Bloom celebrating Valley women
Don’t let the baby fool you —
Jennifer Shirkey means business Fall 2009
INSIDE BLOOM
Fashion Grads learn to dress for the real world; favorite beauty splurges 4
Relationships Couples who work together share 9 their secrets of success
Career Women seek fulfillment in second careers
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In Full Bloom Jennifer Shirkey finds time for both a law career and a family with help from her husband, 14 Aaron
Kids Be an advocate for your kids without cramping their growth 17
Money Apply a mother’s wisdom to your 21 finances
Spirituality The role of the pastor’s wife continues to evolve
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Health Use stress to your advantage 26
Fitness Boot camp challenges even the most fit; must-do exercises and an “easy” ride goes downhill 27
Home Spotlight on home offices; renovations worth the money 35
Kitchen A Bowl of Good Café opens; a foodie’s take on fennel 40
View from the ’Burg The Secret Garden offers up a harvest of stories
Bloom is a publication of Rockingham Publishing Co., Inc. Copyright © 2009 Rockingham Publishing Co., Inc. 231 S. Liberty St. Harrisonburg, VA 22801 For advertising information, contact Canessa Collins at 574-6214 or ccollins@dnronline.com
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The women of Bloom get back to nature — Canessa Collins, Kate Elizabeth Queram, Luanne Austin, Rachel Bowman, Jacquelyn Walsh, Alicia Wotring Sisk, Katheryn Huff and Heather Bowser.
here’d summer go? If you’re like me, you barely got a slice of watermelon before fall arrived. With school back in session, our thoughts naturally turn to preparing for success. In that spirit, we look at the business world in this issue. Whether it’s a peek inside the home offices of local women (“Find the right home office space”) or a look at second careers (“Second act”), women’s fingerprints are all over the world of business. In our cover story, Jennifer Shirkey shows us that, while challenging, you can balance a thriving career with a rewarding family life. We’re already hard at work on our holiday issue. We’d love to hear from you — let us know what you
think about Bloom and recommend inspiring women you’d like us to feature in future issues. You can reach me at 574-6276 or khuff@dnronline.com I’d like to thank Katy FoucarSzocki, a recent JMU grad and Harrisonburg native who modeled for our fashion story. Thanks also to Beth Trissel for recommending a visit to the Harrisonburg farm of her son and daughter-in-law, Cory and Charity Trissel, for our group photo. Thanks for reading and keep blooming!
Katheryn Huff Editor
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Calendar of Events
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September 26: Broadway, VA Barks!, 9:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M. Broadway is going to the Dogs again this year with its second annual event featuring “All Things Dogs”…Yes, that’s right…DOGS! Join us for a “Howling Good Time” as we “strut and prance” our stuff in Broadway. Features adoptable dogs and rescue organizations, informational booths, Harrisonburg Police K-9 Demonstration, a dog parade, dog & human games and contests, prizes, food and music. Bring a donated item such as dry dog food, bedding, bleach, etc to donate to the rescue groups that are present. They and the dogs in need will appreciate your help! “Miss & Master Barks” Contest...to enter, you must bring a donation for one of the rescue organizations in our area. Cash prizes awarded. Call to enter.
October 30: BHP Presents “HalloweenFest”, 4:00 P.M. – 8:00 P. M. The Ghouls, Ghosts, Creeps and Creatures will be alive on Main Street in Broadway in the form of Trick or Treater’s as we celebrate Halloween a day early! Main Street is closed for the occasion as the kids take over the street to garnish treats from various merchants and businesses. Then they end up in the Town park to play and cavort with all things. Halloween. Join us in the “Creepy Cove” (if you can stand the chills & thrills), ask the Fortune Teller what is in store for you, play the many games and win candy and tokens.
January 23, 2010: Annual Dinner & Casino Night Tickets on sale December 1, 2009. Dinner & drinks, silent & live auctions, casino games & entertainment. Call for tickets.
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your FASHION
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But with this guide, your appearance will be the last thing you’ll worry about, and you can gracefully enter the work force instead of belly flopping in the deep end. Most women already know the basics: dress neatly and conservatively (even if the industry doesn’t call for it), keep your hair off your face and don’t show too much (or any) skin. These are all no-brainers but once you begin to get dressed for your interview, it can all become a bit muddled and fuzzy. You end up flustered and each previously perfect decision you’ve made seems wrong all of the sudden. But don’t stress — grab a roommate or family member for encouragement and follow these tips.
Colleges and clothing stores can help
Most colleges will help you prepare to dress professionally, and you may have even taken a
Talbott says young women workshop; but while you’re busy should avoid current fashion prepping for behavioral questions trends and instead stick to classic, (Quick! Tell me about how you simple, tailored looks that are worked effectively under presmore appropriate for the worksure), the issue of clothing slips place. Meyers says it’s not essential your mind. Three college career to sport a matching suit, and it’s services directors: Sherry Talbott possible to of Bridgewamix and ter College, match suits Jennifer and separates Litwiller of to create a Eastern fashionable, Mennonite polished University look. But a and Denise good, matchMeadows of ing suit is an James Madi— Vivian Meyers essential inson Univervestment for sity, agree on those first ina few basic terviews, says Meadows, so make rules when dressing for a first insure to think about the quality. terview: Always dress more conAlso, it’s perfectly fine to call servatively than the staff, stick to the company you’re interviewing neutral colors (black, brown or with and ask what attire is appronavy) with a small pop of color priate, says Talbott. “Do research for pizzazz, and keep accessories on the company before you walk to a minimum.
“It’s not about how much money you spend, it’s about how you feel.”
in the door,” Litwiller adds. Store associates and owners can also offer sound advice when looking for professional clothing. Miranda Lancaster, owner of The Yellow Button in downtown Harrisonburg, says she sees a lot of teachers. “They want something conservative but artsy and fun,” says Lancaster, who says accessorizing is essential to a polished look. Vivian Meyers, owner of The Designer Consignor at Vivian’s in downtown Harrisonburg, says many young women have trouble deciding on shoes and heel height. “You don’t want a heel that’s so tall it’s killing your feet,” says Meyers, who thinks it’s best to sport a black or brown shoe with a midheight (1 to 2 inches), mid-width heel. She suggests boots for fall, which are stylish yet professional. Karen Landis, owner of The Watchful Tiger in Edinburg, recommends that women entering
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the work force buy dress pants in black and brown and a variety of unique tops that will give you “more bang for your buck.” Other pieces that will always be in? Anything black and white, pearls and fitted pant or skirt suits are here to stay, says Meyers. Now that you’ve gotten the job, you can usually take it down a notch and stick with skirts, dress pants, mid-shin length capris and nice, collared blouses (still no skin!). Talbott suggests looking around the office to see what people are wearing, and building your wardrobe off what seems acceptable. “Dressing is a way of demonstrating the way you will work,” says Talbott. You want to remain professional but fashion-forward. Talbott says it’s important to remember that you are not dressing for your peers, but your superiors.
Once you get the job
In this economy it’s important to be able to take clothes from day to night, and get the most wear for your money. So take off that square suit jacket and trade it in for a flirty, cropped jacket in a bright color, or switch out those practical closed-toe shoes for some peep-toe heels in an animal print. Also, collared shirt-dresses, which are coming back in style, are a perfect, trendy way to remain professional at work and stylish at happy hour. We all know your outfit doesn’t make or break the interview, but a first impression is extremely important. In addition to a professional appearance, you need to make sure you present a strong handshake, a confident smile and stand up straight (like your mother always told you). “Body language is more important than your verbiage,” says Talbott. Go light on
Not just about the clothes
the makeup, use neutral colors and make sure your nails are short and natural, and never wear perfume. Many companies have policies against it because fragrances can trigger allergies. Most importantly, don’t let these tips overrule your own style. Be sure that you still project your personality through your wardrobe while remaining conservative. In order to seem professional, you
need to feel comfortable in your outfit and in your own skin. “Find your own individuality,” says Meyers, “It’s not about how much money you spend, it’s about how you feel.”
Jacquelyn Walsh is a recent graduate of James Madison University. She is still transitioning from college to career clothes and has nightmares of leaving for work in her pajamas.
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your RELATIONSHIP
Paul and Kathy Clancey have worked together since 1991 at their business, Kathy’s Scuba. They balance that by spending time apart in their off-hours.
I love you, but can we work together?
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Couples share what it takes to build a good relationship — and career — together
going into business aul with your spouse. Clancey “Make sure you can tell really like each you the most other,” says Clancey, important thing you co-owner of must know before Kathy’s Scuba.
ARTICLE BY LUANNE BROWN AUSTIN / PHOTOGRAPHY BY NIKKI FOX With 1.2 million husband-andwife teams running companies nationwide, according to the National Federation of Independent Business, that seems like a good idea. After all, a couple in business spend all their waking (and sleeping) life together. “When a couple is in business together, their roles are obviously a lot more complicated,” says Ronda Weber, a clinical psychologist who
works with her husband at Charis Institute in Harrisonburg. “It would be the same if you had a business relationship with another family member or friend. The more you share your life, the more issues can come up.” Paul Clancey joined his wife, Kathy Clancey, at her already-successful business in 1991. Both run the store on U.S. 11 South. Both are instructors and teach classes
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together. Both accompany groups three times a year on diving trips. “You’re always together,” says Kathy. But the couple makes up for all this togetherness by having their own interests at home. Paul has a motorcycle, a sports bike that’s uncomfortable for passengers. That’s quite all right with Kathy. At home, she sews, works on jigsaws and plays with the grandkids. Ann Marie Coe works with her husband, too. She and Mark Newsome own the Joshua Wilton House along with Sean Pugh. She’s quick to point out that “Mark’s in charge of the back of the house and I’m in charge of the front of the house and the inn.” So between working with employees, cooking and helping customers, they don’t see much of each other at work. At home, they like relaxing together, taking walks and gardening. Coe shares the dining room responsibilities with Pugh. Every other week, when Pugh is closing
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the restaurant, Coe has time to herself to read, ride her bicycle and visit friends.
She promotes the business, sets up travel plans, arranges classes and makes the store displays. “I’m the bubbly people person,” Kathy says. “He’s happy by Areas of expertise himself whereas I’d rather be in the Another common issue for middle of couples is where people who does are.” what. She’s “You been a memneed to have ber of the clearly dePilot Club fined areas for years, of responsibut when bility,” Paul she became Clancey says. its district At Kathy’s governor, it Scuba, Paul caused some does the ac— Ronda Weber conflict becounting, incause she ventory, was away a repairs and lot, leaving Paul to mind the the hard labor. store by himself. “He loads the truck, unloads Christa Gitchell appreciates the the truck, loads the truck, unloads savvy her husband, Bruce, brought the truck,” says Kathy. “A scuba to the business when he joined her tank weighs 37 pounds.”
“When problems come up, we decide who’s going to take care of it. Communication is key here.”
four years ago. She had been running her third-generation family photography business with one employee. After that person left, Bruce was someone she could trust and depend on. Plus, he knows computers and keeps up with changing technology. “He pushed me to go digital,” she says. “He pushed and pushed. If he hadn’t, I wouldn’t be in business today.” Most couples who work together have complementary roles, but the Webers each have their own psychology practice. Neither specializes in certain types of clients; both like a variety. So in this case, Ronda Weber says, they have parallel roles. “When problems come up, we decide who’s going to take care of it,” Ronda says. “Communication is key here.” Couples who work separate jobs generally come home, talk about their day for a few minutes and that’s the end of it. Not so
when you’re married to your business partner. “Right before we go to sleep at night, we think of stuff we need to talk about [for] the business,” says Paul Clancey. An article in the online Encyclopedia of Small Business says it’s important for spouses to separate home and work life: “Many entrepreneurial couples warn that it is easy for husband-wife and other ro-
mantically involved business partnerships to lose sight of the personal side of their relationship in a flurry of business issues.” Ann Marie Coe acknowledges this, saying, “It’s tempting at home to talk about the problems. We share the same stress. We need to know when to turn it off.”
Don’t miss the holiday issue of Bloom — look for i t in November
Luanne Austin and her husband live in Mount Sidney.
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your CAREER After raising kids or finishing a first career, many women look to their
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d n o c e S t c A
oan Henry was in her 40s when she hit a bump in her career. “I couldn’t move up in my position,” said Henry, who at the time was working as the assistant coordinator of the 12 Bloom Fall 2009
financial aid office at Lord Fairfax Community College. “To move up, I had to go back and get my degree.”
After 23 years teaching, Peggy Packard became a minister in the Methodist church.
ARTICLE BY KATE ELIZABETH QUERAM / PHOTOGRAPHY BY NIKKI FOX
Now, with a bachelor’s degree in management and organizational development from Eastern Mennonite University and a master’s degree in education from Capella University, Henry works as the program representative for EMU’s Adult Degree Completion Program, helping women do what she did: pursue a second career later in life.
Changing careers or re-entering the work force later in life is becoming more common as women, in general, begin to comprise more of the American work force. According to a 2008 report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 56.6 percent of women in the United States were employed in 2007, up from 40.8 percent in 1970. And they’re more educated than ever — the percentage of college graduates among working women ages 25 to 64 more than tripled from 1970 to 2007. It’s a trend visible in the adult program at EMU, where 80 percent of students are women, according to Henry, who said there’s no main, overarching reason that women change careers. “We get them from
all walks of life,” she said. For Peggy Packard, the decision to switch careers was unexpected. Packard had spent 23 years teaching special education in elementary and middle schools in Page and Rockingham counties, and was happy with what she’d accomplished. “I was very settled in my teaching career. Things were going well,” Packard said. Then, while on a women’s retreat, Packard felt called to ministry. “We were to go off by ourselves and read some Scripture and I just got a very clear message from God that he had something for me to do,” she recalled. “It was several years before I was really able to discern what that was.” When it became clear to Packard
that she was meant to become a pastor, she enrolled in the master’s program at Eastern Mennonite Seminary. She graduated this year with her Master of Divinity degree and now works as an associate pastor at Bridgewater United Methodist Church. Though Packard didn’t discover her true calling until later in life, she doesn’t regret any of the time she spent teaching, she said. “There are skills in teaching that have totally prepared me for ministry,” she said, citing organization and people skills among them. “So that was just kind of part of the process.” For Barbara Finnegan, finding a career that worked was a similarly lengthy process. After earning a bachelor’s degree in German and English from Seattle Pacific University, Finnegan worked in a multitude of positions that allowed her to be at home while her three sons were growing up. “A lot of the jobs that I had early on were jobs that fit in around raising a family, and that was key,” she said. “I wanted to be home when they were home from school. I wanted to be home in the summers. I got jobs that were either really close to my house or where the hours were just right for me.” Her job experience ranges from teaching (kindergarten to eighth grade) to operations management for radio stations in Broadway to finance
Barbara Finnegan started her own consulting company, LarsonHess, after raising her three sons and working a variety of teaching and marketing jobs.
and development work for the Massanutten Regional Library System. Her favorite part of jobs, she said, was always anything involving writing and marketing — but she was never able to find a position that fully engaged and satisfied her. So, with her children grown, Finnegan enrolled at James Madison University to pursue her Master of Business Administration degree. She graduated in 2005 and started her own consulting company, LarsonHess, in 2007. “I offer marketing strategy for clients, and I can also provide the writing to carry out those marketing strategies,” Finnegan explained. “There
was no job that suited exactly what I wanted to do. Because I like variety, this way I can take jobs that maybe are a little bit different, but then I can also earn a living at it. It provides me the variety that I really enjoy, using skills that I have.” Going from being someone else’s employee to running her own business was nerve-wracking at first, Finnegan said. “It’s much more comfortable to have a job where you know exactly how much you’re going to be making every week. But it just wasn’t satisfying to me. I was willing to take the risk.” Her business has been full-time since 2008, and Finnegan hopes she can keep working in marketing until she decides to retire. “That’s my hope,” she said. “I’m hoping this can be a nice job that I can just keep doing as much as I want.” Though it took both Finnegan and Packard time to arrive at their ideal careers, both said they have no regrets, and encourage other women thinking of a change to explore their options. “If you just really feel in your heart like that’s what you’re being called to do, then … go for it,” Packard said.
Kate Elizabeth Queram is a reporter for the Daily News-Record. When she was younger, her career aspirations included waitress, astronaut and oceanographer.
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Jennifer Shirkey is a partner at Lenhart Obenshain.
&
LAW
ORDER
Jennifer makes cookies with her son, Alexander.
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in FULL BLOOM
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For ‘Rising Star’ Jennifer Shirkey, the sun rises and sets with her family ARTICLE BY LUANNE BROWN AUSTIN / COVER AND ACCOMPANYING PHOTOGRAPHY BY REBEKAH GIRVAN
ennifer Erdman Shirkey’s day begins on the treadmill at 5:30 a.m. “It’s me time,” Jennifer says. “I hate exercising, but it’s my half hour of time.” Between mothering three young children, working at her law practice and serving on several local boards, this may be the only 30 minutes in the day that Jennifer has to herself. Like most working moms, she is challenged daily to find time for all the people and activities she loves most. “It’s hard finding the balance,” says Jennifer, 36. “Sometimes I do a better job in one area than another.”
ing documents, analyzing issues, research as well as client and board meetings. The most difficult times of her day, however, are morning and evening, when she gets her three children — ages 7, 5 and 1 — out of the house and back again.
A
A partner at Lenhart Obenshain, Jennifer Shirkey juggles her law career with a busy life as a wife to Aaron and mother to George, Alexander and Jane.
Named a “Rising Star” and “Legal Elite” by state law and business magazines, Jennifer seems to live a fairy-tale life. She attended Virginia’s best schools, married her high school sweetheart and lives a stone’s throw from the home where she grew up. At age 29, she became a full partner with Wharton, Aldhizer & Weaver, a position she now holds with Lenhart Obenshain. Jennifer specializes in estate planning, employee benefits, tax and business law. With clients across the state, her day is full of phone calls, e-mails, consultations with partners, draft-
fter the morning bustle, Jennifer usually arrives at her desk around 8:30. She grabs a cup of tea and checks e-mails. From there her day varies, depending on incoming phone calls or which of her partners walks through the door. As a specialist, she also does indirect work for her partners’ clients. “Each day is a constant prioritization struggle, balancing immediate needs against longerterm projects and issues with quick answers against those requiring more detailed analysis,” Jennifer says. Not only that, but all day long she jumps from subject to subject, from estate planning to employee benefits to cooperative tax issues. “All meaty and technical, [with] no easy answers for any of them,” she says. Jennifer’s first aspiration in law was to become a judge, until she discovered it required first working as a trial lawyer. “Once I realized how demanding it is to be a trial lawyer, I decided to go with business law,” she says. Jennifer works mostly with small and family businesses. More than half her practice involves employee benefits. No matter what aspect of her job she’s doing, Jennifer is all about relationships. “I love helping my clients and hearing their stories, working together as part of a business community,” she says. Jeffrey Lenhart, a partner in the firm, says, “She brings a high degree of intelligence and legal training to problems, but … it takes more
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than that to be a good lawyer. It takes the ability to listen to clients’ problems and help them work at solutions.” “Jennifer was and is the best of both worlds,” says Cathleen Welsh, another partner. “[She’s] able to understand and distill very complicated legal issues and able to chat about everyday matters, too.” Jennifer also helps set up non-profits. “The local bar has a strong pro bono ethic,” she says. In addition, she chairs The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County and is active with the Harrisonburg Education Foundation and the RMH Foundation. “I grew up in this community,” she says. “People helped me along the way. The expectation to give back to the community is part of the firm culture.” At the Community Foundation, Jennifer has served for about four years with Ellen Brodersen, a CPA with Clark & Bradshaw. The two collaborate on helping individuals and organizations that wish to include the foundation in their giving plans, both charitable giving and estate planning. Jennifer, says Brodersen, is “caring, professional [and has the] ability to work well in many situations and pull people together.” Her day is filled with many types of tasks, but Jennifer has a plan. “By the end of each day, I try to pick at least one or two things I make sure I’ve finished completely that day to keep making progress,” she says.
A
fter the birth of her children, particularly Jane, her 1-year-old daughter, Jennifer scaled back her hours at work. She used to eat lunch out every day, but now is more likely to brown bag it at her desk so she can leave the office around 4:30 p.m.
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the exhaust.” “Jane wasn’t the best career Aaron says he enjoys changing move, but she was the best life diapers, and helping the boys move,” she says. with school work, playing games In her 20s, Jennifer wasn’t and getting them ready for bed. even sure she ever wanted children. But as her parents aged, she But housework is a different story. realized if she was going to do it, “I don’t like dishes, laundry or now was the time, because she bed changing, but Jennifer has a wanted her children to grow up career just like me and I couldn’t, knowing the love of their grandin fairness, not do my share,” he parents. All the grandparents and says. step-grandThe couparents live ple also emwithin a mile ploys a of the housekeeper Shirkeys. for weekly Nearly all cleaning. Jenthe time Jennifer credits nifer is home, this idea to Jane, with her her high strawberry school Engblond hair lish teacher, and huge Nancy Jones, eyes, is glued who told her to Mommy’s if she’s going hip. As the to work full boys, George time, then and Alexanshe needs to der, come in, pay someone they drop to clean her their bags in house. the hall that When links the foyer she’s home, to the back of Jennifer loves the house — Cathleen Welsh to cook. She where the grows herbs family room and tomatoes and kitchen in pots and planters outside the are. In spite of the personal cubback door. In the summer, she byholes off this hallway that are says, her ideal meal is pasta with assigned to each family member, garden vegetables or charcoaleverything ends up on the floor, grilled chicken with quinoa and Jennifer says with a sigh. herbs, corn on the cob and waterAt daycare, the children play melon. She recently discovered all day. There’s no TV, so Jennifer how to make “30-minute mozhas no misgivings about seating zarella,” which is “better than anythem in front of SpongeBob thing you can buy at the store.” while she prepares dinner. “It’s For family gatherings, Jennifer their time to chill,” she says. Husband Aaron is an engineer often cooks with her brother, Tony. One meal they like to make at Merck & Co., Inc., in Elkton, includes garlic-rosemary studded so he arrives home later. He’s tenderloin and herbed butter; quick to pitch in and help, keepscalloped or rosemary red potaing the children occupied until toes; baby spinach with walnuts, dinner. An attentive father, Jendried cranberries and balsamic nifer doubts that she ever dressing; and pound cake. The changed any of Jane’s diapers. extended family gathers often at “I’m the fuel,” she says. “He’s
“I have told Jennifer that the work/family balance gets easier as the kids get older, and if she can maintain her sanity and stamina until her youngest is about 5, she will start to feel the dynamics ... change.”
Jennifer’s house. Aaron’s sister and family live next door. When Jennifer was considering a career in law, a lawyer told her she should not, then, expect to have much of a social life, because of all the hours it requires. “Our family is our social life,” Jennifer says.
J
ennifer also has great friends in the office. She learns from the wisdom of other women and shares the struggles and joys with those her age. Cathleen Welsh is one of her closest allies. “I have told Jennifer that the work/family balance gets easier as the kids get older, and if she can maintain her sanity and stamina until her youngest is about 5, she will start to feel the dynamics … change,” says Welsh, who has two children of her own. “Working mothers go through different seasons in their lives and she is in the middle of the hardest part, spring, where your children really rely on you for everything they need to grow and learn.” Welsh says Jennifer strives for perfection in all she does. “She wants to do the best for everyone — her family, her work and her community — but there are only so many hours in a day,” Welsh says. Young mothers benefit by saying no and making compromises, such as bringing store-bought cupcakes to the school party instead of homemade, says Welsh. However, having a husband who is just as involved in parenting as she is makes a world of difference. “Jennifer is lucky to have an exceptional husband, Aaron, who relishes his role as a husband and father and who works as hard as she does at work and at home,” Welsh says. Adds Jennifer, “I could not do what I do without him.” After 35 years of raising a family and working, Luanne Austin of Mount Sidney is still trying to get it together.
your KIDS
Get involved
K
Help your kids succeed in school ARTICLE BY RACHEL BOWMAN
im Gingerich Brenneman admits she had mixed feelings when her middle school-age son, Jeremy, recently informed her she “didn’t have to” chaperone his field trips anymore. Dr. Brenneman, a professor of psychology at Eastern Mennonite University, knows this casual dismissal is a normal part of her son’s development, a chance for him to exercise his independence. istockphoto.com
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But Mom Brenneman said it’s hard learning to let go, even though she knows she and her husband have tried their best to prepare him for the wider world. Brenneman of Harrisonburg sees the consequences of parents who play a controlling role in their children’s lives. These “helicopter” or “hovering” parents keep deans’ and professors’ phone numbers on speed dial, ready to call the moment they find their children have experienced bad grades, interpersonal conflicts, money troubles, etc. Although it’s tempting to jump in, “the parent shouldn’t always try to fix things for their child,” she explained. “If you are always stepping in, children won’t learn to think for themselves.” Yet parental involvement is vital to the child’s ability to grow into a well-adjusted adult. Brenneman said parents who listen, support their children’s interests and guide them in working through problems provide a secure foundation for children to build on. And research
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teachers via conferences or e-mail, proves that positive relationships or drop notes keeping teachers among parents, teachers and school abreast of what’s going on at home, staff lead to academic success, betshe added. ter discipline and emotional wellThat’s how Katrina Spickler of being. The key, however, is the degree Bridgewater of parental inchooses to be involvement at volved in the various stages in lives of her children’s lives, daughters — she said. Kaelyn and Most chilKelsey, in fifth dren in elemengrade and second tary school — grade, respecpre-kindergarten tively, at John through fifth Wayland Elegrade in area — Kim Brenneman mentary School. schools — thrive Spickler, a staywith a high deat-home-mom, gree of parental said a friend encouraged her to parinvolvement, Brenneman said. Participate in the school’s Parentents may volunteer as a teacher’s Teacher Association, and she’s glad aide or lunchroom monitor, but she did. As PTA corresponding seceven parents who work and have retary, she attends monthly meetings less time to spare may choose to with other parents, teachers and adhelp with fundraising activities, be a field trip chaperone or attend school ministrators. She also volunteers in her daughters’ classrooms, periodiprograms. Parents might also check cally eats lunch with them and attheir child’s progress weekly with
“If you are always stepping in, children won’t learn to think for themselves.”
tends parent-teacher conferences throughout the year. “The John Wayland administration and staff seem to welcome parents,” she said. “When I walk through the doors, I feel welcome.” To help parents get involved, Spickler said at the beginning of each school year the PTA sends home forms listing volunteer opportunities and special events. And don’t worry you’ll embarrass your child; at this age, children and their friends don’t mind seeing their parents at school, she said. “My girls seem to like seeing me in their school. They know I care,” she added. By middle school, children might mind seeing their parents in school. At this point, “the child is starting to pull back,” Brenneman said; they’re picking classes with less parental say-so and may even have projects they don’t tell their parents about. That’s normal, she said, but parents can still be involved. If your child brings up a situation that’s
happening at school, listen to them; discuss it, role-play how to handle it and offer guidance to think through to a solution — just don’t push them to talk or try to solve it for them, she cautioned. Sometimes, just your presence and encouragement is all your child needs, she said. Also, parents and teachers need to include children in academic and disciplinary meetings. By doing this, Brenneman said children learn their part in ensuring they get the most out of their school experience. This also allows parents and teachers to model calm, constructive interactions. By high school, it’s time for parents to stand back — like it or not, their babies are on the way to adulthood, Brenneman said. Parents can remain supportive in a background role, such as joining a booster club or attending performances and academic ceremonies. Though some parents may balk at letting go, older children like knowing their parents are allowing them to be more inde-
pendent while still taking an interest in their lives, she said. And parents can still help their children with “helpful thinking”: guiding them as they set goals, find ways to meet those goals and determine alternate courses of actions if those goals aren’t met, she added. Hard as it is for parents to do, this hands-off approach prepares adolescents for the future, said Candy Martin, director of the counseling department at Turner Ashby High School. By high school, students should be able to “self-advocate” — keep up with assignments and due dates, discuss concerns with teachers, plan for emergencies and take responsibility for their behavior in and out of school — without prodding from parents or teachers, Martin said. If parents try to do it for them, children aren’t able to learn from mistakes or understand how their actions affect themselves and others, she said. While playing a low-key role,
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parents should still maintain contact with the school. Martin said the TAHS administration encourages parents to meet with their children’s teachers at least once a grading period — and students should attend, too. “If there is a concern or an issue, parents, teacher and child should sit down together to talk about it,” she advised. Unfortunately, sometimes problems such as bullying or student/teacher conflicts arise that seem too big for a sit-down meeting to solve. In those cases, it’s important for parents to keep a cool head and communicate clearly, Brenneman said. Check your reaction — are you taking your child’s problem personally, or is there a real issue that requires you to take steps to protect your child? Don’t “trash the system” to your child; it solves nothing and colors the child’s entire outlook on school, she said. Schedule a meeting with the child’s teacher and calmly bring up the concern; come into the
meeting with a problem-solving, “what can we do” attitude instead of a “you’re wrong” diatribe. Involve the student as well; although some students want more intervention than others, they still need to take a role in coming to a solution, she said. And monitor the situation to make sure the problem is being handled, she added. If parents find themselves feeling guilty for pulling back and letting their children handle their own problems and decisions, Brenneman said to remember it’s ultimately one of the most loving acts parents can do for their children. “By college, they still might make a decision you may not like,” she said, “but they know how to deal with the consequences because you’ve prepared them.”
Rachel Bowman is a features writer for the Daily News-Record. She tries to attend as many of her nieces’ and nephews’ school activities as possible under the constraints of the time-space continuum.
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“When your mother asks, ‘Do you want a piece of advice?’ it is a mere formality. It doesn’t matter if you answer yes or no. You’re going to get it anyway.” — Erma Bombeck
istockphoto.com
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your MONEY
I
Why your mom was right about everything ... including money istockphoto.com
COLUMN BY DR. PAMELA DRAKE
f nothing else, this past year of economic turmoil has taught us three things: 1. There is a great deal of uncertainty out there, 2. Even folks who thought they were really smart can make big mistakes, and 3. Some stuff is just plain risky. Lessons learned, we can only hope. But with the past year still in recent memory, now is as good as any time to try to reduce the worries in our lives. So how do we do this? By following Mom’s advice.
■ Don’t let money burn a hole in your pocket Americans used to save 5 to 8 percent of their income, but the savings rate fell dramatically during the last decade — and actually was negative for a bit. This caused problems because many people didn’t have a cushion to get them through layoffs and other misfortunes. Even if you don’t have a specific purchase to save for, you need to keep saving because, first, life is full of surprises, and second, because it is expensive to retire. A good rule of
thumb to use for your rainy-day savings is to have six months of expenses on hand at all times, in checking, savings or some combination. What about retirement? Here is a quick back-of-the-envelope estimate: Have at least $1 million saved by the time you retire, unless you have a great pension plan. If you are 35 today, that translates to just less than $500,000 today. That’s a lot, and you can’t save it in a hurry. ■ You can only depend on yourself Many couples conduct their financial planning as a couple, looking at joint savings — most often in terms of equity in their home — and the total income upon retirement. But life has a way of throwing us curve balls, and there is a chance that you will have to fend for yourself. When planning, figure out what YOU have in terms of assets, liabilities and income. This is surely not very romantic, but this is the pragmatic approach to taking care of oneself and reducing worries.
■ Just because everyone is doing it, doesn’t mean that you have to Throughout the years, individual investors have gotten swept up in fads and fancies that simply don’t hold up over time. Whether it is the Ice Age fears from the 1970s, the biotech craze of the 1980s, the Internet bubble leading up to the 2001 crash or the global warming fears of the 2000s, folks have fallen for these fads and made some really bad decisions. Fads come and go — and if you follow them, your wealth will go with them. Try not to get swept up in the fads — even at the risk of seeming too much of a fuddy-duddy — and you will have less to worry about. ■ Don’t talk to strangers The incentives in the sale of financial products are high, and there are moral hazard problems everywhere: In a transaction involving two parties, the party with more information has the incentive not to disclose this information to the other party, who bears the
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risk. If you don’t understand something, stay away. Be wary of taking advice from someone who gets a commission from something you buy. Commissions are based on the sale of the product, not on how well the product suits the customer or performs. The inherent conflict of interest between yourself and the salesperson should put you on your guard. And keep in mind that anyone can refer to themselves as a financial planner or a financial consultant, so look at and verify certifications, such as a Certified Financial Planning designation.
■ If you don’t have the money to buy it, don’t buy it We have become a credit-laden society during the past two decades, and most of this is due to a change in attitude toward consumer debt. The generation that is currently retired is the generation that didn’t use credit to buy automobiles or TVs; rather, it is the generation that believed that you saved and then bought. This approach not only has fewer worries, it is also the less expensive route. Somewhere along time, we grew impatient and had to have something before we could actually afford it. And some folks have taken this to the extreme, with piles of debt. While there are always extenuating circumstances — life’s curve balls — that can explain a small portion of this consumer debt, most of this debt is built up simply because people wanted something before they could afford it. Unless you can discipline yourself to pay the full balance within the grace period, cut up those credit cards. Now, some people believe that they must use credit card financing to establish credit and have a good credit score. Not only is this wrong, it is expensive. The lore that you have to use credit card financing or finance a vehicle simply helps out the financial institutions, not you. There are many people who have great credit scores who have never financed a vehicle and who always pay their credit cards in full within the grace period.
One of the best ways to reduce your worries is to diversify.
■ Don’t put all your eggs in one basket The past two years have pointed out the folly of having too much of your wealth concentrated in too few investments. Whether we are talking about financial institutions investing too much in structured finance tied to subprime mortgages, or individuals who concentrated too much of their wealth in real estate, too many eggs in one basket makes quite a mess when the basket falls. One of the best ways to reduce your worries is to diversify. This means that your investments are spread out among the different asset classes (cash, stocks, fixed income, real estate), and that they are not concentrated even within a class. The mistake that many individuals have made recently is putting too much in stocks and real estate — which are both very risky asset classes. The basic rule of thumb works well: the proportion that you have invested in fixed income investments — such as government bonds, corporate bonds and CDs — should approximate your age. If you are 40 years old, you should have approximately 40 percent of your wealth in fixed income.
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Financial advisory services and investments available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA and SIPC. © 2009 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.
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■ Always wear clean underwear If something happened to you today — an extended illness, an injury or worse — and someone were to try to manage your finances or figure out what you have, what would they find? Would they find a list of accounts,
insurance policies, assets, etc.? Or would they gasp at the state of your records? Help out everyone else — and ultimately yourself — by sitting down periodically and figuring out what you have and where it is. This is not something that you need to do every month, but at least once a year make a list of everything and give this to the person who will have to deal with your finances. You don’t have to give out passwords and such, but you do need to have it organized so that someone can take over for you if you are unable to. The exercise of creating your balance sheet, which details your assets (what you have), your liabilities (what you owe) and your equity (your wealth), will not only help you understand what you have at any point in time, but it gives you a convenient way of checking your progress toward savings goals and checking your asset allocation. Pamela Peterson Drake, Ph.D., CFA, is the head of the finance and business law department at James Madison University.
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*Your experience may vary.
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your SPIRITUALITY
Gwen Sloop, wife of the Rev. John Sloop of First Presbyterian Church, reads to her grandson, Ben. Gwen, a teacher for many years, helped out with church events but never felt pressured to fit the traditional role of pastor’s wife.
L
The evolving role of the pastor’s wife women today have more options. Some choose to augh, if you minister side-by-side with will, at this mock ad from their husbands. Others hold full-time jobs, but a March 2007 Time magazine article, but many devote their free time to pastors’ wives are nodding church work. Still others have chosen professions their heads. Some things about being a pastor’s wife as consuming as their husbands’, and so have little will always be the same. time for church activities. On the other hand,
istockphoto.com
ARTICLE BY LUANNE BROWN AUSTIN / PHOTOGRAPHY BY REBEKAH GIRVAN
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NTED: HELP WA ust sing, ife. M Pastor’s w ad youth , le c play musi ic ise seraph ra groups, in a ntert children, e les, tab o n h churc es, other wiv to r te is min e ty to recit have abili ward and Bible back Christmas ph choreogra st keep u M t. n pagea l , peacefu d te sa r pasto f trouble. and out o agues, olle Difficult c ers, g custom in demand 0. $ : y a urs. P erratic ho
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The latter was the case for Lonnie Yoder’s wife, Teresa. For the first eight years Lonnie (now professor of pastoral care and counseling at Eastern Mennonite Seminary) spent as associate pastor at a rural congregation in southeast Iowa, he was single. Then he married Teresa Boshart, a nurse with a demanding career. All the previous pastors’ wives were stay-at-home women, very active in the church. “It was a very challenging shift for the congregation and for us,” says Lonnie. “As a matter of fact, it was one of the factors that led to my leaving the church.” Diana Goodwin, wife of Freedom Baptist Church Pastor Dale Goodwin, has always thrown herself wholeheartedly into her husband’s churches. She worked to put him through Bible college. During his training, the couple was required to try on different ministerial hats. “That’s when I found out I was into the music and kids,” she says. During the 23 years of his ministry, Diana has taught children and led worship, among other things. “I’m the type who loves to work in the church,” she said. Since coming to Harrisonburg three years ago, Diana, with the help of other church women, organized a neighborhood Bible study for children. She leads a women’s group, teaches children’s church, plays the guitar and leads worship. The Rev. Renee Garber, who is co-pastor at Potter’s House Worship Center, thinks her title more accurately describes what most ministers’ wives actually do. “When he decided to start the church, he told me, ‘It’s not going to be Pastor Dan and his wife,’ ” says Renee. Renee leads worship, heads a women’s ministry, teaches and counsels women. She also helps with administrative work. Dan, she says, “is the epitome of a pastor.” He preaches, counsels, performs wedding, funerals and baptisms.
Footsteps of tradition
The Rev. Renee Garber, co-pastor of Potter’s House Worship Center, leads worship, heads a women’s ministry and counsels women.
Gwen Sloop, wife of the Rev. John Sloop of First Presbyterian Church, says she’s involved in the church the way any other member would be. “I always knew there was an expectation, but I’ve never felt pressured to fit into a role,” Gwen says. She thinks the pressure on ministers’ wives has changed now that so many women work outside the home. She worked for many years as a schoolteacher. When their children were young, Gwen was involved with vacation Bible school, youth groups and youth events. Now she’s active in Sunday school and planning retreats. One thing she’s always done to help her husband, however, is visiting members at their homes and in hospitals and nursing homes.
If Diana Goodwin fits the traditional pastor’s wife description, Kay Early is at the other end of the spectrum. When she started Early Katering 13 years ago, she thought it would be the same sort of part-time business she had when they lived in Pennsylvania. But when more and more
Carving out a new role
calls came asking for her services, her role in helping her husband — the Rev. Richard Early, pastor of Grace Mennonite Church in Linville — took second place. “I was more in sync with his ministry back then before my own career started,” says Kay, 54. “I did everything together with the church people. It’s all changed because of my catering business.” Kay works 60 to 100 hours per week. She has a chef who oversees the food preparation, but she handles the office work, plus supervises the on-site setup and service. “My husband is very supportive,” says Kay, “although he sometimes gets frustrated because I can’t go to Saturday events at the church.” What she can’t do on a weekly basis, Kay makes up for in other ways. She helps with church dinners and other hospitality events, and attends all retreats. Last year, she accompanied a church group on a mission trip to Honduras. “I do as much as I can,” she says. Church members understand she has her own career, she says. As the pastor’s job has become more professional, there’s also the understanding that his wife is entitled to her own profession, says Sara Wenger Shenk, assistant dean of Eastern Mennonite Seminary and professor of Christian practice. “She brings whatever she is to community events as a person, not as the pastor’s wife,” says Shenk. However, “like anyone in public life, like a governor’s wife or the president’s wife, there’s an unspoken expectation to be a role model.” People still expect the pastor’s wife to show how it’s supposed to be done, as a Christian, wife, mother, career woman and church member, she says. “You live in a glass house,” says Diana Goodwin. “[But] this is my life. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” Luanne Austin never wanted to be a preacher's wife. She lives in Mount Sidney.
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your HEALTH
Stay focused and calm in the midst of change
T
istockphoto.com
Use stress to your advantage COLUMN BY CHRISTINA KUNKLE, CERTIFIED LIFE AND WELLNESS COACH, R.N.
he sun is just peeking over Rehoboth Bay as I head out to greet the morning with my journal in one hand and a cup of hot coffee in the other. The water is calm, and the only sounds are those of seagulls and an occasional splash against the side of the fishing boats. 26 Bloom Fall 2009
These are the moments that my favorite vacations are made of — relaxed time away from the hustle and bustle of work and the craziness of everyday activities. No schedule or responsibilities. Just being out in nature makes me feel calm and connected to a powerful energy. I reflect on the fun times we’ve had as a family this week, crabbing, swimming in the ocean, afternoon naps and playing silly games with the kids. Then I realize that not only is our vacation coming quickly to a close, but so is the summer. Soon enough school routines will be back in full swing, with sports practices, game times and homework blocks added to our already busy work schedules. I wonder, “How can I keep this easy feeling of summer with me as I transition into a jam-packed fall?” Recently a client asked me, “Christina, is it even possible to not get frazzled when my schedule gets crazy and there just aren’t enough hours in the day?” I replied
truthfully, “No, but it sure is possible to stress less!” Like all of us, I get downright frazzled sometimes, too, but now I find it easier than ever to take things in stride. You’ve heard it said “the only thing constant is change,” right? With that in mind, I’d like to share some action tips to help you trade feeling frazzled for a calm energy as you navigate the choppy waters of change. Whether it’s back to school, starting a new job or dealing with another kind of transition, these tips can make a big difference. Choose a talisman: This is something to use as a frequent reminder of how you want to feel no matter what is happening around you. Often it’s a picture, a symbol, a rock, a memory or a quote. My son wears a LIVESTRONG bracelet, but maybe you would crank up your favorite
See Calm on p. 32
Kimberly Durden watches Cindy Noftsinger do squat jumps during her Extreme Challenge Boot Camp at the RMH Wellness Center.
She’s gonna make you sweat 28
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your FITNESS
Think you’re fit? Give boot camp a try ARTICLE BY KATE ELIZABETH QUERAM / PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL REILLY
t’s noon on one of the hottest days of the summer, and Kimberly Durden’s troops have assembled for boot camp.
They’ve gathered on a soccer field littered with pine needles and pinecones, where the midday sun bakes the turf and guarantees that dropping for push-ups will result in blisters and burns. The humidity is thick; the heat scorches. It’s brutal out here. And it will only get worse. Not that the group of five can complain much, because they’ve paid to be here. The three men and two women sipping water and awaiting agony on the soccer field aren’t soldiers, but RMH Wellness Center members enrolled in an Extreme Challenge Boot Camp fitness class. And Durden, their leader, isn’t a drill sergeant, she’s a personal trainer — though once the class revs up, it can be hard to tell the difference.
BLUE RIDGE • • • • • •
Cindy Noftsinger and Stacey Weakley lift heavy bags during a drill in Kimberly Durden’s boot camp class at the RMH Wellness Center. It’s not that she’s mean. Durden trains with a mixture of pep and encouragement, endlessly assuring her students that they’re capable
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of handling whatever she throws at them. But the high-intensity hour she’s devised is brutal, and she doesn’t tolerate slacking. “I’m a tough-love trainer,” Durden explains. “They’re going to do the toughest of exercises, but I’m gonna love them all the way through it.” The twice-weekly class is limited to six people in an effort to mimic the feel of a personal training session. Each class features a mix of cardio (including running and hurdles) and strength training (carrying sandbags and different varieties of push-ups and sit-ups) with little rest time; the goal, Durden says, is to keep heart rates up consistently while working as many muscle groups as possible. “They’re constantly being challenged, either cardiovascularly or muscularly,” she says. The class is coed, but in boot camp, the gender gap is a non-issue. Though the exercises are individual, the group works as a team, shouting encouragement and congratulating each other when a particularly rigorous circuit is over. For some, competing alongside men provides an extra boost of adrenaline. “It kind of pushed me in a way, because I was like, ‘I’m the only female in this class and I’m not going to be the little punk one
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that can’t do what the guys do,’ ” says Meghan Prillaman, 25, who took the boot camp class with Durden in May and has already enrolled in the fall session. “It felt good to be able to hang with the guys. They cheered you on every day.” Today’s class begins tamely, with a two-lap warm-up jog around the perimeter of the soccer fields. When the group returns, Durden lines them up on the goal line and has them do a series of squats to the other end, where they immediately do 20 jumping jacks and then repeat the squats back to their starting positions. “You’re going to do it all one more time,” she shouts, then grins. “Are you warmed up yet?” When the group finishes cycling through the warm-up a second time, their brows and T-shirts are already dotted with sweat. Durden grants them a short water break, and then they plunge immediately into the next exercise;
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Kimberly Durden inspects her class’ push-ups before sending them on another drill in the punishing August heat.
sprinting through orange cones before dropping into the plank position (similar to the starting position of a push-up, only resting on forearms rather than hands) and maneuvering over a series of small hurdles. Next, it’s over to a rope ladder secured to the ground, where the class members take turns doing push-ups up and down the rungs. “C’mon, c’mon, c’mon, finish it up!” Durden encourages, hands on hips. “It burns!” pants Cindy Noftsinger, 44. When the push-ups are finished, the group returns to the soccer field to start the circuit over again. Noftsinger sneaks away for a sip of water, her blond bangs plastered to her forehead. “Oh. My. God,” she mutters, hands on knees. “These are killer. The heat and the humidity. But you know what? You sweat some stuff out.” The hour passes quickly, with
a mixture of sprints, jumps, situps and push-ups. Durden strives to change the routine for each class, so her students never know exactly what to expect. “Every time we go, it’s different,” she says. “We don’t do the same thing. I like to keep the element of surprise, keep the — Cindy muscles confused.” In between bouts of cardio, the class does situps on the grass under the shade of pine trees, which Durden halfjokingly refers to as rest time (“We’re all cooled off, we’ve been in the shade for a couple of minutes, so let’s get back out there,” she chuckles after one particularly grueling set). She’s endlessly cheerful and encouraging, fre-
quently dropping to the ground to join the class in whatever muscleburning move she’s just assigned them. As time passes, her students lose the ability to respond to her upbeat shouts; conversation eventually wanes to just grunts and whimpers. At the end of the hour, everyone is drenched Noftsinger and exhausted. Some are battered in a more literal sense. “Look at that blister,” says George Reid, 31, holding out the heel of his hand. “That’s nasty.” “Is that from today?” Durden asks. “You’re a softie!” Reid laughs. “Not anymore!” Though battle wounds and fatigue are typical souvenirs for Durden’s boot-camp veterans —
“I walk away feeling like, ‘I’m still tough, I haven’t lost it yet.’ ”
“There’s no sympathy that you’re dodging pine cones under your elbows or really hot turf beneath your palms. So yeah, you’ve got to be tough. It’s not for the [faint]-hearted,” Noftsinger says — they never fail to come back for more. For Noftsinger, the draw lies in the experience’s less tangible rewards. “Whenever I leave a workout like that, I just realize that my body is more capable of doing tough stuff than what I think it would be at almost 45,” she said. “It gives me some self-confidence. When you start to get into your 40s, you start to have some doubts about whether you’ve still got it or not, and I walk away feeling like, ‘I’m still tough, I haven’t lost it yet.’ ” Kate Elizabeth Queram is a reporter for the Daily News-Record. If not for the no-pets policy, she would probably move into her gym.
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Calm from p. 26 tunes instead. Here’s a quote that I love and read often: “Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart” (Unknown). Whatever reminds you to stay focused on the positive when things get tough is perfect. Set and see your intention: Create a plan of action that supports you in rising to your challenges by setting an intention to work smarter, not harder, when under pressure. Close your eyes and see a crystal-clear picture in your mind of events turning out exactly as you planned. This is a technique many top athletes like Tiger Woods use to prepare for competition. Focusing on what you want to make happen creates energy and action, while worrying about what you don’t want to experience creates
hopelessness. While you expect the best outcome and do your best, you still stay flexible, knowing you’ll make changes and improvements as you go along.
Create back-up plans: Troubleshooting is a great way to avoid stress when things don’t go as planned. This means making a back-up plan ahead of time in case you’re running late or a child becomes ill and you can’t leave work right away. Consider having names and numbers programmed into family cell phones in case you can’t be reached immediately. Taking a few moments to create a “Plan B” can really pay off when you’re thrown a curve.
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Grow with the flow: It’s important to understand that it is human nature to resist change. We are programmed for the status quo. Like a thermostat, we’re set to stay where it’s comfortable and familiar. This is the Comfort Zone — a place where it feels safe and predictable. Not a lot of stress here, but also not much growth or forward movement either. Let’s say it’s an OK place to visit, but we don’t want to set up camp forever! Successful women who thrive under pressure make the choice to take one step at a time, balancing their energy within the Learning Zone. Here we embrace change and are always looking for new opportu-
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Preparation reduces anxiety.
nities. We are focused, productive and calm, bypassing the fight-orflight response. It’s easy to problem solve and think clearly. There is room for a mistake, and it’s easy to show compassion for ourselves and others. We try new things, knowing we’ll either love it or learn from it. Personally, I believe there’s nothing you can’t use to your benefit in moving forward. Knowledge is power! (Yes, even when what we take away from an experience is what we don’t want and what clearly doesn’t work.) In the Learning Zone, we are creative and the most enthusiastic version of ourselves. This quote makes it clear why this is important: “Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic, be enthusiastic and faithful, and you will accomplish your object. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm”
(Ralph Waldo Emerson). Obviously this is the place where you get the best return on your investment of time and energy — and the perfect place to use stress to your advantage. As hard as we try, there are times we may feel scattered, are unable to think clearly and find it hard to catch our breath. The fight-or-flight response has kicked in and we’re in the Panic Zone — and we’re reacting, not acting. There’s a lot of frantic activity, but we’re really just spinning our wheels. Here you’re working harder, but not smarter, which is a true waste of valuable resources. Unless there’s a true emergency where you need to run or fight, this is the time to step back and take a few slow, deep breaths. So instead of giving in to stress or fear when things change, let’s remember: “Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass … it’s about learning how to dance in the rain” (Unknown). What do you say — isn’t it about time to dance? Christina Kunkle is a CTA Certified Life and Wellness Coach, R.N. and founder of Synergy Life and Wellness Coaching. She helps busy women prevent burnout by promoting bounce-back resilience to stay focused, positive and excited about the challenges of work and life. For more information, visit www.synergylifeandwellnesscoaching.com or call (540) 746-5206.
Feeling panicked? Follow these tips back to peace Here are some actions that can help you move through panic and back to peace. Stay connected to people and events when things get tough. Ask for help when you need it, and allow others to offer a hand. Take care of yourself physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally so more of you shows up in what you love to do. Focus only on what you can control. “Do what you can, where you are, with what you have” (Teddy Roosevelt). Direct your complaints upward and ask to be guided. Instead of taking things personally, ask how your struggles can make you stronger. Commit to a tough mindset, emotional hardiness and physical resilience. When all else fails, laugh! With a sense of humor, we can always find something to celebrate! — Christina Kunkle
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Misadventures on two wheels
hy don’t I ride my bike more often? I’ve always admired the sleek, fit people who pedal past me at red lights. I think, “Wow — I wish I could be brave enough to do that.” But when it comes down to riding my flimsy little bike by the 10-ton Mack trucks blazing up U.S. 11, the fear factor really kicks in.
COLUMN BY GINNA BAKER After some great biking in Germany — arguably the most bike-equipped country in the world next to the Netherlands — I finally felt brave enough to start pedaling around Harrisonburg. To test myself, I signed up for the weekly Beginner Ride at a local bike shop. Beginner — that couldn’t be too bad, right? I could see myself riding circles around all the 8year-olds who would be figuring out how to balance sans training wheels. Arriving at the bike shop, I was a little surprised to find all the other riders decked out in their skin-tight zebra-striped scuba gear. I looked down at my faded jeans and “Got Grammar?” T-
shirt. Was I the only person in this group who could ride my bike without totally compromising her self-esteem? But who was I to judge? The others might have all just come from costume parties. Or maybe it was some kind of national showyour-buns day. You never know. The instructor came around to inspect our bikes and learn our names. I was the only new person there, and felt self-conscious on my nubby little mountain bike next to all these tall, sleek road bikes. Still, I thought my bike could manage a little jaunt around the ’Burg, and maybe a stop at Kline’s on the way back. “Ten miles of hills, or 15?” the
Was I the only person in this group who could ride my bike without totally compromising her self-esteem?
instructor asked. I blanched. Beginner ride? REALLY? I kept waiting for the 8-yearolds to arrive with their pinktassled Barbie bikes, but not a single one showed. About five minutes into the ride, my calves started to burn. “What a great workout,” I told myself. And for FREE! I was puffing by the time a rider approached me. “So tell me about yourself,” she asked, perfectly at ease. “I’m *gasp* really into *gasp* green transportation *wheeze*,” I answered. Obviously. It turned out she was riding a fixed-gear bike, training for the next International Mountain Cup in Norway. That might have been the moment to offer some fashion advice, but I was in no position to string another entire sentence together. One block and a violent coughing fit later, I was done. I muttered something about quitting while I was ahead and gingerly hauled my 21-speed butt home, walking most of the way. I haven’t ventured onto two wheels since. Ginna Baker wouldn't be caught dead in zebra spandex, but she still hopes for the courage to bike the two blocks to Kline’s someday.
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your HOME
An armoire neatly contains Mary Ann Walsh’s home office.
W
Find the right home office space ARTICLE BY LUANNE BROWN AUSTIN / PHOTOGRAPHY BY NIKKI FOX
hen Mary Ann Walsh is done with her work day, she stands up, closes the armoire doors and takes three
steps into her kitchen. “I quit work around five,” says Walsh, who runs her business, Walsh Grafx, out of her Harrisonburg home. “My time is my own.” Fall 2009
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And thanks to the armoire, she doesn’t have to even look at her computers until she opens it again the next morning. “It’s rare for me to get on the computer after hours,” she says. The Department of Labor Statistics reports that 20.7 million people worked out of their homes in 2004. That means in any given neighborhood, there’s likely a few folks behind those closed doors hard at work. However, it seems not many of them have a designated room that they can truly call their office. Walsh has had a business in her home for 18 years. She started out as a marketing communications coordinator for three different companies, then in 2001 decided to start Walsh Grafx. “And I’ve never looked back,” she says. For years, Walsh’s office was in a basement bedroom, where a phone line connected her to dial-up Internet. But she didn’t like that there
were no windows. When cable began carrying the Internet, she moved upstairs to the family room. She didn’t care for that either. Her husband, a real estate agent, had already commandeered a main floor bedroom as his office. “I didn’t know where to go,” she says. Then a friend suggested putting an armoire in her kitchen dining area, right next to the sliding glass doors opening to her backyard. It’s wide enough to accommodate her two Macs and a laptop, as well as storage for CDs, client files, reference books and pads of writing paper. “It serves my purpose pretty well,” she says of the armoire.
Kary Phillips of Mount Crawford works for an environmental consulting firm called Tetra Tech, in the water resources division based in Fairfax. She worked in the office until her husband got a job in the Valley. “I told my boss I’d be happy to continue to work on projects and that I’d commute once a week,” says Kary. “I actually only went to the office two to three times a month.” Like Walsh, she began in the basement but “decided I didn’t like it down there because it was cold and dark.” So she moved into an open space on her main floor.
Room with a view
“... [W]hen I work, I tend to spread out and make a mess. I’ve had offices in all parts of the house.”
“But when I work, I tend to spread out and make a mess,” she says, so that didn’t work either. She moved again. “I’ve had offices in all parts of the house.” Kary finally ended up in a corner of her bedroom next to a large window overlooking the yard and the North River. She works there most of the time, pausing to think and gaze outside every now and then. Still, she finds herself wandering around the house with her laptop. “Sometimes, I just have to go upstairs and shut the door” in order to close off distractions, she says. Beth Day-Miller of Bridgewater, owner of BridgeWater Education Consulting, LLC, says her office is in her basement, too. But really, she works on her laptop all over the main floor of her house. “I find I need light,” she says. In her windowless office, there’s a desktop computer, fax machine,
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phone line, resources and reference books. The only time she actually works there is when she’s on a conference call, in a Web-based meeting or pressed to finish a project. “I have intense deadlines,� she says. Crystal Cupp really does work in her home office, located in her basement, which has windows. She and her husband own HelpNet, LLC, a computer resale and repair business. They began with the office in the bedroom and later converted the basement garage into an office. Her desk, on the other side of a cabinet from her husband’s, is surrounded by boxes of clients’ files. Sticky notes and family photos cover every vertical surface. Although customers don’t come to the office, Crystal is normally dressed and ready to work by 9 a.m. “I just need to do that for me,� she says. It helps that the office is located downstairs, away from the Cupps’ living space. But no matter where she is in the house or yard, the phone is always nearby. “We can get away physically, but because of the nature of the business, we’re on call all the time,� says Crystal. Kary Phillips also has difficulty separating work from the rest of her life. That’s why she pays someone to clean her house. She’s so used to ignoring it because of her work. Sometimes she wishes she could, like Mary Ann Walsh, just close the doors on her job. “See that?� she says, pointing to her antique rolltop desk where she keeps the household papers. “I don’t open it until I have to.�
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Fight inflation with home improvements ARTICLE BY JACQUELYN WALSH / PHOTOGRAPHY BY NIKKI FOX
ith the number of home sales still down in the city and county, home improvement has become a popular way of expanding and upgrading your home while increasing its value.
Gerald Forsburg, owner and principal designer of Shenandoah Design in Mount Jack-
son, receives many requests for renovations and additions to older homes, mainly bathrooms and kitchens. Many people don’t want to leave their house, so they upgrade, he says. For older couples, he says accessibility is important, so making more room on the first floor or adding a master suite can keep climbing stairs to a minimum. Jill McGlaughlin, owner of Classic Kitchen & Bath in Harrisonburg, says a lot of people question whether they should buy a new house, renovate or add on to their current home. For those who choose to renovate, they often update appliances with more energy-efficient ones that “end up paying for themselves,” says McGlaughlin. “Organization in cabinets is a way to make best use of space in a kitchen,” she says. Cabinetry made of natural materials and granite or quartz countertops can increase the value of your home. She also gets frequent requests at Classic Kitchen & Bath for work-
stations in the kitchen, a central computer location for the kids and better lighting. If you’re looking for more space, taking down a wall (even if it’s load bearing) can be a major upgrade. “It’s amazing how much it can visually, and by square footage, open up the space,” says McGlaughin. “It can make a world of difference — just don’t do it yourself.” According to Forsburg, the best way to maintain your investment is to make it stand out. When renovations are “unique yet creatively and tastefully done,” he says, the house will sell faster. To maintain the value of your home, it’s important to stay within the home’s original architectural style, he adds. Christina Presnell of Massanutten, who’s moved seven times in the past six years, has owned four houses and rented three. Presnell replaced kitchen appliances and had hardwood floors put in throughout the
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home in Massanutten she just purchased with her husband. From her experience as a buyer, two things people want when buying a new home are a spacious kitchen and master bathroom. Bobbie Reeves, a Coldwell Banker Funkhouser Realtor, says the three top things you can upgrade to easily get your money back are kitchens, decks and windows. While “going green” is popular, Forsburg says it’s important to focus on sustainable building with energy-efficient upgrades such as insulation. Now is the time to start thinking about renovations or additions to your home, he added. Planning in the fall and winter makes it easier to get started in the spring, the most popular time for home improvements. Jacquelyn Walsh is a staff writer for the Daily News-Record. Her idea of home improvement is buying new clothes to add to her closet.
Bryan Presnell and his wife, Christina, installed oak floors in the living room of their home in Massanutten. The couple have been doing renovations on their newly-purchased home, including upgrading kitchen appliances.
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your KITCHEN
I
A Bowl of Good Café’s Maharaja Bowl features curried lentils over rice topped with organic yogurt and homemade mango chutney.
Serving up goodness ARTICLE BY KATE ELIZABETH QUERAM / PHOTOGRAPHY BY REBEKAH GIRVAN
t’s 4:30 p.m. at A Bowl of Good Café in Harrisonburg, 30 minutes before the café’s first trial run with customers, and Katrina Didot, the woman behind the concept, is in a perpetual state of motion. 40 Bloom Fall 2009
One minute, she’s behind the counter at the sandwich station, supervising the layering of Black Forest ham, shredded carrots and slivers of red onion. Next, she’s sticking labels to plasticwrapped loaves of bread and placing them in a tapestry-lined basket. Then, she’s greeting her Sysco food rep Tammie Sadonis, insisting she try a bowl of food before she leaves. “I need feedback!” she says as Sadonis digs into a Tom Kha Gai bowl (traditional Thai coconut-based chicken soup over rice, topped with lime and cilantro). “How’s the chicken?” “It’s really good,” Sadonis replies. Rave reviews are nothing new for Didot, 41, who launched A Bowl of Good in 2005 and is known throughout Harrisonburg for her homemade breads, soups and gourmet sides (the café
sells all three, but the menu’s main focus is on what Didot calls “world-class meals in a bowl,” featuring rice or noodles topped with “something internationally-inspired”). Though the business has gone through several incarnations — shifting from a café space in Kate’s Natural Foods to a catering business, frozen soups sold at several Harrisonburg establishments and spots at the Harrisonburg and Staunton farmer’s markets — the goal has always been the same: good, healthy food inspired by international cuisine, using as many local ingredients as possible. It’s a theme that’s evident in every facet of the new café, from the coffee roasted in Staunton to the tables scattered around the dining area, handmade using Cross Keys barn wood and ceramic tiles from Mexico and Guatemala. According to
with her three sons. “Wow. Oh, my heavens!” Gwynne and Didot attend the same church, and she was a fan of the café idea as soon as she heard about it. “Because more people need to experience her food,” she says. “What I tell people when I talk about Katrina’s food is, I feel like I have put the most healthy thing I could ever put in my body, in the most delicious way. She just knows how to put it together so when you put it in your mouth you just think, ‘Oh my gosh, she knows how to do this.’ ” Near the beverages, Henry Reeves peruses the menu, handwritten in bright colors on three blackboards suspended above the counter. Reeves is the director of the Shenandoah Valley Small Business Development Center, and has worked with Didot and Dorsey on the café since 2007. As he decides what to order, Didot darts out from behind the counter and presses a brown paper bag in his arms.
“Order what you want to order, and take this for [your wife] Lynn,” she says, bustling away before he can reply. Reeves, holding the bag, laughs. Didot and Dorsey are two of his most dedicated clients, he says. “We see 150 to 200 clients a year. They are one of the best clients in terms of doing the right things that we’ve ever had,” he says. They held tasting sessions with focus groups prior to developing their menu, a type of foresight that’s rare among new business owners, he says. “All this was sort of a natural thing,” he says. “They just had to do this.” The room empties slowly, as diners deposit their surveys — sporting mostly 5s — into a plastic container near the cash register. By 7
p.m. almost everyone is gone, most receiving hugs from either Didot or Dorsey on their way out. The employees gather behind the counter to order bowls for themselves as Dorsey, looking tired but exhilarated, reflects on the night. “I feel that people got our concept, and that’s important to us — that people walk in and get what we’re about,” she says, adding that the popular dishes of the evening — including the Red, White & Moo Bowl, featuring red and white bean chili over rice and the Bowl de la Milpa, containing black beans over rice, topped with salsa, sour cream and avocado — surprised her. “I thought they’d stick to something safer. I’m surprised and happy that people were branching out a bit. That tells me that people will like our food.”
“All this was sort of a natural thing. They just had to do this.” — Henry Reeves
Tonight, it seems that everyone did. Peggy and Jay Landis are some of the last diners to finish their survey. They know both Dorsey and Didot, and have eaten A Bowl of Good’s soups and breads many times. Tonight, Jay ordered the Maharaja Bowl (curried lentils over rice topped with organic yogurt and homemade mango chutney); Peggy opted for the Red, White & Moo. Their survey, like many others tonight, is covered with 5s. “We will definitely come back,” Peggy says. “We’ll come back, and bring our friends. We just have all kinds of hope for the success of this place.”
A Bowl of Good Café is located at 831 Mt. Clinton Pike in Harrisonburg. 437-9020. Kate Elizabeth Queram is a reporter for the Daily News-Record. She stopped eating meat when she was 13 after seeing the movie “Babe.” Yes, the one with the talking pig.
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Joshua was nearly 2 then, and still napped for most of the afternoon, giving me time to work on my dissertation. In the mornings, though, I’d take him out to see the neighborhood. We’d gossip with the landlady, a tiny woman in her 70s, who diligently scrubbed the steps and the courtyard every day; she spoke even less English than I did French, but we pointed and gestured and pretended to understand each other. Most days, we’d follow that with a visit to the park, where we would play in the sandbox or climb on one of the plastic play structures. I was an oddity there. Not for being foreign, nor for having brought a child, but for the fact that the child was my own. In the mornings, the park was the territory of nannies. I met women from England, Sweden, Spain and Morocco. The only other mother was another American, living in Paris with her businessman hus-
band. Even she was only there twice a week; the other days, she worked as a translator and the babysitter brought her daughter to play. But our days weren’t only filled with trips to the park. We also explored the markets, which were held twice a week. Before I describe what I found there, I should explain that I’m something of a market aficionado. I’ve trawled, shopped, gawked and drooled at open air markets in dozens of cities on four continents. The market that fills the greenway of the Boulevard Richard near the Place de la Bastille is a treasure among markets. Four rows of stalls extend
for three city blocks. There is a corner full of clothing, and a few stalls with books and toys. But mostly, there is food. Stall after stall of perfect food. Table after table of jewel-toned fruits and vegetables, with not a wilted leaf or blemished skin in sight. A dozen different kinds of fungus. Innumerable varieties of cheeses and pates and terrines and sausages. Heaping mounds of cakes and breads and pastries. Slippery mountains of fish packed in so much crushed ice you could feel a cool breeze from yards away. I learned a trick for shopping at that market. If I walked directly from one stall to another, the vendors were likely to shoo
I’ve trawled, shopped, gawked and drooled at open air markets in dozens of cities on four continents.
me away as soon as they heard my hesitant French. But, if I swung out into the walkway and approached the stall from an angle, they’d see the stroller before they noticed I was American. My blond, blue-eyed toddler was vendor-bait. Not only did they suddenly discover rusty English skills or the patience to work out simple sign language, but as often as not they’d throw in something extra “for the bebe.” On one visit, a friendly local took pity on me and gave me the English names for some of the stranger looking items, including an enormous, pale green bulb studded with two-foot long feathery fronds. “It’s fennel. You must try it. Very delicious.” I did and it was. What inspired this little stroll down memory lane was realizing how few of my friends really know what to do with fennel bulbs. I know one woman who
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Oct. 23 & 24
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makes a salad of shredded fennel bulb with mandarin orange slices dressed with a simple vinaigrette, but most people I know never seem to cook with them. The ancient, battered copy of the “Joy of Cooking” that I’ve had since I first left for college has no recipes for fennel bulb, though it does mention that it “is found in season at Italian markets” and can be used as a substitute for celery. Until a few years ago, it was rare to see one in an American supermarket and we don’t really think of them as part of American food culture. This is strange, since they were common in nearly all of our parent cultures. The ancient Greeks loved fennel so much that they named one of their cities, Marathon, “the place of fennel” and believed that Prometheus used a fennel stalk to steal fire from the gods. The Romans expanded the use of fennel, both as food and medicine, throughout their empire, and from there it was spread across North Africa and Eurasia. The early Anglo-Saxons considered it sacred, while in medieval Europe it was thought to fend off witches. Nearly all of the fennel plant is edible, though different cultures use different parts. In India, it is very common to chew fennel seeds as a snack. The Chinese cook with fennel fronds, while the Italians prefer the bulbs. This works out really well in cities that have both a Chinatown and a Little Italy; the farmers can cut their fennel in half, selling the tops to Chinese markets and the bottoms to Italian ones! This recipe started out life as a standard French dish of braised chicken, but I played around with it a bit. First, I substituted fennel bulb for the customary celery, and then I decided to add some of the last fresh corn of the season. I just love the way the sweetness of the corn balances the anise flavor of the fennel.
Braised Chicken with Fennel and Corn 2 pounds chicken pieces (I used thighs and drumsticks, but breasts would also work) 2 carrots, thinly sliced 2 small fennel bulbs or 1 large one, thinly sliced* Chopped fennel leaves 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 2 cloves of garlic (more if you like, which I do), chopped 1 ear of corn, kernels removed ¾ cup of white wine Extra virgin olive oil Salt and pepper
Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a large frying pan at medium heat. Dry chicken pieces, then season lightly with salt and pepper. Brown chicken for four to five minutes per side. If the pan is crowded, do this in two batches; you don’t want to crowd the pan. Set browned chicken aside. If the pan is dry, add a bit more olive oil. Keep the heat on medium and sauté the onion until it begins to be translucent. Add the carrots, fennel and garlic. Continue sautéing, stirring occasionally, until the fennel starts to go limp and all the vegetables start to brown. Add the chicken pieces and the wine, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover. After 20 minutes, turn the chicken pieces and replace the cover. After another 15 minutes, add the corn kernels and the chopped fennel leaves. Stir and continue cooking for another five minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes to absorb the yummy sauce. * To slice a fennel bulb, first remove the fronds (these are the bits that protrude out from the top and look a bit like celery sticks, but leafier). Then stand the bulb on its base and cut it in half vertically, revealing the hard, triangular core. Remove the core. Now you can slice the bulb. It doesn’t really matter which direction you slice, as long you end up with fairly thin slices. For this recipe, you also want to remove the leafy part of the fronds and chop those finely. The remaining stalks can be used to flavor soups or stews. Abby Schweber is an assistant professor of world history at James Madison University. She has been a traveler since the age of 2, but didn’t discover her love of cooking and all things food-related until a few years later.
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Fall 2009
Bloom
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The Secret Garden & my secret friend COLUMN BY HEATHER BOWSER
omewhere in Rockingham County is a grandmother I’m dying to meet. She’s hilarious, gutsy, charming and somewhat of a hero to me. From what I can tell, she and I could be wonderful friends. Sadly, I’ll probably never make her acquaintance. I’ll never give this woman a hug, go to the movies with her or gossip over dinner. Why? Because I don’t even know her name. But she wrote me a letter. And in it, she told me her secrets. From her note, I know that somewhere out there is a “granny,” the wife of a “successful manager in a prominent area institution,” who re-enacts her “glorious hippie days of the 1960s” in her living room. She shuts the blinds, cranks up music and shakes her booty until just before her husband comes home. Sometimes, she goes really crazy and belly dances topless. It’s an “invigorating” ritual she repeats almost weekly. When I read this letter, I knew I found a woman I could love. I hope that one day, in about 40 years, I’ll have just as much fun as Granny. During the last month, I’ve been privileged to read dozens of people’s secrets. On Aug. 1, I published a column in the Daily News-Record called “The Secret Garden.” Inspired by a project called PostSecret, I divulged nearly 20 of my own secrets in hopes that others would share theirs. I pleaded on Facebook, Twitter and Gmail for people to get involved. I even went on the WSVA 550 for an hour to talk about the project. When all was said and done, about 40 people from all over the country — some from as far west as California and as far south as Florida —
sent me letters, postcards and e-mails about their personal habits, fears, grievances and embarrassing moments. Of the 100 secrets I received, some were serious and some were silly. People told me about crimes they’ve committed, boogers they’ve picked and girlfriends they loved but never told.
Reading these secrets was fun, but some of them took a toll on me. “After over 10 years of marriage [my] wife left me and took the cat with her,” one man wrote. “I miss the cat more than her.” One woman wants to throw a bucket of ice water on her husband who “sleeps ALL day.” She feels like she lives alone. “Do you think that would be mean?” she asked me. Someone in Harrisonburg admitted that they are “half man, half woman.” One mother still checks under her bed every night for scary things. Another woman uses zucchini instead of crab meat in her crab cake recipe. No one has noticed. Reading these secrets was fun, but some of them took a toll on me. One man told me about his experience at war. “Some days I think maybe it should have been me that got killed there instead of my friends,” he wrote. A 74-year-old woman in Florida never told her mother what really happened to her blue hand-knitted cap. “There was nothing to fish it out of the outhouse so I went home feeling very sad. But I was always afraid to tell my mother.”
I want these secret friends — whoever they are — to know that I care for them and I’m glad they’re doing OK. I want them to know I’m sorry. Specifically, I’m sorry to hear about your divorce, her affair, his girlfriends, the minister who touched you and “the mean kids at the lunch table.” I’m sorry you’re scared of water, angry for eating, frightened to have children and angry at your best friend. I’m sorry your mom didn’t pack you a “cool” lunch in elementary school and you had to eat off the floor. To the woman with the letter in purple ink, you shouldn’t gamble anymore. To the man in North Carolina, stop pretending it’s clean — change the kid’s diaper. To the rest of you, just pick the flowers anyway, spend more time with your son and get a new dog. Please stop biting your toenails, peeing in the shower, sticking gum under the seat and picking your nose. Don’t drop out of college. Wear the brighter colors. Write that life story. Go visit your father’s grave. And I agree, you shouldn’t tell people about your hatred for “Harry Potter.” And finally, a few last words to my darling Dancing Granny: If you are out there someplace reading this, please give yourself a hug from me. I keep your wonderful letter in the top drawer of my desk next to my stash of gum wrappers. On the days when my own secrets seem too much to bear, I unfold your letter, read it once or twice and laugh to myself all over again. You’re my secret friend and I love you. Heather Bowser, 28, of Harrisonburg, is a tap-dancing, soccer-playing crazy woman who loves her job at the newspaper.
Come see the secrets! From now until mid-October, the Main Branch of the Massanutten Regional Library will display some of the submitted secrets for “The Secret Garden” on a bulletin board in the lobby.
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Downtown Harrisonburg
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