Evince October 07 by Andrew Brooks Media Group

October 2007

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Table of Contents 2

Celebrate A Danville Tradition The Open Road: DCA Hits 55 by Kathleen O’Hare Looking at The Big Picture by Kathryn Davis

Believe by Liz Sater

Larry Aaron: Setting History Straight by Emyl Jenkins Star Trek Personality to Appear at Tank Museum by Karen Gasser

Second Thoughts Happy Mediums by Kim Clifton

He Said She Said by Larry Oldham and Dena Hill

Around the Table At A Tailgating Party by Annelle Williams Ben Rippe's Fashion Statement The "Must" in Fall Shoes

An Inn for All Seasons and All Friends by Joyce Wilburn

We're On The Move to End Alzheimer's by Melanie Vaughan

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Calendar of Evince Spotting Exceptional Customer Service by Pam Divine Finding Wine on Route 29 by Joyce Wilburn

Lithographs by Thomas Hart Benton, Grant Wood and Gordon Grant on Exhibit by Lynne Bjarnesen The British Are Coming! by Julienne Parker

Distance Learning at IALR by Deborah Morehead

Lasting Thoughts Thoughts for The Next Generation by Emyl Jenkins & Sarah Latham

Following Fred First On A Slow Road Home by Debra Dodson

On the Cover:

On the cover: Photo of a remote valley setting in Floyd County, Virginia, by Fred First. See story on page 15 .

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Celebrate A Danville Tradition The Open Road: DCA Hits 55 by Kathleen O’Hare

The Danville Concert Association will open its 55th anniversary season with a special tribute to the Schoolfield and Long Mills which served the Danville community even longer. On October 19, the Charlotte Symphony will perform Mill Village: A Piedmont Rhapsody, an original work by composer and North Carolina resident David Crowe. Mill Village tells the stories of the mills and people of the Piedmont region through music punctuated by poetry, video, photography, and examples of textiles. A chief source of inspiration for this project was the Charlotte Symphony’s principal tuba player, David Mills, who grew up in Albemarle, North Carolina, and worked in the area’s mills as a young man. Presentation of this moving work is particularly timely, given the dismantling of Danville’s treasured mill buildings. A bonus concert for season ticket holders, The American Chamber Players will perform on November 3 at the North Theatre, 629 North Main Street. The ensemble has toured throughout North America, presented a series of special gala concerts at the Paris Opera and the Bibliothèque Nationale, and been heard countless times on National Public Radio’s Performance Today. Hoffman, music commentator for National Public Radio’s flagship news program Morning Edition, is regularly heard by an audience of nearly 14 million people. Seating will be on a first-come basis. Always a favorite, the Empire Brass returns to Danville on December 8 to present a gala holiday concert. The five musicians, all of whom have held leading positions with major American orchestras, perform over 100 concerts a year from New York to Tokyo and are equally at

October 2007

home performing majestically antiphonal works composed for St. Mark’s Cathedral in Venice and show stopping tunes written for Broadway. Big and bold is the ticket when the State Symphony Orchestra of Mexico thrills Danvillians on January 31, 2008. The Orchestra and its Director, Enrique Bátiz, enjoy well-deserved fame as the most important musical group of Mexico. DCA presents them as part of the Orchestra’s 10- week tour of U.S. cities. Closing out the season on April 18, 2008, Dr. Eric Conway will lead the Morgan State University Choir, one of the nation’s most prestigious university choral ensembles in what is sure to be a rousing ﬁnale to DCA’s 55th anniversary season. This same month the choir will also be performing at the Kennedy Center and at Carnegie Hall. Classical, gospel, and contemporary popular music comprise the majority of the choir’s repertoire and they recently returned from a tour of Ghana where they helped join in a celebration of 50 years of independence. All concerts, with the exception of The American Chamber Players, will be held at the George Washington High School Auditorium, 701 Broad Street. All concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $10-$25 and may be purchased by calling 434.792.9242.

Tribute to Textile Workers

Thanks to the generosity of major sponsors—the Dan River Foundation, the Danville Historical Society and the Womack Foundation—the Danville Concert Association is able to offer former Dan River textile workers and their families a limited number of discount seats on Friday evening, October 19, to experience Mill Village and other classical masterworks by the Charlotte Symphony. In tribute to those who've made our textile heritage great, these special tickets are just $10—a 60% discount off the regular $25 general admission.

by Kathryn Davis September turned out to be a particularly hectic month. Between work, family and things that had to be done, there never seemed to be any free time...until September 20th, that is. That’s when I went with my husband George to his company’s convention at the historic Grove Park Inn Resort in the beautiful mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. What can I say but “WOW!” With rolling, cloud-capped mountains dotting the horizon, and every amenity you could imagine (along with a few I never even thought to ask for) the trip was a welcomed retreat from our often overwhelming daily routines. While George golfed, I had the afternoon to myself. What a breath of fresh air...literally! With a cool mountain breeze wafting continuously through the window of my room, the soothing sound of a waterfall outside, and plenty of reading material, I thought I was in heaven. I learned a valuable lesson that weekend. No matter how hectic our lives, we need to make time to get away from the hustle and bustle now and then to become refreshed and rejuvenated. Motivational speaker Michael Broome, who spoke to our group Friday morning, summed it up when he said, “In all your travels, take time to rest each day. It gives your soul a chance to catch up with your body.”

October 2007 To celebrate the arrival of fall, the Danville Area Independent Merchants Association has planned a Pumpkin Patch Festival for Downtown Danville during the month of October. DAIMA, a group of local merchants who promote private enterprise in this region, is keenly interested in promoting the district to the community and beyond. The special events they have sponsored--Jazz on the Patio, Holiday Traditions, Summer in the City, and now The Pumpkin Festival--are important in the revitalization effort and highlight the authentic, historic atmosphere of the heart of the city. These events draw the community downtown to celebrate and congregate, just as they have done for decades. To that end, DAIMA has ordered a truck load of pumpkins from a Navajo nation which has promised to send at least one 200+ pound pumpkin. The sale will begin October 15th with prices ranging from $3 to $50, and proﬁts will beneﬁt the Danville Humane Society. On the last two Saturdays in October, the 20th and 27th, there will be additional activities including a DogAween Costume Contest for your furry friend, a children’s costume contest, pumpkin carving, pumpkin- recipe and pumpkin-decorating contests,

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Believe...

In the redevelopment of Danville’s Historic Downtown and the Tobacco Warehouse Districts by Liz Sater, Re-Development Coordinator

face painting and games, arts and crafts vendors, and even a windowdecorating contest for downtown merchants. These downtown activities don’t happen spontaneously. It takes a legion of volunteers and months of planning to make special events happen smoothly and effectively. DAIMA and the Downtown Danville Association are always looking for energetic people to help make things come together.

If you are interested in helping with the Pumpkin Festival, or want to rent vendor space, contact Marie Farris, 434-797-9000, or Donna Warmack, 434-835-0414. To help with other downtown events, call DDA President, Melissa Keatts, at 434-791-6813. Now the weather is more enjoyable, visit Downtown Danville during the Pumpkin Patch Festival. Get out of your car and walk around. You will be pleasantly surprised at all the changes in the district. And remember, dollars spent with local merchants bolster the economy, because they stay in our community. Enjoy the unique sense of place that can be found in the heart of our city, and purchase a pumpkin or two to support the Humane Society.

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Larry Aaron: Setting History Straight by Emyl Jenkins The shots at Lexington and Concord were heard around the world. The Battle at Saratoga brought the French over to Americans’ side. Washington’s Crossing of the Delaware and surprise attack on the Hessians was a great morale booster for the colonists and helped the colonies’ cause for years to come. But none of those famous American Revolutionary battles turned back the British. It took General Nathanael Greene’s Crossing of the Dan to change the course of the American Revolution and our country’s founding. This one event changed everything. And that’s the story Larry Aaron tells in his newly published book, The Race to the Dan: The Retreat That Rescued The American Revolution. Over time, the story of Greene’s important attack on the British was pushed aside and the victory at Yorktown took prominence. No doubt this was partly due to the long duration of the Revolutionary War (1775–1783). Like most stories, the emphasis has been on the beginning…and the end…while the middle is skimmed over. Thus the early battles that brought the colonists together and the ﬁnal battles that pushed

the British out to sea have gotten the attention. Furthermore, Aaron tells us, “The early events that drove the Revolution forward occurred in the North, whereas Greene’s actions were in the South.” Because most of the accounts of the Revolution came from Northern writers and colleges Aaron believes, “there was a bias against Southern involvement in bringing the Revolution to victory. In truth, it was the Crossing of the Dan that set in motion conditions that would result in the eventual surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown.” But that attitude is changing. Greene’s Crossing of the Dan is now considered so central to the Revolution that the National Park Service Advisory Board has recommended that “The Race to the Dan and all of its contributing resources” should “…undergo the evaluative process of National Register or National Historic Landmark nomination as a nationally signiﬁcant event.” Aaron’s book, soon to be available at Barnes and Nobles nationwide, the recent 225th Anniversary Celebration of the Crossing of the Dan, plus articles that are now popping up in places such as the Smithsonian’s website (http://www. smithsonianmagazine.com/issues/2007/july/ hundred.php?page=5) are bringing renewed attention to our region’s history. That history, and in particular Pittsylvania County’s rich history, is nothing new to Larry Aaron, who admits, “I’ve wanted to be a writer since I knew what a writer was.” His love for storytelling goes back even further. Like many Southern children, Aaron fell in love with the adventuresome stories his mother read to him from a Bible storybook: David and Goliath, Moses and the Red Sea, and others. As a young boy, Aaron read all the Tarzan

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Holiday Shopping

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Star Trek Personality to Appear At Tank Museum by Karen Gasser

series and Robinson Crusoe. But when, in the 6th grade he read the Civil War adventures of Colonel John Mosby and his Mosby’s Rangers he was hooked. During Aaron’s high school years he turned his attention to World War II, largely because his dad had been a sailor on an aircraft carrier during the War. “I became an expert on those battles and can still watch the movie Midway every time like I’ve never seen it before,” he admits. Despite his passion for history and his desire to be a writer, Aaron graduated from Virginia Tech with a B.S. in Biology because of his love of Nature. Now Chairman of the Science Department at Chatham High School, he was honored in 2004 as Virginia’s Aerospace Educator of the Year, and in 2004-2005 as High School Educator of the Year for Pittsylvania County Schools. He even attended divinity schools earning bachelor, master and doctorate degrees. Such career decisions might have led others to discard the dreams and interests of their youth. Not Larry Aaron. Once he discovered that his 8th great grandfather, Abraham Aaron, Sr., and one of his sons, Abraham Aaron, Jr., had been involved in the Revolutionary War, Aaron’s interest in history was rekindled and his study of the era began for real. Nor could he shake the writing bug that had bitten him. As one of the ﬁrst contributors to EVINCE, Larry wrote about everything from happenings in the region to his educational experiences in 2001 at NASA’s Langley Research Center. Soon he was winning prizes for both his writing and photography. Oh yes, photography is another one of his interests. Then, in 2002 he met John Kepchar. The timing was great. Aaron was ready to try his hand at a book and John had a story to tell. The result was Keppy’s War: A Memoir of World War II. This was followed by a book of poetry, Barefoot Boy: An Anthology of Blue Ridge Poetry. Scientist, poet, historian, minister, teacher, author, photographer. Just two or three of those achievements would satisfy most people. But Larry Aaron’s passions run deep and when he ﬁnds a story that needs to be told, he’s your man. These days Larry Aaron is as apt to be found sharing our region’s glory with an audience of adults as he is addressing his students. “To write The Race to the Dan was to be able to give the Southern Campaign of Nathanael Greene its rightful due in our country’s founding,” he says, adding, “George Washington is the patron saint of the Revolution, but General Greene was its savior.” To which has to be added: And Larry Aaron is our region’s 21st-century Renaissance man. Larry Aaron will be signing copies of The Race to the Dan at B. Dalton’s in Piedmont Mall on October 27th from 1-3 pm. See other dates in the EVINCE calendar.

Star Trek personality, Vaughn Armstrong, will make a guest appearance at the AAFTank Museum on Saturday, October 27, from 10a.m. to 5p.m. Armstrong, whose career has spanned decades of stage, television, and ﬁlm, is one of a very few actors to have performed in all of the new Star Trek series: Next Generation, Voyager, Deep Space, Space Nine, and Admiral Forrest in Enterprise. He has played 12 different characters in the series, including Korris in Heart of Glory from Next Generation, Telek R’mor from Eye of the Needle, and 2 of 9 in Survival Instinct on Voyager. His last character was Captain of the Enterprise, Maximilian Forrest, from In Mirror Darkly.

Armstrong’s television career started in the mid 1970s with shows like Wonder Woman, Lou Grant, Days of Our Lives, and General Hospital and he has made guest appearances on nearly 100 TV shows including NYPD Blue, ER, West Wing, Seinfeld, Frazier, Home Improvement, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Melrose Place. A Vietnam veteran, Vaughn Armstrong built his first theater when stationed in Cam Rahn Bay. He was later the Non-Commissioned Officer in charge of the Fort Carson Little Theater at Fort Carson, Colorado. Armstrong will be available at the museum from 10:30a.m. to11:30a.m. and 12:30p.m. to1:30p.m. to sign autographs. He will also have a question-and- answer session from 2p.m. to 3p.m. He might linger for informal conversations until 5p.m. unless time is needed to prepare for the evening festivities. General admission to the museum applies during the day. From 8p.m. to 1a.m. a fundraiser with open bar and heavy hors d’oeuvres, Halloween Madness at the Tank Museum, will be held for anyone 21 or older in costume or black tie. There will be music by DJ Shelton, stage performances by Ustuloterre fire dancers, and Armstrong will perform songs with the Enterprise Blues Band. There will also be contests for all types of costumes, life-size mazes, a “SMASH” finale, and lots of surprises. Tickets for the Halloween event are $25 per person or $45 a couple. Corporate package of 10 tickets is $200. Tickets at the door will be $30 per person. For more information and to purchase tickets call 434.836.5323 or www.aaftankmuseum. com/Halloween.htm. The museum is located at 3401 Highway 29 North.

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Happy Mediums “I talk to dead people,” said the weirdlooking woman on the screen. To say that in public used to get you a prescription for Haldol. Today you get your own TV show. That’s why the Lifetime Channel will broadcast, Life Among the Dead, a show featuring clairvoyant Lisa Williams re-connecting the living with their dearly departed. I’m not sure how I feel about that. It’s one thing to wish your father was back, but it’s another to have him visit with you on national TV. As much as I miss my own, I don’t think I could do it. I need my privacy. Going through her to talk to him would be too much like supervised visitation. Besides, who knows what stories he’d tell. Suppose he blabbed things I wouldn’t want the world to know. Like the time I forgot my lines in a Christmas play and could only stammer “Mary and…” in front of God and everybody. Or when I fell out of a golf cart into a mud puddle. Because of people like her, no one can be certain anymore that secrets taken to the grave will stay there. I really don’t know much about paranormal stuff except to say that the technology infrastructure seems to be grossly inadequate. I suspect those who have passed over are irritated that they had to give up iPhones and Blackberries to communicate through a woman with spiked hair and a British accent. It puzzles me that people talk to the dead. I barely talk to the living. There are at least 15 Christmas cards in my desk that I still need to answer. I’m even worse with the telephone. High-speed Internet is great, but part of me misses the days when I used to dial-up to check my email. It didn’t bother me when my computer tied up my phone for hours. Busy signals were ﬁne…as long as I was sending instead of receiving them. With the possible exception of a lonely mortician, I can’t think of anyone alive who

talks to someone who isn’t. But if there is such a thing as talking to the dead, these mediums are wasting perfectly good opportunities. Instead of telling about Christmas morning at Granny’s, they could talk to Jimmy Hoffa and ﬁnd out where he’s been hiding. They could ask around to see if anyone really knows who shot JFK. But more importantly, they could check on any Elvis sightings. I suppose I’m being too ﬂip about it, but the whole premise seems so cruel to me. It’s hard to watch families burst into tears when a psychic reveals something only the relatives could know. It troubles me to see them grieve. Surely meeting your loved one like this is more frustrating than satisfying. Without sounding preachy, I’m reminded of a sermon at a homecoming service last month. In the pulpit was my cousin, a retired Air Force Chaplain, who began his ministry in the sanctuary of that small country church. It was the church of my grandparents and still is for my aunt, my uncle, their children and grandchildren. For my family, it was a bittersweet reunion. The joy of being together was melded with sadness because we’d just lost my cousin, Denise…who was six weeks my elder. As a kid, she and I often went to Sunday School in the little room just behind the sanctuary. That morning, I could almost hear her giggle…the way she did when we’d poke each other during prayer. I could also see my grandmother following

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along as the scripture verses were read, somehow managing to keep one eye on her Bible and the other on her family. There were so many ghosts of those Sundays past, that it was a struggle to focus on this Sunday present. Then I heard Bryant say something surprising which ultimately comforted me more than these supernatural reunion shows ever could. On this special day, he talked about the dangers of a homecoming, of all things. The temptations of longing to look back, to go back, to return. “God calls us to many things, but God never calls us backward,” he explained. “We do not come here to rebuild the old days. People of faith are always called forward,” he added. Whether you subscribe to the beliefs of the paranormal, subscribe to the belief of a Supreme Being or hold fast to nothing, I think we’d all agree on one thing. It’s not safe to drive a car if you only look in the rearview mirror while you do. All told, you can’t go forward in life if you are always looking back. But you might get your own TV show. “I talk to dead people,” the lady in the screen said on the commercial. Too bad she can’t hook up with that kid from the movie, The Sixth Sense. He was always whispering, “I see dead people.” If they got together, he could see them and she could talk to them. Sometimes it helps to put a name with a face.

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He Said

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She Said

by Larry Oldham

by Dena Hill

My ﬁancée and I have ﬁve exceptional and well-behaved children between us. I have known her children so long that there is a picture of me holding her youngest child when he was a baby. I say this so you will know that we love each others’ children as our own. Now let’s talk about them leaving. From my perspective, leaving is a positive step forward when the children leave home. Logically thinking, they have come into their own and anticipate being their own person, feeling free to come and go and make their own decisions (hopefully sound ones). I think that they would be pretty excited about conquering new worlds, making a difference in their own lives and in their world. However, when my fiancée and I discuss it, she says, “That makes about as much sense as telling a fish to stay out of water. You and I are facing the Empty Nest Syndrome.” “What do you mean facing it? I’m looking forward to it. I embrace it,” I say. Because I’m already in trouble, I continue. “No more ball games, soccer games, PTA meetings, mandatory special events, meals prepared at certain times, being home at a given time so they will have company. I mean the list goes on forever.” We are good parents. I wouldn’t take anything for the experience of having children and raising them. But let’s be honest. Their lives become our lives. Their activities pretty much dictate what we do. I accept those responsibilities of being a parent with open arms, but shouldn’t I be just a little happy when they grow up and move on so we can have our own lives back under our own terms? Besides, if it’s called the Empty Next Syndrome when they leave, then what do we call it when they move back in…the “We’re Back, What’s for Dinner, Syndrome?”

Normally you are a sensitive guy and very understanding of my needs as a mother. But this time you have blown it big time. Every sympathetic bone in your body has hardened like granite. What you don’t seem to realize is that between all five children, each of them left for school every few years, and there was always one left at home to take care of and nurture. The youngest of the five left for college 3 weeks, 2 days, 6 hours, 35 minutes, and 20 seconds ago. There are no more children in the house except Sophie (our poodle) and she leaves puddles all over the house. There is no more laughing, no excitement, no thrill of good grades or the joy of seeing them perform on stage or receive an award. Just seeing the smiles on their faces when they know they have done a good job warms my heart. All of this is now over. You will say that I can talk to my youngest college student on the phone, or go to visit him on special occasions. It’s not the same thing as waking up in the morning and knowing that he is facing the day’s challenges with a hot breakfast in his tummy, his homework done, and well-prepared for his tests. I want to be the mother hen who keeps watch over the nest, the protector, the resource for guidance and direction everyday. I know they will make it on their own. All of them have so far. But my emotional side wants to be with them and protect them, or at least let them see I am there for them. I do have you and the dog. However, because I did not give birth to either one of you, the transference of feelings is just not the same. I don’t think you have the same maternal instincts and feelings that a woman has. Maybe you’ll never understand a mother’s feeling of separation from the children when they leave the nest for the last time. Sure, it’s an emotional event for a lot of mothers. When my oldest son left for college, I returned home that evening to find a bouquet of fresh flowers from his best friend’s mother with a note saying, “Thanks for sharing him.” That’s what mothers do. However, in defense of some fathers, when we were discussing our plight with close friends a few weeks ago, a father said, “Yeah, but it’s so good when they come back home.”

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1⁄2 cup Sesame/Ginger Salad Dressing 1 cup 1-2 inch carrot sticks 3 scallions, sliced thinly 1 (8oz.) can sliced water chestnuts, drained 1 (16 oz.) can Mandarin oranges, well drained 1 head of butter lettuce

minutes, when meat thermometer registers 140º for medium rare. Remove tenderloins and skewers from grill, brush with remaining marinade and cover with foil for at least 10 minutes. Slice tenderloins and serve with chicken skewers.

Prepare Ramen noodles as directed on the box. Drain noodles very well. Place the prepared noodles in a large bowl. Add herbs and ginger to dressing and whisk to mix, then add dressing to noodles and toss. Add the carrots, onions, water chestnuts and orange slices and toss again. Spoon salad into individual lettuce

leaves and gently roll.

Grilled Thai Pork Tenderloin and Chicken Skewers

Around the Table by Annelle Williams

At A Tailgating Party It’s tailgating season, the very best time of year for a cook-out, so don’t waste a single opportunity to ﬁre up the grill! For a delicious meal, try grilled pork tenderloin and chicken skewers, both marinated in a Thai peanut sauce. Serve with salad rolls and ginger dressing and you can feed a crowd with very little preparation and limited cooking time. For a complete list of Averett University football and soccer games ( i.e. tailgating opportunities) visit www.averett.edu or call 434.791.5700.

Salad Roll 2 (3oz.) packages pork ﬂavored Ramen noodles 1 T roughly chopped fresh mint 1 T roughly chopped fresh basil 1 T roughly chopped fresh cilantro 1 tsp. freshly grated ginger

2 pork tenderloins (about 1 lb. each) 2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into thirds 18 bamboo skewers soaked for 30 minutes in water 4 T cinnamon chipotle rub 1/2 cup mildly spicy Thai peanut stir-fry and dipping sauce 1 tsp. Thai red curry paste 2 T rice wine vinegar 2 tsp. sesame oil Prepare grill for medium heat with an area for indirect cooking. Rub tenderloins and chicken pieces with chipotle rub. Thread each chicken piece onto a soaked skewer. Mix the peanut marinade, curry paste, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil. Reserve about 2 tablespoons marinade to brush over meat after cooking. Brush tenderloins with marinade coating both sides and pour remaining marinade over chicken skewers. Let meat marinate while preparing grill. Place tenderloins over direct heat and sear on all sides, then move tenderloins to area for indirect heat. Place chicken skewers on grill over direct heat; close grill lid and cook about ﬁve or six minutes on each side, until well done. Tenderloins will be ready to remove in about 20

Ben Rippe’s Fashion Statement The “Must” in Fall Shoes OK, girls, listen up! Keep your pedicure appointments. Showing your toes isn’t just for spring and summer. Whether a peep-toe ballet or an open-toe platform, open toes are here for fall. As are boots.... Boots with buckles, fold downs and Western accents are a must. Heels will be a huge detail too. Chunky, high, angular, wide, and even cone-shaped heels---the more extreme the heel, the better. Wide-legged trousers or jeans are the perfect match for these extreme heels. The oh-so cute and everpopular skinny jean go great with those platforms. And for dress or casual, ballets ﬂats are a must-have. For fabrics it will be suede, velvet, and patent leather, and for color, whether day or evening, try red, green, blue, fuchsia, gold yellow, purple, metallic gold, silver, bronze, and pewter. Don’t forget a splash of animal print; it’s a must, must, must in your shoe wardrobe. Crystal McDaniel is Assistant Shoe Buyer for Rippe’s and Ofﬁce Manager. Rippe’s, Rippe’s Furs and Rippe’s Shoes are located in historic downtown Danville.

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October 2007

An Inn for All Seasons and All Friends by Joyce Wilburn

On a warm mid-summer Saturday afternoon we were relaxing on the veranda of a 123-year old house shaded by an even older white oak tree, sipping iced tea garnished with freshly picked mint, and admiring colorful song birds flittering around a beautiful garden while talking to old friends John Hudert and Gayle Carden Hudert. Ooops! Did I say “old” friends? Actually, we’d known the Huderts, innkeepers at An Inn for All Seasons in Chatham, less than 24 hours, but time wasn’t needed to confirm our initial impression on arriving the previous night. The Huderts are experts in making guests feel comfortable, pampered, and at home. “You can’t relax unless you’re at home,” Gayle explains in her downto-earth manner. “We want coming here to be like going back to mom’s house where she will take care of you. You don’t have any responsibilities. We’ll lock the door at night after you go to bed and feed you breakfast in the morning.” That’s what makes An Inn for All Seasons something between a luxury hotel and your best friend’s house. “We have all the amenities of a luxury hotel without the anonymity. You can feel more secure here because someone is taking care of you. As a guest, you will get an actual room key and can feel secure that no stranger will be coming in while you are gone,” Gayle adds, referring to the ubiquitous knock heard at hotel room doors accompanying the announcement of staff about to enter. The couple’s career paths took many twists and turns before they realized their calling to be professional innkeepers. During her years at Virginia Commonwealth University in the 1990s, while working on a Bachelor of General Studies Degree with a concentration in film writing, the couple ran a house-cleaning business. And though John had earned a degree in communications with a specialty in motion pictures and a fine arts degree in metal sculpture at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, his diplomas didn’t exactly lead to a profitable career either. “That’s why I went into computers,” he laughs, jokingly quipping that they both majored in Pauper 101. Soon, however, the Huderts would find their niche when they helped open and run a bed and breakfast, first in Virginia, and then in Tennessee. They had returned to Virginia to care for Gayle’s mother when a local friend told them of the opening in Chatham. “People who are into the arts like to be able to create and see a finished product when they are done,” Gayle says, “and being professional innkeepers fits that description.” “It’s a new job and new people every day,” John, a Richmond native, adds. “Being an innkeeper is a better fit for

a person like me whom Myers Briggs refers to as ‘an idea hamster.’ I’m very big on creating,” he says and then adds with a touch of humor, “but not on finishing projects.” To which Gayle quickly chimes in, “That’s why we are better together, because he is a planner and I’m doer.” That must be true because they celebrate their 11th wedding anniversary this month. Together, their creating, planning, and executing of ideas has brought the elegant 1884 Greek-Revival style Inn for All Seasons, owned by Anna Martin Craik, into the 21st century. Each of the five guest rooms (with baths) is subtly decorated in honor of one of the seasons and the fifth “season” of Indian Summer. Tasteful furnishings in beautiful fall colors light up the Autumn Room. Romantic rich reds decorate the Winter Room, a favorite among guests because of its step-down bath with whirlpool tub. The white iron twin beds and decorative vintage hats in the Spring Room might remind you of your favorite spot in grandma’s house, while the Indian Summer Room on the first floor features a bed and a queen-sized Murphy bed fit for a queen and her extra guests. For our weekend retreat, my husband and I stayed in the Summer Room upstairs, nicknamed the Hemingway Room for the author’s many books on the tabletops and the Key West flavor of wicker and bamboo. (It’s the perfect place for a writer.) After a night of quiet sleep on fine linens and fluffy pillows, the smell of coffee drew us to the chandeliered dining room where a ceiling-to-floor gold-framed mirror reflected the elegant table settings and fresh flowers. We feasted on eggs, bacon, muffins, biscuits, yogurt, fresh fruit and juice, and engaged in good conversation with the Huderts and other overnight guests (one from Houston and the other two from Northern Virginia). Later, while we packed for our short 20-minute ride home, Gayle and John prepared high tea for 35 guests expected later in the day. Whether welcoming one guest for an overnight stay or hundreds for parties, reunions, rehearsal dinners, weddings, or other special events, the Huderts do it with ease and confidence and do it right. Using her knowledge in film writing Gayle compares their work at An Inn for All Seasons to reviews for a new movie, “We want the critics to like it and the patrons to enjoy it.” Yes, John and Gayle are always working to please the next group who comes through the front door. After all, they are going to be their new best friends. For more information visit www.AnInnforAllSeasons.com or call 434.432.3660 or 877.432.3660. An Inn for All Seasons is located at 335 South Main Street in Chatham, VA.

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We’re On The Move to End Alzheimer’s by Melanie Vaughan Alzheimer’s Association Regional Director

If you want to help end the disease of Alzheimer’s, then move your feet! The Danville Memory Walk, a fundraising event to benefit the Danville, Pittsylvania, Henry, and Patrick County Region, will be held on Saturday, October 20, starting at the Pepsi Building at the Crossing at the Dan on Craghead Street. Honorary Chair Mayor Wayne Williams will speak at the kick-off, local musicians will provide the music, and artists will paint faces and hand out balloons to make this a fun family event. Registration is at 9:30 a.m., the Walk begins at 10:30 a.m., lunch is served from 11:30a.m. to 12:30p.m. and door prizes will be given away. On the night before the Walk, Friday, October 19, You Are Here, a film by Detroit writer and director Tim Jeffrey, will be presented at the Colonnade Room, 179 Piney Forest Road. Jeffrey, whose mother has the disease, won’t reveal too much about the film, which will be featured at the Duke National Conference on Alzheimer’s in 2008, except to say, “It is a mystery whose shocking conclusion will reveal that you have been watching another movie altogether, one with a timely social message.” Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door and can be purchased at Arts & Humanities,

*Along Craghead by Ann Campbell 635 Main Street and at Dixie Bags & More, 132 South Ridge Street. (Dixie Bags hosts the successful Art for Alzheimer’s Gallery of the Danville Art League members and donates 10% of all sales to the Alzheimer’s Association.)* The mission of the Alzheimer’s Association is to eliminate the disease through the advancement of research; to enhance care and support for individuals, their families and caregivers; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of good health. Participating in the Memory Walk as a sponsor, team captain, team member or volunteer brings all closer to their vision of “creating a world without Alzheimer’s disease while optimizing quality of life for individuals and their families.” For more information call 434.792.3700 ext. 30. Visit www. thejeffreyporch.com for complete information and a synopsis of the ﬁlm or visit http://www.thejeffreyporch. com/visual-features.html for people’s reaction to an initial screening.

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Halloween in the Haunted Grist Mill ��

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October 2007

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OCTOBER 2007 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Support the Tank Museum 434.836.5323 • www.aaftankmuseum.com

October Through October 16

4th Annual Writing Gallery Competition. Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History 434.793.5644.

Through October 21

PAA Exhibit - Eric McGehearty – Access Denied & Shirley Cadmus - Pots and Pixels, Clay and Digital Work. Piedmont Arts Association - 276.632.3221.

Through October 27

Museum Classes and Workshops – Call for schedules. DMFAH - 434.793.5644.

Through October 28

Museum Exhibits – A Celebration of Rural America and From the Collection: Lithographs by Thomas Hart Benton, Grant Wood and Gordon Grant. DMFAH - 434.793.5644.

Through October 31

Writing your Life Story. Weds, Part I – 2:30– 3:30 pm.; Part II – 4–5 pm. DMFHA - 434.793.5644.

Through November 22

Wreck of the Old 97 Exhibit. DMFAH 434.793.5644.

Through January 2

Fly, Glide & Stride: Natural History Machines. Interactive sculptures combine with science, technology and imagination. Danville Science Center - 434.791.5160.

October 1

Metro High School Championship – Only open to high school cross country runners. 7 am. Ballou Park. www.visitdanville.com. Encouragement for the Homeschool Family Conference. 7-9:30 p.m. The Tabernacle. CHEC – 434.685.7066.

October 1 (thru 29)

Boogie Mondays – Learn to Waltz. 7-8:30 pm. Ballou Recreation Center – 434.799.5216. Art In Autumn – Art exhibit and silent auction. Eden Public Library. 336.623.3336. African Dance Ensemble – Learn African Dance. Mondays 6-7:30 pm. City Auditorium. 434.797.8848.

October 2

Book Review – Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. 12:30 pm. Danville Public Library – 434.799.5195. Fishing For All – Overview for the beginner ﬁsherman. 6–8 p.m. Outdoor Rec – 434.799.5215. We Need to Talk – How to start a conversation with your “senior” Mom or Dad on how to tell them they can no longer drive. 6:30–8 pm. Boscov’s. 434.797.8848.

October 2 (thru 27)

Kuumba-West African Dance Company - Traditional West African dance and drumming classes. Times Vary. City Auditorium. 434.797.8848.

October 2 (thru 30)

Fitness For Older Adults & Ladies. Tues/Thur,

9–11 am; Ladies 10 am–12 pm. City Armory. 434.797.8848.

October 3

Senior Bowling Tournament. 10-12 Noon. Riverside Lanes. 434.799.5216. Fetch! Lab - Build some copters for ﬂight endurance. Ages 8–12. 3:45–4:45 pm. Danville Science Center - 434.791.5160.

October 4

Pinecones In the Park – Create a natural bird feeder.10–11:30 a.m. Ballou Park. 434.799.5215. Educator Open House – Explore the Science Center campus and get info on new offerings and activities available to students. 3:305:30 pm. Danville Science Center - 434.791.5160. Retiring Soon Workshop – Learn how to make sure your retirement plan is on track. 6–7 pm. Boscov’s . 434.797.8848.

October 4 (thru 25)

Calligraphy Class. 1-2:30 or 7-8:30 pm. Thursdays. Ballou Center – 434.799.5216. Sign Language For Beginners. 6–7:30 pm City Armory Recreation Center. 434.797.8848.

October 5

Averett Alumni & Networking Fair. 11 am– 1:30 pm. Averett U. – 434.791.5629. Bricolage Arts Festival. 6–10 pm. Chinqua Penn Plantation. Eden C of C – 336.623.3336. Live Music Under the Stars – Local Favorites Meadows & Taylor. 7–11 pm. Cooper’s Landing Inn & Traveler’s Tavern – 434.374.2866. Smoke on the Mountain –7:30 pm. Martinsville HS Auditorium. Piedmont Arts Association – 276.632.3221.

October 5 (thru 7)

GT Live/KONI – Drifting, time attack, karting, rallying, stunt bikes, car and bike shows and music. VIRginia International Raceway – 434.822.7700.

October 6

The Piano Men – A musical journey through the 1970s. Caswell County Civic Center 8pm. 336.694.4591. Natural Site Climb – Take the time to see the wonders and excitement of rock climbing. 9 am–6 pm. Outdoor Rec – 434.799.5215. Callands Autumn Potpourri Festival – An acre of crafts, working craftsmen dressed in period attire, country music, hand-made fried pies and more. 10 am–4 pm. www.dpchamber.org. Also, Book Signing - Race To The Dan by Larry Aaron. See page 4. DRBA’s First Saturday Outing – 7-mile NC Big Sweep ﬂoat on the lower Mayo River and Dan River in Rockingham County, NC. 10 am. – 336.349.5727. Bob Ross Painting Class - Pansies. 10:30 am– 3:30 pm. Ballou Park Annex - 434.797.8848. Averett Football vs. Methodist College. 1 pm. 434.791.5600. Fabulous 50s Dance. 7:30-10:30 pm. Ballou Center – 434.799.5216.

October 7

Little Theatre of Danville Auditions – For

Bedside Manners. 2-3:30 pm. Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History. www.danvillelittletheatre.org. Dan River Follies – 3–5 pm. Mt. Hermon Courtyard – 434.836.5009.

October 8

Danville Chess Club. 7-8:30 pm. Ballou Center – 434.799.5216.

October 9

Photo Exhibit – A Thousand Words: Photographs by Vietnam Veterans. See ad page 8. Book Review – The Wal-Mart Effect by Charles Fishman. 12:30 pm. Danville Public Library – 434.799.5195. Photography Club. 6:30 pm. Ballou Park Annex . 434.797.8848. Public Forum – Candidates for the Senate of Virginia, Robert Hurt and Sherman Witcher. 7 pm. American Legion Memorial Post 325. 434.793.1538.

October 10

Juried Art Show Deadline – Caswell County Civic Center 336.694.4591 Senior Health Fair. 10 am - 2 pm. Ballou Center – 434.799.5216. Polliwogs & Science Stars - Learn about the seasonal changes and then enjoy a fall walk to collect signs of the season. Ages 3–4 1–2 pm; Ages 5–6 3:45–4:45 p.m. Danville Science Center - 434.791.5160.

October 11

Water Drops – Explore life on the Dan River, examine all the places we ﬁnd water and learn about water treatment. Ages 6–8. 3:30-5:30 pm. Danville Science Center - 434.791.5160. Rules of the Road Financial Workshop – Learn the 10 rules to reach your ﬁnancial goals. 6–7 pm. Boscov’s. 434.797.8848. Founders Lecture Series – The Foundations of Heroism. 6:30 pm. Founders College South Boston – 434.517.7051.

October 12

Octoberfest - German Music, German Food, & German Beer. Cooper’s Landing Inn & Traveler’s Tavern – 434.374.2866. Southern Fried Jazz. 7:30 pm. GWHS Auditorium. Arts & Humanities – 434.792.6965. Julius Caesar – Shakespeare’s classic. 7:30 pm. The Prizery – 434.572.2543. The Danville Shag Club. 8– 11 pm. The Stratford Inn. www.visitdanville.com.

October 13

Chatham Sartomer 5K/1M Run.– 434.432.1518. October Fest – Yard sale, health focus, children’s activities, crafts, entertainment, food and more. 7:30 am – 2:30 pm. First Presbyterian Church, Eden NC C of C 336.623.3336. Averett Football vs. NC Wesleyan College. 1 pm. 434.791.5600.

October 13 (thru Nov. 3)

Preschool Recreation – Tumblin’ Tots (ages 2-3), Itty Bitty Basketball (ages 3-5) & Fitness Camp (ages 3-5). Times are staggered. Coates Recreation Center. 434.797.8848.

October 14

Butterﬂy Goodbye – Bid farewell to our winged friends. 1–5 pm. Danville Science Center – 434.791.5160. Dan River Follies (See 10/7)

October 15

Computer Basics for Beginners –6–9 pm. Institute for Advanced Learning and Research – 434.766.6700.

October 16

Book Review – Love and Hate in Jamestown: John Smith, Pocahontas and the Start of a New Nation by David A. Price. 12:30 pm. Danville Public Library – 434.799.5195. Averett Men’s Soccer vs. Ferrum. 4 pm. 434.791.5600. Positive Parenting Workshop. 6:30-8:30 pm. CedarHaven – 336.314.0503 or 434.799.3318.

October 17

Fetch! Lab - Learn how to make paper strong by changing its shape. Ages 8–12. 3:45–4:45 pm. Danville Science Center - 434.791.5160. Computer Class – Learn Publisher. 6–9 pm. Institute for Advanced Learning and Research – 434.766.6700.

October 18

Moooooooo’n Mini’s – Visit your local farm: farm animal tours, baby animals, hayrides, no-kick cow, kids play area and pumpkin picking. 9:30 am–12:30 pm. Outdoor Rec – 434.799.5215. Alzheimer’s Presentation – Community Resources. 12 - 1 pm. United Way Meeting Room. – 434.792.3700 ext. 30. Lights on After School – Programs and activities that keep kids active and engaged. Ages 6–17. 3:30-5:30 pm. Danville Science Center - 434.791.5160. Averett Women’s Soccer vs. Blueﬁeld. 4 pm. 434.791.5600. Founders College Lecture Series – The Psychological Value of a Self-Concept. 6:30 pm. South Boston – 434.517.7051. Skywatchers – Observe Perseus, as well as some star ﬁelds in the Milky Way. Nightfall. Danville Science Center - 434.791.5160.

October 19

Women of Faith, Walking by Faith of Danville. 11 am - 1 pm. The Colonade Room. Jennie - 434.793.8140 or Catherine - 434.836.2660. Auto Racing – Carilion Pole Day. Martinsville Speedway – 877.722.3849. You Are Here – Alzheimer’s Memory Walk event. See page 9. Charlotte Symphony Orchestra Concert - See page 2.

October 20

Book Signing –Race To The Dan by Larry Aaron. 11am-2pm Toots Creek Antiques Mall. 5923 Halifax Road. 434.476.6799.

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Danny Marshall Virginia House of Delegates 14th District

www.dannymarshall.com

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October 2007 Pigs in the Park KCBS Judging School - See ad page 11. Danville Memory Walk. See page 9. Old Timer’s Jubilee – Food, crafts, street dance, music and more. Gretna. 434.432.2791. Averett Women’s Soccer vs. Shenandoah. 2 pm. 434.791.5600. Dan River Follies. 7:30–9:30 pm. (See 10/7) DSO Fall Classical Concert. See page 13. Truck Racing – Kroger 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Martinsville Speedway – 877.722.3849.

October 21

Auto Racing – Subway 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Race. Martinsville Speedway – 877.722.3849.

October 22

Computer Class – PowerPoint Presentations for the Beginners. 6–9 pm. Institute for Advanced Learning and Research – 434.766.6700. Virtual Astronomy – Journey through the numerous and varied astronomical resources on the internet. 7 pm. Danville Science Center – 434.791.5160. Danville Chess Club (See 10/8)

October 22 (thru 24)

Hunter Safety Education –6:30-10 pm. Ballou Park Center. 434.799.5215.

October 23

Book Review – Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver. 12:30 pm. Danville Public Library – 434.799.5195. Public Forum – Candidates for the Virginia House of Delegates, Adam Tomer and Danny Marshall. 7 pm. American Legion Memorial Post 325. 434.793.1538.

October 24

Alzheimer’s Presentation – Aging, Memory and Alzheimer’s. 12 - 1 pm. Stratford House. 434.792.3700 ext. 30. Polliwogs & Science Stars - Learn about harvest time and list all the foods that mature in the fall. Ages 3–4 1–2 pm; Ages 5–6 3:45–4:45 pm. Danville Science Center - 434.791.5160. Wednesday Club Speaker – Author Fred First. See page 15. Averett Women’s Soccer vs. Ferrum. 4 pm. 434.791.5600. Computer Class – Learning Email. 6–9 pm. IALR - 434.766.6700. Computer Class – Buy & Sell on EBay. 6–9 pm. IALR – 434.766.6700. Landscape Design Workshop – Bring photos of your lawn and get those needed answers. 6:30–8 pm. Boscov’s. 434.797.8848.

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– frhughes@gamewood.net. Halloween in the Haunted Grist Mill. Tomahawk Mill Winery –See page 8. SoBo Late Model 300. South Boston Speedway – 1.877.440.1540. Tank Museum Halloween Madness. See p.4 Barbershop Concert – Harmony From the Heart. 7:30 pm, GWHS. 434.799.1670.

October 27 & 28

NC Region SCCA Goblins Go. VIRginia International Raceway – 434.822.7700.

October 27 (thru 31)

The Haunted Maze. Owen Farm Tours & Barnyard Friends – 434.685.4123

October 28

Averett Women’s Soccer vs. N.C. Wesleyan. 1 pm. 434.791.5600. Vegas Night/Casino & Dance – Games 6-7:30 pm, dance 7:30–10:30 pm. Ballou Center – 434.799.5216. Shangri-La Chinese Acrobats – Multifaceted & multi-cultural show featuring dazzling acrobatic displays, formidable feats of daring & balance, explosive Kung Fu & Chinese comedy. 7:30 pm. The Prizery – 434.572.2543.

October 29

Mariachi Band. 6:30-9:30 pm. Los Tres Magueyes Mexican Restaurant 434.792.0601. Computer Class – Front Page & Web Design. 6–9 pm. IALR – 434.766.6700.

October 29 (thru Dec. 3)

Intermediate & Beginning Belly Dance Classes. 6:45 pm. Pepsi Building. 434.797.8848.

October 30

Book Review – Long Time Leaving Dispatches from Up South by Roy Blount. 12:30 pm. Danville Public Library – 434.799.5195.

October 31

Wednesday Club Program – Scenes from Averett University’s upcoming production of Crimes of the Heart. 3:45 pm. Wednesday Club. – Open to the public. 434.793.0884. Halloween Pre-Party – Start your trickor-treating early, and view the preschool displays from our craft sessions. 5–6:30 pm. Ballou Park Center. - 434.799.5215.

October 24 (thru Nov. 29)

Art With Flo – Wet-on-wet technique. Wednesdays or Thursdays 6–9 pm. Ballou Park Annex Building. 434.797.8848.

October 25

Fashion Show Beneﬁt for Breast Cancer - 5:30-7pm. Tickets Danville Cancer Assoc. 791-3227; Rippe’s 792-6822 Pumpkin Painting and Outdoor Halloween Crafts. 10–11:30 am. Ballou Park. – 434.799.5215. Alzheimer’s Presentation – Caregiver’s Stress Management and Related Issues. 12 - 1 pm. United Way Meeting Room. – 434.792.3700 ext. 30. Tax Free Investing Workshop – Learn how tax-free investments work, the beneﬁts, different types & more. 6–7 pm. Boscov’s. 434.797.8848.

October 26

Big Brothers Big Sisters Golf Tournament. Goodyear Golf Course. 434.792.3700. Fall Classic Pool Tournament – Open to anyone 50+ 11 am–4 pm. Ballou Center – 434.799.5216. Bluegrass Music – Randy Waller and the Country Gentlemen Bluegrass Band. 7:30 pm. The Gretna Theatre – 434.656.3377.

October 26 (thru 28)

The Importance of Being Earnest. 10/26 & 27 - 8 pm; 10/28 - 3 pm. The North Theatre. 434.791.4264.

October 27

Book Signing Race To The Dan by Larry Aaron. B. Dalton. Piedmont Mall 1pm-3pm. See p. 4. Douthat State Park Hike. 7:30 am–7:30 pm. Outdoor Rec – 434.799.5215. Fall Fest – Create your own work of art with leaf rubbings and learn a few of the ways to make a difference for the environment. 10 am - 2 pm. Danville Science Center – 434.791.5160. Averett Football vs. Shenandoah University. 1 pm. 434.791.5600. Soundcheck – Teens, come share a song, skit, poem, essay, story, art. 7-8:30 pm. The Cellar, back of Chatham Baptist Church.

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KCBS Judging School Saturday, October 20 • 9 am – 3 pm Danville Community Market Community Room 629 Craghead Street, Danville, VA

$40 KCBS Members $65 Non-KCBS Members Space is limited, please register by October 15. Registration form available on line at www.visitdanville.com email specialevents@visitdanville.com, or call

434.793.4636 ��

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What can you give your children for their 40th Birthday? Give them the gift of

Music...

the gift that lasts a lifetime Danville Community School of Music

�� A Music and Movement Program for Children ages Birth to 7 years • Play Musical Instruments • Singing • Movement & Dance • Musical Games • Listening • Creative Storytelling • Children’s Literature

40 Years of Making Your Dreams Come True

“Music Makers: At the Keyboard” (a “Musikgarten” beginning piano course for children ages 7-9 yrs.)

Call now for Fall registration.

“The Action People”

Lynn Dinkle 791-3868 email: lynndinkle@yahoo.com

www.simpsonrealtyco.com

Classes held in Danville at West Main Baptist Church

Toll Free 1-800-296-1049

470 Piney Forest Road

793-6222

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To encourage exceptional customer service, the Dan River Hospitality and Travel Committee of the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce and EVINCE would like to recognize those who give it. When you experience exceptional customer service, tell us about it in 300 words or less. Include your name and phone number. Email your story to managingeditor@ starmark.net. A mystery customer will visit your nominee’s place of business for veriﬁcation. We’ll publish the best entry received. The chosen honoree will receive a small gift and a framed copy of the published story citing his/her exceptional service. Recently a group of us went to lunch at Joe and Mimma’s as a send-off when a member of our staff left to move back home. Thanks to our reservation, the table was ready, but no one really expected to get in by Pam Divine and out in an hour…after all, there were 21 of us, including a few stragglers who came asking, she brought SEPARATE checks for by Joyce Wilburn in over the next 15 minutes. everyone. It was then we learned at least Now, I don’t know what you might expect one of her secrets: Sharon had written a for service to a group of 21 people with description of many of us on our checks— separate tickets, latecomers, the works— shirt color, hair color, something to help keep maybe 2 or 3 waitresses—but our group the 21 of us separate! was warmly welcomed by Sharon Sheets, Of course, that alone does not explain what our waitress. She brought our drink orders made Sharon fantastic. She far exceeded quickly, without mistakes—including an our expectations in providing excellent odd coffee and water without ice—then took customer service and on the way back to the our entrée orders and directed those having ofﬁce—within an hour—we commented on the salad bar to the next room. I don’t even what a great job Sharon had done. remember my salad plate being taken, only Please spotlight Sharon and Joe and that it was not there to juggle around when Mimma’s for excellent customer service that my entrée came. Most amazing of all, not is well earned and deserved! only did we all get the right entrée, our drink glasses were never empty. Sharon constantly checked on us, cleared our plates while we gave gifts, then without

Finding Wine On Route 29 by Joyce Wilburn Up until a few weeks ago, when I heard the phrase wine tour, the Napa and Sonoma Valleys in California came to mind. Now I no longer think of wine tours as being exclusively in The Golden State. Just like California has a Highway 29 running through its wine country, Virginia also has a Route 29 bisecting its wine country. And for lucky Danvillians, that makes a wine tour very close to home and a lot more affordable than flying to the west coast. Always looking for a new reason to have fun, I decided to celebrate the anniversary of the uncorking of Virginia’s first bottle of wine in 1608 by tasting this liquid agricultural product at three different wineries located on or near Virginia’s Route 29. Heading north out of town, my first stop was just a few miles west of 29 Business in Chatham at Tomahawk Mill Vineyard and Winery owned by Nancy and Corky Medaglia. The couple, who live in the former post office and general store up the hill from the mill, purchased the property in 1996 when the vineyard was about 8 years old. Since then they have lovingly cultivated the vineyard and made the mill into a wine-tasting room. Along with samplings of their 11 varieties of wine, the Medaglias will also serve up a history lesson about the Confederate soldier who built the former water-powered grist mill in 1888. Next stop for my designated driver and me was a few miles off Route 29 at the Jefferson Vineyards located between Monticello and Ash Lawn. Before reaching our destination, we spotted a little restored gas station turned sandwich shop where the chefs prepare gourmet foods to go. Within minutes we had a nutritious bagged lunch and were off to the shaded picnic tables at the Jefferson Vineyards where we viewed the vineyards

and foothills of Albermarle County while we ate. After lunch, I sampled wines that have "the region’s most consistent record" according to Wine Spectator magazine. The grapes from this vineyard have a genealogy that must make others grapes jealous. Their roots, literally and figuratively, had their beginning in Thomas Jefferson’s original 1774 vineyard sites. The last stop on this whirlwind tour was in the heart of Virginia’s wine country at 25-year-old Prince Michel Vineyard and Winery in Leon, Virginia, about 30 minutes north of Charlottesville. I took the free self-guided tour and returned to the wine shop above the barrel cave and tank room to taste a few wines from their large selection. If there are non-wine tasters in your group, this is the perfect place to stop, because the extensive gift shop begs to be explored. Visiting some or all of Virginia’s 119 wineries is not only a fun way to learn more about the wine-making process, it can also earn you great prizes. From now until December 31, the Virginia Wineries Association is sponsoring a passport contest to encourage your visits. After each tour and/or tasting you take, a winery staff member will place a sticker on the appropriate square of your official passport. When 25 different winery stamps are obtained, the passport is mailed to the Association where a random drawing will determine the three grand prize winners. To obtain an official contest passport, or for more information about the contest and the wineries mentioned in this article, visit www.virginiawines.org or call 1.800.828.4637. For more information on the winery closest to Danville visit www.tomahawkmill.com. If you haven’t sampled a Virginia wine recently, you owe it to yourself to take a little trip up Route 29 like I did or elsewhere in the state. I have 3 stamps on my passport now and only 22 more to go... So much wine, so little time.

October 2007

Lithographs by Thomas Hart Benton, Grant Wood and Gordon Grant on Exhibit by Lynne Bjarnesen

The Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History is fortunate to have a ﬁne collection of signed lithographic prints by Thomas Hart Benton, Grant Wood, and Gordon Grant. These works were given to the Museum by collector Earle Garrett III in 1978 and contain many of the artists’ most acclaimed pieces. The exhibit will complement A Celebration of Rural America—a collection of prints by American Regionalist artists also on display. In addition, some works by Carson Davenport which show the inﬂuence of the American Scene Movement in his paintings will be displayed. Davenport, a Danville native, was a muralist and director of an art school in the Blue Ridge Mountains as part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) programs during the Great Depression of the 1930s. These exhibits will be at the Museum, 975 Main Street, through October 28th. For more information call 434.793.5644 or visit www.danvillemuseum.org.

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The British Are Coming! by Julienne B. Parker

The Danville Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Charles Ellis, opens its 2007 – 2008 concert season Saturday, October 20, at 8:00 p.m. in the George Washington High School Auditorium. The concert features works by John Ireland, Gustav Holst, Sir Malcolm Arnold and Joseph Haydn. With John Ireland’s “Downland Suite,” Gustav Holst’s always crowdpleasing “The Planets,” and Sir Malcolm Arnold’s “Scottish Dances Op. 59,” The British Are Coming! presents the diversity of the British musical spectrum. Though not British, Josef Haydn’s “Symphony No. 103” (1794-1795), also known as the “Drumroll Symphony,” was composed in honor of Haydn’s extended stays in London. On the other hand, William Walton’s “Crown Imperial,” which was performed during the coronations of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, epitomizes British pomp and majesty. The Symphony’s performance is free and open to the public. For more information visit www.danvillesymphony.net.

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Fall 2007

SHOES Amalﬁ by Rangoni, Aravon by New Balance, Bella-Vita by Easy Street, Beautifeel, Cole Haan, Dansko, Donald J. Pliner, Helle Comfort, J.Renee, Jack Rogers, Jessica Bennett, Josef Seibel, Magdesians, Merrell, Munro America, Naot, Pazzo, Pikolinos, Romika, Ros Hommerson, Sesto Meucci, Soft Walk, Steven by Steve Madden, Stuart Wietzman, Ugg, Trotters, VanEli Sizes 5-11 nmw Euro 36-42 HANDBAGS Handbags by Cole Haan, Donald J.Pliner, Brighton, Hobo, Michael Kors, Sondra Roberts, Ugg, and Rippe’s Furs

THE STORE NEXT DOOR 563 Main St. Danville, VA • mon-sat 10-5:30 • 434.792.6822 • rippes.com

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Distance Learning at IALR by Deborah Morehead Distance learning at three different Southside locations, including the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, is enabling 31 area residents to earn college credit in the University of Virginia Explorations in Engineering course. Ranging in age from 15 to 57, the would-be engineers are from Pittsylvania, Henry and Halifax Counties. Most of the students are attending the class via new distance learning education technology at the IALR in Danville, but two students are participating from Martinsville’s New College Institute and three students are located at the Southern Virginia Higher Ed Center in South Boston. Instructed by UVA’s Dr. Lisa Friedersdorf, Research Program Manager in the Ofﬁce of Research and Graduate Studies, the course educates students about engineering as a profession. Coursework will also strengthen math skills and count toward the requirements for an associate of science in engineering degree from Danville Community College. This course is being offered in preparation for a new academic outreach initiative of the UVA

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October 2007 Engineering School. Called PRODUCED in Virginia (Providing Undergraduate Connections to Engineering Education in Virginia), the program is a pilot project in the Lynchburg area in conjunction with Central Virginia Community College (CVCC). Students enroll in their local participating community colleges, where they will earn an associate of science in engineering (or equivalent) degree; they then become eligible to enter UVA’s engineering undergraduate program. Ultimately, program participants will earn their bachelor of science degrees in engineering science from UVA by successfully completing a mixture of on-site and distance learning courses. In 2008, UVA plans to offer a summer workshop to help prepare participants for success in an electronic learning environment. The Explorations in Engineering course, through generous support from The Tobacco Indemniﬁcation and Community Revitalization Commission, was provided free of charge to all of the Southside registrants.

For more information about PRODUCED in Virginia and the Lynchburg pilot program, visit www.seas.virginia.edu/producedinva, contact Nancy Combs at IALR 434-7666725 or email nancy.combs@ialr.org.

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Lasting Thoughts Thoughts for The Next Generation by Emyl Jenkins and Sarah Latham When Ken Burns, the legendary voice behind PBS’s series The Civil War, Baseball, and now World War II, recently addressed Lehigh University’s graduating class, this is what he said: “…History, I have learned over the last 30 years of practice, is the greatest teacher there is. The question becomes for you, then, this new next generation: What will you choose as your guiding light? Which distant past events or individuals will provide you with the greatest help, the most comforting solace, the best examples of wisdom and leadership? As the echoes of this almost inexpressibly wise past reverberate in your own lives, what warnings will you heed, what strength will you gather to slay the dragons of despair and disappointment that will inevitably invade even the most cheerful and controlled and controlling among us?” You, the citizens of Danville are at a crossroads. Will you allow the past to be buried, or will you, as Burns says, gather strength to celebrate the victories and successes of the leaders who built Danville and this region? It is up to you to carry our history forth by preserving buildings and neighborhoods as monuments to our founding fathers’ labors and visions. Following the Danville Preservation Summit last month, I have little doubt that it is abundantly clear that our leaders, both elected and appointed, must do more to address the issue of historic preservation now, before it is too late. And you, the area’s citizens, must join your voices with those who have already spoken out. This must be done, as Ken Burns said, “to keep alive the echoes of this almost inexpressibly wise past…in your own lives.” No, historic preservation isn’t just about a bunch of old bricks and stones. It is about using the past as a guide as we go forward into the future. Now read on and you’ll see how preserving our history can work for all of us in ways you might never have even considered before. —Emyl Jenkins

I admit it. In the months leading up to the September 8th Danville Preservation Summit, and especially during the last few frenzied weeks beforehand, I wondered , would anyone attend…in Danville? Looking out at the attentive and curious crowd, I had the answer: Yes. Why did everyone come? Simple. Historic preservation holds something for everyone. Are you concerned about the environment? Then preservation is the way to go. It’s green. Turning old structures to new uses instead of into waste is the ultimate way to recycle. Concerned about neighborhood safety? Preservation helps make cities safer. Bustling downtown shops prevent the deserted streets and boarded up storefronts that attract vagrants and mischief. Blighted housing renovated into mixed-income neighborhoods beats broken windows and weed-ﬁlled lots any day. In turn, those neighborhoods help turn away crime, provide decent housing for people who need it, preserve a sense

of community, and support our City by putting once abandoned property back on the tax rolls. Worried about the state of today’s education? Start in your own hometown by learning and sharing Danville’s amazing history. The perfect field trip is a short jaunt through town and its six historic districts that tell the tale of dedicated men and women of all races and ethnic backgrounds who carved this City out of wilderness and turned it into one of the richest communities in America. Even Danville’s current hard times are a great lesson in the ebb and flow of life. The wonderful architecture of the past can inspire people to be a part of the effort to recycle Danville itself into a new kind of city with a new economic base. Speaking of the economy— preservation is economic development. Did you know that historic preservation and tourism accounts for hundreds of millions of dollars and tens of thousands of jobs in Virginia alone? Once a community has devoted itself to preserving its great architecture and history, it can take advantage of a whole other industry: heritage tourism. Tourism is the world’s largest industry and heritage tourism is its fastest growing niche. Tourism fills hotels, restaurants and shops, spurs business expansion and creation (read: jobs), and can pour millions of dollars into the local economy. Those are just a few of the many practical advantages to preservation. Those are just a few reasons that drew people together on September 8th who have an interest in helping our community. For you see, preservation has another side too, one that may be less tangible but no less important. Preservation spurs community pride, a sense of character, identity and place. How do you measure that? If we preserve, protect and promote the best of what we have here in River City, then when a stranger asks, “What’s Danville like?” you might consider these answers: Danville has one of the greatest collections of Victorian and Edwardian architecture in all of Virginia.” Danville is home to the largest, bestpreserved factory town in all of Virginia, Schoolfield. Danville has dozens of great brick warehouses and mill buildings that now house condos, shops and restaurants, many along the river and next to the historic downtown. Danville has safe neighborhoods and tree-lined streets and beautiful, comfortable homes. These answers conjure images of a special place where the people are proud of their City. This is so much better than: “I live in Danville, Virginia. We have a Wal-Mart!” Preservation is an issue the entire community can embrace because it has something for everyone: It respects the rich heritage that was not only Danville’s past, but is also a vital part of its present and the very foundation for its future. —Sarah Latham

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Follow Fred First

On A Slow Road Home by Debra Dodson

If you have ever been tempted to move into a quiet little cove in the mountains and try a slowerpaced life, you’ll want to hear what Floyd County resident, Fred First has to say. In his presentation on October 24 at the Wednesday Club, Our Place in the World: A Visual Essay, First will share personal discoveries of life in Floyd County through stunning photography and “mountain music.” He weaves together more than 60 images of landscapes and nature with thought-provoking narration to explore possible answers to life’s difﬁcult questions. The inspiration for his book, Slow Road Home – A Blue Ridge Book of Days, which is the basis for his presentation, was the discontentment he felt in his teaching career. At age 54, he decided to make his daily work the exploration of the world around him and the small wonders close at hand. First was a biology teacher, physical therapist, ﬁeld trip leader, and photographer long before he discovered in 2002 that he could “take pictures with words”. Since completing the book, he

has returned part-time to both classroom and clinic. Fred and his pharmacist wife, Ann, live in a remote Blue Ridge valley where they enjoy what he calls “progressive life in the slow lane” in Floyd County, a place they’ve “been moving toward for all their lives and ﬁnally found.” The program is open to the public and will be held at 1002 Main Street. Coffee begins at 3:15 p.m. and the program at 3:45 p.m. Copies of the book will be available for sale. For more information visit www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com.

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October 2007

�� The Berry Hill Estate is an historic property dating to the early 1700’s featuring classic examples of Greek Revival architecture. The Estate is also a premier executive conference facility and leisure destination. Enjoy modern amenities in 19th century elegance, including: • Luxurious guestrooms • Italian beds, beautiful antiques • Fine dining and Tavern • Recreational activities including swimming, tennis, biking, ﬁshing, and golf • Blackberry Day Spa featuring massages, facial and body treatments, and hand and foot therapy • Nourishment for Your Body, Mind & Spirit

Directions to The Berry Hill Estate

Left onto 501N at ﬁrst stop light in South Boston. Continue through 2 stop lights and turn LEFT onto Edmunds Street, which becomes Berry Hill Road. Continue 2 miles and turn LEFT onto River Road, Hwy. 659. Continue 1 mile and turn LEFT at 3105 River Road into The Berry Hill Estate.

Weekend Packages November 2-4

Reunion Weekend $299

Back together for the second time since the Vietnam War, recapture the spirit of the late 1960’s with hard driving rock n’roll and soul music by Robyn & The Hoods. Two Nights Lodging, Concert Tickets, Backstage Passes, Farewell Brunch for Two

November 22-25 Thanksgiving Weekend $489

Thanksgiving, a time for family, reﬂection, and gratitude. A time for turkey and the trimmings, leisure walks in fallen leaves, biking along leaf-barren trees, and the beginning of holiday cheer. Three Nights Lodging, Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner, Holiday Festivities, Lighting of the Christmas Tree, Sunday Brunch for Two

December 22-26

Estate Christmas at Berry Hill

$599 – 4 night package / $359 – 2 night package per couple Experience Christmas in the elegance of less hectic times. Candlelight Cantata of classical music, carols around the baby grand, poetry in the Parlor, eggnog in the Library, and stuffed goose in the Dining Room. Luxurious Accommodations for Two or Four Nights, Holiday Festivities, Christmas Buffet

December 31 New Year’s Eve Celebration

$449 – 2 night package / $299 – 1 night package per couple Luxurious Accommodations, Reception with Heavy Hors D’oeuvres, Dancing to the sounds of Déjà Vu, Champagne Toast at Midnight, and Breakfast Buffet on New Year’s Day. Party Package for Two $159 Heavy hors d’oeurvres reception, dancing, champagne toast

THE BERRY HILL ESTATE

3105 River Road in South Boston 434.517.7000 • www.berryhillestate.com

JOIN US for SUNDAY BRUNCH BUFFET with LIVE MUSIC each Sunday from 10:30 am until 2:00 pm Enjoy a bountiful breakfast or brunch buffet and the smooth sounds of live jazz or classical music each Sunday.

Brunch Buffet may include: Homemade Belgian Wafﬂes Made-to-Order Omelettes Home Fries and Grits Thick Cut Bacon Maple Syrup Sausage Links Seasonal Fruit Pastries and Mufﬁns Carving Station Peel and Eat Shrimp Seasonal Vegetables Crab-Stuffed Roasted Pork Loin Italian Sausage and Sweet Red Peppers Chicken Breast with Peach Dijon Mustard Sauce Assorted Desserts

JOIN US FRIDAY EVENINGS for the BERRY HILL JAZZ

CLUB

Upcoming Jazz Club Events October 5 – Flutist Walter Bell and the L.J.U.

Walter Bell, a gifted musician, composer and bandleader, and his all-star ensemble, the Latin Jazz Unit, open the Fall season at the Berry Hill Jazz Club.

October 19 – Juanita Cross and Nu Soul

Juanita Cross spent twenty years in the Washington D.C. area performing to an international audience with the jazz sextet G-Clefts. Cross joins Nu Soul, a quartet featuring keyboards, bass, guitar and drums, for an evening of jazz standards.

November 9 – Juanita Williams and the Fred Hughes Trio

U.S. Armed Services Veterans Juanita Williams and Fred Hughes lead the Veterans Day weekend at Berry Hill Estate with another rousing concert of jazz standards and originals.

November 30 – Lew Taylor Trio

Lew Taylor , a journeyman and alumnus of the U.S. Air Force Band, Taylor opens the holiday season with jazz favorites.

December 7 – Cle Thompson

Cle Thompson, a ﬁrst rate singer with echoes of uptown jazz, heats up the season with holiday classics from her latest CD,‘Tis the Season. Making holiday favorites sound new, Thompson will fuel the ﬁre with pure emotion, power and personality.

Chef Stephen Stockton

$15.95/adults $8.95/children under 12

Showtime is 7:00pm. Tickets are $15. Please call 517.7000 for reservations.

Overnight Jazz Package $129

One Night Deluxe Lodging Accommodations, Two Concert Tickets, Two Complimentary Beverages