Farmville The Magazine - September 2022

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Local problems require local solutions

Story by Meghan McIntyre

Do you live in the Piedmont District and need access to substance abuse support, but don’t know where to look? Are you interested in training on how to respond to an opioid overdose emergency? Want to learn more about the ways you can help address substance abuse in your community? The Piedmont Alliance for the Pre vention of Substance Abuse Coalition, or PAPSA, has you covered.

Formed in 2018, the coalition collaborates with over 50 state agencies and organizations to increase awareness, knowledge and readiness to address substance abuse issues in the counties of Amelia, Buckingham, Charlotte, Cumberland, Lunenburg, Nottoway and Prince Edward.

“To attack local problems it requires, what? Lo cal solutions, right?” said Jill Ahmad, the coalition lead of PAPSA. “Every county is not the same. Every organization is not the same.”

Above, Erin Sandow and Caitlyn Monroe with Crossroads Community Services Prevention Department at a PAPSA event. Below, Elder Warren Reid gets a selfie with most everyone in attendance at a recent PAPSA event.

A HISTORY OF PAPSA

PAPSA began to take roots in the community right before the COVID-19 pandemic by part nering with law-enforcements, schools, hospitals, businesses, parents, youth-serving organiza tions, faith-based organizations and concerned community members looking to reduce local substance abuse problems.

The coalition are active members with the South Central Virginia Non-Profit Network (SCVNN), Community Coalitions of Virginia (CCoVA) and Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA). Ahmad said these rela tionships keep PAPSA connected with current information on the needs of its communities, especially substance misuse in the area and in the state.

“In coalition work, data driven and evidence based strategies help our work in the community to be more impactful and effective,” Ahmad said.

The number of total fatal drug overdoses in Virginia reached an all time high in 2021, with

2667 total fatalities, according to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). This is an in crease of 40% compared to overdose fatalities in 2019. Fentanyl caused or contributed to death in 76.4% of all fatal overdoses in 2021.

“In our area we’re looking at the opioid misuse,” said Ahman. “We’re looking at alcohol ism, meth, marijuana and the counterfeit drug industry is growing.”

HOW DID IT START

Sasha S. T. Johnson is the PAPSA co-chair and the director of the Office of Education and Prevention Programs at Longwood University. The most recent substance abuse coalition prior to PAPSA’s creation was the Substance Abuse Prevention Partnership (SAPP), which she said community members were engaged and participated in but reluctant to serve as Chair. The majority of the work fell to the Crossroads Community Services Board (CSB) who had to step away when the coalition absorbed too much

of the staff’s time.

In 2018, grant funding from the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Develop mental Services (VDBHDS) became available through the state Opioid Crisis Intervention program. Crossroads CSB was tasked with build ing a community coalition to address the opioid crisis, and PAPSA was born in September of that year.

Crossroads CSB “really spearheaded this ef fort to get this coalition established in our area,” Ahmad said. “They understood the need for us to come together as a community to really attack substance misuse.

Johnson said she thought Ahmad would be an excellent addition to the coalition because of her connections within the community and her role as founder and president of United Community Nexus LLC, a community engagement and out reach service, which she still holds now. Ahmad was nominated to serve as chair and graciously accepted the position in April 2020.

SSG Wayne Graves with the Virginia Army National Guard Counterdrug Task Force working with a youth participant from the Social Butterflies Youth Group.

The VDBHDS grant provided scholarships to send three leadership team members to the Community Anti-Drug Coalition of America (CADCA) Leadership Conference in National Harbor, Maryland this past January to learn about coalition best-practices for addressing substance abuse issues. And this past August, Ahmad was able to attend CADCA Mid-Year Training Institute in Orlando, Florida.

WHY THE NEED? COVID’S IMPACTS

PAPSA’s work is more important now than ever as the pandemic exacerbated an already growing drug abuse problem.

In 2020, the average overdose deaths per 100,000 people in the Piedmont District reached 25.5, which is 20% higher than the state average at the time and an increase of 16% compared to 2019.

In 2021, the Piedmont District surpassed the state average by 21% for average monthly emer gency department visits for unintentional drug overdose per 100,000 people.

“This pandemic has borne a new type or more serious form of substance misuse in this country and a new type of individual,” Ahmad said. “After two years of isolation you can only imagine there are those who have been impacted by trauma, severe loss, high levels of stress. Folks are struggling with mental health and behavioral health challenges and are looking for ways to self-medicate.”

The pandemic also took its toll on the newly formed coalition, said Kathy Reed, Prevention Coordinator for Crossroads CSB. She is also responsible for reporting coalition activities to The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services which provides funding to support PAPSA. The coalition was no longer to meet in-person but needed to continue with their needs assessment or work on an action plan, Reed said.

The coalition has held its monthly meetings virtual since April 2020 and started holding hybrid (virtual and in person) meetings in May of this year.

Del. Sam Rasoul, Prince Edward County Commonwealth Attorney Hon. Megan Clark and Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) President General Barrye L. Price are a few examples of guest speakers the coalition has hosted during its meetings.

WHAT TYPES OF SUPPORT DOES PAPSA PROVIDE?

The coalition’s first community event took place in response to Virginia’s legalization of marijuana on July 1, 2021. The REAL TALK about TEEN DRUG USE: JUST THE FACTS program was held the same day which focused on the consequences of substance use on the adolescence brain, the legal consequences of sub stance abuse and to provide factual information in a format designed for young audiences. Due to the pandemic, 25 youth from six local youth groups were invited to participate “in hopes they will return to their circles and share what they learned,” Ahmed said.

A second REAL TALK event took place on April 16 of this year over Easter weekend, where the coalition welcomed over 30 youth from the ages 13 on up and over 70 people in total atten dance. Difficult conversations around substance abuse were made easy to understand through fun activities, like when Deputy Hathaway and his K9, Sig, did a demonstration for everyone.

“To watch it fall into place and the smiles on everyone's faces made it all worthwhile,” Ahmad said.

Some of the sponsors for the events included Dean of Inclusive Excellence at Hampden-

Sydney College John Hollimon III, community leader Elder Warren Reid, Crossroads CSB's Prevention Department and Walmart.

“Many community partners participated in these events which helped to make it a huge suc cess,” Reed said.

PAPSA can be spotted in the community providing resources about substance abuse from tables and booths set up during community events, like when they recently participated in the Charlotte County’s National Night Out and a community celebration day at Branches Run Baptist Church in Amelia County.

The coalition created an extensive research resource pamphlet, filled with over 70 different substance abuse support resources, to assist com munity members in locating these services.

“We make sure it is in as many agencies, organizations, and schools as possible so that when people are looking for help, we’re present,” Ahmad said.

Organizations like Fixed Ministries are invited to PAPSA events, where the coalition makes sure that community members are aware they provide in-home treatment. The faith-based organization primarily takes in those 18 and older, but will do whatever they can to help anyone who is living with and managing substance issues, Ahmad

Local youth are enjoying lunch that was sponsored by United Community Nexus and catered by Karen White.

Ahmad describes PAPSA’s advocacy towards combating substance abuse as “not just being present in the trenches of the community, but being at the board tables where decisions are made.”

PAPSA is now a part of a mental health and substance abuse team led by Centra Health, a regional nonprofit healthcare system based in Lynchburg which serves as the dominant provider of critical medical services in central and Southside Virginia. The group was formed to come up with data-driven and evidence-based strategies to combat substance abuse issues in the area based on a recent community needs assessment, which Ahmad said PAPSA is “hon ored” to be a part of.

Being at the table with the Centra and the health department means “having a voice to raise our hands and say, ‘you know, as we’re managing COVID and all of these other community ail ments, let’s make sure that substance abuse issues and mental health is getting some attention as well,’” Ahmad said.

CHALLENGES

Managing opioid overdoses is one of PAPSA’s biggest concerns as the number of opioid-related deaths continue to rise not only in the area, but nationwide. The proliferation of counterfeit drugs and fentanyl bought outside of a pharmacy is a problem which Ahmad said youth need to be aware of.

“One pill can kill you, you know,” Ahmad said. “I heard one story of a young man out of the area, he had a headache and a friend gave him what he thought was a percocet and it was not.”

Another obstacle PAPSA has to face is the challenge of identifying mental health profes sionals and outpatient treatment facilities in rural areas which may not be accepting new patients or accessible to residents.

Ahmad encourages legislators and health professionals to come see rural areas themselves and expand programs to provide more outpa tient and inpatient treatment – which she says her community is in absolute need of.

“As a coalition we’re great, but we need to be able to have strong and consistent referrals to those who are reaching out for help,” Ahmad

said. “The waiting lists are very long and we’re kind of losing people before we can even get started.”

MOVING FORWARD

Ahmad has been invited to discuss combat ing the drug epidemic with Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares during a “Coffee with the Attorney General” event on Aug. 17, due to her participation in CADCA training and leadership conferences for the past two years.

“I’ve asked them to send invitations to as many of our active coalition members as I could,” Ahmad said.

PAPSA is also encouraging people to attend the “Lunch and Learn” health series to hear from experts on addiction. The series will take place at noon on the third Wednesday of each month un til Nov. 16 at the Robert Russa Moton Museum.

Anyone interested in learning more about PAPSA can visit their Facebook page at face book.com/PAPSAcoalition.

“I’m excited about where we’re going,” Ahmad said. “And post pandemic, you’ve got to under stand, we’re hitting the ground running.”

Where Am I?

The Heart of Virginia offers beautiful scenery and architecture throughout downtown Farmville.

“Where Am I?” offers residents a chance to identify one of our hidden gems across town. If you think you know where this photo was taken, email your answer to WhereAmI@ FarmvilletheMag.com. We’ll draw one lucky name from among the correct answers for an annual subscription to Farmville the Magazine

LAST ISSUE'S WINNER: Mike Shetley, of Appomattox, is the winner for the summer edition of Where Am I? He knew that the last photo was on the side of the Yak Attack building located at 100 Industrial Park Road in Farmville. Shetley wins a free subscription to Farmville the Magazine

A day in the life of UPS Delivery Driver Doug Seagle

Personable. Hardworking. Reliable. These are some of the words people around Farmville use to describe United Parcel Service (UPS)

Delivery Driver Doug Seagle. Seagle, who’s worked at UPS for 33 years, is one of three drivers who regularly delivers to Farmville. He has been on his current route for the past five years. No two days are alike for him as the number of delivery stops varies with the amount of packages on his truck.

Seagle’s run is based out of the Keysville UPS Customer and Distribution Center, which opened in 1988. Due to Keysville’s central location along Highway 360 and to other towns in Southside Virginia, UPS decided to construct the facility in this town. When the center opened, the building had 18 routes, also known as “runs,” to be covered by 18 drivers. In just three decades, that number of runs has nearly doubled, with the Keysville facility now operating 33 to 35 routes daily. This increase in routes was necessary due to the higher volume of packages encountered

Story and photos by Ireland Seagle

Seagle delivers a large box to a private residence.

at the facility. In turn, this increased volume of items has been generated by population growth and the magnitude of online ordering, generated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

After leaving the UPS Distribution Center in Keysville, Seagle arrives in downtown Farmville around midmorning. He starts the day by delivering to several businesses on South Main Street. He then moves to East Third Street to distribute packages to numerous organizations, including Rockwell Audio. Even though Seagle briefly stays at each delivery stop, “he always takes the time to see how you are and talk to you,” Manager Otis Ranson says. “You can tell he’s in a rush, but he’ll always stop and chat.”

Once he delivers to East Third Street, Seagle proceeds to North Main Street in the heart of downtown Farmville. He visits multiple businesses, such as Key Office Supply.

Seagle using the Diad to scan packages as he delivers to Barnes & Noble on Main Street.

“Doug sometimes brings 10-15 packages, and other times he has a full load,” Office Manager Sandy Layne explains. Even when he’s in a hurry, he aims to empathize with the customers he meets. “He tries to find common ground with everyone and tries to relate to everyone,” Layne continues. During his stops, Seagle delivers packages ranging in weight(s) from 5-pound envelopes to 70-pound boxes.

Following his deliveries on Main Street, Seagle moves to deliver to businesses and private residences across the Appomattox River. Then, he works to finish his stops on East Third Street. He delivers to Taylor-Forbes Equipment Company, where he brings a range of packages depending on the day. “Somedays (Seagle) delivers over 30 boxes, other days it’s just five or six,” Part Owner and Sales Team Lead Nat Carter states. The weight of each package delivered to Taylor-Forbes also varies by the day. Sometimes Seagle carries small, 10-pound. packages, and other times he moves 80 to 100-pound. boxes.

After his stop at Taylor-Forbes, Seagle proceeds farther down East Third Street, ending at Ridge Animal Hospital. Although he has hundreds of packages to deliver each day, Seagle makes sure the customers at each stop feel noticed. As Hospital Manager Sydney French details, “Doug has always been incredibly friendly and polite, taking the time every day to smile and say hello. It feels like he's a part of our extended work family.”

Once he completes most of his deliveries, Seagle stops for lunch. He parks the truck under a shade tree since the vehicle does not have air conditioning. If the weather is extremely hot and humid, he sometimes eats indoors at a local restaurant. Seagle’s lunch break also allows him to take a respite from the hustle and bustle of the delivery route. Over the past few months, he has delivered everything from clothes and shoes to treadmills and reels of hydraulic hose that weigh between 80 and 140 pounds a piece.

After he eats a late lunch, Seagle then delivers to the Sunchase Apartments and starts his pickups, which are goods or products that the general public orders from a local business that need to be shipped out, whether it be in Virginia or across the country. He then moves to side streets near Sunchase, both delivering packages to private residences and picking up items along the way. When he finishes all his deliveries and

pickups for the day, Seagle drives back to the UPS Customer and Distribution Center in Keysville.

At the end of an average day, Seagle has delivered between 250 and 300 packages and has picked up roughly 180 to 220 items. “I usually touch between 400 and 500 packages a day,” he explains. Along with the large number of packages, he also gets plenty of steps each day by walking an average of 6 or 7 miles while at work. By the end of the day, he has driven between 68 and 73 miles a day, with a good chunk of that commuting from Keysville and back.

Although his job entails lifting heavy packages and lengthy working hours, Seagle wouldn’t change careers. “I had originally wanted to be an accountant because I liked numbers. I started working at UPS part-time in college, and now I couldn’t sit in an office. I enjoy being outdoors–despite the hot, humid and cold, rainy days,” he states. He also likes interacting with

the customers on his route and sharing stories with them. “You get to know everyone and see their children grow up. They’re all good people,” Seagle continues.

With Seagle planning to retire in the next few years, he wants to give advice for people aspiring to be a UPS Delivery Driver. “Being a delivery driver is more than just hopping in the truck and dropping off boxes. UPS wants all packages delivered and picked up, but their first priority is safety: driving safely, working and lifting packages safely, etc. It becomes second nature,” he explains.

Along with prioritizing safety, Seagle emphasizes that a UPS delivery driver must endure all kinds of weather and physical conditions while on the job. “It’s hard work, and there’s long hours, especially during the holidays. You’ll be outside, whether it’s 28 degrees and snowing, or 98 degrees and humid. Be prepared to sweat a lot,” he jokes.

Delivering to Kevin Clement, left and Eugene Boyles at The Attic Pawn Shop on Main Street.

Above, Seagle is seen speaking with Heather Shorter at Discount Fabrics on Main Street during a stop. At left, Seagle is picking up packages at Gemini, Inc.

Doug Seagle delivers a large box to one of his regular stops in Farmville.

Catching Up With With a stroke of a paintbrush

Currently living in Raleigh, North Carolina, Rick Osborn says his love for Farmville is so strong that he will mostly retire in the historic town.

Osborn, a 1985 graduate of Prince Edward Academy and 1989 graduate of Hampden-Sydney College, is staying busy working as a professional artist/painter, life and wellness coach and a part-time flight attendant for Southwest Airlines.

“I love Farmville, Virginia,” Osborn said. “ I grew up there and feel it will always be my home. I love visiting there often and love being able to paint scenes from the area from time to time.”

One of the things Osborn says he loves the most about Farmville is the close-knit community and the town's quaintness.

“I also love the beauty of the area, the rolling hills, the cows, the beautiful trees and farmland,” he said. “I’ve painted quite a few paintings that remind me of the area. I also love the Hotel Weyanoke, The Fishin’ Pig, Green Front Furniture, the college scenes, and the area's his tory, just to name a few.”

Osborn, who moved away after he graduated from college, said he owes all of his success to God and his mother, Martha Blosser. “I also feel that I received a great education at H-SC.” He added. “I love the motto “Excellence in all things - All things to God’s glory.” I also believe that “We are a sum of our experiences.”

Osborn got his start in painting following the death of his grandmother in 2005.

“My grandmother, Kitty, who I had known and loved my entire life, passed away at the age of 93. Being that hers was the first really close experience I ever had with death, took her passing pretty hard,” he said. “ Over the following month, I felt that there must be something that I could do to both memorialize her and overcome the crushing grief. Call it a whim, or maybe a nudge from God, but the notion of painting her portrait landed squarely upon my mind.”

Osborn said that day, he drove to Michael's Art & Crafts Store and purchased his first set of oils and some painting supplies, including a couple of instructional books, as he had never even picked up a paintbrush.

“My first painting was the portrait of my grand mother, Kitty,” Osborn said. “Each brushstroke helped

Story by Crystal Vandegrift

Currently living in Raleigh, North Carolina, Osborn says he loves Farmville and hopes to retire to the area one day.

heal my grieving soul. Eventually, and to my surprise, I saw my grandmother appear before my eyes. As you may note, I dressed her in red (her favorite color), adorning her with a gold necklace and earrings. When the painting was complete, it was as though I had a glimpse of where my grandmother now existed; this is how I envisioned her in Heaven.”

Osborn says he has not been able to stop painting since that day.

“Art has become such a huge part of me that I'd be lost without it,” he added. “ While my style has evolved over the years, I'm still both humbled and empowered each time I stand in front of a blank canvas and have dis covered many metaphors about life.”

More of Osborn’s art can be viewed at www.rickosbornart.com

A painting of Osborn’s grandmother was his first painted portrait.

Osborn stands in front of several of his portraits.

The Joys of a Simple Garden

Farmville is blessed with many talented gardeners. Explore the various neighborhoods, and you’ll find English kitchen gardens with tidy paths, carefully clipped borders, and thriving herbs. There are joyful cottage gardens with riotous combinations of colors and textures. There are older gardens that still show the influence of Charles Gillette’s distinctive designs that came to be known as the Virginia style. Think hedges, vine-covered lattices, boxwood, and the creation of garden “rooms.” There is even a community garden that’s thriving.

Nestled around a stately old Victorian is one of the most perfect gardens I’ve ever seen.

Why? It’s not showy and doesn’t incorporate famous designers’ concepts, but it meets all of the most important reasons for having a garden. It welcomes visitors and encourages them to explore. In fact, without wandering around, visitors will miss some of the garden’s hidden treasures. This garden offers a calm atmosphere that encourages visitors to slow down and relax; it’s a refuge. Every garden should provide space for quiet contemplation.

Libby Etheridge enjoys showing her garden, and especially her azaleas, to visitors.

Story by Dr. Cynthia Wood

Above, Libby Etheridge’s classic Victorian is framed by azaleas, rhododendrons, ancient oaks and dogwoods. At left, this small garden is all about layers of textures, colors and privacy

And finally, this garden is easy to maintain; years ago, the owner took into consideration the impact of aging on her ability to maintain the garden. It doesn’t require extensive work and certainly doesn’t need for the grass along the borders to be trimmed with manicure scissors. (Yes, that’s a thing in some gardens in England.)

If you’re lucky enough to be invited for a light southern supper on the veranda at Elizabeth Etheridge’s house, you’ll understand what I mean. The veranda is shaded by wisteria vines that provide privacy and late spring blooms. The front garden is simple but inviting with traditional dogwoods and azaleas. Some of those traditional flower beds, however, contain bloodroot, a lovely, low-growing spring ephemeral with interesting foliage and large white flowers that pops up just when most of us are desperate for signs of spring. And about

the time that early summer heat and humidity descend on our area, the bloodroot disappears until the following year. Yes, Libby was planting native plants long before they became popular.

While the front garden is orderly and quiet, it’s the back garden, the one you can see from the veranda while eating your devilled eggs, Brunswick stew and strawberry shortcake, that’s simple perfection. Both sides are lined with tall-growing shrubs that provide privacy from neighbors. The back of the property abuts woods and is planted with a variety of spring blooming azaleas, bulbs, dogwoods and other shrubs. There is a small central plot of grass and a semicircular path through the shrubs. It all looks very natural, as if it just happened.

While there aren’t any exotic plants here, there are some old-fashioned ones that lend themselves to benign neglect. My favorite is

Kerria japonica or Japanese rose, which forms a hedge along one side of the garden. It’s a deciduous shrub that works well here and provides interest throughout the year. In winter, the gracefully arching stems are green. In spring, the shrub is covered with a bounty of bright yellow, pom-pom-shaped flowers. In fall, the foliage turns bright yellow before dropping. Kerria japonica’s only bad habit is spreading by suckers. In this garden, that’s not a problem, and suckers can always be controlled, if desired. The bright yellow of the Kerria japonica is echoed by the orange blooms on the tall deciduous azaleas on the other side of the garden.

Yes, this garden is simple, but it’s that very simplicity that makes it enchanting. It’s doesn’t radiate the need for serious and potentially stressful maintenance; it just invites visitors to relax and enjoy it. Perfect.

Native bloodroot is the surprise spring-blooming plant in the borders along the front of the house.

Kerria japonica forms a hedge along one side of the garden and provides interest all year long.

Late summer chicken salad

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a southern woman sitting on her porch on a late summer afternoon must be in want of a chicken salad sandwich.

It’s also a general rule of thumb that foods deemed “healthy” don’t usually taste all that great. Likewise, foods that taste great typically can’t be deemed “healthy.”

This recipe for my “late summer chicken salad” breaks the mold for this southern staple by creating a crunchy, colorful and truly healthy chicken salad that features some of the best produce late summer and early fall have to offer. Red seedless grapes, crispy green apples and sliced almonds add a fresh, good-and-good-foryou bite to the dish, and our superstar ingredient (non-fat greek yogurt) saves us hundreds of calories worth of mayonnaise without compro mising on flavor.

Every time I holler to the family that this chicken salad is ready, it quickly disappears, leav ing nothing but an empty bowl behind. This stuff will fill you up without weighing you down, and at just 300 calories a serving, you’ll be stuffing this mixture into sandwiches or scooping it up with a cracker all year long.

Here’s the recipe:

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Total time: Approximately 40 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

For the oven-baked chicken:

2 large chicken breasts (approx. 1.25 lbs.)

1 tbs. ranch seasoning

1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil salt, pepper and paprika, to taste

For the mix-ins:

1 cup red seedless grapes, halved 1 green apple, diced 3 green onions, chopped

1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sliced almonds

2 tbs. Ranch seasoning

1 tbs. Lemon juice

Salt, pepper and parsley, to taste

Recipe:

Everybody knows that the best chicken salad is made with leftover meat pulled from the bones of last night’s rotisserie chicken dinner. Some times, though, you crave chicken salad without having any leftover poultry sitting around in the fridge.

For this simple chicken salad recipe, you’ll

need approximately two chicken breasts-worth (or 1.25 lbs.) of diced chicken. If you don’t have leftovers ready for repurposing, you can easily oven-bake your chicken. To do this, add two chicken breasts, one teaspoon of olive oil and one tablespoon of ranch seasoning (I like Hid den Valley Ranch) into a bowl with however much salt, pepper and paprika makes your taste buds happy. Coat the chicken in this mixture before placing the meat on a sheet pan and bak ing at 450° for 15-20 minutes. You’ll know your chicken is done when it registers 165°.

As a helpful tip, make sure to make your chicken far enough ahead that it has time to cool in the refrigerator. Warm chicken will make the salad mixture loose. It’s also important to allow your chicken (and any food, really) to cool on the counter before placing it in the fridge. Sealing a container of hot or warm food and placing it in the fridge is a great way to give yourself food poisoning!)

If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! The hardest part of the recipe is done.

To make your chicken salad mixture, use a

sharp knife to carefully slice your grapes in half, leaving a few of the smaller ones whole to allow some variance in texture. Dice up your green apple and slice up your green onions.

The rest is easy! Simply combine all of your remaining ingredients into a large mixing bowl, including the chicken you were storing in the fridge. We’re adding some superfoods into this mixture by substituting 80% of the mayo typi cally found in chicken salad for some proteinpacked nonfat Greek yogurt and adding crunchy, fiber-filled almonds which are bursting with antioxidants and can even help control blood sugar. Juicy grapes, tart apples and lemon juice help keep this traditionally-heavy dish light and refreshing while helping to fill you up.

There’s a number of ways to serve this late summer chicken salad. Keep things light by scooping the mouthwatering mixture on top of lettuce, or fold it into a wrap. Or, splurge a little and serve it on a warm, buttered croissant. And if there’s any left after dinner, do as I do and stand in front of the open fridge at midnight eating chicken salad out of a tupperware bowl. Yum!

Story and photos by Alexa Massey

Hedwig Thomas: Autobiography details immigration from Germany

Story by Ireland Seagle

“She has a knack for describing the opportunities and stresses that she has experienced in life with refreshing directness.”

This praise from Leonard Schulze is for Hedwig “Heddy” Thomas’ recently released autobiography, Hedwig: A Story Told–A Life Lived. Published in December 2021, Thomas’ book details the beginnings of her life and childhood in Hanau-Grossauheim, Germany to her immigration and assimilation in Southside Virginia.

Originally, Heddy had not considered writing down and publishing her life experiences; however, her husband, Herman Thomas, knew she would eventually compose her autobiography.

“I’d tell my husband and kids different stories along the way…Herman would write the headlines of the stories on a legal pad and hide the paper from me,” Heddy explains.

After a few years, Herman and her children urged her to write a book. Once she sat down to write, Herman revealed his secret scribbles to Heddy.

“Here he comes with this legal pad, and he says, ‘This might help you,’” she details. She is grateful for her hus band’s secret writings and for her family encouraging her to compose her autobiography. “I’m glad I did it when I did because I don’t know if I would remember it all now,” she admits.

For the next decade, Heddy progressed through the writing and publishing processes. She decided to write her autobiography in two parts, but she almost did not write the second piece, which was the more painful of the two. However, her family, including her son Robert “Bob” Flip pen, pushed Heddy to include these unpleasant experiences in her book. She recalls her son saying, “Those people are gone, and you are still standing,” encouraging her to record her stories. Thus, Heddy pursued her goal with her family’s aid. As she typed her autobiography, Herman often sat beside her with a Webster’s Dictionary, helping her find synonyms and phrases to accurately and vividly explain her experiences. As Heddy progressed with her book, she and her family read through the manuscript several times and edited any mistakes and grammatical errors. Then, Bob, who owns the Southside Virginia Historical Press Publica

Heddy on a three-day cross country bicycle tour in 1953.

tion Company, published his mother’s book.

In her book, Heddy recounts her childhood in Hanau-Grossauheim, Germany that was filled with both unpleasant and enjoyable times. Fol lowing World War II, she remembers working on the black market sell ing stolen goods, including soap, to support her family. “We could barely eat, and we were so poor as children,” Heddy recalls. Despite the financial obstacles, she has fond memories of her childhood, including swimming in the Main River with her siblings and climbing onto the cargo barges that frequently traveled the river. She also remembers playing house, jump rope, and hopscotch with other children in her neighborhood.

One of Heddy’s most memorable experiences in childhood came when she was around twelve years old, when a traveling gypsy read her palm. The gypsy told Heddy she would live a long life and move far from home, along with marrying three times and having two children. “For a good Catholic girl to marry three times was simply out of the question, so we (Heddy’s mom and Heddy) laughed it off,” Heddy explains. Although they dismissed the seemingly meaningless reading, this prophecy did come true. “I still remember that moment as if it were to day, seventy odd years later,” she states.

After growing up in Germany, Hed dy immigrated to the United States in April 1960 with her first husband, an American soldier named Robert Flippen Jr. They settled in South Hill, where she slowly made new friends and worked at local businesses to help support her family.

While she grew accustomed to American living, Heddy missed her family and her life in Germany, espe cially Gemütlichkeit. This expression involves the joviality and comfort of being together in a group, especially in a restaurant or beer hall setting. For Heddy, Gemütlichkeit was often

Heddy with her family as a young girl.

Heddy’s parents in 1943.

associated with her family. “We’d have afternoon coffee. It’s just the family sitting together for 30 minutes and enjoying each other’s company,” she explains.

As she settled into her new life in America, Heddy experienced uncharitable people. “I met those who made you feel like an outsider and made you still feel like the enemy,”

she details. However, she encountered kind ness more often than unfriendliness, including from her managers and neighbors. During her time working at a garment factory in La Crosse, the plant manager ensured Heddy maintained her job despite the company’s layoffs. “People gave us clothes for my son, Robert, and invited us over for meals,” Heddy remembers. She is

grateful for these small yet meaningful acts of kindness by local individuals.

After spending almost six years in Mecklen burg County, Heddy and her family moved to Farmville in 1966, just a few years following the controversial school closings. As an immigrant to the area, she struggled to understand segrega tion. “I just looked at black people as people and not as lower-class citizens,” Heddy explains. Despite the town’s history and her painful experi ences here, she emphasizes that the Farmville and Prince Edward communities are special to her. “Through all the obstacles in my past, Farm ville has become home. I love it here,” she says.

After living in Virginia for over a decade, Heddy worked to become a U.S. citizen. She recalls her anxiety about the citizenship process, especially completing the amount of required paperwork and being questioned by a citizenship agent. Unsure of what the interview would entail, Heddy studied every aspect of the U.S. govern ment and history she could. Luckily, the agent only asked her a few general questions and told her she’d be notified at a later date of her natural ization ceremony. “To this day, I wonder how did I undergo less scrutiny, my good looks perhaps,” she jokes. Regardless of the reason, she is proud of her American citizenship.

Today, Heddy maintains a quiet yet active lifestyle. She enjoys sewing and gardening, which she describes as her “outlets.” She is also involved in the United Methodist Church in Farmville and has served in different leadership capacities within the church. She also loves visiting friends and spending time with her family, including her two children who live nearby. Most of all, Heddy and her husband, Herman, enjoy sitting on their porch in the sunshine as they live out their senior years together.

Despite the numerous hardships she details in her book, Heddy ultimately wants her readers to draw a message of hope and happiness from her story. “I don’t want to muddle too much in the sadness; I want my readers to see how you rise above the obstacles and live a happy life,” she explains. She also wants readers to use her auto biography as inspiration to write down their own memories for their children and descendants.

If you wish to get a copy of Heddy’s book, Hedwig: A Story Told–A Life Lived, stop by Dis count Fabrics in Downtown Farmville or Lib’s Place in Rice. You can also obtain a copy from Heddy herself by calling (434) 392-9497.

Heddy at her sewing desk. Sewing is one of her favorite hobbies.

Heddy and her book at her home in Farmville.

Why I Love Farmville

Juanita Giles

1. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN FARMVILLE AND WHAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU REMEMBER NOTICING ABOUT THE AREA?

I was born and raised in Farmville, so it's really not the first thing I noticed, but one of the first things I remember. We drove into town from Green Bay Road, so I remember the Kentucky Fried Chicken (where Dollar Bills is now). It had that huge bucket sign that used to turn. And I remember the cow mural at the bank, and the big rotating sign outside that used to display the time and temperature. Oh, and the traffic turning into the garment factory. (I'm really dating myself here).

2. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE FARMVILLE MEMORY?

My favorite Farmville memory was being allowed to send orders through the pneu matic tubes in Baldwin's when I was little. It was so scary and exciting at the same time. Actually, Baldwin's itself is a great memory. Those stairs! I am positive the Baldwin's staff wanted to run when they saw my coming.

3. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE FARMVILLE GROW OR CHANGE?

How about a Thai restaurant? But really, Farmville Downtown has done such wonder ful things to beautify the town and encourage business; I would love to see that happen for the areas outside the downtown area. There are many parts of Farmville that could use that sort of investment, especially all the en trances to town. And of course, I would love to see Farmville continue to become a more family-friendly place, including the reclaima mation of neighborhoods that are meant for families.

4. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE FARMVILLE TO PEOPLE NOT FROM HERE?

I would say Farmville is a place for dream ers and doers. The people in this community are so giving and active; it's really a joy to live

and work here. If you dream it, it can happen here, which is not something every small town or even big cities offer, but Farmville really is a place for visionaries.

5. IF YOU HAD TO LEAVE FARMVILLE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, WHAT WOULD YOU MISS THE MOST?

Absolutely I would miss the people. Hav ing grown up here, it's almost as if the entire town is my family (and I already have a big

family). There's something really special about running into a cousin at the grocery store, and ten minutes later stopping on the street to talk to a VCBF volunteer, then run ning over to the hardware store and seeing my father there, then having lunch at a local restaurant and finding out how my favorite server's kids are doing in school, or how their grandma is. It's the sense of connection I would miss the most.