Warrenton Lifestyle Magazine April 2020 by Warrenton Lifestyle Magazine

Warrenton A P R I L

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W L the WARRENTON

LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

PUBLISHER Dennis Brack dennis@piedmontpub.com

EDITORIAL Pam Kamphuis pam@piedmontpub.com

ART DIRECTOR

from the E D I T O R

Kara Thorpe kara@piedmontpub.com

Strengthening Community in a Strange New World

ADVERTISING

t is a different world today than it was even a month ago when I was writing my editor’s note. We are in uncharted territory in so many ways. Fauquier County has a strong base, with good people, excellent services, and a growing economy. Our community is threatened, not only by illness, but economically and psychologically as well. We will all come out of this era of social isolation as different people than we were before.

Sales Director: Jim Kelly jim@piedmontpub.com, 434-987-3542 Senior Account Executive: Cindy McBride cindy@piedmontpub.com, 540-229-6038 Creative Services Director: Jay Ford jayford@piedmontpub.com

ACCOUNTING Business Director: Carina Richard-Wheat accounting@piedmontpub.com, 540-905-7791

SUBSCRIPTIONS

First of all, a thank you As we should every day and especially during hard times, we should thank and appreciate all the providers of our core services and those who continue to work for the good of our community: medical staff, emergency response teams, firefighters, and law enforcement. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

email jan@rappnews.com or call 540-675-3338

EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING OFFICE Piedmont Lifestyle Magazines 70 Main Street, Suite 32 Warrenton, 20186 540-349-2951

ON THE WEB

Support our small businesses As we go to press, only essential businesses are open. Our local restaurants, who are particularly vulnerable to economic downturns, are still able to offer take out. I encourage everyone to support them while they are permitted to stay open. After being isolated all day, go out and get some Italian or Indian or other favorite cuisine to brighten your day and take a break from your own cooking.

www.PiedmontLifestyle.com Facebook: @PiedmontLifestylePublications Email Newsletter: Sign up at www.PiedmontLifestyle.com The Warrenton Lifestyle Magazine is published monthly and distributed to over 11,500 selected addresses. While reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to The Warrenton Lifestyle Magazine, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to any such material. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. While ensuring that all published information is accurate, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any mistakes or omissions. Reproduction in whole or part of any of the text, illustration or photograph is strictly forbidden. ©2020 Rappahannock Media LLC.

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Friends and Neighbors While isolating as much as possible, please keep an eye on your neighbors and friends, especially the elderly. Check in by phone often, and chat a while to brighten their day. Make sure that they have a way to obtain groceries and, especially, medications. Keep an eye on who approaches their home and talk to them about any strange phone calls they may have received; before you know it scammers will have come up with creative new ways to use this crisis to their advantage, and the elderly are especially vulnerable. We don’t know where we’ll be when this crisis is over, but let’s all do what we can to make sure our community comes out the other side intact, and maybe even stronger. In the meantime, we have endeavored to give you some suggestions and information in this issue that may be of help. We still have the internet, and it’s a great way to continue to be in touch and involved. Keep an eye on our social media and let us know how you are doing during this difficult time. Sending good wishes and optimism for the future.

PAM KAMPHUIS EDITOR

NoPregnancyIsPerfect.com

why does my morning sickness last all day?

contents 08

The Trillium Trail

One of Fauquier County’s forests is home to one of the largest stands of the spring-blooming flower in the Mid-Atlantic BY DOUG GRAHAM

The Corona Virus Survival Guide Keeping busy while you’re at home

30 22

Fauquier Libraries are here for you Digital options during the crisis BY LISA PAVLOCK, PUBLIC INFORMATION COORDINATOR, FCPL

Smart and Secure Internet Use

One Day You’ll Get There Frederique Vincent and her daughter Camille have navigated through the world of disability to arrive at a life that is “full, enjoyable, and intense.”

BY CHRISTINE CRADDOCK

Still the Boss

The crisis brings new opportunities, and potential threats

Using technology to increase independence for those with special needs: Amissville company MPowerMe’s MyGuide app

BY KLAUS FUECHSEL

BY CHRISTINE CRADDOCK

Scents of Love Thirteen-year-old Madison Renuart’s company is making a difference, one candle at a time BY PAM KAMPHUIS

Accidental Goat Joy Social media success leads to a business opportunity for first-time goat owners BY AMANDA M. SOCCI

ON THE COVER: Willow’s Little Goat Farm. Photo by Stephanie Shifflett

The Lifestyle magazines are sister publications of Northern Virginia’s Leading News Source, INSIDENOVA.COM TWITTER.COM/INSIDENOVA FACEBOOK.COM/INSIDENOVA

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VISIT US today for the latest news, sports and features from Fauquier, Prince William, Arlington, Fairfax, Stafford and throughout the region.

The Trillium Trail

PHOTOS AND STORY BY DOUG GRAHAM

Richard Thompson Wildlife Management Area (WMA), one of the richest botanical areas of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, is a 4,000-acre site located primarily in Fauquier County, with small encroachments into both Warren and Clarke counties. Mother Nature has painted a spectacular spring landscape at G. Richard Thompson WMA boasting one of the largest stands of large-flowered trilliums in the Mid-Atlantic. The area comprises two separate parcels, rising in a series of steep stages to the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which the area's northwestern boundary closely follows. Its northern parcel is adjacent to Sky Meadows State Park. The Appalachian Trail crosses through its boundaries along the crest of the Blue Ridge, and the WMA contains several side trails that provide access to the area.

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Heavy fog lays in on top of the mountain with a trail covered in may apples and largeflowered trillium.

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Elevations on the property range from 700 to 2,200 feet (210m to 670 m) above sea level. A number of streams and unusual spring seeps are contained within, as are several outcroppings of rock. The area is renowned for an extensive stand of white trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) that blooms each spring. Covering an area of approximately two square miles, this stand of trilliums is reputed to be the largest plant community of its kind in Virginia and perhaps anywhere else in the U.S. Other species blooming in these rich woods in early May include showy orchis (Galearis spectabilis), bear corn (Conopholis americana), and yellow lady slippers (Cypripedium parviflorum). In the seepage swamps grow several species that are usually associated with more northern regions or higher elevations of the Appalachians, such as Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense). The WMA covers several different habitats, including second-growth deciduous forest, open grassy clearings, and cool seepage swamps at the headwaters of mountain streams. Most of the forests found on the land are hardwoods, but there is some open land at the bottom and near the top of one tract. The remains of formerly cultivated fruit trees may still be seen at the lower portion of the area. â?&#x2013;

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Spring is in full swing at G. Thompson Wildlife Management Area where there is one of the largest stands of Large-flowered and Painted Trillium in the Mid-Atlantic. People and wildlife alike flock to the area to enjoy the show.

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COPING WITH COVID

T H E

L I F E S T Y L E

M A G A Z I N E

A N O R CO VIRUS L A V I V SUR

GUIDE Keeping busy while you’re at home

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fun ideas!

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Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home. Until you start getting antsy, of course, and feeling like every day is Groundhog Day*. To help you stave off the “antsies,” we asked our contributors, all of whom are local to the Fauquier and Prince William areas, for their ideas on things to do, watch, explore, and learn while we’re all on lockdown. They’ve come up with a great list with ideas that will appeal to adults and children alike, and we hope it helps the days pass happily for all of you. *Great movie, by the way. Fun for the whole family!

GET OUTSIDE LOCALLY 1 Go for a hike at Sky Meadows, Whitney State Forest, James S. Long Regional Park, or another one of our local parks. Check out piedmontlifestyle.com/outdoor/ finding-summer-fun-is-a-walk-inthe-park 2 Drive Skyline Drive and see the gorgeous spring landscape unfolding before us 3 Take a historical driving tour, scavenger hunt, or go geocaching. These activities are available on the Mosby Heritage Area Association’s website: mosbyheritagearea.org 4 Hike the Trillium Trail at G.R. Thompson State Wildlife Management Area and enjoy one of the largest areas of Large Flowered Trillium in the MidAtlantic. They should be in bloom late April - mid May.

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FAMILY 17 Get started on genealogy research. A TON of this can be done online. Take the opportunity to chat by phone or online with older relatives to get their stories (record them if you can, so you have them telling their stories in their own voice.). To start, Ancestry.com has a free trial period, and familysearch.org is free. There are many Facebook groups for beginner genealogists as well. More information on getting started at piedmontlifestyle. com/family/looking-to-the-past/

HOME AND GARDEN 5 Spring clean your house

HAVING FUN!

6 Declutter and organize 7 Clean your car 8 Take a household inventory for insurance purposes. Film each room in your house to document its contents

18 Take up an old hobby, or start a new one 19 Crafts, sewing, scrapbooking, beading

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9 Finally sort through the thousands of photos youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been meaning to organize

16 Teach your dog a new trick, play with him more in the backyard, or just spend some time with him.

10 Get in the kitchen: try some new recipes or baking projects

20 Reading: tackle a new series. Your local library has many digital options, or support your local bookstore; Open Book in Old Town Warrenton offers audiobooks through libro.fm

11 Home projects: paint a room, refinish some furniture

21 Take up photography, on your iPhone or DSLR

12 Get into the yard: With a little extra time at home during the start of gardening season, you can have your dream garden this year! Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re thinking flowers or vegetables, research and plan and prepare the soil now. Do some heavy clearing before the leaves and vines come out and it gets too hot.

22 Research travel. We can't go anywhere now, but eventually we will be able to travel again. We can always dream. If you research where to go, what to see, and where to stay now, you'll be more prepared to book it when you can.

23 Play an instrument that's been neglected 24 Jigsaw puzzles, old fashioned games

CARING FOR YOURSELF 13 Make it a point to get with friends online via zoom or facetime...you can have virtual coffee. Or wine! 14 Continue your regular exercise regimen, or start a new routine. There are plenty of videos online, and some local gyms are offering classes by video 15 Show yourself some TLC with an in-home spa day. Do some yoga or meditation, give yourself a facial and a manicure. Whatever makes you feel taken care of.

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25 Watch wildlife: Animal webcams at the national zoo are available at nationalzoo. si.edu/webcams 26 Learn to start your own podcast or blog

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Postponed Same book, Next year 2020 Fauquier Community Read featuring “How We Got to Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World” by Steven Johnson postponed until Spring 2021.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL

We are glad Steven Johnson is able to adjust his schedule to be in Fauquier County next year. Until then, we encourage everyone to keep reading “How We Got to Now” and other good books. — Maria Del Rosso Director, Fauquier Public Library

540.422.8500 fauquierlibrary.org Warrenton | Bealeton | John Marshall

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THE ARTS 27 Many museums and performance venues are offering online options. Take a virtual tour, watch a classic movie, play, or musical right on your computer. Resources: playbill. com, kennedy-center. org/digitalstage

Colonial Williamsburg: colonialwilliamsburg.org/ learn/explore-from-home

LEARN SOMETHING NEW 28 Take a class to learn something new. There are so many educational opportunities on the internet; there is literally nothing you can’t learn. Some, like Great Courses, charge a fee, but many are free. And there’s always YouTube! 29 Local history learning opportunities:

The Louvre www.louvre.fr/en Metropolitan Museum of Art www.metmuseum.org/ art/online-features/met-360-project The Smithsonian www.si.edu The British Museum, London. britishmuseum.withgoogle.com

Virginia History: virginiahistory.org/your-visit/ virginia-history-home

Museum of the American Revolution www.amrevmuseum-virtualtour.org

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National Museum of the Marine Corps: virtualusmcmuseum.com

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Make a difference this Spring! We need: Volunteers • Wheelchairs • Transport Chairs Electric Hospital Beds • Donations • Shower Benches • Food Supplements (Ensure, Boost) Bariatric Equipment • Volunteers • Lift Chairs Hoyer Lifts • Blue Pads • Volunteers • Adult Diapers • Copy paper or other office supplies.

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COPING WITH COVID

Fauquier County Public Libraries are here for you Make the most of your time away from school or the office — All it takes is a computer and a library card

Prepare to Excel

Tap into a powerful tool for standardized test preparation, research, and selecting colleges and exploring careers. With Peterson’s Testing and Education Reference Center, young adults can prepare for standardized tests and career certification exams, gain skills for interviewing and networking, or explore job categories, industries and occupations.

Keep on Learning

BY LISA PAVLOCK, PUBLIC INFORMATION COORDINATOR

On March 16, Fauquier Public Library suspended all library programs and special events and closed its doors to the public until further notice. However, our commitment to providing services to our community did not waver. On March 18, the library began offering curbside pickup of books, DVDs, periodicals, and other library materials at the Warrenton and Bealeton libraries. In addition to curbside service, the library offers online and digital resources that can help you stay in touch, educate your kids, and entertain the whole family — all free with your library card. Day, night, weekday or weekend, the library’s “24/7 branch” — fauquierlibrary.org — is always open. You can also access the library on the go with the MyLibrary! mobile app. Use it to place holds and follow us on social media for up to the minute information. The app is free and available for Android and iOs devices.

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Online resources at the Library fauquierlibrary.org/digital/

Read, Listen or Watch

A wide selection of e-books, e-audio, and e-magazines for all ages are available through Overdrive and RBdigital, the library’s e-materials vendors. Instantly borrow materials to read or listen to on your smartphone, tablet, computer, or e-reader. Choose from classics, best-sellers, and popular magazines. Tune into Acorn TV or IndieFlix for world-class dramas, comedies, and classic TV, or Stingray Qello for full-length concerts and music documentaries.

Raise a Reader (birth through Kindergarten)

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends reading aloud to infants from birth. Join the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program at your local library and make every book count! Register for your log online then begin tracking the books you and your child read. Children earn prizes for hitting reading milestones and a place on the Wall of Fame (and a cool prize) when they complete 1000 books.

Find the Answer

With Cricket Media, elementary and middle school students can explore a wide range of subjects to help expand their worlds and build literacy skills. A wide range of topics are included, from Arts & Architecture to Travel.

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Learning doesn’t stop upon graduation. Job seekers, hobbyists, and busy professionals can choose from hundreds of high-quality vetted online courses on topics such as accounting, photography, Microsoft Office, and grant writing, or fun stuff like travel writing or game design. Some even offer Continuing Education Units and certifications. Services like Hoonuit, Universal Class and Great Courses are free from your library.

Curbside Service

Use the library’s website, the MyLibrary! mobile app, or call 540.422.8500 option 3 to place a hold on the materials you would like to check out. Watch for a text or email notification that your hold is ready for pickup. When you arrive at the library branch you selected, let us know you are here. - Warrenton central library, Winchester Street entrance: Call 540.422.8500 option 1 when you arrive. - Bealeton branch library: Call 540.422.8500 option 2 when you arrive.

Returns

All book drops are closed at this time. If you have items due, please keep the items until further notice. Overdue fines are waived on items due after March 16, 2020 and until we resume regular operations. Please check our website or follow us on social media for the latest curbside pickup hours and updates on library operations, or call the numbers listed above. ❖

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COPING WITH COVID

Smart and Secure Internet Use During COVID-19 New opportunities are popping up online every day, as are potential threats

Working from home

BY KLAUS FUECHSEL

local expert THE EXPERT:

Klaus Fuechsel HIS EXPERTISE:

Computers & Technology

Klaus Fuechsel owns the local awardwinning computer repair store Dok Klaus. He and his team deal with all kinds of computer issues; data preservation is one of their top priorities. You may contact Dok Klaus via phone 540428-2376 or visit his website www.DokKlaus.com.

OVID-19 has changed our world dramatically, and the impact may last for years to come. But life has and will go on, and we will have to adapt and perhaps change the way we do things. For now, we’re all trying to practice healthy “social distancing”. But with our technology devices and tools, we can stay in touch, work from home, and weather home isolation better than we could have imagined. The internet and our cellphones make a huge difference. Access to the world wide web has become an essential resource.

Social Interacting

While “social distancing” can’t substitute for cuddles, it can bring us together face-toface. I video chat regularly with my family in Germany, Zambia, and New Jersey with Skype, WhatsApp, and Messenger. It’s important to call friends and family more often, especially the elderly, whom we want to keep safe physically and mentally. Why don’t you try cheering yourself and others up by playing an online game together like Scrabble, Bingo, Hearts, or even Dungeons and Dragons. And did you know that the Warf offers free online fitness classes?

Remote Learning

Remote teaching is booming right now. Like many other teachers, my wife now works with her students remotely using Google Meet hangouts. Many sites offer free online classes. And the voice behind “Olaf” (from Frozen), Josh Gad, reads bedtime stories via Twitter for kids. New free “edutainment” options are popping up daily on the web. And for the older students, the College Board is offering daily classes to help AP students keep up with their studies and prepare for shortened exams in May.

Security

Now more than ever, it’s important to keep your antivirus protection up-to-date. As you rely more and more on your internet connections, be aware of increased scams and hacks. You need to be more vigilant than ever. Avoid clicking on anything within an email (like a link or

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TELEPHONE

VOIP (Voice Over IP) systems perform phone calls via the internet. This allows you to use your home phone or cellphone as an office phone, and the calls will appear to come from your office location.

REMOTE COMPUTER ACCESS

While larger companies sometimes use VPN (Virtual Private Network) to connect off site computers, there are smaller programs with easier setup available that allow you to access a remote computer. RescueAssist, Teamviewer, GotomyPC, and Logmein are simple programs that are downloaded from the internet onto the office computer, enabling it to be accessed, and worked on, from anywhere online. You will see the exact same screen at home as if you were sitting in front of the office PC, and you are working directly on your office computer. Any changes made to documents are saved on your office system. There is a fee, after a free trial, for most of these; there are free options out there but be aware that free is always risky. Paid programs are generally more sophisticated and secure.

download). I would distrust anyone trying to offer you something for free. They’re “phishing” for valuable personal and credit card information.

Protecting your data

I was recently asked, “Is your data safe online?” Well, unless we experience major security breaches or stolen passwords, you should remain the only one who can access your personal data. But personally, I am a bit afraid that the internet might break down for longer periods, or that hackers might take the opportunity to create additional havoc on the WWW. The key to data access and security is “backup, backup, backup.” Backup all your files to somewhere “offline,” such as a local external hard drive or USB stick. Backup your email by downloading your messages. Always make sure that you have credit card, bank statements, and mortgage statements downloaded. Talk to senior family members about a safe place for storing important technology information such as passwords to their devices and important accounts.

Internet speed and data use

We can all expect more issues with internet speed and access, because it is increasingly overloaded with data transfers, video conferencing, leisure gaming, remote schooling, video streaming, and so on. If the WWW becomes overloaded at times, internet speed will slow down to a crawl. Be ready for this. Repowering the router and modem from time to time might remove infections from your system, speed things up, and minimize connection and time lag issues. Regarding downloads, please keep in mind that, except with Comcast, all providers have download limits. When they say unlimited downloads that generally means, you get fast downloading for so many gigabytes per day or month. But after that, the speed becomes very slow, too slow for decent remote access, not to mention streaming films, videos, or games. So, you might want to watch your provider’s download limits, and find alternative offline activities for your kids to keep it under control.❖

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One Day You’ll Get There Frederique Vincent and her daughter Camille have navigated through the world of disability to arrive at a life that is “full, enjoyable, and intense.” BY CHRISTINE CRADDOCK

ave you ever been through a difficult time but after things got easier, you looked back and cannot fathom how you got through it? If yes, then you may be able to relate well to Frederique Vincent and the early years of raising her daughter Camille. “Camille was born prematurely after a difficult pregnancy during which I lost her twin sibling,” says Vincent of the difficulties from the start. Because of a heart defect, Camille was a “blue baby” at birth since part of her atrioventricular valve was missing. Living in Atlanta, Georgia at the time ended up being a huge blessing because tiny little Camille was operated on by one of the best pediatric surgeons at only 3 months old. It took 2 years for Camille to recover, all the while receiving nutrition through a feeding tube. Then the family relocated to Virginia. Once the medical complications were under control, the focus turned to Camille’s Down Syndrome diagnosis. Vincent conveys her opinion that, in a way, having a diagnosis from birth puts families at an advantage over those who have to later seek out services for a possible Autism or other cognitive delay. “After a period of coming to terms with it, you plunge into it and begin to figure out the best way to help your child,” explains Vincent. Early intervention programs were readily available and a therapist began coming to the home for occupational and speech therapy for Camille. “It was the beginning of Camille’s physical and mental development and my education in the world of disability,” Vincent says. Camille began taking the bus to a Loudoun County preschool program where her first teacher was a “fantastic lady who helped her progress on all fronts.” But just as life-changing the education Camille was receiving was the support the family was getting from the program. “They reassure you, listen to you, and open the gates to therapy and waivers and all the lingo and tips you need to chart your child’s course,” explained Vincent. Looking back, Vincent can see that each step was a chapter in a series of chapters. The early elementary school years taught Vincent that she had to fight for inclusion. Middle school was a little bit more difficult for many reasons; the school was bigger, the workload became

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more and more academic, and there weren’t a lot of accommodations in place to help Camille succeed in inclusion. Each year a new IEP (Individualized Education Program) had to be created and Vincent’s fight began all over again to make sure Camille was getting the help she needed. The high school environment was even more challenging to find opportunities for inclusion. The academics and the curriculum are the focus for the neurotypical students so Vincent says she needed to have the strength to negotiate for more opportunities for Camille. Although you can’t fight the law, parents of children with special needs may not realize there are more options than are presented to the family at the beginning. Parents may not know they can ask for different options for their child. For example, Camille wasn’t initially offered a choice to participate in electives the other students could, but Vincent requested she be included in a photography class. Camille excelled in class and even won an award for her photos. “We may not have ever realized her talent with photography if we hadn’t asked for a different option for her at school,” says Vincent. Vincent views those 17 years in the Fauquier County Public School system as a series of experiences that each had their own challenges in terms of program content, level of instruction, inclusion, and transition. During most of those years, she held various positions with the Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) for the purpose of advocating for Camille and her peers. Then she was invited to join the state-level SEAC and became one of the first members of the Arc of North Central Virginia. She is currently serving on the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities (VBPD). These experiences truly were instrumental in her ‘learning the ropes’ to help others with disabilities, and to find a supportive community for them both. “Camille graduated with a State ‘Applied Studies Diploma,’ which does not give her access to colleges but speaks loudly of her 20 years of relentless pursuit of excellence,” Vincent says. During high school, the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services stepped in as part of

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Camille’s IEP to put a plan in place that would result in employment within a year of graduating high school. Children like Camille are evaluated, trained, and given opportunities for volunteering. Camille’s volunteering led to an employment position at Lockheed Martin where she works as part of an enclave, with two other special needs adults under a coach who assures the group is supervised and safe. “Knowledge in the field of disability is your power,” says Vincent, explaining that before she was informed, she was overwhelmed. Social media made her feel less isolated and joining online groups connected her with those who could help her navigate school and the issues that come with a child with both medical needs and cognitive special needs. One such group, Down Syndrome Moms, meets the third Thursday of every month for a meal together. This has led to both VIncent and Camille having a wonderful group of friends they can count on for unwavering, non-judgmental, life-long relationships. There are a few moms of children with special needs who have had an open, constant exchange of text messages and emails with Vincent and each other for two decades. Their support and friendship has been invaluable. But as difficult as some of these years were, Vincent explains that her community in Fauquier County has been so good to her family. “I look back at the insanity and I am grateful to each person who helped us.” There is advocacy out there, and whenever the opportunity presents itself Camille and Vincent attend events to put a face to the special needs community. There are many groups and activities to be involved in locally that the family takes advantage of. Camille is active in the “best Special Olympics”, according to Vincent, where she has won so many medals and trophies, most notably in swimming. The participants, organizers, and their families have become like a second family to Camille and Vincent. Camille loves to spend time with her friends at meetups like Love2BeMe, a ministry for special needs teens and adults in Warrenton that fosters fun and friendships. Today Camille is 25 and the mother-daughter pair has created a life together that is “full, enjoyable, and intense.” Both women are in charge of their lives and they get to decide what their lives will encompass. Vincent explains that it's important that Camille maintains her side of her own life, and they each make sure they give the other space. Now that the challenges of the medical, transitional, and therapeutic phases are behind them, they can plan and dream. A meeting with Camille and Vincent will reveal their personalities quickly. Camille’s calm demeanor, encyclopedic memory, and enthusiasm for life matches the same level of Vincent’s obvious love for her daughter and passion for helping others navigate this often difficult road. Vincent points out the wonderful qualities her daughter has, including a wicked sense of humor and a humble competitive spirit. “Another beautiful quality is that she is resigned to making the best of her multiple disabilities, as they come,” says Vincent. “She doesn’t complain and doesn’t talk about disabilities because she doesn't want to be defined by them.” Vincent’s message to other moms who are in the beginning phases or in the midst of it: Stop and let it absorb. Go relentlessly after services. Keep that portion of you safe that retains the joy in life. Make room for yourself; get out once or twice a month alone. Give yourself time and grace. One day you’ll get there. ❖ RESOURCES: Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center - peatc.org Love2BeMe - facebook.com/groups/love2beme

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From left to right: Christopher, Maria, Daniel, Donovan, and Dominic

Still the Boss: Amissville’s Maria McWhirt helps those with special needs live more independently

STORY AND PHOTO BY CHRISTINE CRADDOCK

hen Maria McWhirt’s son was graduating from high school, she thought she might lose her job. The ability to leave Dominic, who was diagnosed with autism at age 10, unattended at home was nearly impossible. Even with 25 years of experience as a trained social worker, McWhirt could not find services for her own kid once he transitioned out of special education supports available during the school years. Surprisingly, the solution came from within her own family. Out of McWhirt’s five sons from a blended family, Dominic is the only one with autism but her other son Daniel was born with vision impairment. At five-months old he was given experimental glasses and quickly began using technology, including mastering the use of a mouse before he could walk. At the age of 12, he was developing apps, including one he created to help Dominic remember the steps to playing minecraft. While Daniel was attending college, Dominic was graduating from high school, soon to be at home, needing someone there at all times to prompt him to complete tasks,

{ APRIL 2020 |

communicate, eat, and think. Maria called upon Daniel to create an app to prompt Dominic throughout each step of his day. Not only would this help give Dominic some independence, but it would take the conflict out of Maria and Domnic’s relationship by allowing Dominic to receive prompts from a device that he was more receptive to than his mother’s well-intentioned ‘nagging.’ “Dom responded to prompting from me with meltdowns, but responded positively to Daniel's app,” Maria said. The app takes Dominic through his day, leading him to brush his teeth, empty the trash, take his medicine, decide what he wants for lunch (it even helps him make it step by step). Once each step is completed, a report is sent to Maria so she knows he’s up and going about his day. Little did the family realize that in a few short years, this app would be helping other special needs parents and young adults far and wide. When McWhirt began to show others in the field, the clinicians loved it. She knew that her son wasn’t the only one who could benefit from this technology. McWhirt is the Founding Executive Director of MPower Me’s MyGuide, a technology-based intervention delivering custom interactive guides to a mobile device, such as a tablet or cell phone to empower people with special needs. This technology is the first and only electronic-based support covered by Virginia Medicaid. To obtain that coverage, the following three conditions must be present in the user: 1. He or she possesses a cognitive deficit;

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2. He or she is prompt dependent; and 3. There are barriers to his or her ability to express thoughts, feelings, and activities. When these three conditions are certified by a clinician, Medicaid provides MyGuide on a device at no cost to the family. McWhirt knew MyGuide could not be a one-size-fits-all solution, since each person with a cognitive deficit is unique. Thus, the app is designed to be completely customized; special education teachers, parents, neighbors, mentors, coaches, and students can be trained to write and build new lessons. Technological Prompting, Enhanced Self Expression, and Remote Monitoring: three ways MyGuide supports users.

Technological Prompting

A glimpse at the MPower Me YouTube channel shows the MyGuide app in action. In one demonstration a young woman builds a lesson to combat her anxiety by showing a photo of something that calms her down. In another, we see a user putting his clothes away and moving on to the next task with a huge smile on his face. McWhirt tells of a younger child who has a dismissal lesson that pops up every day at 2:15. It features his mom’s voice calmly telling him to get on the bus and that she will see him soon. The mom can record a new greeting every day, if she’d like.

Enhanced Self Expression

According to McWhirt, clinicians and families have reported that the responses collected via the MyGuide app are more

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My brain works differently than some people. MyGuide lessons are built the way my brain thinks. MyGuide helps me be more independent by allowing me to make choices and reminds me of what to do if I ever get stuck on something. When I first wake up, I turn on my MyGuide. I use morning routines and I take my medicine. On each page, there is a set of instructions that can be customized that will help me complete whatever task it is and when I am finished with that step, I swipe to the left and then it gives me a new step. And when I complete the task, it sends reports to MyGuide and my mom. It allows me to tell mom that I’m doing my stuff. I used to have mom annoy me. With MyGuide, she doesn’t have to ask me and she doesn’t have to drag me everywhere she goes. -

accurate than verbal responses to a trusted caregiver. By using this technology, people with special needs are able to communicate their choices, emotions, and opinions in more detail, regardless of their communication capabilities. There are a variety of ways a user can express how they feel, what they think, or what they’re doing at any given moment and in response to a situation, from selecting a photo to dictating a long story.

Remote Monitoring

Clinicians, caregivers, and especially families find that the live reporting feature is one of MyGuide’s most valuable tools. MyGuide collects data about each page the user views and how they respond to pre-programmed

D O M I N I C

M C W H I R T

questions. From a dashboard, caregivers and family members can view this data in real time or access reporting logs of previously completed guides. Clinicians analyze the reports and make treatment adjustments, while families use it to supervise the user. If you ask users though, MyGuide’s biggest benefit is the ability to be in control of their own world and gain independence. It shows them that “they are the boss of their own lives,” says McWhirt. And that’s not all. At the high school level, where neurotypical kids and special needs kids are using technology together, it is creating a sense of empathy and inclusion. MPower Me is truly a family company. Three of McWhirt’s sons work in different

ways to get the message into the community and increase awareness of the MyGuide app and how technology can help special needs kids and adults in general. In addition to Daniel who continues to develop cuttingedge software, Christopher brings his 10 years of experience as a group home manager to the effort, and Donovan hosts presentations and workshops where people can try MyGuide and ask questions. “I'm so proud of all of them,” McWhirt says. Clinicians are encouraged to reach out to MPower Me regarding MyGuide and families are encouraged to inquire about possible funding opportunities. To learn more about MPower Me and MyGuide, go to https://mpm.care. ❖

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{ APRIL 2020 |

5/17/17 3:11 PM

WARRENTON LIFESTYLE

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Scents of love Madison Renuart’s company is making a difference, one candle at a time STORY BY PAM KAMPHUIS PHOTOS BY KARA THORPE

“I

keep telling my mom that if she’s going to burn my candles she’s going to have to start paying for them.” Maddy said. After all, Scents of Love is not a hobby, but a business with a serious mission. Madison Renuart is a unique young lady. It is unusual to find a combination of compassion, industry, and love of her community in one so young. But Maddy is all of those things. At 13 years old, she has built her business, Scents of Love Candle Company, in the last year. Selling her homemade soy candles at local craft fairs and online, Maddy donates ten percent of the sale of each candle to local nonprofits in our community. Right now, she has one line of candles, Scents of Compassion, whose profits go to Washington Area Animal Adoption Group (WAAAG), and another line, Scents of Giving, whose profits go to the Haymarket Regional Food Pantry. Why two separate lines, and separate donations? “I really liked WAAAG, the way

{ APRIL 2020 |

they took care of the dogs. And Miss Jenny from WAAAG was really helpful. But I liked what the Food Pantry was doing for the community too. I couldn’t decide. So I just did both,” Maddy said. As a young girl who suffers from anxiety and ADHD, Maddy always found that burning scented candles helped her calm down and soothed her. When a friend invited her to the Young Entrepreneurs Business Fair last year, she was excited

WARRENTON LIFESTYLE

}

to go. But she didn’t have a business yet. Going with her love of candles, she looked into starting a business by making all natural scented soy candles. Maddy knew from the start that she wanted her candles to be all natural. “Other candles, they have all these different ingredients that you can’t name, and I always think, ‘if you can’t pronounce it, it’s probably not good for you.’ I wanted to make something 100 percent natural and good for

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WARRENTON LIFESTYLE

}

the environment that people can enjoy.” After quite a lot of online research, instruction videos, and a lot of plain, old practice, she was on her way. There was a lot of trial and error, her mother Carrie said. “We learned a lot of ways not to make candles.” She made a big splash at the Young Entrepreneurs Business Fair with her first line, Scents of Compassion. This line is all named in a pet theme, after their dog Brody. The candles are named things like Bubba’s Biscuits, Catnip, and Paw Prints. Not surprisingly, the donations from this line go to WAAAG. The candles are all made in the Renuart’s kitchen, where Maddy takes over when she has a big event coming up. “Usually I’ll have music playing in the background and I’ll have my pajamas on, and I’ll have all four burners on the stove going,” she said. The process is not hard, but it is exacting. After measuring and melting the soy wax to a certain temperature, the oil scent is added and stirred. The jar is prepared by inserting the wick, and the candle is poured. It’s a repetitive process, but Maddy doesn’t mind. “From start to finish, it takes about one hour

per batch. Then they have to cool for 24 hours. It’s a little stressful, but at the end of the day it’s all worth it because I know I’m doing something good. I enjoy doing it.” The worst part? “Cleaning all this up is excruciating. Spilled oil or wax are both really hard to get off the countertop. If I don’t get all the spilled oil off, the house smells for days.” But it’s not all about making the candles. “The whole point of this is for her to learn the business,” Carrie said. Scents of Love is not just a hobby for Maddy. Right now, her mom, Carrie, acts as CFO and her dad acts as Operations Manager while Maddy makes the candles. Carrie’s already teaching Maddy how the business side works, and how to manage the money that comes in. They analyze the cost of the materials, and Maddy’s time and measure it against sales to determine profits and donation amounts. Although her parents fronted the money to start the business, Carrie said, “She’s paid us back everything, all the expenses.” Carrie said, “Another part of what I love about this project was getting Maddy to speak more, to be more outgoing. She

}

{ APRIL 2020 |

WARRENTON LIFESTYLE

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Madison at home with her dogs.

gets nervous sometimes, and getting out there and selling the candles and talking to customers has really helped her self confidence. She gave the presentation of the check to the board of the Haymarket Food Pantry by herself, and when she gave the check presentation to WAAAG she did a Facebook Live. It is so good for her, talking to people about what she likes to do.”

Maddy’s recent donations were $500 to WAAAG and $400 to the Haymarket Regional Food Pantry. At the retail price of $12 per candle, that’s a lot of candles! Carrie estimated that Maddy’s sold about 800 candles since starting in June of last year. The company being well in the black, Maddy has also made some money for herself. She saves some and spends some, for

instance on her iPhone 11. When she’s not making candles, the Auburn Middle School student can oftentimes be found on stage or performing. She’s active in School of Rock, where she plays electric guitar. She likes to sing and dance and loves musical theatre. Then there’s the Girl Scouts. “But mostly in my free time, I play with my dogs,” she said. She intends to continue to grow Scents of Love, but at her own pace. Carrie said, “I told her that she started this because candles relax her, so if it gets too big and starts to stress her out, it’s not worth it.” Maddy said, ”I love this, I want to keep doing it. First of all, I know that I love it, and second, I’m making a difference in my community, and that’s one of the biggest things I want to do. That’s my goal in life. I’m taking it one step at a time.” Her mother continues to point out to her, “Even what you’ve done so far is an accomplishment. People think that they can’t make a difference in their communities. This was your idea, you raised $900 by yourself. You’re already making a difference.’” ❖

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accidental goat joy V I R A L

S O C I A L

F I R S T - T I M E U N E X P E C T E D

M E D I A G O A T

R E S P O N S E

O W N E R S

B U S I N E S S

T O

L E D A N

O P P O R T U N I T Y

STORY BY AMANDA M. SOCCI | PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE SHIFFLETT

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how it all started

Eight years ago, owners Mike Ellis and Stephanie Shifflett met while working in Gainesville. They dated in college and after graduating, lived in Falls Church. “We were exhausted because we were commuting and working so hard. We had to find a way to get back to the land,” stated Shifflett. Shifflett’s family, native to Fauquier County, owned pigs, chickens, and dogs.

BY AMANDA M. SOCCI

arely eight months into its infancy, Willow’s Little Goat Farm in Midland has emerged out of nowhere, causing a social media frenzy which astonished the owners — who had only recently acquired the goats — and eventually led them to a business opportunity. The once-private farmstead now welcomes select visitors by appointment, and gives them the opportunity to cuddle and bond with their goats. Named after the owner’s dog, Willow, the goat farm features seven goats: Annie, George, Rosemary, Oliver, Harper, Hazel, and Spirit.

Shifflett fondly recalled attending a farmer’s auction when she was young, bidding on pigs and buying them for her family’s farm. She was also experienced in babysitting goats. Ellis’ family also had strong roots in farming. Holland, known for its many waterways, thriving agriculture, and vegetation, became a second home to Ellis as he traveled there frequently to visit his family, whose green

pastures housed cows and sheep. Ellis was well accustomed to the serenity and comforts of farming; like Shifflett, he too yearned to return to his upbringing in farming. Approximately a year and a half ago, the now-engaged couple decided they had outgrown their stay in the metropolis of nonstop congested traffic. The rural environment of Fauquier County beckoned them. They called it an oasis — a 180-degree difference from the concrete jungle where the couple lived and worked. At this early stage, goats were nowhere in their minds. According to Ellis, the couple looked at only two houses before settling upon their present home, an old farmhouse built in 1904 that had been restored with piping and electricity. They completed the move into their new home which was surrounded by three acres of overrun, unkempt land in February 2019. There was a lot of physical work to be done to clear the land; Ellis and Shifflett did the hard labor on their own and hired a private company to install a fence to

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enclose the property. According to Shifflett, “We knew we were going to be farmers. We’re in love with pets.” But they still didn’t know that goats were in their future.

the goats move in!

After settling into their new home, the couple learned that a family friend was moving and had to give up their farm animals, including some goats. Ellis and Shifflett agreed to take the goats to their newly established farm and planned to keep them as pets so their former family could continue to visit them. Two pregnant female goats and one male arrived. Eventually, these three goats would become seven. Delighted, Ellis and Shifflett continued raising goats as a hobby; turning it into a business didn’t occur to them.

the proud goat dad

The goats lit up their lives and filled each day with sweetness. The mixed breeds of Nigerian Dwarf and American Pygmy made it easy for the couple to keep them as companion pets. The couple relished holding the goats and snuggling with them, despite their horns and sharp two-toed hooves. Surprisingly small in height with a physical appearance like tiny giraffes, the goats received daily socialization, tenderness, and care from the couple. The goats loved the affection and returned it with a playful demeanor. Both Ellis and Shifflett consistently referred to the goats as members of their

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family and even as their children, as the couple does not yet have human babies. While they share equal responsibilities in raising their goats, Ellis emerged as the proud goat dad, even going so far as referring to the goat’s first baby as their own firstborn. “They all have their own little personalities. Oliver is our firstborn, he’s the rambunctious one,” beamed Ellis. Over the course of time, Ellis gathered as much technical information as possible to take better care of his endearing goat family. “I read lots of books and do research,” he stated. When it was time for the two females to give birth, Shifflett worked with the veterinarian on the phone while Ellis became the midwife, assisting with the physical demands of the laboring process.

accidental business flourishes

Both Ellis and Shifflett agreed they never planned to do anything official or businesslike with the goats once they acquired them. The only thing they really wanted to do was share the joy of their goats through photography and videos by posting them to Instagram. “We posted things for fun and for sharing. People loved it! They reached out and wanted to see the goats,” said Shifflett. To their surprise, their Instagram account took off like a rocket with their very first post on September 5, 2019. More than 100 people liked that post. Thereafter, each subsequent post garnered more views, more likes, and they became a viral sensation almost overnight.

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Simultaneously, their Facebook account also gained popularity as the couple successfully reached thousands of people from all over the world who were fascinated with the goings on of their quaint family of goats. Their popularity on social media led the couple to create Facebook events called “open houses” which allowed locals to meet and cuddle with the goats at select interval times. “It was all by accident,” insisted Shifflett, “we decided to host personal events [allowing people to meet the goats] and vetted people online.” After the couple hosted two successful open house events in October and November of 2019, people asked them to expand their services. To satisfy a clear demand, the couple is working on the logistics to rent out their farm for private events and offer goat yoga and goat therapy. In addition, the couple has a five-year plan to create a new business: a farm and winery at a location near Charlottesville which would also serve as a wedding venue. They want to get married there and incorporate the goats as an integral part of the new business. Both Ellis and Shifflett welcome guests at Willow’s Little Goat Farm. Since their private home also serves as the homestead for the goat farm, they offer opportunities for visits and goat joy by appointment only. Readers are encouraged to learn more by visiting their Instagram page at instagram. com/willowsgoatfarm and their website at willowslittlegoatfarm.com. ❖

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