body.

She said the best thing to do is use oil, not water, because water makes your body absorb the bad oil faster and again, oil dissolves oil.

“Let’s say you have olive oil, you would put it on a swab or put a little in your eye and keep

Page 29

wiping until it picks it up,” Dovis said. “The oil will help it come off of your skin, similar to how oils make great makeup removers.”

And Mather cautions that just because something is natural doesn’t mean it’s good for you.

“I tell people all the time that poison ivy is natural, so just because it’s natural, doesn’t mean you want it on your skin,” she said. “You have to inform yourself, and don’t think just because my friend uses it or because a salesperson said I should be dipping myself in sesame oil that it’s always a good thing.”

Dovis and Mather both agree that there isn’t just one way to approach healthy skin. Research and try something, and if it doesn’t work, try something else.

“Some people can’t afford to get a massage often, but I think

‘What can I do every day to show that I care about myself?’” she said. “Anything that you do for yourself can be so healing.”

Mather agrees, as long as proper preparatory research is done.

“I do understand that it’s a quagmire as far as trying to figure out what’s best for your skin, but I think that essential oils certainly have some recognition in our world in terms of being helpful,” she said.

Most beauty oils can be purchased online or from a health foods store like Friendly City Food Co-op in Harrisonburg.

For more information on beauty oils, visit any beauty website or contact Cedar Stone Spa at 437-0411.

Aleda started using beauty oils in May and saw her acne almost disappear in a week!

Smith

FROM PAGE 19

thorough instructor.

“Starting out as an art educator, [Smith] just provides a lot of awesome direction,” Hade said. “She gives you your space to do your own thing, but she’s a great guide in our community and personally.”

As she looks to the future of Larkin Arts, Smith is revisiting her earlier Oldsmobile musings of ‘If I had unlimited resources, what would I do?’

She said her next step is providing opportunities for artists to do great work, whether it’s career or show opportunities or studio space.

“The fact that we have three people that work here full time as artists, I think that’s wonderful,” Smith said. “I just want 300 more.

“That’s the future, I think, of Larkin Arts,” she said. “Right now it’s a dream, just like this space used to be.”

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FROM PAGE 5

make friends through work or school.

“I work with a bunch of people who are twice my age,” says Grabau, who works in the Harrisonburg Workers’ Compensation office. “There are a lot of free community activities, especially in the downtown area, but you wouldn’t want to go by yourself. And you don’t just walk around asking strangers, ‘Can I be your friend?’”

Anyone can create a group on Meetup for $9.99 to $14.99 per month, depending on the payment plan. The group founder, along with anyone he or she makes a group organizer, can post events for members to attend.

Another social Meetup group based in the Valley is the

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Shenandoah Valley Social Fun Group. Originally the Young Staunton group, it has 215 members and largely holds events in Waynesboro, with occasional meetups in surrounding towns and cities.

The head organizer of the group is Derek Mitchell, 36, of Waynesboro, who took over for the group’s founder when she moved away for school.

“After a few months, I changed the name from Young Staunton, because there were some people, myself included, who weren’t so young anymore,” Mitchell says. “It’s open to anybody who wants to join as long as they enjoy having fun and meeting new people.”

Ana Childress, 26, also of Waynesboro, joined the Shenandoah Valley Social Fun Meetup in April 2013 after graduating

“

[Y]ou don’t just walk around asking strangers, ‘Can I be your friend?’

Beth Grabau, city resident and member of Harrisonburg Girlfriends Meetup group

from college and finding herself in a dull routine.

“I had just gotten out of college, and I joined a gym, and for a while it was work, gym, home, work, gym, home, and I was like this is boring. I’ve got to do something,” she says. “So my friend told me about Meetup, and once I went to my first event, I was like ‘I love this.’”

Since its creation, the group has gotten together for hikes, bowling, fireworks, movies and even Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners. “[The dinners] were great for

me, because I don’t have any family around here at all.”

Mitchell says. “And with my job, I can’t just take time off on holidays and go up north.”

According to Childress, Meetup has enabled her to go zip lining, hiking and participate in similar activities that she would have been unlikely to do on her own. And Mitchell says several people he’s met through Meetup have developed into genuine friends whom he hangs out with outside of official Meetup events.

“There would definitely be a void if Meetup didn’t exist,” he says. “So many people are on Facebook, but that’s designed to keep you online, whereas Meetup is designed to get you off the computer and doing stuff with others.”

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The integrity of the tendon, however, may never be the same.

“Nothing is ever stronger than what was originally made,” explained Muxlow. “But we have had good success at getting them back to the same activities and we expect them to be at a higher level than they were previously.”

Avoiding injury

Maintaining proper balance and posture can help mitigate the chance for injury tenfold, which is a tough task for many female athletes due to the intrinsic nature of their body.

When an athlete is not balanced, as explained by Martin, stress is exerted on certain body parts more than others. And given the tendency for women to rely heavily on their quadriceps during workouts or while engaged in a given activity, the surrounding tendons, such as the hamstring, weaken. This, in turn, renders the knee unstable.

When an athlete jumps, for instance, that lack of stability can give way to injury as the force forged through the chain reaction will exploit the most vulnerable link in the body.

Sometimes it’s the ankle, but as Martin said, other times it’s the knee.

In order to maintain balance, he explained, an athlete must retrain their nervous system.

“You need to rewire the way your brain and muscles work together,” Martin explained.

“If you rely on quads a lot, change that through strength training to target your hamstrings and [gluteal muscles].”

Exercises such as lunges and squats could be a good way to target a composite of

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anatomical elements, he noted, but only if done correctly. And in order to complete exercises correctly, you must be cognizant of the details.

When you jump, for instance, how do you land?

Where are your feet positioned, and how are your knees lined up? Can you land in a position that absorbs the force of the ground, reducing stress on the knee and ankle? These are some of the particulars that one must heed during training.

Once your nervous system understands proper positioning through constant repetition, your body will respond.

“This makes you a better athlete,” he explained, emphasizing the importance of training with proper technique. “If you don’t do these exercises properly and really work on your form and posture then it won’t help at all.”

Other functional warm-up activities that allow athletes to rehearse body movements in preparation for the rigorous demands of the sport they play are encouraged. For example, running short-area figure eight drills as a means of training for a soccer match, a sport where cutting is paramount, can be a helpful way to train your body.

For an athlete who sustains a significant knee injury that keeps them off the field or out of the gym for the better part of a year, rehab can be a tough row to hoe. But Vernon offers some advice for those mired by the hard times that accompany such an injury: This isn’t the end of the line.

“It will seem like it, but if you work hard enough, you’ll come back stronger,” she said.

“Just keep pushing through and stay positive.”

Austin Bachand

Robert Garber, 6, Brody Harbick, 11, and Corinne, 4, and Alice Smallwood, 2, watch as RISE pastor Amanda Garber baptizes Jaxon Swope, 11 weeks, during a service at Court Square Theater on Sunday, June 21.

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“provides thoughtful, biblical perspectives on the news and ideas of our day,” according to its website — nearly 70 percent of young adults who indicated they attended church regularly for at least one year in high school dropout during young adulthood, the vast majority of whom are between the ages of 17 and 19.

Yoder said this dropout rate could be influenced by the tendency some parents have to seek total control of their children’s lives, which leads to eventual antagonism on the part of the child as they get older.

If a parent seeks total control rather than maintaining a degree of control, said Yoder, then the child will possibly reject everything the parent stands for — including their religious beliefs — in an effort to seek total autonomy.

“And they equate it by being unlike and opposite to the parent,” said Yoder.

However, Yoder says, what children can learn through attending church is invaluable.

“Religion at its best provides a

set of stories, a tradition that has been carried on with people through the ages,” said Yoder. “Kids learn a lot through the stories of good people, not just a set of propositions, but a series of life stories of how people failed and succeeded.”

Yoder, who feels stories are vital to a child’s development, noted every faith has an intention to pass on wisdom, their concept of what a truly well-lived life is all about.

It is ultimately up to the parent to decide what’s best for their child.

Yoder feels that a child could potentially cultivate certain friendships with members of unrelated households and communities outside of the church through various interactive proceedings. But raising your child in an interactive community in which a shared common tradition can be established can be hard to replicate outside of a church environment, he said.

“I would say it is absolutely beneficial to raise your child in a radicalloving community,” added Garber.

“There is so much value that comes from raising your child within a church community.”

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