Farmville 2019

In Farmville, historic buildings serve as creative canvases for beautiful murals. Designed with bold colors, the vibrant paintings collectively highlight the story of Farmville –a forward thinking town that embraces innovation, entrepreneurship and the arts.

ON THE COVER

STAFF

ANGELA HARNE, PUBLISHER & EDITOR

AMBER REVELS-STOCKS, STAFF WRITER

DONNA MARIE WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER

TOM LITTLE, ADVERTISING

BECKY WETHERINGTON, LAYOUT & DESIGN NORTH CAROLINA

Café Madeleine serves

in a

transports patrons to New York or Paris. The Farmville-based bakery features an elevated menu, which is sure to delight all palates.

Farmville

Farmville Magazine™ is published annually by The Standard newspaper. Contents are the property of this newspaper and may not be reproduced without consent of the publisher. To advertise in this publication, contact The Standard at 252-747-3883.

tarts

bakery that

Coleen Starling is a new beginning for Kansas native Retirement in Farmville

Story & Photos by Angela Harne

When baker Coleen Starling retired, she found herself bored and yearning for more.

The Kansas-native loves historic homes and antiques. She happened upon Farmville and fell in love with an old home.

“I found the home on the internet … I knew nothing about Farmville,” Starling said.

Soon, she and her husband had moved in.

“We bought the house, and I planned to be retired. I was bored, so I started baking desserts. I made cakes for Farmville’s firstresponders dinner in 2015. That’s where it all started,” Starling said.

She started baking desserts for friends and

organizations. People started asking her when she was going to open a bakery in town.

“Never” was Starling’s response. As the saying goes: Never say never.

Fast-forward four years. Starling is now the owner of Café Madeleine Bakery & Wine in downtown Farmville. The café officially opened its doors in August 2019.

The bakery features croissants with ham and cheese, sausage and cheese, almonds and just butter. Café Madeleine serves morning buns, cinnamon rolls, scones, muffins, macaroons and various breads and cakes.

“Our opera cake, what I call a fancy dessert, is many layers with an egg white base, pastry

crème and rice soaked in chocolate,” Starling said. “I like to make cakes and play around with flavors.”

Starling made a name for herself when she started baking and serving her teacake, which is a traditional lemon sponge cake or cookie.

A favorite treat she bakes, which inspired her café’s name, is madeleines, a small, traditional cake from Liverdun and Commercy of northeastern France.

Starling’s favorite is the orange flavor madeleine made with orange blossom water, orange zest and Grand Marnier, a French liqueur. Another madeleine is made from rose and cardamom, a warm spice.

“When you pair a floral essence with spice, it is like perfume. It is delightful to the taste buds and affects your smell,” Starling said.

The café’s bread is made fresh daily.

“I flavor with salt, water and natural air … it is nature and science to get a heavy crust, glossy interior and beautiful flavor,” Starling said.

Patrons can also try fruit tarts, éclairs and “a few surprises,” Starling said.

The menu is ever changing with salads and sandwiches also on tap, like chicken croissant sandwiches and various sandwiches on ciabatta bread. Soups have also been mentioned.

“We are not run of the mill. We feature an elevated menu. I want to give Farmville something special,” Starling said.

Stepping inside the café, one is transported to Paris or New York.

“It is really flattering. That is what I was hoping for. I’m thrilled because I didn’t know if it would come across,” Starling said.

The café offers patrons indoor and outdoor seating. It is the perfect place to enjoy a cup of coffee and a pastry, while visiting with friends or working on a laptop.

“I find great joy in giving customers a lovely experience. I want them to feel comfortable, have conversations and enjoy each other’s company,” Starling said.

She has partnered with Lanoca Coffee

Co., which created two coffee blends that are only available at the café. Bistro Blend is a light coffee, and Paris Nights is a dark coffee.

“Pairing coffee with foods is just like pairing wine with foods,” Starling said.

Bags of the specialty coffee blends are also available for purchase. Lanoca’s Chill, the company’s cold brew, is also served at Café Madeleine.

Starling is a self-taught chef and baker.

“I was possessed by Julia Child. I’m amazed by her,” Starling said, adding she was inspired by Jacques Pepin and James Beard. “I can’t remember a time I wasn’t interested in baking.”

Starling is the oldest of five. Her mother was never comfortable in the kitchen, a trait Starling did not inherit.

“My mother wasn’t allowed in the kitchen growing up. My father was a picky eater,” she said.

Her mother was a nurse, and her father worked for a petroleum company. Both worked long, odd hours, so her family

members all ate at different times.

By age 10, Starling, who is now age 61, started cooking family meals using the 1957 Betty Crocker recipe book. The first recipe she tried: Veal in white sauce.

“Of course, I used hamburger meat,” Starling said.

She then found her passion for cookies and pastries.

Her parents each had a dozen siblings, so her grandmothers were avid cooks.

“They had to feed them, but cooking was not just nourishment, it was a gift of love,” she said.

Starling recalls sharing the kitchen with her grandmothers, who would don their aprons, and the aroma that came with it — rib-eye steak with sauerkraut or stuffed cabbage.

Being of German and Russian decent, all of her family’s meals had an eastern European influence. Her favorite German meal is galumpkis, which is stuffed cabbage filled with rice, onion, ground beef and pork covered with a tomato sauce and homemade sauerkraut.

“In the kitchen, I felt successful,” Starling said.

She joined her school’s 4-H club and crafted her skills in cooking and sewing. After graduation, Starling had the opportunity to travel to Europe.

At the time, she was an art major.

“I grew up

Café Madeleine has specialized brews by Lanoca Coffee and encourages patrons to stay and relax in the café, while enjoying a silce of cake.

in Kansas. The grocery stores were dismal. Everything was in cans or boxes. Food became industrial,” Starling said, explaining this was the era when the food industry shifted to make cooking meals easier for women, so they could spend less time in the kitchen. “This was the opposite of what I wanted. This is when we lost quality, flavor and knowledge of cooking techniques.”

A mother of four, Starling worked for 21 years in the cleaning service industry and held jobs in bakeries. She worked in the bakery at

Harris Teeter, Lowe’s Foods, Whole Foods and Raleigh-based Edible Art.

“People should not be afraid of cooking. On the other side of that fear is a three-tiered cake and beef bourguignon. It is quality over complexity. I try to make my guests feel welcome with wonderful flavor.

“I’m just a plain old person from Kansas.

We are all on a different journey, but it is important you do what you love,” Starling said with a smile.

Café Madeleine, 3699 E. Wilson St., Farmville, is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, except Monday when the café is closed, and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, call 919-594-7553.

3749 SOUTH MAIN STREET FARMVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 27828 Elizabeth@ElizabethEdwardsInteriors.com 704.868.6304 ELIZABETHEDWARDSINTERIORS.COM

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TThehe East Carolina University GlasStation has helped put Farmville on the map as an art hub in eastern North Carolina.

The GlasStation opened its doors in October 2016 and held its first class in January 2017, under the direction of instructor Mike Tracy.

Tracy, a native of Virginia Beach, Va., who now lives in Farmville, never intended to pursue a career in glass. He was an architecture major.

“That lasted a day,” Tracy said.

He then started to pursue a math degree. He got half way through that degree when he realized it wasn’t the right fit.

He took a semester off and worked on his hobbies, which were craft oriented, he said. He sculpted toy figurines and had an

interest in art. He decided to major in art with a concentration in drawing.

Enrolled at The University of Texas at Arlington, Tracy registered for a glass blowing elective class.

“I fell in love with it. It was pure luck and by chance,” Tracy said.

He graduated from college and eventually returned to his hometown, where he volunteered at the Crystal Museum in Norfolk, Va. There he met guest artist, John Miller, who started the glass blowing program at Illinois State University.

“I was thinking of going to grad school. I applied and got in,” Tracy said.

He earned a master’s degree in fine arts with a concentration in glass, and soon learned of East Carolina University’s plans to start a glass blowing program.

Story & Photos by Angela Harne

GlasStation instructor Mike Tracy guides Lyndsey Hogue as she makes her first gather of molten glass. (below) Emily Wilson polishes a piece of glass.

He applied and was hired in December 2016. A month later, he was teaching at The GlasStation in Farmville for East Carolina University. In summer 2017, he began teaching classes for Pitt Community College, too at The GlasStation.

The GlasStation offers glass blowing I and II and advanced independent research studies.

The 2,400-square-foot facility is housed in the former Eason Gulf gas station, which was built in 1946. It features a grinding and polishing room, hot shop and spectator area.

“I am infatuated by the glass process itself … the versatility. I love it,” Tracy said.

Working with glass is a continual learning experience, too.

Students are taught glass blowing skills, like how to gather molten glass from the furnace, manipulate the glass, polish and grind. They also create six fundamental shapes, including a straight-sided cup, angled cone, reverse cone, rounded bowl, a vase and a spun-out platter.

Classes are held twice a week for three hours per session.

“When my students gather for the first time, I always tell them, ‘Remember this

moment.’ It is scary as hell. Many are nervous. They are gathering molten glass that is 2,000 degrees,” Tracy said. “By the end of the semester, they are gathering without worrying.”

For their final project, Tracy gives the students a theme to create a mixed-media piece.

“If the theme is green, I don’t want anything green, but rather what is means culturally,” Tracy said. “Politics or religion, pick one. I’ll give them six emotions and they have to pick one or I’ll ask them to do a nonliteral self-portrait. I had one student take an old window and make a shadow box, where one side was dark and the other was good. It showed the influences of life,” Tracy said.

Emily Wilson and Robert Hudak took glass blowing II in fall 2019 through Pitt Community College.

A ceramics artist, Wilson hoped to build her portfolio showing a combination of glass and pottery.

“I’m learning new things and it’s fun,” Wilson said.

Glass blowing is a completely new art form for Wilson.

“I’m thankful for this opportunity. Not

Instructor Mike Tracy gathers and shapes glass into a vase.

Emily Wilson (above) shapes hot glass.

Marilue Cook (far left) gathers glass. Robert Hudak uses the belt sander machine to grind a piece of glass.

many people can say they learned glass blowing,” Wilson said. “I’ve been somewhat successful, and hope to get better.”

Hudak, a painter, is also thankful for the opportunity to learn another art form. The different shapes and colors of the glass inspire him, he said.

“I want to learn techniques and skills to infuse into exhibits,” Hudak said, adding he wants to use an “emphasis on lighting” to enhance the glass.”

Lyndsey Hogue is a first-year glass blowing student.

“I’m doing it,” she said, as she completed her first gather of molten glass. “I’m excited and nervous.”

Hogue attended a glass blowing demonstration and knew immediately she wanted to be in the hot shop learning the skill.

“I wanted to try something new and take my mind off my patients,” said Hogue, a full-time nurse.

Eric Moore and Marilue Cook are second year glass

the glass doesn’t crack.”

Like Hogue, Cook attended a glass demonstration and decided to enroll in the continuing education course.

“I have always been fascinated with glass. It is art, chemistry and physics. It is hard, yet magical. Every shape has its own challenges, and then when you add color that’s a different influence and another challenge,” Cook said. “This is an amazing opportunity, not only to learn glass, but to learn the medium.”

Moore finds glass blowing “intriguing,” he said.

“It is a complicated process, but fun. I think everyone should try it,” Moore said.

And try it they are. Students travel to The GlasStation from Goldsboro, New Bern, Wilson, Greenville and beyond.

“The Farmville community is so welcoming. This is a great thing for them. It is a special place. They are lucky to have it,” Cook said.

How the glass turned …

Bynum Satterwhite, the trustee of the DeVisconti Trust, approached The Farmville Group, a grassroots organization of four local businessmen who work behind-the-scenes to encourage growth in Farmville’s downtown, several years ago, sharing his wish to use assets from the trust toward bettering Farmville, to spur growth by leading with the arts.

In turn, Randy Walters, a member of The Farmville Group, approached Chris Buddo, the dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication at East Carolina University, to see if the university was interested in taking part in such a project. Walters, Buddo and Michael Drought, the then-director of the School of Art and Design at East Carolina University, met to share ideas, including launching a glass blowing program.

“Glass blowing is an attraction, a destination place,” Drought said.

blowing students.

“I thought I would try it out, and fell in love with the process. It is addicting,” Moore said. “I have a passion. I want to conquer the next step to get the glass to do what I want it to do.”

Glass blowing is a dance of sorts, Cook said. Using a hollow pipe, students gather the 2,200-degree molten glass.

“It is liquid, so it is a challenge to keep it from dropping off the pipe, so you can form a shape. You have to dance with the pipe and dance with your (glass blowing) partner,” Cook said.

Once the molten glass is gathered, the student blows through the pipe to form a bubble. Then the student gathers more glass on top of the bubble.

“You are blowing to push the air out to form the vessel you want to form,” Cook said. “You must keep the heat profile, so

Buddo added, “It is not just something you visit. It is a spectator sport. It is really cool to watch.”

David and Marion Stowe and Alec Allen became part of the process to launch a creative arts center in eastern North Carolina. The Stowe and Allen families contributed two buildings — the former Eason Chrysler building and former Eason Gulf gas station — to the DeVisconti Trust.

“Without their generous donation of the site to the trust, this never would have become a reality. They are a family that is truly loyal to this community and they were all in,” Satterwhite said.

East Carolina University held a competitive bid process to house its glass blowing program, and the Farmville site won.

“This is a clear demonstration of the power of the arts and its measurable impact because of such willing partners with The Farmville Group and DeVisconti Trust, who drove the vision,” Buddo said.

EAST CAROLINA ArtSpace

A place for collaboration

Story & Photos by Donna Marie Williams

The East Carolina ArtSpace is unique both in its design and concept and houses the work of many talented artisans as well as other business.

Craig Steffee, a physician and pathologist, and Tom Edwards, the owner of Todd D. Edwards Construction Co., opened the ArtSpace in October 2017.

The 12,000-square-foot building features an art gallery on the first floor, along with three retail offices and a conference room. The second floor houses seven studios and a common space.

The ArtSpace is located in the former Sheppard Building, which was built in 1907 and has been home to a number of enterprises.

“One of the most interesting uses of the building was in the late 1920’s when four Farmville physicians joined together to share resources and practice together on the second floor. Ninety years later, we are banding together to share resources, in that very space previously occupied by the physicians,” Steffee said.

At some point in its history, the Sheppard Building was split into two different properties. One of the divided properties went on to become Pierce Insurance and was later home to the ArtSpace.

In May 2018, Steffee and Edwards decided

to merge the two buildings back together and expand the ArtSpace.

“The building had been divided into two parts. We joined them back together. We had to do down to the stud renovations. We were able to save the important parts and modernize it at the same time,” Edwards said.

Steffee added, “This building has had many lives and occupants over the hundredplus years that it has stood on Main Street. It was divided into two separate properties many years ago, and I am proud that we have been able to reunify it, honoring the past while bringing it forward into a contemporary usage.”

Renovations were completed, and the ArtSpace reopened to its full potential Jan. 9, 2019.

The modernization of the ArtSpace is predominantly felt downstairs where the art gallery exists while the upper half of the building maintains its “old world” charm.

The aesthetics of the building played a large role in Chad Winstead and his wife, Beth’s decision to lease a studio for their photography business Winstead Photo & Video.

“It’s great. What drew us to this place was the old time feel. They’re putting a modern spin on it as well. It’s kind of like a blend of old

and new together. We really like that when we are shooting in the studio,” Winstead said.

The couple had searched for a place outside of their home to operate for many months before they discovered the ArtSpace.

“It gives me a space away from my home to edit and some peace and quiet,” Winstead said.

Winstead Photo & Video is located on the second floor.

“It offers studio space and space where I can show customers albums we create for them. It gives me space to photograph, if we need it. It’s perfect for photography too … we’re able to pull off three to four different looks in the studio at the same time,” Winstead said.

The couple has operated Winstead Photo & Video for six years and has become known for their wedding photography.

“We have done close to 200 weddings. We have a different photography style. We’re known for our lighting and story telling images,” Winstead said. “Our style is more of a modern and dramatic take on photography that focuses more on candid moments that don’t look candid. We attract the nontraditional wedding crowd-somebody looking for something different.”

Winstead Photo & Video are one of three photographers to have space in the ArtSpace.

Magnolia Photography, owned by Michele Butterfield, and E.L. Crutchfield Photography, owned by Erica Letchworth, operate out of offices located upstairs.

A common room adjoins the offices of the photographers and helps to foster engagement between the tenants, which is a goal of the ArtSpace.

Winstead Photo & Video has also utilized the common room to host photography workshops for those interested in learning more about photography.

“We did photography workshops. It’s something to offer in that space where other creative photographers can come and learn from us,” Winstead said.

Plans for the common room are evolving with the hope the room would be used by all tenets of the building to collaborate with each other, Edwards said.

The business model of the ArtSpace is designed to help foster engagement and collaboration from the tenants of the building.

“The purpose of the ArtSpace is much

more than simply sharing physical space with like minded individuals. By bringing artists and other creative professionals together to share resources, consult with and learn from each other and work together, we hope to lift all boats … and to encourage each creative individual’s own entrepreneurial endeavors, giving them a place to begin or build a livelihood — and to put down roots,” Steffee said.

Edwards and Steffee both desire for the ArtSpace to bring artists and other creative professionals together to collaborate, share resources and learn from each other.

“We’re just super excited about the business model itself. We’re using the art gallery as the glue. Hopefully, we have an environment where everybody can learn from each other. It’s a good symbiotic relationship,” Edwards said.

Artisans and business owner each bring a unique set of skills to the table. Business owners occupying studios in the ArtSpace have experience with developing business

Elizabeth Edwards, the owner of Elizabeth Edwards Interiors, looks through fabric samples.

plans as well as experience with advertising and marketing while artisans bring creativity to the table and can bring a new perspective. By fostering an atmosphere that inspires collaboration, the two will better their chances for success and helps to prevent the two groups from finding themselves in a rut, Edwards said.

“That kind of place where folks feed off each other, that’s our end goal. We want to be a place that’s affordable, supportive and folks can come take advantage of creative culture,” Edwards said.

Chad Winstead of Winstead Photo & Video enjoys his office space and shared studio located in the East Carolina ArtSpace.

The business model of the ArtSpace is designed to help foster engagement and collaboration from the tenants of the building.

Lori Drake, the executive director of the Farmville Chamber of Commerce, believes the chamber’s move into the ArtSpace enhances the town’s mission to promote the arts.

The ArtSpace also desires to keep the facility as local as possible with the art gallery, which features 37 artists.

“The gallery focuses on eastern North Carolina. You have to be an artist living in eastern North Carolina, from eastern North Carolina or have art about eastern North Carolina to be exhibited in the gallery,” Edwards said.

Artists Mark and Lynn Golitz of Morehead City are one of many to display their art in the ArtSpace. Mark has pottery while Lynn has several paintings.

“This is mind blowing. This is incredible. I am so honored to (have art) in this area. (ArtSpace) gives artists the opportunity to showcase unabridged creativity, which really excited me. It’s validating to me as an artist,” Lynn said.

The ArtSpace’s gallery extends from just including paintings and sculptures and encompasses a range of artisan work, like the work of Farmville blacksmith Kevin Cameron.

“There is a huge art revival that Farmville is promoting in the city. I approached the ArtSpace to display and sell my work as a blacksmith and artist. They had been looking

for a local blacksmith to add to their other artists. For me, it’s all about promoting the lost craft of blacksmithing and metalworking. It’s a craft that’s been long forgotten,” Cameron said.

Cameron is a former U.S. Marine and the owner of Farmville-based Paradon Forge.

“I used a traditional coal forge. There is just something really primitive about it. Taking a piece of steel somebody wouldn’t even look at twice and forging it into something someone can use. Everything I use is all scrap metal. It’s all recycled. I don’t order steel online like other smiths do. When I step into that shop, I just feel like I’m back in Thomas Jefferson’s farm, back in 1700s. I just can’t explain it. When I walk into that shop, it’s a whole different world,” Cameron said.

The only electric tool Cameron uses is one he constructed himself from various scrap metal he calls the Appalachian Hammer. The Hammer is a 250-pound Ram that assists Cameron in shaping metal.

Cameron is best known for his tomahawks, which are displayed along with several knives Cameron forged.

“That’s what I’m known internationally for.

I’ve shipped them all over the world. They look cool for one thing. They are kind of graceful,” Cameron said.

Also housed on the first floor of the ArtSpace is Elizabeth Edwards Interiors. The business offers customers a customizable interior design experience.

“This is my design studio. It’s more of like an office. It’s where I keep my samples and supplies. It’s kind of my home base,” Elizabeth said.

Elizabeth values the exposure of being located on Main Street gives her business.

“I never thought I would have a space like this as my first office. It’s beautiful. I love being on Main Street and seeing Main Street grow. I like being a part of that, especially as a new Farmville resident. I don’t do a lot of advertising, so having my name on the front door helps me a lot,” Elizabeth said.

It also serves as a convenient location for her business.

“Being central downtown, I can walk to the bank, post office and walk to get coffee,” Elizabeth said.

The location of Elizabeth Edwards Interiors also allows for creativity for Elizabeth and her

customers.

“Being in a design business and being in such a beautiful building with natural light and being in my space in general is inspiring. Since I’m just starting out, I don’t have a full portfolio. When customers do come to my studio, it gives them an immediate sense of my design styles and style,” Elizabeth said.

Customers also must first walk through a portion of the art gallery before arriving at the office.

“It does provide customers an experience where they can come to my office and touch and feel samples. It adds another layer of what I can offer my clients,” Elizabeth said, adding customers also have the option of selecting art pieces for their home.

In April, the Farmville Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center also became one of the tenants of the ArtSpace leaving its space across the street.

“I think this is wonderful for the chamber. We’re really trying to position Farmville as

a community for the arts. The minute they walk in the door, they are immediately seeing the artwork. It helps get your message across that we are an arts community. Where we’re located is so in line with what we’re trying to accomplish with the arts,” said Lori Drake, the executive director of the Farmville Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center.

The chamber occupies one of the two main doors into the ArtSpace.

“There is a lot of creative activity in Farmville. The chamber wants to highlight that. The chamber is dedicated to making the space inviting and it casts Farmville into a unique space. We certainly hope to bring a lot of shoppers from out of town. We want to show them what we have to offer. They can come to the chamber and see what else is going on here,” Edwards said.

Having the chamber in the ArtSpace helps create a visualization of the creative artisan culture the town of Farmville is seeking, he added.

“People walk away with such a positive impression of Farmville. People say they don’t expect to find this caliber (of art) in Farmville. People expect to see something like this in a large city,” Edwards said.

Steffee said, “Having the chamber under our roof is a natural reflection of the town of Farmville’s emphasis on the arts and creative industries as a central component of downtown revitalization and growth. The presence of the chamber adjacent to the gallery and artist studios invites interactions between the growing artist and creative community and the established business community. Each group can learn a great deal from the other.”

East Carolina ArtSpace, 3747 S. Main St., Farmville, is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and by appointment. To schedule an appointment, call 252-717-5064. For more information, visit at eastcarolinaartspace.com online.

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Ainsley's

n addition to ensuring everyone can experience endurance events, Ainsley’s Angels of America aims to build awareness about America’s special needs community through inclusion in all aspects of life.

From serving as advocates to providing education and participating as active members in local communities, Ainsley’s Angels believes “everyone deserves to be included,” according to Angel Ambassador Bethann Wilkie.

“Ainsley’s Angels is special to Farmville. Bobby Hodge inspired me to (become an Angel),” Wilkie said.

Hodge is a Farmville resident with cerebral palsy and scoliosis. He started Farmville’s Crop Walk.

“He wanted to go faster,” Wilkie said, explaining he was limited in his speed

due to his wheelchair.

Wilkie googled “specialized wheelchairs” and was directed to Ainsley’s Angels in Jacksonville, N.C. She emailed the organization and asked if she could borrow a wheelchair so she and Hodge could participate in the Reindeer Dash for Cash 5K race in Greenville. They sent a chair the next weekend and gifted it to Hodge, who became an Ainsley’s athlete.

The organization encouraged Wilkie to become an Ainsley’s runner and to start a Pitt County ambassadorship.

Wilkie began running at age 30. For her, running was a form of therapy. She began training for the Boston Marathon, hoping to qualify. The mother of two “fell out of love with running,” she admits.

Ainsley’s Angels refueled her passion of running. Today, Wilkie will not run without a chair carrying an Ainsley’s athlete or rider.

She joined Ainsley’s Angels thinking she would help a fellow athlete, but the riders help her more than they know, Wilkie said.

Ainsley’s Angels was founded in

2012 for Ainsley Renee, the daughter of Kim “Rooster” and Lori Rossiter. Ainsley Renee loved the beach, sea air and wind in her face. Her father, Rooster, found a specialized chair so he could run with his daughter. Ainsley Renee died in 2016 at age 12. To this day, her father continues to serve as president of the organization he and his wife created in memory of their daughter.

Ainsley’s Angels is inclusive not only for its athletes, but also for members of the community. It gives people the opportunity to serve as an athlete — either to push a chair or serve as a guide runner. Those with special needs can participate as an athlete rider or as an athlete runner.

And those who do not have the passion to run can serve as a Guardian Angel setting up the Ainsley’s Angels information booth and watching over the rider and runner athletes before the race.

Wilkie began her journey with Ainsley’s Angels pushing Hodge in the December Reindeer Dash for Cash race. On a practice run through the town of Farmville, Hodge asked Wilkie if they could stop by his Nanny’s grave.

“Look at my chair, Nanny. I’m going to be in a race,” Wilkie said, recalling Hodge’s conversation with his grandmother.

Story by Angela Harne

Team Lizzy members (L-R) Betsy Hughes, Lizzy and Lindsay Annis prepare for the Farmville 5K in May 2019.

She was amazed by Hodge’s excitement. She realized then what a privilege it was for Hodge to be able to race.

“I’ve run with Bobby, but I’m not fast enough for him,” Wilkie said.

Hodge relies on Bert Warren, and previously Jarrett Banks, to get him across the finish line in ample time.

The Pitt County Ainsley’s Angels Ambassadorship celebrated its first full year in 2018. To launch an ambassadorship, volunteers must raise $3,000. Wilkie and local supporters raised $25,000. They purchased 14 specialized race chairs and a trailer to transport and store the chairs.

In 2018, the Pitt County Ambassadorship competed in 21 events, totaling 985.1 miles. Seventyfour Angel runners competed, running 554.6 miles, including five half

marathons. The ambassadorship had 11 riders, who completed 430.5 miles, including four half marathons.

Wilkie pairs two runners with each rider per race.

Wilkie is training to compete in the local ambassadorship’s first full marathon in October 2019 in Washington, D.C. She will race with athlete rider, Lizzy.

Lizzy’s twin brother, Jonathan, is an athlete runner, who runs with a guide.

Pitt County’s ambassadorship includes parents of riders, who run in events, too.

“I have one parent who pushes another rider because she wants her daughter to have independence from her,” Wilkie said.

Parents are always thanking Ainsley’s Angels, too.

“They never thought their child

would be included,” Wilkie said, explaining most events for people with special needs are held purposely for those with special needs, like Special Olympics.

Ainsley’s Angels go to 5K races and marathons across the state and nation to participate in the event. It is not specially customized for the special needs community, Wilkie explained.

Those who compete are an inspiration. Wilkie has watched an athlete rider who pulled an oxygen tank behind him throughout the race.

“The most exclusive race included our racers,” Wilkie said of the Boston Marathon, which recently included a blind man pushing a rider with a guide runner by his side.

“To compete in the Boston Marathon, you have to qualify. I have tried nine times. They not only qualified but qualified while pushing.”

Wilkie’s husband, son and daughter are all athlete Angel runners. Her daughter, Nora, starting pushing Amelia, who at the time was 6-years-old, when she was age 11.

“They are inseparable with a magical bond, and they wouldn’t have a bond without the Angels,” Wilkie said. “We are family. I love all the riders, and they love each other.”

The Rev. Jarrett Banks runs with Bobby Hodge. Lindsay Annis and Lizzy celebrate completing a 5K race. Julie and Warren prepare to race with Bobby Hodge, while Betsy Hughes and Lindsay Annis race with Lizzy.

Ainsley’s Angels is inclusive not only for its athletes, but also for members of the community. It gives people the opportunity to serve as an athlete — either to push a chair or serve as a guide runner.

they are included in all activities. I am more aware of the challenges some face and I see the world differently.”

Ainsley’s Angels has expanded Wilkie’s family.

“Christmas morning, riders and their moms are at my house. Amelia stays at our house sometimes. These kids are my family. I love my mamas. They are amazing human beings,” Wilkie said.

The Pitt County Ambassadorship has 15 active Angels, of who three are athlete runners partnered with guide runners.

“We always need guide runners. Some may think they are not a fast enough runner. We need slow runners,”

the organization and the joy she felt running a race with the rider inspired me to want to see if I could enjoy running road races again,” said Lindsay Annis of Farmville. “I had fallen completely out of love with road races and the anxiety and stress I felt as I walked to the start line made races not fun for me. I had forgotten what a gift it was to be able to run and find joy in the movement and friendships and fellowship in the running community. I have only been able to run one race, the one in Farmville.

“It was a wonderful experience. We had a blast. Singing and listening to music as we ran, chatting and truly

Amelia has Down syndrome.

“We run with speakers and have Amelia’s favorite play list. We sing on the course and have fun,” Wilkie said. “Ainsley’s Angels has made running fun again. When I first started running, it was to PR (Personal Record). Now my goal is to get my rider across the finish line. I’m running a different race now.”

Wilkie’s son, Jackson, pushed for 11 events in 2018, totaling 80 miles.

Jackson joined Ainsley’s Angels in 2017 when he learned his teacher’s daughter had a disability. He told his teacher about Ainsley’s Angels and asked to push her daughter in a race. Since then, Jackson and his running partner, Cole, and angel, Marianna, has been an inseparable team.

“I am proud my children are out there giving of their time. Ainsley’s Angels teaches love and compassion, and how to love unconditionally. Kindness is underrated,” Wilkie said. “I now experience joy differently. I appreciate the little things. I am quicker to recognize individuals and make sure

Wilkie said, explaining most of the athlete runners are not 10-minute a mile runners. “We need guide runners who can go slow with our athletes, motivate them and keep them on the run course.”

Once an athlete rider and their runner near the finish line, if the rider is able, they exit their chair and cross the finish line on foot. Some riders are able to race across using a walker, while others are assisted by their runner.

The ambassadorship has 110 volunteers.

“I actually signed up to become a runner after Bethann’s presentation for (Farmville’s) Coffee & History series. Hearing Bethann tell the story of

enjoying the race without feeling the anxiety and stress of the competition. The end, finish line moment, when your angel crosses that line is unexplainable and moving. I was in tears as she walked across the finish line. Betsy Hughes and I ran Team Lizzy. She was the most amazing young woman. It was an amazing experience that I hope I get to do again soon.”

Bert Warren and his wife, Julie, began running for Ainsley’s Angels four years ago.

“We learned of Ainsley’s Angels from our friend, the Rev. Jarrett Banks, who pushed another friend Bobby Hodge,” Warren said. “Bobby has been an inspiration for many people through his

Ainsley’s Angels has made running fun again. When I first started running, it was to PR (Personal Record). Now my goal is to get my rider across the finish line. I’m running a different race now.

“

- BETHANN WILKIE

Bert and Julie Warren and Bobby Hodge race.

fundraising passion for the Crop Walk. We knew how much Bobby enjoyed the runs, so when Jarrett moved away, we didn’t want Bobby to miss out on these experiences.”

Julie added, “We love being around Bobby. He has a contagious joy, and his zeal for life is such an inspiration. Bobby is a delight to push in a race — he waves at everyone and always greets his spectators with enthusiasm and excitement.”

The couple has pushed in 12 races with Ainsley’s Angels.

“All races have been 5Ks, but Bobby wants to do longer races, so this December we are planning to run a 10-miler in the Reindeer Dash for Cash fundraising race in Greenville,” Warren said.

The couple always races with Hodge. Lesley Albritton of Farmville also runs with the team on occasion.

“Bobby doesn’t like to be passed by anyone and will let us know when this happens. He will encourage us to run faster,” Warren said.

Julie added, “Bobby likes the races the most when we are able to go fast — usually downhill. He knows it’s faster by the breeze in his face and the noise the spinning pinwheel on the side of his chair makes.”

Pushing someone versus just running freely is “a bit more challenging,” Warren admits.

“We get through the races with inspiration from Bobby. His enthusiasm is addictive. We are inspired through seeing the sheer delight he has from being in the race and watching as he shares his love for all the people he meets,” Julie said.

Warren added, “Bobby has an incredible memory. If we tell him we plan to run a race with him, even if it is months away, he will not let us forget.”

Hodge inspired Banks to participate in Ainsley’s Angels. The former pastor at First Christian Church in Farmville has since started ambassadorships in Enid, Okla., Tulsa, Okla., Fort Smith, Ark., Little Rock, Ark. and Texarkana, Ark.

“At our last race, we included 60 persons with special needs,” Banks said. “Many people have recently asked me, ‘How did you get started with Ainsley’s Angels?’ I know this may seem strange to many, but there’s perhaps nothing I like more than waking up at 4:30 a.m. to lace up my running shoes and run 5 or 10 miles. I love the way running makes me feel. I love the endorphins that it gives me. I love the way it keeps me relatively thin. I love the way running allows me to enjoy nature. I love the way it gives me opportunities to see some glorious sunrises. I love the way running gives me opportunities to make new friends. I love the sense of accomplishment completing a race gives me. Do you notice a common theme here? ‘Me, me, me.’ ‘I, I, I.’”

Ainsley’s Angels changed that perspective for Banks.

When Hodge learned he could participate in a race, he was thrilled.

“I went over to his house, showed him some pictures and a video. This

-

was late November 2015. I told him there was a race coming up Dec. 6 that we could be in. Bobby, who has never taken one step in his life, looked at me with this indescribable expression of excitement and said, ‘Jarrett Banks’ — Bobby always calls me by my first and last name —, ‘you mean to tell me that I can be in a race?’ Shocked by his response, I remember grinning from ear to ear, shaking my head saying, ‘Yes, you can.’ ‘OK, I never thought I could be in a race,’ he shouted,” Banks said.

Banks and Wilkie picked up Hodge one afternoon to train.

“I don’t even think we got a block down the road when Bobby spoke up, ‘Jarrett Banks, my neighbor who lives right here doesn’t know about this. We need to tell her.’ We pulled up on the sidewalk that led to her front porch and rang the door bell. As soon as she came

Bobby Hodge (center) celebrates a race finish with his teammates and parents.

We love being around Bobby. He has a contagious joy, and his zeal for life is such an inspiration. Bobby is a delight to push in a race — he waves at everyone and always greets his spectators with enthusiasm and excitement.

JULIE WARREN

to the door, Bobby started telling her all about it, ‘Hey, you will not believe this, but I am going to be in a race. This is my preacher Jarrett Banks and Bethann. I never thought I could be in a race before, but now I am … Maybe you can come and watch me in the race,’” Banks recalled. “I think we made it two more blocks, when he said, ‘Jarrett Banks. My neighbor who lives right here does not know about this either.’

So, up on the side walk we went. I rang the door bell.”

The three visited a few more neighbors, when Banks told Hodge, “Bobby, we really need to finish this training run before the sun goes down and it starts getting cold.”

“For about two miles, Bobby laughed at every bump we went over. He waved at every passing car. And he pointed out all of the places the sidewalks needed ramps in the curbs at the end of a block. Every time we passed someone’s house he knew, he would tell me that we were going to have to come back and tell them, ‘cause they don’t know about this.’ I think he told us umpteen times, ‘Jarrett Banks, Bethann run faster.’

“After about two miles, Bobby got quiet. For about a quarter of a mile, he didn’t make a sound. Bethann and I were quiet, too. Running a little faster pace, we were just trying to breathe. Then Bobby broke the silence, ‘Jarrett Banks, I know you are going to be mad at me, but my nanny does not know about this. We need to show her.’”

Banks and Wilkie assumed the nanny was a caregiver, and asked where she lives. That’s when Hodge directed them to a cemetery. Hodge pointed to the headstone of his grandmother, who died in 1989.

“As soon as we pulled up to the headstone, Bobby said, ‘Nanny, you will not believe this, but I am going to be in a race. Nanny, I never thought I could be in a race before, but this is my preacher, Jarrett Banks, and this is my friend Bethann, and they got me this chair, and Jarrett Banks, when is that race?’ Overwhelmed with emotion, I could barely speak, ‘It’s Dec. 6th,’” Banks said. “It was then he said, ‘Nanny, please tell God to tell the angels watch over me and my preacher Jarrett Banks and Bethann in this race and keep us safe.’”

Ainsley’s Angels-Pitt County meets at 6:15 p.m. Wednesdays at Uptown Brewery for Pub Runs. This is a great opportunity for new runners to train and practice running with a chair and athlete rider.

The ambassadorship is also always recruiting new angels. Ainsley’s Angels-Pitt County works closely with Pitt County Schools’ Field Days and Special Olympics.

“Join our family. Races are always free for our runners and riders,” Wilkie said.

For more information about Ainsley’s Angels, including how to sign up as a runner or guardian angel, visit ainsleysangels.org or email Wilkie at greenville@ainsleysangels.org.

Visit us at ComeHomeToFarmville.com

If this is what your list looks like, you should be looking in Farmville!

Julie and Bert Warren race with Bobby Hodge in the Farmvile 5K in May 2019.

COMMITTED

TO GIVING BACK

For 32-year-old Justin Foskey, the unit director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain-Farmville Unit, giving back to his community is essential and one of the main reasons he decided to work with the Farmville Boys & Girls Club.

“The Boys & Girls Club is one of the jobs that would allow me to give back to my community as a whole,” Foskey said.

Foskey, who now resides in Greenville, was born and raised in Farmville. He attended Farmville schools and graduated from Farmville Central High School in 2005.

In high school, Foskey participated in basketball and football, ran track and earned the coveted male athlete of the year award in 2005 for his participation in all three sports.

Foskey continued his education and pursued his basketball career at The University of Mount Olive.

It was there Foskey committed to giving back to his community.

“I remember sitting down at our college basketball practice and Coach went around the room and asked ‘What is something you would want to do if basketball didn’t work.’

I wanted to give back to my community,” Foskey said.

The idea of giving back to the community was not a new concept for Foskey. His parents, Randy and Regina Foskey, both of Farmville, had raised him and his siblings Coda, Randy Jr., Chris and Destiny Foskey, on the principle of giving back.

“It was how I was raised. You come through this community or any community and you just want to constantly keep building the community. You see the obstacles you had growing up even if it was good or bad challenges. You know what you want to see get better or what you want to happen. You want to continue to give back to the community,” Foskey said.

His parents also taught Foskey how to persevere through life.

“They brought me up understanding the value of making sure you stay humble and to always make sure you finish out the job you desire to do — stick with it,” Foskey said, adding his parents have influenced his life in many ways.

Foskey first began working with the club in

2006 as a summer job and continued to work at the Farmville location during his summers home from college.

Foskey graduated from The University of Mount Olive in 2010 with a degree in recreational league service and returned home to continue working with the Farmville Boys & Girls Club.

“Coming back and being able to have that summer job helped a lot. I started as part time leader where I was helping around the gym. I would assist in the art room or any room that needed assistance. Mostly I spent the majority of my time in the gym,” Foskey said.

In 2012, he was promoted to the club’s unit director. As unit director, Foskey prepares and implements programming, supervises staff and children, works to establish community partnerships and recruits new members for the club.

“Here at the Boys & Girls Club we try our best to make sure the kids are safe, make sure it’s a positive environment for the kids and it’s a place they can have fun. We provide opportunities for the kids,” Foskey said.

Opportunities for the students who attend

(Above) The Farmville Boys & Girls Club provides a room specifically for teens to have fun, relax and study. Justin Foskey feels it is important for teenagers like (L-R) Destiny May, 15, Elizjah Tyson, 14 and Janiyah McCarter, 15 to have a place to relax, have fun and study.

Story & Photos by Donna Marie Williams

the club range and exist through partnerships the club has formed, Foskey said.

“With the partnerships we form, the high school students have the opportunity to go to community college. They have the opportunity to work on soft skills, (we) help with creating resumes and we offer them the opportunity to do hands on activities with companies that come out and work with the kids,” Foskey said.

High school students have also participated in Grow Local, a program through Pitt County Schools, which provides students hands on work experiences with partnering companies. Students have traveled to Greenville Utilities and the East Carolina Heart Institute to experience hands on learning activities.

Partnerships with the club are vital.

“One of our biggest partnerships we have is with the school system because that’s where we build relationships with kids coming to the school. We created club academy where we work with the school and go out and sit in the classroom and get the understanding of how they are teaching the kids. We come back and sit with the kids and help them do their homework,” Foskey said.

Other partnerships include Pitt Community College, Farmville Public Library, Farmville Police Department, Farmville Parks and Recreation, GameStop, East Carolina University and Greenville Utilities.

Through the Pitt Community College program, students have gained employment.

“From the five kids who went (to the community college), four of them ending up getting jobs from that program,” Foskey said.

Students have also been able to experience sport activities, including watching their first NBA game or college game, and students have been able to experience amusement parks.

At Christmas time, the club takes approximately 25 students to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain-Jack Minges Unit in Winterville to receive Christmas gifts.

Justin Foskey uses sports like basketball to teach the importance of teamwork to students (L-R) Chance Joyner, 11, Zymir Harvey, 10, Kentaizia Jones, 10, and Zikeem Moore, 10.

Justin Foskey helps Darryn Gardner, 8, with his pool shot.

Justin Foskey assists students Jaylen Tyson (left), 13, and Tyvell Foskey, 12, with a computer learning program.

Justin Foskey and Amya Roberson, 11, review character traits.

Foskey also feels it is important to recognize the students who attend the club.

“We have certain expectation for them. We like to recognize the kids as a whole as they do well. As they see that recognition, they know this is a place they can come and have fun, be recognized and experience an opportunity,” Foskey said.

Foskey also shares his value of community service with the students who attend the club.

“Some of the kids have started a design for change club. It’s a work in progress still. It’s one of the programs that has different stages, and it’s where they create a project where they can make a difference in their community or across the state,” Foskey said.

Of the various programs and activities offered, Foskey enjoys the sports programs the best.

“As unit director for the kids, I’m big on sports,” Foskey said.

It was through sports that Foskey became familiar with the club.

“Growing up … I always had my friends who called and said ‘Hey we’re going to play basketball at the Boys & Girls Club.’ Back then, we would knock at the back door to see if we could get in. I was playing ball with my friends, and the unit director came in and said ‘You are not a member of the club. You can’t play here.’ So I came to the club just to play sports. There wasn’t a need for me to come for the other programs. I was never an official club member. Just growing up here, everybody knew I was at the park. I feel like that’s where I spent most of my time at,” Foskey said.

Foskey has continued his love for basketball at the club.

“We have a basketball summer league, and I created a spring break classic with the organization,” Foskey said.

During the spring break classic and the basketball summer league, members from the Farmville Unit compete against other local clubs including the Greenville’s Grady White Boats-E.R. Lewis Family and Jarvis units, Ayden’s Dr. Ledyard E. Ross Unit and Robersonville’s unit in Martin County.

“We just want to make sure we incorporate basketball and the clubs enjoy the atmosphere. It brings the Boys & Girls Clubs together,” Foskey said.

Foskey is also the assistant basketball coach for Farmville Central and has coached a Farmville Parks and Recreation basketball team in the past.

Though sports, Foskey has been able to connect with the students who attend the club.

“A relationship was built to where they were asking ‘hey, Coach Justin, can you train this day or help me with this?’ It was building relationships to help them grow in life and in general,” Foskey said, adding his favorite part about being a unit director is “being able to see these kids grow, to me, it’s more of the excitement from knowing that you are doing something good to help others out. I see the impact that I have on the kids and how I help the kids.”

Foskey became an assistant coach with the men’s Farmville Central basketball team

Kentaizia Jones (left), 10, prepares to throw a basketball to Chance Joyner (center), 11, while Zikeem Moore (center), 10, and Zymir Harvey, 9, block.

Javonte McCarter, 11, plays mancola with Justin Foskey, the unit director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain-Farmville Unit.

in 2012. Since then, the team has seen two championships — in 2016 and 2019.

“That first year in 2016, the team won and I was so excited. Those are some of the same kids that came through Boys & Girls Club and played for my traveling team. Farmville has been winning — in all sports. To see this past year’s winning team, I had the same thing, with seeing some of these kids come up through the Boys & Girls Club. I remember some of them playing on my rec team. Some of the kids that were on the team, they will come to the club now and they have jobs now. We can see from start to finish,” Foskey said, adding he loves seeing the tangible progression of his students.

The students are what make the job worth it, Foskey said.

“I always talked to the kids and the kids asked me, ‘Mr. Justin, what do you want to do?’ And I’m doing what I want to do. Just giving back to my community and adding to what’s already in place and trying to improve each day,” Foskey said.

As for the Farmville Unit, Foskey has big dreams for its future.

“I would like to see this Boys & Girls Club continue to grow and expand into more than just a program that is already offered through the Boys & Girls Club,” Foskey said.

The Farmville Unit, 3443 Park St., Farmville, is open from 2:30-7 p.m. weekdays during the school year and from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays in the summer. For more information, call 252-355-2345.

BEE DOWNTOWN

How a start up company is creating a buzz in corporate America

Story by Donna Marie Williams Photos courtesy of Bee Downtown

Apassion and hobby of Leigh-Kathryn Bonner of Raleigh has transformed into a revolutionary business model and unique approach to saving a dwindling honeybee population that is creating a buzz as Bee Downtown is continuing to receive recognition for its unique design

Since 2015, Bee Downtown has installed and maintained beehives on corporate campuses in urban areas. The goal of the company is to help rebuild healthy honeybee populations while simultaneously providing employee engagement and leadership development programming for partnering corporations.

Bee Downtown began when Bonner was a student at N.C. State University.

“It began as a passion project when I was a junior at State. I couldn’t keep a beehive at my apartment complex so I asked the company I was interning for if I could keep a beehive on the rooftop. That’s how it ended up starting. It just kind of snowballed from there,” Bonner said.

Other companies and business soon began requesting for beehives to be added to their facilities. The desire from other companies to invest in beehives inspired Bonner with an idea of something that had not been done before.

Nearing the end of college, Bonner was faced with a difficult decision of pursuing this new founded business idea or to pursue the typical route of accepting a lucrative job offer after graduation.

“My parents had me do a ‘Shark Tank’ episode in my living room. They said I had one year to show that I was profitable and they would fund my living expenses. They were nice Sharks,” Bonner said.

Bonner’s parents, Gayle and Ed, wanted to ensure their daughter was prepared for the journey ahead of her.

“We wanted to see if she had a good plan and if she was thoughtful with what she was trying to do. We wanted to see if she had a plan and was taking it seriously and had a focus. Ed had a lot of good questions for her,” Gayle said.

Ed added, “The ‘Shark Tank’ format tested the idea for the business to make sure it was something she could make a living doing and it would bring value to customers.”

Bonner decided to take a leap of faith and to pursue her business that began on the rooftops.

“Bee Downtown is not like other startups. We’re bees and bee boxes and relationships. A lot of people did not think that would be a start up,” Bonner said.

Since then, Bonner has worked to expand the business with her company’s hives being placed at several different Fortune 500 companies, including Chick-fil-A, Bert’s Bees, Blue Cross Blue Shield, IBM, Georgia Power, Delta and AT&T.

Bee Downtown charges an annual fee to have the beehives placed at the company’s location. Employees of Bee Downtown provide demonstrations of the beehives and

maintain the hives for the company. Honey that is harvested from the hive belongs to the company.

“Employees really love to learn about agriculture. It’s very nostalgic. Employees aren’t far enough removed from (agriculture) yet. They still remember farmers and remember being outside playing. I think that’s why so many people love Bee Downtown. It allows them that opportunity to reconnect with those moments and to get outside in nature …” Bonner said.

The companies that participate in Bee Downtown’s program often offer educational classes for their employees. These classes are widely popular within the company. At Delta Airlines, an employee class for 120 employees was overbooked within 10 minutes of opening.

The bees not only provide employees with a chance to learn about agriculture, but they also provide companies with a business model. This has encouraged Bonner to offer executive

leadership classes in addition to hives. These classes were designed in conjunction with retired Army Col. Joe LeBoeuf.

Bonner believes that a healthy corporation resembles a beehive with every worker having a specific purpose and uses biomimcry to project the success of bees into the businesses the company works for.

“We learned a lot from the bees. They’re constantly teaching us things. Bee Downtown, overtime has turned to a service business where they get to have the hive and time with the bees and educational opportunities. We love connecting bee keeping to effective leadership. If we can teach people anything, it is to be kind and be like a honeybee. Everything a honeybee touches it leaves better,” Bonner said.

Since the beginning, Bee Downtown has strived to help the diminishing population of honeybees.

“Our goal is to help build a healthy honeybee population. Bees are one of nature’s most precious pollinators. Pollinators contribute over $150 billion dollars annually. Every third bite of food you eat is thanks to a honeybee. Honey bees are especially important especially since we changed agricultural practices from small agricultural farms to larger more corporate farms,” Bonner said.

The company is also trying to challenge the way people perceive agriculture.

“At some point in society, people decided farmers weren’t that important. Farmers are the smartest people I’ve ever met. I don’t ever want to devalue what people do. I want to change the way people think about agriculture. Agriculture is tough and

“

Through

Bee

Downtown, owner Leigh-Kathryn Bonner hopes to educate people on the importance of honeybees.

We love connecting bee keeping to effective leadership. If we can teach people anything, it is to be kind and be like a honeybee. Everything a honeybee touches it leaves better.

- L eigh -K athryn B onner

not everyone can do it. Bee Downtown is a small little company that can help swing the pendulum back to respecting farmers,” Bonner said.

Bonner’s new approach has earned notoriety across the United States. She was named one of Southern Living magazine’s 2017 Southerners of the Year and was selected as one of Inc. magazine’s 2018 30 Under 30 Rising Stars. Inc. magazine is a weekly magazine that focuses on small businesses and startups.

“(Inc.’s Rising Stars) looks at 30 entrepreneurs across the country and says these are the rising stars that are going to shape the way we look at the world and how businesses runs in the future,” Bonner said.

Bonner was also selected to appear in Forbes’ 30 under 30 in 2019.

“Forbes was one I never thought would even happen. That was a real big one for us,” Bonner said.

Bee Downtown has also been featured on an episode of TED Talks.

Bonner is the granddaughter of Farmville native Harold Flanagan and the niece of Jerry Flanagan. Harold and Jerry share a love of bees and beekeeping with Bonner and have helped her in her journey.

“I am a fourth generation beekeeper. My family is from Farmville. My grandpa has kept bees for over 70 years. I grew up in Raleigh but loved coming to the farm. My grandpa gifted us with agriculture. I love it. I love being outside and getting my hands dirty. Bee Downtown is a

way for me to honor my family and agriculture. It’s a little bit different than how they have done it, but it still honors it,” Bonner said.

Gayle added, “They’ve been a big help. She had a lot of support for what she is doing. She’s had a lot of people who supported her. That’s been a real beautiful thing to see. She and Daddy (Harold) are real cute together talking about bees. It’s a bonding experience for them.”

Bonner’s visit to Farmville and her grandfather’s farm have encouraged her to pursue her dream.

“Farmville is a special place to me. Farmville is part of my story,” she said.

Bonner’s hope for the Bee Downtown’s future is as big as the leap of faith she took at

the very beginning of her journey.

“If we can teach people anything, it is to be kind and be like a honeybee and to leave everything better than it was,” Bonner said.

Education is a large component of Bonner’s business model.

“I think she’s educated a lot of people, and she has the right motivation. That makes me proud. I’m really proud of her and the whole team. They are passionate for what they are doing,” Gayle said.

Ed added, “Her mother and I are incredibly proud of her. She took her idea, and she worked incredibly hard at it. She hired a terrific team around her. She is bringing value to her customers. She brings value to companies that work with them not only through the installations of hives but through their employee engagement and leadership (program) … She has been able to evolve Bee Downtown to use that platform of urban beekeeping … to bring value to her customs through employee engagement. They see the unique value Bee Downtown can bring to their company. Not only can they make a contribution to sustainability, but they can engage and inspire their employees.”

Despite the company’s success, Bonner has remained humble and consistent with the company’s mission.

“If I can say at the end of my life that I did something that has value, then I’m proud of my life,” Bonner said.

For more information about Bee Downtown or to participate in the program, visit beedowntown.com online.

Leigh-Kathryn Bonner holds a honey frame. She launched her business, Bee Downtown, as an initiative to save the honeybee population and to inspire people to get involved in agriculture.

Bee Downtown regional manager Scottie McLeod handles the bees.

Leigh-Kathryn Bonner was named one of Southern Living magazine’s 2017 Southerners of the Year, one of Inc. magazine’s 2018 30 Under 30 Rising Stars and appeared on Forbes’ 30 under 30 in 2019.

Compassionate Service in Your Time of Need

Dedicated To Excellence In Service, With The Highest Of Integrity.

As a family-owned and operated funeral home since 1905, we understand the needs and challenges that arise when you are faced with the loss of a loved one. That’s why we’re here to help you through every decision and detail at this difficult time, honoring the memory of your loved one with a dignified and fitting tribute.

c arrie B aker

citizen of the year

Farmville Citizen of the Year

is

around town as the

of the Lost Sheep Resource Foundation and one of the people fighting to preserve the former H.B. Sugg High School building. She has lived in Farmville since 1971, but she has always loved the town.

“I never lived in Farmville growing up. I was between here and Fountain. I went to Fountain for elementary school, and then in ninth grade, we went to H.B. Sugg for high school,” Baker said. “I love Farmville. It was all we knew. Everything we needed, we came to Farmville. They had everything. We bought our groceries here, we shopped, went to the doctors office. It was all Farmville, Farmville, Farmville. I always wanted to live in town. I never did until I got married in 1971.”

Baker was a member of one of the last classes to graduate from H.B. Sugg High School. In fact, her class thought they would be the very last.

“We were the year before the last year at H.B. Sugg. We helped prepare for (integration),” she said. “We thought we were the last class, but they got behind on the construction and stuff. We were preparing to be the last class.”

Her class graduated in 1970, and the school moved its

Carrie Baker

known

founder

Story & Photos by Amber Revels-Stocks

high school classes to the new Farmville Central High School for the 1971-72 school year.

“It was our class that helped name the mascot and colors for Farmville Central,” Baker said. “They got five from Farmville High School, the Red Devils, and they came together with five from over here (at Sugg). They got together and named everything, decided colors, all of that.”

The atmosphere was filled with excitement at the time for Baker.

“We was excited that we were the last class, that we made it in there, and that we were part of the change over,” she said. “I had never gone to school where white people went until I went to college.”

She remembered feeling disappointed when it was announced that the Class of 1971 would be the last graduating class at H.B. Sugg High School.

“The whole time, we thought we were going to be the last. It was right at the end of the school year we learned they were going to have to go one more year. Then we were a little bit disappointed,” Baker said. “Now after the high school left, they still had the elementary school there for a number of years before

they moved to a different building. They still call it H.B. Sugg, which I think is nice.”

After graduating in 1970, Baker went to Pitt County Technical School, now Pitt Community College. She studied secretarial science for two years.

“Then I decided, ‘I do not want to do this,’” Baker said. “So I went and worked at a manufacturing job for 15 years. I made it all the way up to assistant plant manager.”

But eventually, Baker felt the pull to do something else.

“I wanted to be around people, and I always liked to be hands on, so I went back to school and got my beautician’s degree. I’m

retired now, but on the Thursday of every week, I do the elders,” she said.

Baker styles hair for seven older women who have been her clients since before she retired, and she loves every second of it.

"It feels wonderful (to do their hair). … I love doing their hair. They never complain, and we just sit there and talk. We have church with each other. I’ll cut the computer on and play gospel music. Sometimes, we’ll put on a good Christian, gospel movie. They just enjoy it,” Baker said. “The best part is to see them when I finish with it. I hardly do anything, but I’ll give them the mirror and they’ll shake their hair and talk about how much they love it. They seem like new women sometime.”

She has vowed to continue to style their hair until they have all passed on. Baker has even had the opportunity to fix some of her client’s hair after they have died.

“She was about 94, and she passed about four or five days after the picture was taken (for the black history celebration),” Baker said. “The funeral home called me to come do her hair because she’d asked for me to do it. They wanted me to place the hat on her like she would wear to church.

“It’s a good relationship between your clients and yourself because you’ve

Carrie Baker holds a prized picture of her with an “elder client.” The client died about four days after the picture was taken and had asked for Baker to style her hair for her funeral.

I love doing their hair. They never complain, and we just sit there and talk. We have church with each other. I’ll cut the computer on and play gospel music. Sometimes, we’ll put on a good Christian, gospel movie. They just enjoy it.

-Carrie Baker

been with her for a long time,” she continued. “When you find a beautician you like, you want that person to do your hair all the time. You don’t want anyone else touching your hair. It’s made me part of their family. Their kids know they can leave them here because they’ll be taken care of.”

more than 20 years before taking her semiretirement. But she stays busy. Her work with the Lost Sheep Resource Foundation and the H.B. Sugg Alumni Organization won her the prestigious Citizen of the Year award.

“I couldn’t believe it. Even now when I think about it, I wonder if they really knew what they were doing. I didn’t know anybody was looking,” Baker said. “When they actually stood up and named all the things I have done over the last few years, I almost didn’t realize who they were talking about. I think I started working even before I received my call to do the work.”

She is the first African-American woman to win the award. Previously, it was the Farmville Man of the Year contest. After a while, two awards were given out, one to an outstanding man and one to an outstanding woman. Then, the awards were combined into the Citizen of the Year.

“I was shocked. My good friend, Judy Gidley, (the former chamber director), told me to come to the banquet,” Baker said. “I was surprised she kept the secret. She made me go with her because she goes to all of them. Judy told me if I went out, I could get the name of the Lost Sheep Foundation out there. …

Baker has great stories about all of her clients, having worked as a beautician for

“When I realized, I started shrinking down in my seat and was like, ‘Help me, Jesus, because I don’t want to get up there and act like a fool.’ I know I said something, but I didn’t plan a speech, so I don’t know what I said.”

Her son also knew she was receiving the award because he arrived with flowers for her.

“They must not have told the girls because they would’ve warned me and let me get prepared,” Baker said.

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Baker did not know she was going to receive the award until her name was called at the ceremony in April 2019.

For Baker, the Lost Sheep Resource Foundation is her purpose from God. Winning the award is just further proof.

“I know it was Him,” she said. “When you don’t think anybody is watching, He is, and He’s making plans.”

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• Standing • Improving • Protecting • Strengthening

•Controlling

PO John He

42 Farmville Magazine 2019

Transforming people’s lives so that together we can grow a better world.

Farmville, We've Got It All!

Farmville, We've Got It All!

Embracing progress while holding on to small town values makes Farmville a great place to live, work and grow

Farmville, We've Got It All!

Embracing progress while holding on to small town values makes Farmville a great

Visit us and experience a community with small town charm, full of culture & history.

Embracing progress while holding on to small town values makes Farmville a great place to live, work and grow Visit us and experience a community with small town charm, full of culture & history.

Farmville got it all!