Tri-State Living • July/August 2017 by Tri-State Living

July/August 2017

Space

John Van Deren, M.D. Ola Khraisha, M.D.

Terence Ross, M.D.

FOR

LIVING

ELECTROPHYSIOLOGISTS: A-FIB EXPERTS

House built for expanding family

STA-TAN POOL 50+ years of summer fun Heart rhythm disorders – atrial fibrillation, slow heart beat, flutters – can be very frightening and have a significant impact on patients’ lives. At King’s Daughters, we take rhythm problems seriously. We established the area’s first comprehensive electrophysiology program in 1999.

King’s Daughters Cardiology

(606) 324-4745

Imel’s

Our heart rhythm specialists – electrophysiologists Ola Khraisha, M.D., Terence Ross, M.D., and John Van Deren, M.D. - are experts in diagnosing, managing and treating rhythm disorders, such as atrial fibrillation and flutter; slow heartrate; rapid heart rate; and ventricular fibrillation.

kingsdaughtershealth.com

JULY/AUGUST 2017

If you’ve been diagnosed with a heart rhythm disorder and would like to know more about your options, ask to see one of our specialists.

Greenhouse continues to grow

Total Woman Youth Healthcare Heroes H E L P I N G C L A S S M AT E S F I N D A B U D D Y

Services, thinks the buddy benches are a great idea. “It gives children a chance to reach out when they need a friend and also a chance for children to step up and help someone, which promotes character and good feelings about helping someone in need,” Long said. “All elementary schools should have a buddy bench in my opinion.”

be glad to help,” Look said. “It was a really fun project.” In recognition of their hard work in helping to provide buddy benches at the four elementary schools, the girls of Troop 7497 were presented with the Total Woman Youth Healthcare Hero Award at The Total Woman Anniversary celebration in June.

SERVING THOSE WHO SERVED

“If any local schools would like to help get this program off the ground in their school, we would

The Total Woman Celebrates Healthcare Heroes (L-R): Leah Price, Kaylee Poff, Samara Freeman, Sophia Scragg, Shayna Leffingwell, Gwendolyn Look, Aleigha Ferris, Willow Dial, London Coffey, Nevaeh Clark

For elementary school students, it can sometimes be difﬁcult to make new friends. That is especially true when it comes to recess and ﬁnding someone to play with on the playground. Christina Look was seeing that problem at her daughter’s school, Fairland East Elementary in Proctorville. Her daughter, Gwen, told her that one of her classmates wasn’t making friends very easily and Gwen and some other girls were spending their entire recess looking for her so she wouldn’t wander the playground by herself. That’s when Look, the co-leader of her daughter’s Girl Scout troop, Kentucky’s Wilderness Road Council Troop 7497, and her co-leader, Kelly Poff, asked the troop if they would like to take

some of their earnings from selling Girl Scout cookies to buy something for the school to help their classmates make friends— a buddy bench. The buddy bench ﬁrst appeared in the U.S. at Roundtown Elementary in York, Pa., when 7 year-old Christian Bucks brought the idea to his principal after seeing one at a school in Germany. “The buddy bench is designed to teach school-aged children inclusiveness,” Look said. “The concept is if you don’t have a friend to play with on the playground that day, you go sit on the bench. All the children in the schoolyard are taught if you see a child on the bench, you are supposed to go invite them to play. It’s geared toward

elementary school ages to encourage children to make new friends.” Once the project was announced online, parents from neighboring schools asked if the troop could help them purchase a bench. Look and Poff didn’t want to deplete the girls’ entire cookie earnings, so they did other fundraisers to purchase additional benches, including bake sales, spaghetti lunches, and selling candy and household products. The fundraising allowed the girls to purchase three more buddy benches at Fairland West Elementary, South Point Elementary and Symmes Valley Elementary. Licensed Psychologist Melissa Long, manager of St. Mary’s Mental Health Counseling and Employee Assistance Program

In addition to Troop 7497,

TERRY E. two other Total Woman

JUSTICE, M.D.

to planning the 5K, Jobe also

JEFFREY P. works to raise awareness of the LOPEZ, M.D.

Healthcare Hero Awards

importance of

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colonoscopies

celebration—Community

in detecting

Hero and Nursing Hero.

Professions and the director of the St. Mary’s School

of Nursing. Approximately

2,000 nurses have graduated

We’re proudduring to be of the Dr. part Kyle’s tenure at the medical colon cancer.TriWest Network school.providing She was recently care for our country’s Veterans honored by the West Virginia Nurses Association with the

Community Hero

We know they’ve earned it.

After a battle with colon can-

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other colon cancer patients.

experience in nursing — 40 of

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those years at St. Mary’s —

TRI-STATE REGIONAL CANCER CENTER Your Colon 5K to

Shelia M. Kyle, Ed.D., MSN,

To see

raise both money

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more from the celebration,

and awareness. All

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Health

from the publisher

Through the eyes of a newcomer

GARY PALMER is a Louisiana native and the interim publisher of Tri-State Living magazine and The Tribune.

y wife, Leslie, and I drove into Ironton with an adventurous heart. I am a Cajun from a small town in Southeast Louisiana called Thibodaux. It is about 60 miles southwest of New Orleans. Yes, ironically, there are towns south of New Orleans. While Leslie is originally from Alabama, she is

officially Cajun and cooks Gumbo as good as anyone. We have not spent any time in this part of the country before now and look forward to taking in all the local sites. Downtown Ironton is very much like Thibodaux, with the old charm. We love the architecture. There are few towns that still have brick, paved roads. Most have been ripped up. Okay, maybe not a smooth ride, but, historically, that is awesome. We have managed to do some shopping in Ironton, Ashland and Huntington. These communities have so much to offer. I enjoy seeing the entrepreneurship of locals starting small businesses, which has been the backbone of this countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic engine. In downtown Ironton a quaint new coffee shop opened called the Chatroom. Sounds like a good place for a newspaper and a magazine, just sayin! Best of luck with the java!

Tri-StateLiving July/August 2017

EDITORIAL

Gary Palmer, Interim Publisher Dustin Melchior, Staff Writer Heath Harrison, Staff Writer Jeremy D. Wells, Staff Writer Mark Shaffer, Staff Writer news@tri-stateliving.com

ADVERTISING

Shawn Randolph, Advertising Director Doug Pinkerton, Sales Consultant Hilary Keller, Sales Consultant advertising@tri-stateliving.com

PRODUCTION

Kandi Thompson, Creative Director Kelli Jameson, Composing

PHOTOGRAPHY

Jessica St. James, Photographer J. Bird Cremeans, Contributor

Tri-State Living is published a minimum of six times per year by: Ironton Publications, Inc. P.O. Box 647, Ironton, Ohio 45638 www.tristateliving.com 740-532-1441 Advertising rates and information available upon request. Subscriptions are $30 annually; $60 for international subscriptions. Please make checks payable to Ironton Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 647, Ironton, OH 45638

Send us your feedback Snail mail: Tri-State Living, P.O. Box 647, Ironton, OH 45638 Email: feedback@tristateliving.com

4 | Tri-StateLiving

Contents | July/August 2017

8 “

I’ve being doing this almost all my life. I started with my grandfather when I was six. He started me out real young, carving shells on the knees of Queen Anne legs and stuff.

”

— Wendell Morris ‘On Display’ | Page 8

arts & culture 8 ON DISPLAY w Craftsman creates works of art out of wood

living 16 DIFFERENCE MAKER w Kentucky couple shares home, love with countless foster children

shopping 20 IN THE BIZ w Sta-Tan Pool provides summertime fun for everyone

on the cover

26 TREASURES w Find home decor and gifts of a whimsical nature in Huntington

Rome Township, Ohio, couple designed and built two-story home to accommodate growing family. Tri-StateLiving | 5

Contents | July/August 2017

feature 30 IMELâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GREENHOUSE w Greenhouse offers more than just plants

homes

40 SHOWCASE HOME w Take a peek inside the Gue family home

food

54 IN THE KITCHEN w Experience great food, atmosphere at Ale House 60 FROM THE COOKBOOK w Delicious recipes to enhance your summer

in every issue 4 FROM THE PUBLISHER w New interim publisher, wife hail from Louisiana

66 THE LAST WORD w Ironton aLive chair talks importance of volunteering

66 6 | Tri-StateLiving

arts & culture Tri-StateLiving

up close Former industrial arts teacher Wendell Morris, turns scraps into bowls, logs into art.

p. 8

arts & culture | On Display

CARVING BEAUTY FROM WOOD

On Display | arts & culture

Kentucky man crafts works of art and utility from wood Story Jeremy D. Wells | Photography Jessica St. James

endell Morris first became interested in chainsaw carving when he saw another woodworker doing it at a festival. He noticed the cuts were similar to those he was already doing with a chisel, so he came home, took a section of wood and started cutting. He’s been working with a chainsaw ever since, mostly at the family farm. (Though he hasn’t done any since injuring his shoulder this spring.) In his home workshop, he does more traditional woodworking. A table full of identical wooden bootshaped objects attached to wooden plaques sits off to one side. “It’s for a European style mount,” he said, explaining how a taxidermist client dropped off an antique example and asked him to replicate the design. In other spots around the workshop, you can see the separate elements of a porch swing, and legs for a couch — all contract projects that Morris, a former industrial arts teacher who retired from Raceland High School, has taken on. There are small, carved figures, and even an example of his chainsaw sculpture, scattered around the workshop as well. “I’ve being doing this almost all my life,” he said. “I started with my grandfather when I was six. He worked construction, but in the winter when there was no construction Tri-StateLiving | 9

10 | Tri-StateLiving

he built grandfather clocks and violins, and made a lot of custom furniture and sold it in Louisville. He started me out real young, carving shells on the knees of Queen Anne legs and stuff.” But it’s when he discusses the bowls he’s working on at his lathe that Morris’s eyes really light up. It’s a different kind of creativity, he explains. “When I’m not working on something for someone else I make a lot of bowls. I enjoy working on the lathe.” It’s also work he can still do, even with his hurt shoulder. “This year the Greenup County Farmer’s Market are going to have a craftsman at their farmer’s market, to try to draw people to the market,” he said. “I committed to doing that, and planned to do a lot of chainsaw carving. In the meantime, since I committed, I’ve messed my shoulder up real bad, and I can’t do any chainsaw work. So I’m supposed

to have surgery in August, but in the meantime, I can work on the lathe, because I’m not raising my arms up.” He starts by gluing pieces of different kinds of wood into a form that he then turns on his lathe, or by starting with a piece that has surface damage that he can fill with a resin and powdered pigment to make interesting accents. “Stuff like this,” he said, indicting the black lines in a bowl in progress, “you know, I take scrap wood. That grain, right there, what that is, it’s a piece of spalted maple. It’s where the log lays out in the woods and actually begins to decay, and that’s what makes all these real pretty designs. And you have no way of knowing what’s in there until you get it to that point.” If this piece of wood had lain out for another eight to 10 months, he explained, it would have been “totally useless.” But when caught at the right time, the result can be almost magical. Tri-StateLiving | 11

arts & culture | On Display

“I stumbled on this one. This one was maple. I stumbled on it and I thought, ‘Hey! I know exactly what I’m going to do with that!’” The transformation of the materials on the lathe appeals to him. “You start out with something like that,” he said, indicating a block of wooden scraps that he had glued together, before indicating a beautiful checkerboard patterned bowl and finishing “and you end up with something like that.” “You basically are free to create whatever you want. Whatever shape. Whatever size. Whatever depth,” he said. “You know, if I do a porch swing, it’s pretty much standard. It’s about five feet long and 24 inches deep, and takes 13 slats on the bottom and 13 on the back.” It’s more formulaic, he explained, while creating bowls is more expressive. “I have no designs, no patterns, whenever I go to do a bowl. It just goes,” he said. “And now I’ve started working with, see these bad spots right here? I was taught many, many years ago, if you can’t hide it, highlight it. So I take colored epoxy, and put fluorescent powder pigments in it, 12 | Tri-StateLiving

cover those up and then sand it back down. Like, in this one, I’m going to use a blue, a bright royal blue, so it will have fluorescent pieces. Just little flecks of fluorescent blue in it. They turn their lights off at night and it’s just going to glow.” He learned that type of technique, of highlighting flaws, from a friend of his grandfather’s, Wade Webster, who used to build long rifles. He would emphasize wood grain effects with hammered copper and bronze, he explained.

On Display | arts & culture

“He made everything,” Morris said. “Once I got to college, I went home for Christmas one year, went to see him, and I was expecting a big nice shop, and a lot of fancy tools, and metalworking tools, and all this. But he was never married, and he did all the work at his kitchen table, and all of his tools were in a cigar box. Here I had all these tools at Morehead that I was using and learning to use (at the time), and he had some carving tools, a draw-knife, real tiny, tiny carving tools, and chisels. It was amazing.” The chainsaw work he does is different than the fine detailed work on the lathe. The chainsaw is loud. It attracts a lot of attention. But, as he explained, it’s not too dissimilar to carving on a smaller scale. “I’ve been carving, like I said, a long time,” Morris said. “Figurine carving, for instance. But we went to Ripley Craft Show, up in Ripley, West Virginia, one year and a guy was carving with a chainsaw, and I stood there and watched him and I thought, ‘Well, he’s making the same cuts with that chainsaw that I make with carving chisels. I believe I could do that.’ So I came home, started whacking around on it, and made a lot of firewood to start with.” But eventually he got better. As Mr. Webster had taught him, it isn’t the tools that matter. It’s the heart and the work you put into it. “I’ve always been fortunate to be around people who, for some reason, took an interest in me,” he noted. “And they were excellent craftsmen. And for some reason, I listened to them. Usually when you’re that age, you know, you know everything. But for some reason I didn’t.” a Tri-StateLiving | 13

Everyone, through the entire process, has been wonderful to me. And that makes a big difference!

– Vickie Archer, patient

Each day, the team at Cabell Huntington Hospital creates moments that make a profound impact on the lives of others. That moment may be a kind word, a helping hand or life-saving medical care. When that moment happens, there may not be an audience, award or applause, but it was felt. When I first met with Dr. Legenza she gave me a lot of choices (for my breast cancer treatment) and when I made my decision she told me, “I think you made the right decision.” I had confidence. I felt like I was with the right person and in the right hands. It’s Vickie’s journey and I’m here to help her be a survivor. – Mary Legenza, MD Edwards Comprehensive Breast Center

Deliver the Moment. 1340 Hal Greer Boulevard • Huntington, WV 25701 • www.cabellhuntington.org

Tri-StateLiving

up close Mike and Sheila Sutton of South Shore, Kentucky, have dedicated their lives to being foster parents

p. 16

living | Difference Makers

Foster parents Mike and Sheila Sutton have opened their home to over 50 children since 2005

LARGE

Story Mark Shaffer | Photography Jessica St. James

or the past 12 years, Sheila and Mike Sutton, of South Shore, Kentucky, have been foster parents. In that time, they’ve cared for around 50 kids, many with special needs. Making the decision to be a foster parent can be a difficult one. Bringing a child into your home, whether it’s just for a couple days, or until the child turns 18, is a big decision. But for Sheila, it was easy. In April 2005, the Sutton’s children were all adults, so they decided to become foster parents. “It was something I always wanted to do,” Sheila said. “It just took my husband a little longer to figure out he wanted to do it.” She grew up with 11 siblings and an alcoholic father, so her mother raised her. She remembers that she wouldn’t have had Christmas if it weren’t for the Salvation Army. “It was a rough life. And I wanted to give kids a better life than what I had,” she said. “Most of all to give them love and security and a place to lay their head and to have a meal on the table. It’s just my heart’s desire.”

16 | Tri-StateLiving

Mike said his mind was made up after God touched his heart. He was watching then-two year-old adoptive daughter riding her tricycle as she pretended she was going to the store to buy groceries. “It was like God said to me ‘How dare you, you selfish human being,’” Mike said. “I realized I was being selfish because I said once the children were raised I was done.” He said God touched his heart and made him realize that there were more children out there that needed a home. So, when Sheila came home from work, he told her he was ready to be a foster parent. “So we did it and we never looked back,” Mike said. “But it was that little girl who taught me and really changed my mind.” And it isn’t like they hadn’t already raised kids. The Suttons married in 1993. Sheila has two children from a previous marriage, Mike has three children from a previous marriage and they have one daughter. But the kids were adults, out of the house and starting their own lives. Over the years, they have adopted six of the kids.

Difference Makers | living

They also have permanent custody of two kids. Their current tally is six adult children and eight children and one foster living at home. And if that’s not enough, they also watch two of their grandkids while their mother is at work. And they have a crowded house around the holidays. “The last holiday, we had 25 people for the whole weekend,” Sheila said, with a laugh. “It gets interesting. But the more, the merrier. It is what life is all about.” Mike said that if they go anywhere, they have to go in two vehicles. “It is totally worth it,” he said. They didn’t decide to foster special needs children, Sheila says it just sort of happened because the need was there and she was drawn to helping. “They called about a placement for a child with Down Syndrome and of course we took him,” she said. “He was just three weeks old. He’s my angel.” The Suttons say they will always be foster parents. “It’s just something I love to do and I will do as long as I am able,” Sheila said. “My husband said he’ll be 105 and still changing dirty diapers.” Mike said he has never regretted being a foster parent. “Sometimes you ask yourself what you’ve gotten yourself into, but then in the next breath, to know that you can make a difference in one child’s life makes all the difference,” he said. “A lot of times, we are all they ever have.” a Tri-StateLiving | 17 19

2nd Year in a row! Last year, OLBH was selected to the annual Best Places to Work in Kentucky list. Now, we are proud to announce that OLBH has made the 2017 version. OLBH was one of only nine hospitals in the state to make the list, issued annually by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and the Kentucky Society for Human Resource Management. The list’s selection process is based on an assessment of a company’s employee policies and procedures and the results of an employee survey. The list’s selection process is based on an assessment of a company’s employee policies and procedures and the results of an employee survey. 350 employees at OLBH were surveyed. OLBH is well known for the quality care received by patients, now with the hospital’s second straight showing on the list, OLBH is earning the reputation as one of the state’s best places to work. OLBH has more than 1,400 employees who work hard not only for patients, but at contributing to a healthy work environment. It’s that work that makes this honor possible.

shopping Tri-StateLiving

up close Gifts, artwork available at The Red Caboose in Huntington

p. 26

shopping | In the Biz

SPLASH, DIVE, SWIM Sta-Tan Pool offers summertime fun Story Dustin Melchior | Photography Jessica St. James

staple in the Ironton community since 1960, Sta-Tan Pool has been at the center of each summer season for countless children and families over the years. The Olympic-size pool, complete with two diving boards and a diving island, holds 65,000 gallons of water, offering refreshing relief on a hot day. Kathy Cunningham, owner of Sta-Tan along with her husband Tom Cunningham, said that her father, Harlan Staton, built Sta-Tan with his three brothers in 1960, and named it Sta-Tan as a play on their last name. “My dad owned it with his brothers until he and my mom bought them out to be the only owners of it,” Cunningham said. “Later on, they turned it over to their three daughters, my sisters and I, and then I bought 20 | Tri-StateLiving

shopping | In the Biz

them out to be the owner of the property. But it’s been in our family for that long.” Cunningham added that what she feels makes Sta-Tan stand out is that it is still family-owned and operated, and its members are familiar. “Everyone knows everyone else and it’s pretty personable,” Cunningham said. “We have certified lifeguards and I can see everything from inside the office. It’s a safe environment for kids and it’s safe for parents to drop their kids off and feel confident that they’ll be taken care of.”

In the Biz | shopping

Because Sta-Tan is a membership-only pool, Cunningham said that keeping it up to par is a top priority. “We try to keep it extra clean and appealing to people because it’s a membership-only pool, and we feel like we need to give people their money’s worth,” she said. “We pride ourselves on upkeep and being able to keep it open this long as old as it is. I think it also helps still being family-owned and operated, because if it wasn’t, it probably wouldn’t still be here.” The pool’s concession stand, which has been open as long as the pool, is known for its hot dogs, sauce and crumbly hamburgers, and is still run each

shopping | In the Biz

24 | Tri-StateLiving

day by Kathy’s mother, Pearl Staton, who’s nearly 90 years old. “She’s down here almost everyday,” Kathy said of Pearl. “And she still makes all of the hot dog sauce.” Besides the main pool, other features of the Sta-Tan property include a smaller children’s pool, two regulation tennis courts, a basketball court, a volleyball court, picnic shelters, tiki huts for shade, a children’s playground area, chairs and loungers, restrooms and dressing rooms with lockers, a large lawn, large parking lot and “The Pearl” Event Center, which is rented out for private functions or parties. Membership plans for Sta-Tan for families include one adult and up to two

children or grandchildren for $350 and two adults and up to three children or grandchildren for $400. Each additional child or grandchild, ages 2-24 is $65. Babysitters may also be added to family membership plans, but may only be permitted when adults in the family are not present, for $80. Sta-Tan memberships for individuals and other groups include students, ages 13-24, for $175; senior citizens 65 years or older for $175; individuals 25 years or older for $225; and two adults in the same household for $350. Out of town guests from at least 15 miles away pay $7 a day with members of the pool. New to Sta-Tan this season is the

option of purchasing 10 one-day passes for $75 or 25 one-day passes for $140 for individuals 12 years and up. Weather permitting, hours for StaTan are 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and noon-8 p.m. on Sundays. Concession stand hours are 11 a.m.-6 p.m. each day depending on attendance and weather. For members, as well as nonmembers, Sta-Tan offers several nighttime swims each year for $5 a person. Sta-Tan opens for the season around Memorial Day and is open through Labor Day, with more limited hours for August. a

shopping | Tri-State Treasures

Whimsical nature When shopping for home decor, think outside the box store and peruse the treasures at The Red Caboose in Huntington

Handmade clock by Kevin Young. $180

Woven wood bowl by Herbert Napier. $50

26 | Tri-StateLiving

Tri-State Treasures | shopping

Tweel Pottery by Matt Tweel. $20

Amethyst ring by Teresa Young. $59

“Wizard Musicians,” gourd art by Patty Wolford. $30 each

Tri-StateLiving | 27

shopping | Tri-State Treasures

Wire-wrapped necklaces by Brittany Ward. Agate $15 Amazonite $23

Ceramic Piggy Bank. $30

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Abandoned House,â&#x20AC;? by Ann Grimes. $40

28 | Tri-StateLiving

Tri-State Treasures | shopping

Clay Song Pottery by Karal Seibel. $15

Wire-wrapped bracelet and ring by Andra Levy. $90

Birdhouse. $18

Tri-StateLiving | 29

a GROWING tradition Story Mark Shaffer | Photography Jessica St. James

Home grown business thrives in Greenup

mel’s Greenhouse has been an institution in Greenup County, Kentucky for four decades. Kenny Imel began the business on his grandmother’s property on Kentucky Route 1. He grew some produce and some flowers and over the years and kept expanding. About 25 years ago, he bought an acre of land farther down the road, and that’s when the business really bloomed. “This is actually our 40th year. We started planning in 1976 and started building in 1977,” Imel said. The business started at his grandmother’s property, about a quarter mile from their current location. “We were there 10-15 years before this location became available.”

The operation is a family affair. Imel says his grandmother, Anna Stephenson, was his first salesperson. His mother, Faye joined the business after retiring and still works there. His wife, Pam, works there in the evenings and her days off from being an X-ray technician. Their son, Justin, and his wife, Katie, work there in the summers. “It’s a very family-orientated business,” Imel said. Imel’s Greenhouse began with just a single building and was mainly selling as a wholesaler with some sales to the public. “Now, we’re 80-90 percent retail sales,” Imel said. “What I like about retail is that we can talk directly to the customers and we can find out their needs and solve their problems.

Tri-StateLiving | 31

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We can help people get the right plants for their yards.” The business has grown to include several buildings to house all the flowers, succulents, and other plants. There is a play area with massive slides, playhouses and large tricycles. There are also goats and chickens. The play area is because in the fall, they didn’t have as much retail business so they added that as an attraction for people coming in to buy pumpkins and gourds. The play area became a popular attraction for school tours. “We charge for the tours, but it’s more of a break-even proposition,” Imel said, adding about 2,000 kids take the tour in September and October. “And for some kids, this the only activity they get. And they all get to go home with a pumpkin.” The most recent addition to the operation is a Grannie

Annie’s Mercantile, named after his grandmother. The building is filled with old-fashioned candy, food in jars like pickled beets and eggs, honey, and seeds. Some of the expansion was unplanned. In 2009, an ice storm took down two-thirds of their greenhouses. “First it snowed, then the ice came. The weight of all that took down nine of our greenhouses,” Imel said. “God had a plan, though. We would have never put this type of structure back up because we didn’t think we could afford it to do it. We kind of got pushed.” Imel said when the roofs fell in, they didn’t know what they were going to do or even if they were going to rebuild. They had crops already planted, which meant they wouldn’t have enough plants.

Tri-StateLiving | 33

feature | Imelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Greenhouse

But they did rebuild and they had sturdier buildings constructed that included more open space under covered roofs. “It worked out because now people can shop when it’s raining,” Imel said. The ends of the buildings were left open to let the air through. One reason is that moisture doesn’t build up and cause plant rot. “And we get a better plant that way because they are hardened to the outside, much better than leaving them in

a greenhouse and moving them out,” he said. “God had to push us or we would never have been where we are at.” Imel said he doesn’t know exactly how many different types of plants they have, but it is well over 100. “I don’t know for sure because I’ve never sat down and counted, but it could be 150,” Imel said. “For example, we have petunias but we have, like, 30 types of petunias. Same way with marigolds, and so on. We try to grow what the public wants and so far it has been a good match.” He said the greenhouse business is based on speculation on guessing what buyers will want next year. They have already started planting for next spring. “It’s a guessing game and hopefully, we guess well,” Imel said. “But, sometimes there are boo boos and duds, as the

Tri-StateLiving | 35

feature | Imelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Greenhouse

Imel’s Greenhouse | feature

old saying goes. And what people want change; they don’t plant the same thing year after year. But basically, they come out and see what we have, if it is pretty, they buy it.” And the change is as constant as the weather. Imel said the one constant is change, whether it’s the type of plant that is popular or what color of flower people want this season. “Things change and so have we,” Imel said. “But we’ve been blessed to be here for so long.” a

homes Tri-StateLiving

up close Rome Township couple built home with plans for large family in mind

p. 40

homes | Showcase

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Showcase | homes

Story Heath Harrison | Photography Jessica St. James

Couple designed Rome Township home to accommodate family of six

aggie and Sam Gue say their five-bedroom Rome Township home was “built with love.” The couple constructed their home eight years ago, on land donated by their family, who live adjacent to the property. “We call it the compound,” Maggie says of the neighborhood near Fairland East Elementary, where her mother, father and brother also live. The two-story, brick home has a scenic view from its rear deck, overlooking the Ohio River, which runs along their backyard. “The land was provided by my father. You don’t want to take it for granted,” she said of the view. “It’s easier to get busy and forget to stop and look.” Guests entering the first floor are greeted by a stairway with a high ceiling and chandelier. On the ground level, the home Tri-StateLiving | 41

homes | Showcase

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Showcase | homes

features an office, living room, a dining area, seating eight, and a kitchen and a bathroom, which features a snakeskin tile for the floor. “We thought that was unique,” Maggie said. The living room, which features several large windows, is lit by can lights in the ceiling. The rooms are open and run together on the first floor, where the floors are hardwood. The arched windows recur through the home and are built into the roofline on the second floor. Maggie said the light and spaciousness was a must when the couple designed the home. “We wanted the light, and I knew at the time that I wanted to have four children,” she said. “So we needed enough space. It’s not too big here to keep up, it’s the perfect space.” The entire home is painted in neutral colors of blacks, whites and greys, while the living room is decorated with a

bearskin rug, while the office has a zebra rug. “Those are from IKEA,” she said, describing the furnishings as coming from “all over.” “I love to turn the car back and head to an estate sale,” she said, and noted that several recent additions had come from the clearance section of Marshall’s She said the building of the home was a family effort, with her father doing the electric and Sam’s father working on the plumbing and his brother, who builds homes, contributing to the kitchen. “Everyone pitched in,” she said. Maggie is the manager of Proctorville’s Giovanni’s Pizza location and is the owner of Save Your Seat, which markets her invention, covers for children’s car seats. Sam is the assistant principal at Rock Hill High School. They live at the home with their two daughters and two sons. Tri-StateLiving | 45

homes | Showcase

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Showcase | homes

She said when designing the home, there were two things they made sure to include. “We definitely wanted a guest bedroom,” she said of the room, on the first floor, which hosts a queen-sized bed. “And we definitely wanted a play area for the kids.” The kitchen, which is open to the other rooms, is “probably the most modern,” in the house, Maggie said. “We wanted it to be modern,” she said. “It was designed by Creative Kitchens.” Upstairs, the second floor, which is carpeted, has basically the same color scheme, includes the family’s bedrooms, one for each son and a room shared by the two daughters, which features a large photo of Audrey Hepburn from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” hanging on the wall. The couple’s master bedroom boasts a walkin shower and a walk-in closet. An additional bathroom is there for the children. The railing at the top of the stairs is removable. “That was my father’s idea,” Maggie said. “It’s so we can move stuff straight up from the door.” Toward the rear is the children’s playroom, decked out with toys, a TV and video games. Maggie said the home was built by Amish workers. She said she and her husband first settled on an exterior, and then remodeled the interior to their wishes. “We had a design program on the computer and we completely moved walls,” she said. Sam said he is grateful for all of the assistance they had in building the home for the family. “We couldn’t have done this without everybody,” he said. “We had so much help from the family. I’m thankful for the land we were given and I’m thankful to God.” a Tri-StateLiving | 51

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Tri-StateLiving

food

up close Huntington Ale House offers fresh-made options

p. 54

STYLE AND

TASTE

Huntington Ale House gives customers fresh options Story Dustin Melchior | Photography J. Bird Cremeans

UNTINGTON â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Specializing in its half-pound burgers, steaks, specialty mac and cheese dishes and craft beer selection, the Huntington Ale House is a gem to downtown Huntington near Marshall University. Owner Mackie Robertson bought the location on Fourth Avenue in 2007, which previously housed a nightclub-style bar, before converting the business into a Tri-StateLiving | 55

food | In the Kitchen

restaurant and bar, which is something he always wanted to do, about five years ago. “I’ve worked in restaurants since I went to Marshall,” Robertson, who has also owned several other restaurants and businesses, said. “When I bought this, it wasn’t the type of place that I wanted to have. I worked really hard to convert the building to be more of a restaurant.” Robertson said he came up with the Huntington Ale House’s menu himself, with some dishes being inspired from others in places that he’s worked. “A couple of our menu items are taken from other places that I’ve worked, and I just took the ideas and expanded on them,” he said. “I also get

ideas from things Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen working in this business and places Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve traveled.â&#x20AC;? Offering 12 different burger options, several kinds of steaks and nine different mac and cheese dishes, including barbecue chicken and bacon, grilled salmon, chicken Parmesan and a Philly style, the Huntington Ale House is sure to meet every taste. Also on the menu are numerous appetizers, sandwich options, salads, chicken, pork, seafood and even four waffle dishes, along with a variety of homemade sides. On the bar side, Huntington Ale House carries 46 different beers on tap, with two taps remaining constant, along with cocktails and wine. Tri-StateLiving | 57

Robertson said he believes the food the Huntington Ale House offers, along with the uniqueness of the building and atmosphere, make it successful. “I think it’s a combination of different things,” he said of why the Huntington Ale House remains popular. “I think people want to break the chain and eat fresh, homemade food. I think the warmth and unique atmosphere the building offers also brings a lot of people in. It’s something you don’t see that much of anymore.” He added that, along with regular customers, the

Huntington Ale House sees a fair share of out of town guests as well. The building of the Huntington Ale House is split up into two sections, front and back, with tables and a bar in each. The upstairs of the building is set for reserved private parties or functions. “It’s been a lot of hard work and a lot of effort through the years,” Robertson said. “But I’m really blessed to be able to have this restaurant for the community and provide for my family in the area that we live.” a

Cast-Iron Skillet Pizza Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes Makes: Two 9-to-10-inch pizzas • 1 pound store-bought pizza dough, at room temperature • 1 ripe tomato, thinly sliced • 1/4 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, diced • Coarse sea salt • 2 tablespoons Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil • 1/2 cup shredded fresh basil

60 | Tri-StateLiving

Heat well-oiled cast-iron or nonstick 10- or 12-inch frying pan over medium heat 5 minutes. Divide dough in half; roll one half into round 1 inch smaller than diameter of pan. Cook dough in hot pan until dough begins to rise and bottom starts to brown. Using metal spatula, turn carefully. Layer half the tomato slices over dough; scatter half the mozzarella over top. Lower heat to medium-low; cook until mozzarella melts. Using metal spatula, transfer pizza to cutting board. Sprinkle with salt; drizzle with half the olive oil. Cut into wedges; sprinkle half the basil over top. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

From the Cookbook | food

Zucchini Noodle Bowl Prep time: 15 minutes | Total time: 25 minutes Servings: 4 • 4 medium zucchini, spiralized (instructions at right) • 1/4 cup Filippo Berio Delicato Extra Virgin Olive Oil • 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper • 1 1/2 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved • 1/4 cup packed chopped fresh basil • 1 ball (8 ounces) burrata cheese, torn

Toss together zucchini, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper; let stand 10 minutes, or until zucchini starts to soften. Gently stir in tomatoes and basil. Divide salad among four bowls. Top with cheese. How to Spiralize Zucchini • Use zucchini at least 2 inches in diameter for best results. Trim ends of zucchini. • Place spiralizer on smooth surface, such as a countertop, pushing down to adhere suction cups onto surface and secure machine for spiralizing. • Place desired blade into spiralizer. Turn zucchini into long strands, trimming with clean kitchen shears as needed.

food | From the Cookbook

Duck Bacon Burgers • 2 pounds Maple Leaf Farms All Natural Ground Duck • 4 tablespoons bread crumbs • 2 tablespoons white onion, minced • 1 teaspoon minced garlic • 1 teaspoon paprika • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder • Salt, to taste • Pepper, to taste • Canola oil • 6 strips Maple Leaf Farms Duck Bacon, halved • 6 hamburger buns • 3 tablespoons rendered duck fat • 6 slices cheddar cheese • 6 slices red onion (optional) • 6 slices tomato (optional) • Lettuce leaves (optional)

62 | Tri-StateLiving

Heat grill to medium-high heat. In large bowl, mix together ground duck, bread crumbs, onion, garlic, paprika and chili powder. Divide mixture into six equal parts and form into patties. Season both sides of each patty with salt and pepper. Lightly brush grill rack with oil. Place burgers on rack and cook, flipping frequently until internal temperature reaches 155˚F. While burgers are cooking, place bacon on grill and cook until crisp. Once burgers are done, remove from heat and let sit 3-5 minutes. Brush insides of hamburger bun halves with duck fat and toast lightly on grill. Serve each burger on toasted bun with two bacon halfstrips and slice of cheese then top with red onion, tomato and lettuce, if desired.

From the Cookbook | food

Memphis-Style Dry Baby Back Ribs Prep time: 10 minutes, plus 30 minutes stand time Cook time: 4-6 hours | Servings: 2-4 Dry Rub: • 1/4 cup brown sugar • 1/4 cup kosher salt • 2 teaspoons chili powder • 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard • 1 teaspoon black pepper • 1 teaspoon celery salt • 2 slabs Smithfield Fresh Pork Back Ribs, membrane removed • 1/4 cup prepared yellow mustard • Apple juice or water, in spray bottle • Barbecue sauce (optional)

To make dry rub: In small bowl about 30 minutes before grilling, combine brown sugar, kosher salt, chili powder, dry mustard, black pepper and celery salt; mix well. Spread both sides of ribs with yellow mustard and sprinkle dry rub on top. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Heat charcoal or gas grill to 250˚F for indirect cooking. Place ribs, meaty side up, over drip pan and cook 4-6 hours until tender. Spritz ribs occasionally with water or apple juice using spray bottle. If using charcoal grill, add about 12 coals approximately every 45 minutes to maintain heat. Let ribs stand 10-15 minutes before serving. If desired, serve with barbecue sauce.

Tri-StateLiving | 63

food | From the Cookbook

Cherry Bruschetta • 18 slices (1/2-inch thick) small baguette-style bread • 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided • 1 1/2 cups pitted Northwest fresh sweet cherries, coarsely chopped • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro • 1/4 cup diced yellow sweet pepper • 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions • 2 tablespoons lime juice • 1 teaspoon grated lime peel • 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper • 2 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese • 1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil

64 | Tri-StateLiving

Heat oven to 350˚F. Arrange baguette slices on cookie sheet and toast one side 5 minutes. Turn slices, brush with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and bake 5 minutes longer. Combine cherries, cilantro, sweet pepper, green onions, lime juice, lime peel, garlic salt, pepper and remaining olive oil; mix well. Top each baguette with thin slice of cheese, 1 tablespoon cherry mixture and sprinkle of sliced basil. Serve warm or cold.

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the last word

Volunteerism makes a difference

t was April 2014 when I walked into benefits specialist Katrina Keith’s office, ready to pitch a web design package to become the city’s new provider. I was nervous. Landing the contract was important to me because I love Ironton. This city is filled with amazing people, an amazing history and it is resilient. That resilience is being displayed today. I am old enough to remember big industry leaving. I watched some of my favorite stores close as the world changed, which ultimately altered the commercial landscape of our city. Talking about these details with Mrs. Keith resulted in a two-hour conversation about Ironton and ways to make it better. Yes, I landed the web design contract, but I was also asked as I left, “Have you heard of Ironton aLive?” The organization was still relatively young, so I hadn’t. Mrs. Keith explained it to me and asked if I would be interested in joining the board as a business representative. It sounded great, so I was all for it. In my first year on the board, I learned a lot about putting words into action. The Ironton Bucks program was launched, we had several Business After Hours events, we conducted a scavenger hunt and much more. Volunteering is wonderful, because you get to watch visions become reality. When I was elected chairwoman in January 2015, we were starting a busy year. Taste of Ironton, The Ironton Heritage Festival, and an artisan car show launched. We continued the Tuesday Night Concert Series, Farmers Market, Small Business Saturday and Business After Hours networking events. We also upped the anté on Christmas downtown. In 2016, we continued these activities and added Farm 66 | Tri-StateLiving

GINGER GILLENWATER is the chairwoman for Ironton aLive.

to Table and the Ohio River Wine Festival. This year, we aren’t launching new events, but are working on downtown design elements and Sam Heighton, our executive director, is working to fill vacant storefronts. These goals involve continued work to revitalize the downtown and bring traffic to our existing shops so that businesses looking to locate here can see an increase in shopping local. It’s easy to see how important volunteerism is to ourselves and the community. It not only puts us in a position to make a difference, but that difference trickles down over time. Many of our young people leave for destinations far away to work in specific fields. The hope is that, one day, more opportunities can be available to our children here at home. This isn’t something that is going to happen overnight, but, together, we can continue the forward momentum that Ironton is seeing now. To learn more about how you can help, email me at staff@ thegillenwatergroup.com.

Total Woman Youth Healthcare Heroes H E L P I N G C L A S S M AT E S F I N D A B U D D Y

SERVING THOSE WHO SERVED

“If any local schools would like to help get this program off the ground in their school, we would

In addition to Troop 7497,

TERRY E. two other Total Woman

JUSTICE, M.D.

to planning the 5K, Jobe also

JEFFREY P. works to raise awareness of the LOPEZ, M.D.

Healthcare Hero Awards

importance of

were presented at the

colonoscopies

celebration—Community

in detecting

Hero and Nursing Hero.

Professions and the director of the St. Mary’s School

of Nursing. Approximately

2,000 nurses have graduated

Community Hero

We know they’ve earned it.

After a battle with colon can-

Nursing

Life-Long

cer, Kelly Jobe decided she

Hero

Contribution

wanted to ﬁnd a way to help

After more than 50 years of

to Nursing

other colon cancer patients.

experience in nursing — 40 of

Award.

So she started the Care for

those years at St. Mary’s —

TRI-STATE REGIONAL CANCER CENTER Your Colon 5K to

Shelia M. Kyle, Ed.D., MSN,

To see

raise both money

RN, CNE, is