Angela Blankenship: Cooking & Catering Page 6
Sarita Gusler & River District Artisans Bringing Talented People Together Page 3
February 2015
Editor’s Note
Photo by Michelle Dalton Photography
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Have you ever seen anyone look more content than the two women pictured on the cover? Their secrets to happiness are revealed on page 3 (Sarita Gusler & the River District Artisans: Bringing Talented People Together) and page 6 (Angela Blankenship: Cooking & Catering). Both women have found different ways to successfully use their natural abilities to bring joy into their lives and the lives of others. This area is blessed with many talented people—and you are one of them. Don’t believe me? Then you haven’t thought about it in the right way. Read Linda Lemery’s humorous The Voice of Talent on page 24. Maybe like her, you have the God-given talent of amassing clutter or making lists. Perhaps, you are pictured in Photo Finish on pages 26-27, admiring and supporting the work of a local artist. Showing appreciation to others is another important talent—especially on February 14th. On Valentine’s Day, friends and loved ones will know you care about them, if you bake Annelle Williams’ heart-shaped cherry pies. Her recipe is on page 25. If you’d rather shop for gifts, read Dena Hill’s suggestions in She Said He Said on page 4. Of course, Get Fit’s Stephanie Ferrugia encourages you to care for yourself by falling in love with healthy food every day of the year (page 5). The talented writers and contributors listed on this page hope you enjoy their stories and columns as much as they have enjoyed creating them.
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February Contents Editor’s Note
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Angela Blankenship Cooking & Catering by Joyce Wilburn
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President Director of Sales & Marketing Larry Oldham (434.728.3713) larry@evincemagazine.com
She Said He Said Valentine’s Day Gift Suggestions by Dena Hill & Larry Oldham Love These Foods by Stephanie Ferrugia
Editor Joyce Wilburn (434.799.3160) joycewilburn@gmail.com Associate Editors Larry G. Aaron (434.792.8695) larry.aaron@gmail.com Jeanette Taylor
Spotting Exceptional Customer Service by Henry Talbott
Contributing Writers
Diane Adkins, Wayne Alan, Wendi Caraballo, Kim Clifton, Patsi Compton, Stephanie Ferrugia, Adam Goebel, Angela Harris, Karen Harris, Dena Hill, Telisha Moore Leigg, Linda Lemery, Lauren Mathena, Pat Maurakis, Fred Motley, Larry Oldham, Emma Rich, Barbara Seamster, Henry Talbott, Melanie Vaughan, Joyce Wilburn, Annelle Williams, Mack Williams
Second Thoughts Going Toe-to-Toe by Kim Clifton
10 Duffel Bag / Fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg
Business Manager Paul Seiple(1.877.638.8685) paul@evincemagazine.com
14 Calendar Clips 16 Calendar 18 Book Clubbing Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End a review by Diane Adkins 19 Evince 2015 Spirit Awards Ballot 20 From Computer Pop-Ups to Fireplace Pops by Mack Williams 22 Reflecting Forward The Voice of Talent by Linda Lemery 25 Around the Table I Love These Heart-Hand Pies by Annelle Williams
On the Cover:
Don’t Forget to Pick Up the February Edition of Showcase Magazine
Meet Some of Our Contributors
Happy St. Valentine’s Day,
Lee Vogler (434.548.5335) lee@showcasemagazine.com Art & Production Director Demont Design (Kim Demont) evince\i-’vin(t)s\ 1: to constitute outward evidence of 2: to display clearly: reveal syn see SHOW
Editorial Policies:
eVince is a monthly news magazine covering the arts, entertainment, education, economic development, and lifestyle in Danville and the surrounding areas. We print and distribute eVince free of charge due entirely to the generosity of our advertisers. In our pages appear views from across the social spectrum. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. We reserve the right to accept, reject, and edit all submissions and advertisements.
EVINCE MAGAZINE 753 Main St. Suite 3, Danville, VA 24541 www.evincemagazine.com © 2015 All rights reserved. Reproduction or use in whole or in part in any medium without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.
Sincerely,
Credits: Hair: Amber Wilson; Skin Care & Makeup: Catherine Saunders; Nails: Janelle Gammon; Genesis Day Spa & Salon, 695 Park Avenue, Danville
Marketing Consultants Kim Demont (434.792.0612) demontdesign@verizon.net
Deadline for submission of March stories, articles, and ads is 5 p.m. on Wednesday, February 18. Submit stories and articles to: joycewilburn@gmail.com. Submit calendar items by Thursday, February 12, at 5 p.m. to www.showcasemagazine.com for Evince and Showcase. For ad information contact a sales associate or sales manager above.
26 Photo Finish
Photos of Sarita Gusler and Angela Blankenship by Michelle Dalton Photography
OICE OF TALENT
CEO / Publisher Andrew Scott Brooks
Sarita Gusler & River District Artisans Bringing Talented People Together by Joyce Wilburn
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THE
Adam Goebel is the Acting Director of the Danville Science Center. See page 14.
Angela Harris is organizing the 4th Annual Fashion Show to benefit Big Sisters Fashion Show. See page 15.
Lauren Mathena is one of the cofounders of IdeaFest. See page 15.
Fred Motley is the organizer of the 14th Annual Storytelling Festival. See page 15.
We now accept Visa, MC, and Discover for ad payments
For Subscriptions, call 1.877.638.8685 ext. 6.
Evince Magazine
Sarita Gusler & River District Artisans
Bringing Talented People Together
by Joyce Wilburn Photos by Michelle Dalton Photography.
S
arita Gusler stands at the front door of the beautifully designed, brightly lit storefront at 411 Main Street in Danville and warmly welcomes customers to River District Artisans. “Everybody who comes in has nice things to say about the store. They tell me that it has a good feeling,” says Sarita, the store’s manager since it opened two months ago on December 5, 2014. Overseeing the metamorphosis of the historic building from a bare-bones dance studio to a pleasing-to-the-eye showplace for local artists makes her work
comparable to that of a fairy tale godmother who brings about transformation with the wave of a wand. “I saw what it was and immediately loved what it could be,” says the woman with a background in interior design, adding, “It all began with Martha Walker, past president of The Arc of Southside. She had the idea to open an artisan center.” Part of the vision of River District Artisans is to provide display space for talented local professionals alongside the creations of in-house artisans. With that in mind, eight to ten people from The Arc of Southside work Monday through
Friday in the space at the back of the building creating quilts, dog beds, pillows, sock monkeys, and other soft goods. Their products are displayed on the shelves next to the art, photography, jewelry,
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baskets, candles, ceramics, and other handmade one-ofa-kind items offered by 20+ independent artisans. Glancing over the inventory that was substantially depleted by holiday customers, Sarita comments, “It’s wonderfully rewarding to see professional, local artists and artisans come together to combine their skills and talents with The Arc artisans and their creative abilities. Along with developing new products, it is also our goal to eventually expand upstairs to create more artisan space and possibly additional retail space.” Sarita’s plans for the store are not to be doubted. As store manager/fairy godmother/visionary, she has already proven that she knows how to make it happen. • River District Artisans, 411 Main Street, is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. For more information, call 434.228.4125. Continued on page 12
Upcoming Events at Dan River Artisans • Monday(s) February 2, 9, 16, 23 - Beginners Crochet Classes: 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Learn to crochet a hat or scarf. Instructor: Donna Spease Conner. $10.00 per session; materials required. • Thursday, February 5 Snowman Wreath Demonstration: 10:00 a.m. to noon; snowman mesh wreath simplified; Demonstrator Sarita Gusler. Free. • Saturday, February 7 Valentine’s Photo Shoot: cards/prints made with portraits. 10:00 a.m. until... Photographer Chris Rembold. Prices vary with order. • Monday, February 9 Valentine’s Lunch Time Express: Noon to1:30 p.m. Make beautiful Valentine’s cards/envelopes Instructor Karen Sgrinia. $5.50 materials included • Wednesday, February 11 Photography Class: 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. How to take great pictures with your camera Instructor Chris Rembold. $25.00 • Thursday, February 19 - Bow Making Demonstration: 11:00
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a.m. to noon. Demonstrator Sarita Gusler. Free. Saturday, February 21 Photography Class: 10:00 a.m. to noon. How to take great pictures with your camera Instructor Chris Rembold. $25.00 Saturday, February 21 Crochet Demonstration: noon to 2:00 p.m. Demonstrator Janet Joyce. Free. Saturday, February 28 Painting Demonstration: 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Artist Briana Bill. Free. Saturday(s) February 28 & March 7 - (2 sessions) Stained Glass Class: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Complete 5-piece sun catcher; design additional piece. Instructor Aleen Wilson $80.00 instruction fee, $17.00 equipment and materials. Thursday, March 5 - Mesh Wreath Demonstration: 10:00 a.m. to noon. The basics of mesh wreath making. Demonstrator Sarita Gusler. Free. Saturday, March 7 - Painting Demonstration: 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Artist Danny Ricketts. Free.
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February 2015
SHE SAID by Dena Hill
Valentine’s Day Gift Suggestions A fox-fur jacket, silk scarf, a dozen roses, a trip to Paris, a new dishwasher, a dress from Rippe’s, new shoes, fine white wine from Vintages, a surprise dinner at the Golden Leaf Bistro, a $1,000 gift card to use in Paris, a train trip to New York, any kind of jewelry over $500, new sunglasses, silk pajamas (to wear in Paris), diamond earrings, Pandora bracelet charms, pearls, a box of candy (not a pack of Snickers or M&Ms),a silk blouse, a side-by-side refrigerator, carpet for the living room, a chandelier for the dining room, leather luggage (for my trip to Paris), a king-sized bed, perfume from New York (or Paris), a ring, a raincoat with lining (for Paris), a beauty makeover at the spa (preferably in Paris), a four-hour massage, a hair style set by a famous beautician (in Paris), a year’s supply of gas for my car, an American Express gift card, a sweater with a fur collar, a bedroom suite, a Merle Norman Cosmetics gift card........get the picture?
Now wake up. Smell the roses? Of course not, because there are no roses. Your list was quite extensive and interesting. Did you lie awake at night thinking about all of those gift ideas? Here is my thinking. You choose one gift idea and I’ll choose one gift idea. We’ll put them in a hat and I’ll draw one out. Whatever I pick out of the hat you receive for Valentine’s. I know you don’t want all of those things because you’re not that materialistic. We could go to Paris (Texas), but even in February it is sometimes hot and other times there is snow and/or rain so it would be uncomfortable. I’ve lost my passport so all of your out-of-country dream trips probably won’t be happening. Because your suggestions were good, I have taken the liberty of sending them to Donald Trump. I would have sent your Photo by list to Bill Michelle Dalton Photography. Gates but he is already happily married and has probably given most of your gift ideas to his wife on past Valentine’s Days.
She said He Said
By now, you should have taken the hint that we celebrate Valentine’s Day this month. You usually have a very difficult time thinking of just the right gift so I have simplified this chore by giving you a few suggestions. I don’t expect you to buy all of them, but I want you to show your true appreciation of me. You know I am a humble person, so be as generous as I know you will be when showing me just how much you really love me.
I think I will just keep it simple this year and not waste a lot of money, time, or effort on shopping for just the right gift for you. I think I know what makes you the happiest without spending any money. Yes you guessed it. I’m giving you me. We’ll spend a whole night with no television, cell phones, gaudy gifts, sweet rich candy that makes you fat, no flowers that will be thrown away, no expensive trips where we fight airlines, lose luggage etc. None of that! Just a quiet evening spent with the man of your dreams, sharing stories of our love and devotion for one another. What more could a woman ask for Valentine’s Day?
HE SAID
by Larry Oldham No problem. Here is my suggestion: Hold your breath and count to ten.
He Said / She Said can be found in Showcase Magazine.
Evince Magazine
Love These Foods
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by Stephanie Ferrugia Program Director, Get Fit Dan River Region
hile you are out and about learning and developing new skills and talents, our job at Get Fit is to keep you in the know about how to maintain a healthy lifestyle and stay in tiptop shape. We encourage you to play the field with some foods that will prove to be a match made in heaven, keeping you slim and trim and feeling your very best. Below are some head turners that won’t break your budget or your heart. • sweet potatoes: PopSugar Fitness (www.popsugar.com) wants to fix you up with these often overlooked Vitamin Aand-antioxidant-packed root vegetables. In addition to being full of fiber and natural sugars, sweet potatoes curb your appetite. Really get swept off your feet with a teaspoon of brown sugar and a couple dashes of cinnamon as toppings. • kefir: A cousin to yogurt, kefir is an excellent source of calcium and probiotics. Kefir (found in the dairy section) is the ideal mate for smoothies and we cannot get enough of it. I stumbled across
this winning ingredient for scrambled eggs when I realized I was out of milk. A splash of plain kefir saved the day and made my cheesy eggs extra fluffy and downright delicious. • frozen fruits and veggies: According to our friends at White Flint Farm in Keeling, locally grown fresh produce is sparse. Of course, you can find garlic and onions, but who wants to make an entire meal or side dish with that? Instead, start a new relationship with the frozen options. It’s an economical way to get vitamins and minerals and you only use what you need. Remember to aim for three to five servings daily. • ground flaxseed: Found on most breakfast food aisles, ground flaxseed is an instant source of fiber and omega 3 fats. Simply sprinkle it on yogurt, in pancake or waffle mix, or on your oatmeal. Trust us. You need flaxseed in your life. Love these products to stay healthy and fit, Dan River Region!
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February 2015
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t’s 34 degrees with a brisk January wind blowing and there is a threat of rain. The gray dreary day disappears, however, when Angela Blankenship’s bright smile welcomes a visitor to her cheery, commercial kitchen in Danville’s River District. Just a week earlier, the two-room kitchen/storage area had become the epicenter of her business, Angela’s Creative Catering. Popping a pan of sweet potatoes into the pre-heated oven, the Danville native tells about the decades-long journey that brought her to this point, “My family was in the restaurant business. My dad was a partner in the Cuco’s Mexican Restaurant on Riverside Drive where Texas Steak House is now. ” Adding to her local work experience, Angela gained additional handson knowledge when she was a full-time restaurant employee while studying marketing and math at Old Dominion University. After graduation, she returned to Danville, managed Cuco’s, and eventually became president of the Danville Restaurant Association. “I worked with them developing programs and guidelines for high school students who wanted to work in the restaurant industry,” she says, continuing her story. That led to a culinary teacher position at George Washington High School in 1992, where for eight years, she taught students how to cook and manage a restaurant. It was a logical career step for her because she was sharing something that had been important to her since childhood. Things were going well for Angela and husband Scott, but shortly after their second child was born, she decided to leave the job at GWHS. “I wanted to stay at home and cook for my growing family,” she explains, referring to Chandler, who is now a 19year-old sophomore at ODU, and 16-year-old Christian, a junior at GWHS. “From a young age, I’ve always had a passion for food. Growing up, I cooked for the family because I love to eat good food and to experiment with food,” she explains. After a pause for reflection, Angela adds, “To me, food shows love and when I see someone in need, I can usually think of a meal that would make them feel better. It gives me a lot of joy to cook for them.” In 2002, she started catering when time permitted, but then took a break from 2006 until a few
Angela Blankenship
Cooking & Catering by Joyce Wilburn
Sample Detox Lunch Menu • Monday: citrus grilled chicken breast with toasted walnuts, oranges, and apples over mixed greens with spicy orange vinaigrette • Tuesday: blackened pork tenderloin served with sweet potato mash, cinnamon apples and broccoli • Wednesday: chicken tortilla soup with avocado, mixed green salad with tri-color tomatoes • Thursday: homemade beef meatballs served in an organic tomato and mushroom sauce over zucchini noodles
• Friday: kale salad served with spicy strip steak, tri-color peppers and hearts of palm with a pomegranate vinaigrette dressing, Paleo brownie
Zucchini pasta with meatballs from Angela’s Creative Catering is ready! This meal is completely gluten-free, sugar-free and organic. Photos by Michelle Dalton.
months ago. “I told my husband that I needed to do something now that the kids were grown,” she explains. The catering business was revived but with a different twist. “About a year ago, I had some health problems and realized that I needed to make a change,” she says. “I became interested in eating healthier, getting rid of everything that is processed, using more organic food and not using sugar—following the guidelines of the Paleo diet, but making it good.” She also realized that a commercial kitchen approved by the Virginia Department of Health was necessary for a successful business. An acquaintance, Dr. Maggie Ashworth, was very instrumental in helping her find a suitable place in the River District. “It’s a great location because of the growth happening in this area. It will be very convenient for people who are working or living nearby to pick up a ready-made meal and go,” she comments. Angela’s catering is filling a special niche. “I’ve had people asking for meals that are glutenfree, or Paleo or organic. For example, the Hot Asana Yoga Studio requested a detox menu. There is a need for this type of food—high quality, organic and fresh. I make a weekly menu using what is in-season and available locally,” she explains. She currently cooks and delivers meals to several families three or four days a week. A typical day starts at 5:00 a.m. and ends around 7:00 p.m. but despite the long hours and hard work, “I enjoy it,” she says. Angela’s family benefits from her cooking 12+ hours a day, because she brings dinner home with her. She laughs when talking about the son away at college, “He sent me pictures last night of pork tenderloin, asparagus, and green beans. He is my healthy eater.” Glancing toward the oven where the sweet potatoes are baking, she continues, “I hope to show people creative ways to cook healthy food that tastes very good.” It’s time for the visitor to leave so Angela can prepare other dishes for the lucky eaters who soon will be dining on a healthy, delicious meal from Angela’s Creative Catering. • Angela’s Creative Catering provides food for special events, buffets, private parties and board meetings. For more information, call 434.251.8881 or email angelascooking4u@gmail.com.
Evince Magazine
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February 2015
“Chemistry” at work? Ways to ensure the spark doesn’t become a FLAME!
Believe it not, the vast majority of us deal with chemistry in the workplace. No, I’m not talking about the romantic type of “chemistry”, I’m talking about actual chemicals in the workplace. (Just because it’s February, doesn’t mean everything is about love!) OSHA’s hazard communication standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) regarding chemicals in the workplace applies to any business where workers may be exposed to hazardous chemicals. The standard requires: • a written program (businesses often refer to this as a Haz Com policy); • appropriate labeling; • employee access to current Safety Data Sheets (SDSs), formerly called material safety data sheets (MSDSs); • employee training on the Haz Com policy; • compliance with the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized
System (GHS) for the classification and labeling of chemicals. We are currently near the end of a 4-year phase-in period for compliance with GHS, with full implementation required by June 1, 2016. Don’t delay! OSHA inspectors frequently cite the following Haz Com violations: • failure to have a written program; • inadequate or undocumented employee training; • improper labeling on chemical containers; and • missing, or lack of access to, SDSs. Are you sure your business is in compliance? If not, consult www.osha.gov for more information or seek professional services. OSHA inspectors can visit your business at any time. Be ready! Kristina R. Barkhouser, CPLP Direct: 434.797.6770 Mobile: 434.489.1309 kbarkhouser@ExcelenPerformance.com Kristina R. Barkhouser is the founder and President of Excelen Performance, Inc. She has over 20 years of experience in technical and interpersonal skills development.
Spotting Exceptional Customer Service
President David Oakes, Secretary Linda Oakes and VP Davey Oakes
Evince and the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce want to encourage and recognize exception customer service. When someone gives you exceptional service, please let us know. In 300 words or less, tell us what happened. Email your story to joycewilburn@gmail. com or visit www.dpchamber.org. Under Business Development, click Customer Service Nomination. It’s a nice way to show appreciation for a job well done. We look forward to hearing from you. by Henry Talbott
I want to give you the skinny on Oakes Auto Parts, 297 Ripley Drive, off Route 41. I needed a rim for my son’s car and called several parts businesses. I found what I needed at Oakes Auto; however, I got more than just a part. The people who operate the business are some of the kindest, most helpful people I have encountered in quite a while. As I sat waiting for the part, I listened to the service people as they answered the phones. I was impressed by their genuine concern for their customers’ satisfaction and the most polite phone etiquette I have heard in many a day. They are a shining example of the best in customer service and they are to be lauded and congratulated! So if you are in need of auto parts and want a good experience, give them a call at 434.836.4997.
Evince Magazine
Second Thoughts by Kim Clifton ©2015
Going Toe-to-Toe A bracelet to measure my steps makes about as much sense as a screen door on a submarine. I don’t need one of those new fangled wristbands to tell me I’ve walked enough for one day. When my puppies start to bark, I stop. I have bad feet and do everything I can to make them feel better. Regardless of how bleak the economy gets, there’s one thing I refuse to give up...a pedicure. Although I never go barefoot or wear sandals, I rarely miss an appointment. Having someone loofah my calluses and clip my toenails is the best money I could ever spend, especially at my age and size. I can’t tie my sneakers without getting acid reflux. I wish I could walk on treadmills and trails like my friends. It’s all I can do to get through the day without limping. I have such bad feet that when it comes to shoes, I choose foam over fashion regardless of the event. Thankfully, Skechers® sells footwear that makes me feel like I’m walking on marshmallows. That’s great while I’m at work. I only wish I had the same experience when I’m at home, which brings me to the point of this column. My quest for the perfect bedroom shoe. Finding bedroom shoes is not
as easy as finding regular shoes. In the regular shoe department, samples are placed on tables and you point to the one you’d like to try. Nighttime footwear doesn’t garner the same respect. They aren’t even allowed in the same area but are typically shamed into a corner among the panties and pajamas. Trying on bedroom shoes isn’t as easy as trying on regular shoes, either. With regular shoes, a clerk opens a box and offers you one. Bedroom shoes, on the other hand, aren’t that accessible. Some are on a rack which means you have to get them loose, first. Wrangling a fish hook from the teeth of a largemouth bass is less problematic. Other times shoes are jammed sideways in boxes stuffed with more tissue paper than the collective lingerie at a junior prom. There are only two conditions to be met in my search: The right feel and the right fit. It sounds so simple, but it’s not. I can generally find one or the other. Never both. There must be a million choices out there, but I’ve yet to strike gold in them thar heels. Let’s start with comfort. All I want is one that kisses my foot and makes it feel better. Some are so bouncy it’s like walking on a trampoline. I’d prefer jumping out of my shoes only
when I’m startled. Some have so much fleece that I feel I’m stepping on sheep instead of counting them. I don’t care if it’s a clog, a slipper or even a boot. It just has to be a shoe. I can’t stand those that pass as socks. The rubber grippers make smoothly walking on hardwood floors impossible, sort of like driving your car with the parking brake on. Even if I do find a design I like, I’ve never found my size. It’s a good thing Prince Charming had a glass slipper because the bedroom ones don’t fit anybody. Daytime shoes commit to one size, not a range. Too bad nighttime ones don’t. The worst offender is the popular brand that I’ve renamed “Oh Dear! Foams.” I don’t know how they stay in business. I wear a size 8. This company limits my choices to either 7-8 or 9-10. I have to decide if I want to jam my foot in a shoe that’s too small or have it wander around in one that’s too big. This is the kind of conundrum that would have given Goldilocks gray hair. My friends and I both answer to our feet. At the end of the day, they peel off a wristband that congratulates them on all the steps they’ve taken. At the end of my day, I peel off my trouser socks. The difference is my journey is still unfulfilled and my feet are grieving for something to save their soles.
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February 2015
Duffel Bag fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg
M
ama said hide her in a duffel bag in our room in the back of our closet, Mean Keisha. The girl who just this week took my laundry out the washer again and dumped it all on the floor to put hers in. Last week she picked the lock on me and Mama’s room and took the twenty we saved, and I couldn’t go on the school trip to the science museum. She cusses the mailwoman, lies to everyone, and threatens to fight anyone who looks at her wrong. She a dark and rough girl. Just barely four years older than my 14, and she makes life at the shelter hell. For real, I kinda hate Mean Keisha, and I admit I wish her bad. So on a Tuesday, when a man came here to the shelter in crisp jeans and an orange polo shirt, black guy, about 30, with a diamond pinky ring, looking for Mean Keisha, tapping his car keychain on his right thigh, I thought good, maybe the heifer will leave. He came right up to the door and knocked, said, “Keisha Gretham here?” He was polite, so polite, but you should have seen the look on Mean Keisha’s face coming from the kitchen, holding Kwon. She looked like death had found her; she seized a breath, more like a sob and ducked back. Now, we don’t get no men here at our door. I mean the grass gets cut by a woman, the rooms we clean ourselves. This man was out of place, with the tip of his black leather right shoe placed in the doorway so it couldn’t close. It was February; cold outside and we had a choice: be polite or slam the door. There were five women in the room. And none of them slammed the door. “I hear she came here; I’m looking for her: tall, dark, pretty girl about 18,” the man said. No one answered anything. Four of the women didn’t even look his way. Miss Ramonda, maybe 70, who had lost her home to fire and had no family or insurance, didn’t speak; Mandy, 30, a white girl with blue eyes and trembling, shaking hands from the booze was trembling now for a different reason. Mama turned her head to a window, fingers tensed. We all knew harm when it came. Mrs. Crandle, who had opened the door, stood with that fake smile cloaking her face. Mean Keisha is legend in the short time she’s been here. She cussed out Miss Ramonda for telling little Kwon he couldn’t chew on her hair rollers, said don’t no one talk to her baby like that, and if it happened again, she would hand out a beat-down, old lady or no. But she ain’t so hot stuff now. Mean Keisha can’t stand to be touched by anyone, even Mrs. Crandle. Mean Keisha call her nasty for even offering her a hug. She spit in poor, sad,
Mandy’s liquor stash and laughed when she cried. But here in the back of the closet behind Mama’s pilfered canned peaches and an old lawn chair, Mama and I snuck in, lies the big, old, black duffel bag. “Get in,” I say and humble as a lamb, Mean Keisha does. “Mind if I come in a spell?” he says. He still hasn’t said his name or why he wants Mean Keisha. And we are all flexed to run; you could smell the hunger for harm in the air. Mama is so calm herself, Mama who was taking a cookie from a batch Mrs. Crandle had made earlier in the day, the chemo making her tired and bitterworn. I sat by the kitchen/family room threshold. Mama looked at me and kept her eyes on me as if to say is it done? I nod, thinking of the last of Mean Keisha’s face being swallowed into the sack, her face half in and half out of the shadow of the bag, her dark frame moving into another kind of darkness. She seemed long-suffering and resigned to suffer more. Now that I got the power over her, I don’t want it. Mean Keisha looking up to me from that big, black, duffel bag that I had to dump all our possessions out to put her in. We hid Kwon in the other room, or maybe he’s outside in the garden out back. He doesn’t cry, like without words he knows danger too; less or more than Mean Keisha; maybe the tool to bring her to heel. “Ain’t no one here by that name. Go on now. Police be here soon.” Mama says this not even getting up, just looking up. The man looked at us all like he was memorizing our faces, looks at my mama, who just returns it—bleak and ready. Then he left. For some minutes, maybe thirty, we sat there talking of the weather, those cookies, but not about him; it was like he was still watching, and we were trying to hide in the light. And no one got up, except Mama, to close the door. We had to stop her, Mean Keisha. We had to stop her from trying to put Kwon in the bag with her, but he kept crying and pulling on her while she listlessly stared ahead. She was still in the back of that closet, still clutching Kwon and the edges of that duffel bag. Mean Keisha ain’t so much now. Miss Ramonda brought some butter from the kitchen,’ cause Mean Keisha loves eating butter. And Mean Keisha takes it but won’t come out of her hiding place, even when we beg her. So, Mrs. Crandle goes in that closet and holds her like a baby, and Mean Keisha doesn’t even flinch, just takes love like a beat dog.
Evince Magazine
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February 2015
River District Artisans
Continued from page 3
Independent Artisans at River District Artisans Inventory changes frequently. Shop often for the best selection. Basket Weaver ....................................................Gail Wright Ceramics Artisan .......................................... Virginia Motley Crochet Artisan ..................................................Janet Joyce Crochet Artisan/Seamstress ...............................Nancy Terry Crochet/Cross Stitch Artist ................................... Judy Giles Fine Artist ......................................................... Alla Parsons Fine Artist ........................................................ Debby Cross Fine Artist ..................................................... Danny Ricketts Fine Artist .......................................................John Thomas Fine Artist ............................................................ Briana Bill Fine Artist/Glass ................................ Donna Spease Conner Fine Artist/Potter ........................................... Brandon Lewis Fine Artist/Tattoo Artist ....................................... Harry Aron Fine Jewelry Maker ...........................................Phil Durston Fused Glass Artist ..............................................Nancy Clark Fused/Stained Glass Artist ............................... Aleen Wilson Glass/Wood/Metal Artist ................................... Chris Frazier Herbal Products ..............................................Kris Landrum Jewelry Maker ............................................Emily Thompson Jewelry/Candle Maker/Seamstress ...............Latoya Williams Personalized Paper Creations .........................Karen Sgrinia Photographer ...................................... Chris Mark Rembold Woodworking Craftsman .................................. Wayne Gillie Woodworking Craftsman ............................. Jeremy Nichols
Photos by Michelle Dalton Photography.
Evince Magazine
Page 13
You can spend hours online searching for the right hotel or reviews of a great vacation spot – But how do you choose your doctor?
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When an apple a day isn’t enough! Call 1-800-424-DOCS (3627) today for a personal consultation.
For additional information, please visit our website:
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Page 14
February 2015
Calendar Clips Clip it. Post it. Do it.
For more activities, see the calendar on page 16.
Saturdays through April
Through the Years: The Biography of a House
The current exhibit at the Langhorne House tells the story of the house that once was on Main Street and now is on Broad Street. A main feature of the exhibit is a model of the house built by Patrick Woodard. It has detachable parts to illustrate the conversion of the house from a single-family residence to a four-apartment multiplex. It also shows how the house was moved to its present location at 117 Broad Street in1921, when the Main Street property was sold to a developer who wanted to build the Caswell Apartments. Also included are recently discovered photographs, an early map showing the Main Street location, and various memorabilia to illuminate the theme. The house was built in 1873 on a Main Street lot purchased by Chiswell Dabney Langhorne (Chillie), the popular tobacco auctioneer at Neal’s Warehouse. The Langhornes with their three children, including toddler Irene (the future Gibson Girl), settled in just in time to welcome another baby. Two others would be born there, one named Nannie—better known in later years as Lady Nancy Astor, the first woman to serve in the British Parliament. The exhibit can be viewed on Saturdays from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. There is no admission charge. For more information, call 434.791.2256. (submitted by Pat Maurakis)
Opening Sunday, February 1
From the Orient: Expressly for You; The National Flags of the Confederacy
The Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History highlights pieces from its Chinese collection in From the Orient: Expressly for You in the Alcove Gallery. Originally given to the museum in the late 1970s by the National History Museum of the Republic of Taiwan, the exhibition features scroll paintings, bronze reproductions from the Chou Dynasty (1027256 BCE) and porcelain reproductions from the Ming (1368-1644 CE) and Ch’ing (1644-1912 CE) Dynasties. The recently installed Divided Lines: The National Flags of the Confederacy on the second floor of the mansion is an informative addition to the permanent Civil War exhibition, Between the Lines, 1861-1865. Made possible by a grant from the Danville Regional Foundation, five panels trace the history of the various flags adopted by the Confederate States of America. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. An admission fee is charged except for the first weekend of each month when there is no charge for residents of Danville, Pittsylvania County or Caswell County. For more information, visit 975 Main Street or www.danvillemuseum.org or call 434.793.5644. (submitted by Patsi Compton)
Sunday, February 1 - Tuesday, March 31 Essel Propack Scholarship Program
Local packaging manufacturer, Essel Propack, has launched the Manufacturing Excellence Scholarship program to recognize Danville and Pittsylvania County high school seniors. Eligible students will be selected in the spring semester and awarded up to $5,000 based on their outstanding community service, academic performance and leadership skills. This program is intended to serve a diverse population of high school seniors and encourages enrollment in institutions
of higher learning. It aligns with the company’s corporate community strategy to promote community service and build tomorrow’s leaders. More information is available through guidance counselors at Chatham, Dan River, Galileo, George Washington, Gretna and Tunstall High Schools. For more information, contact Wendi Caraballo at 434.822.8007 ext. 356 or wendi. caraballo@ep.esselgroup.com. (submitted by Wendi Caraballo)
Opening February 7
Identity: An Exhibition of You
This exhibit at the Danville Science Center challenges our notions of personal identity. Your own identity is front and center while you learn about genetics and biological adversity, cognitive science/ psychology and personality, social science and racial/ethnic identity. Look at your fingerprints, see yourself as a musical spectrum, investigate where your brain stores your identity, map your social connections. Throughout the exhibition, see yourself from new perspectives: your future self, your symmetrical cell, and yourself as a new gender. Also, check out a show in the Digital Dome Theater. For more information on show times and titles, visit www.dsc.smv. org or call 434.791.5160 DSC is located at the Crossing at the Dan, 677 Craghead Street, Danville. (submitted by Adam Goebel)
Tuesday, February 10
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: How You Could Benefit
Have you had a skin cancer removed and are unhappy with how the scar looks? Have you had breast cancer and are considering breast reconstruction? From 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Dr. Henry Wilson and Dr. Keith Pitzer from the Centra Medical Group Plastic Surgery Center will present this program and answer questions at Ballou Recreation Center, lower level. It is brought to the Dan River Region by the Cancer Research and Resource Center of Southern Virginia/Danville in partnership with Danville Parks & Recreation. Bring a lunch and a friend. Drinks and dessert are provided. Boxed lunches can be ordered in advance for $6.00. Call the Resource Center to make a reservation, 434.421.3060, or email cllitzenberg@vcu. edu. This program is part of the free Keeping Well in Mind, Body & Spirit Series for those concerned with cancer prevention and survivorship and is open to all. The Cancer Research and Resource Center of Southern Virginia is funded by VCU Massey Cancer Center and the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission. (submitted by Melanie Vaughan)
Friday, February 13 Valentine’s Dance
From 8:00 p.m. until midnight, the Riverview Rotary Polio Plus Valentine Dance with the Pizazz Band will be held at the Stratford Conference Center, 149 Piney Forest Road. Guests must be 21 and older to attend. Profits will support Rotary’s efforts to eradicate polio worldwide and to make improvements on the Riverwalk. A photographer will take pictures for a small fee. There will be a cash bar, a buffet of hot hors d’oeuvres, a raffle and silent auction. Tickets are $25.00 in advance and can be purchased at Rippe’s, 559 Main Street, or by calling 434.799.1010 extension 1. Tables for eight are $225.00. (submitted by Barbara Seamster)
Evince Magazine Friday, February 13
Comedy Night with Miss Gayle
Miss Gayle, a bright, energetic, outrageously funny and absolutely captivating comedian, will keep the audience laughing at the Historic North Theatre, 629 North Main Street. She is an explosively, talented individual, who has performed as a headliner and feature before sold-out audiences throughout the country and has worked with and opened for several national acts at many comedy clubs and theaters. She is originally from the Danville area. There will also be an opening act and a feature performer. The fun starts at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $15.00. For more information, call 434.793.SHOW (7469). (submitted by Wayne Alan)
Saturday, February 14
14th Annual Danville Storytelling Festival
From 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., this free event will take place at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History, 975 Main Street. Through songs, rhymes, memories and tales rich in humor, visitors will be entertained by: Josephus Thompson III, Carrington Kay, Fred Motley, Darlene “Big Mama” Watson, Arlene “The Dream Lady”, A. Carter, and Patricia Hall and the Kuumba Dance Company. For centuries when people Josephus Thompson III came together, they told stories as a timehonored form of entertainment that celebrated families and community and passed along wisdom. Storytelling not only preserves traditions but opens doors into worlds of imagination, identity and listening. Festival organizer Fred Motley says, “As long as we have stories to tell and songs to sing of what we did, what we are doing now and what we plan to do, then our communities and our spirits should never show signs of desolation.” For more information, call 434.793.5644 or visit www.danvillemuseum.org. (submitted by Fred Motley)
Saturday, February 14 Elvis Tribute Show
Starting at 8:00 p.m., enjoy a romantic evening on Valentine’s Day with your sweetie at The Historic North Theatre, 629 North Main Street. The legendary Elvis probably sang more love songs than any other artist. See Danny Crouse live on stage as he presents one of the top Elvis Tribute Shows in the region. His great singing, beautiful costumes and all the right moves will make you think the King has come back. VIP front orchestra reserved seats are $20.00; general admission is $15.00. Call 434.793.SHOW (7469) for tickets. (submitted by Wayne Alan)
Friday, February 27 Empty Bowls
This fund-raiser for God’s Storehouse is an international grassroots effort to fight hunger. GWHS students and artisans at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History created handcrafted bowls for the event which will be held at God’s Storehouse, 750 Memorial Drive. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at God’s Storehouse, Karen’s Hallmark in Danville Mall, Woodforest Bank (inside Wal-Mart on Mt. Cross Road), and Betsy’s Place, 3000 Riverside Drive. Guests are served a simple meal of soup, crackers and water in one of
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the handcrafted bowls. The bowl can be kept as a reminder of all the empty bowls in our community. For more information, visit www.godsstorehouse. org, God’s Storehouse Facebook page or call 434.493.3663. (submitted by Karen Harris)
Friday, February 27 IdeaFest
The 2nd Annual IdeaFest will be a free and opento-the-public celebration of entrepreneurship during the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. at the Institute for Advanced Learning & Research, 150 Slayton Avenue. Entrepreneurs, investors, students, and community members are encouraged to attend. If you can’t attend all day, feel free to come and go as your schedule allows. IdeaFest will feature: skill-building workshop for aspiring entrepreneurs from11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; fastpaced business pitch competition in which 20 entrepreneurs will present a startup idea to a panel of judges in front of a live audience from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. $10,000 in prize money is at stake; an awards presentation and networking reception sponsored by the Southern Piedmont Technology Council from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. To apply to pitch or RSVP to attend, visit www.ideafestdanville.com. (submitted by Lauren Mathena)
Saturday, February 28
Big Brothers Big Sisters Fashion Show Fundraiser
This annual show will be held at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History, 975 Main Street, starting at 2:00 p.m. Guests can tour the museum before or after the show. The Kuumba Dance Company will perform and Get Fit Dan River Region will have a surprise for attendees. Fashions will be provided by JCPenney and Sara Spissu of Gibson Girl Vintage. Angela Fowler will emcee the program. Light refreshments will be served and door prizes will be given at the conclusion of the fashion show. You do not have to be present to win. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door or in advance by emailing harrisa717@gmail.com. (submitted by Angela Harris)
Upcoming
Wednesday, March 4
Ellen Glasgow in Virginia
At 3:45 p.m., Dr. Martha E. Cook will present this program on the life of the Virginia Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist at The Wednesday Club, 1002 Main Street. Dr. Cook rediscovered the work of Ellen Glasgow when she taught at Longwood College in 1973, Glasgow’s centennial year. Her major field of interest is Southern literature, primarily of the 20th century, with emphasis on women and African-American authors. Cook considers one of her greatest professional achievements to be discovering a lost short story by Glasgow in the pages of the January 1926 Cosmopolitan and having it reprinted. She retired as professor emerita from Longwood University in 2009 and continues to be active in professional organizations and conferences in London and Quebec. This program is free and open to the public. For more information, phone 434.792.7921. (submitted by Emma Rich)
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February 2015
February Calendar Ongoing
Guided Walking Tour – Millionaires Row & Holbrook Street. 434.770.1974. www.danvillehistory.org. Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History (DMFAH) self-guided audiovisual tours. DMFAH Exhibits. See page 14. Danville Science Center Digital Dome Theater - Open for guests to fully explore the known universe as well as some fascinating phenomena right here on Earth. The immersive dome setting showcases the scientific wonders of space, engages visitors with live astronomers, and offers large format films. Danville Science Center (DSC). 434.791.5160. Estlow’s Trains Exhibit - John “Jack” Estlow, Jr. originally constructed this “N” Scale Train layout which was donated by his daughters and grandson so visitors can enjoy trains running in the train station. DSC. 434.791.5160. Bingo – Bring a gift to exchange and have blood pressure and body index checked. Location/times vary. 434.799.5216. Tai-Chi Day Classes - Increase strength, balance, flexibility and progress at your own pace. M 11:15am-12:15pm; W 3:30-4:30pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216. Let’s Dance – Formerly Boogie Mondays. Learn new dances, make new friends and have loads of fun. 7-8:30pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216. Art with Judie – Learn how to paint with acrylic, oil or watercolor. M/TU - Times vary. Ballou Annex. 434.799.5216. Ladies, It’s Time to Work It Out. MW 8:30-10am. City Auditorium. 434.797.8848. Kuumba African Dance – Live drumming and energetic dancing that helps raise cultural awareness, uplift and provides a great workout. Kids M 6-6:30pm; M 6-7:30pm. Stonewall Youth Center. 434.797.8848. Prime Time Fitness - Low-impact aerobics workout with a mix of various fun dance steps. TUTH 9:30-11am or 5:30-7pm. Coates Rec. Center. 434.797.8848. Get Moving with Chair Exercises – Low-impact class ideal for adults 50+. TUTH 11:30am-12:30pm. Coates Rec. Center. 434.797.8848. Zumba Classes - Hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves create a one-of-a-kind interval training fitness program with fun routines that tone and sculpt the body while burning fat. W 5:15-6pm/TH 5:30-6:30pm Pepsi Building. TH 7-8pm. Coates Rec. Center. 434.797.8848. Art with Flo – Wet on wet technique of oil painting. Ages 18+. W 9:3011:30am, Glenwood Community Center; 6-8pm, Ballou Annex. 434.799.5216. African Cardio Blast - A unique workout that includes dance movements from various regions of the African continent. W 6-7pm. City Auditorium. 434.797.8848. African Rhythms by Nguzo Saba – Learn West African dance to live drumming. W 6-7pm. City Auditorium. 434.797.8848. Cardio Step Class – Up-tempo, high energy class. TTH 8:30-9:30am. City Auditorium. 434.797.8848. Baby Boomer Style Work Out –
Walking, cardio activity & weight training designed for older adults. TTH 9-10:30am. City Auditorium. 434.797.8848. Ballou Jammers - Acoustic musical jamboree. Bring a stringed instrument or just listen. TH 3-5pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216. Ballou Book Swap - Take a book or two to read and leave a book or two to share. F 9am-5pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216. Friday Night Fun and Dance – Enjoy a night of dancing with live music by City Limits Band or Country Pride Band. Ages 50+. F 7:30-10:30pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216.
February 1
Dueling Divas - A Broadway Revue! Travel down the hit parade of Broadway’s most famous tunes, from years gone by to the most contemporary! Angela Fowler, Motormouth Maybelle from this past Summer Theatre’s “Hairspray” and Brad Bass of Broadway’s “Wicked” “Memphis” and “Jersey Boys” will fill the theatre with their powerful voices. Also, children from Summer Theatre’s past, “Annie”, “The Sound of Music” and “Oliver” will delight one and all. 2:30pm. Prizery, Chastain Theatre. South Boston 434.572.2543.
February 1 (thru March 31)
Essel Propack Scholarships. See page 14.
February 2
Dar He: The Story of Emmett Till This one-man play featuring actor and playwright Mike Wiley chronicles the story of Till’s life and death and of the subsequent trial that helped ignite the civil rights movement. 7pm. Rives Theater. Martinsville
February 2 (thru 27)
Danville Civil Rights Movement Exhibit - The 1963 Danville, Va., Civil Rights Movement: The Protests, the People, the Stories. 2/22 Reception, 3-5 pm, Must register at comptonc@amnb. com. American National Bank.
February 3
Deco Mesh Wreath Making - Materials included. 3-5pm and 6-8pm. Ballou Recreation Center. 434.799.5216. Orquesta Sinfonica del Estado de Mexico. Danville Concert Association. AU Pritchett Auditorium. www.danvilleconcert.org.
February 3 & 17
Toastmasters - Improve communication, public speaking, and leadership skills. 6-7pm. National University.
February 4 (thru 20)
term residents of different countries. A traditional dish will be served with each session. 12pm-1:30pm. Ballou Recreation Center. 434.799.5216. Healthy All Over - Lifestyle coach Karen Pickeral and Brenda Kilgore share their excitement about a healthy lifestyle through quick sessions covering: vegetarian cooking, dealing with diet restrictions, home remedies that really work and motivational health segments. 6-7pm. Ballou Recreation Center. 434.799.5216.
February 5 (thru 19)
Boost Your Health and Improve Movement - Jump on board with movement therapy as a way to supplement, in a healthy way, all of your health goals. TH 6-7pm. Coates Recreation Center. 434.797.8848.
February 5 (thru 26)
Getting Your Life on Track...Living with Diabetes - All participants must pre-register. TH 12:30-2pm. Coates Recreation Center. 434.797.8848.
February 6
First Friday Art Walk - Enjoy art, food, music and fun along Martinsville’s historic streets. Over 20 galleries, restaurants and shops are open with live music and other events. 5-7pm. Uptown Martinsville.
February 7
Identity: An Exhibition of You. See page 14. Artfelt Expressions of Bob Ross - Ed Gowen, certified Bob Ross instructor, will help you complete a beautiful painting in one day. Bring a roll of paper towels and a 16x20 canvas. All other supplies are included. Adults 18+. 10:30am3:30pm. Ballou Annex Building. 434.799.5216. Zip Line - Winter Storm. Test your stamina this winter while riding through the cold air on Danville’s zip line. Ages 8+. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. 11am12:30pm. Skate Park at Dan Daniel Park. 434.799.5215. Foot Reflexology - Reflexology is a process of stimulating the reflexive points primarily in the feet that release tension and stress, improve circulation, help balance the body and restore energy flow. Join Nature’s Essentials in the introduction to this simple yet effective ancient method. 10am-1pm. Pepsi Building. 434.797.8848. Classic Movie Night. Blue Hawaii. 7:30pm. Historic North Theatre. 434.793.7469.
February 7, 15 & 21
AU Softball See page 5.
Averett University (AU) Men’s Basketball See page5.
February 7 (thru April 25)
February 4 (thru 22)
February 10
AU Women’s Basketball See page 5.
February 5
AndJam Jazz Trio. Averett. See page 5. Job Corps Information Session Learn a career, earn a high school diploma, and gain the real world skills needed to succeed. 10:30am-12:30pm. Workforce Development Center. 434.455.2521. Around the World Travel Series Learn about history, traditions, language and culture from native and long-
Langhorne Exhibit. See page 14. Build Your Marketing Toolkit – Build the foundation of your marketing knowledge, and get practical ideas for more effective campaigns that will help your business or organization grow. 13pm. RCATT. DPCCC - 434.836.6990.
February 2015 S 1 8 15 22
M 2 9 16 23
T 3 10 17 24
W 4 11 18 25
T 5 12 19 26
F 6 13 20 27
S 7 14 21 28
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: How You Could Benefit - See page 14. Trip to Wintergreen Ski Resort 5:45am-8pm. Person County Recreation Office. Person County, NC. 336.597.7806. How Colors Influence Our Minds. Averett. See page 5.
February 12
Valentine’s with Elvis - Wayne Euliss will delight you as the sweetheart of Rock n’ Roll. Enjoy lunch and a show of Elvis’ biggest hits in authentic costume. 12-1:30pm. Ballou Recreation Center. 434.799.5216. Science Talks - Dr. Noel T. Boaz, founder of VMNH, presents “The East Libya Neogene Research Project: Recent Discoveries on the Demise of One of Africa’s Great Rivers, the Origins of the Sahara, and the Environments of Hominid Emergence”. 6-7pm. Virginia Museum of Natural History. 276.634.4141.
February 13
Riverview Rotary Valentine’s Dance – See page 14. Valentine Eve Dance - Wear your best red outfit and join your friends at Stonewall for our annual Valentine Eve Dance. Refreshments served. This event is designed for individuals with impairments.6-9pm. Stonewall Therapeutic. 434.799.5199. COAY Valentine’s Ball - Bring your sweetheart to Ballou for an evening of dancing. Music provided by the Country Pride Band. Sponsored by the Council on Aging Youthfully. Ages 50+. 7:3010:30pm. Ballou Recreation Center. 434.799.5216. Music Night - Marcie Horne & the Usual Suspects; Robert Tilley & the Hard Times Band; The Marshall Brothers & High Road. Bands start at 6:20. The Spencer Penn Centre. Spencer, VA. 276.957.5757. Comedy Night. Historic North Theatre. See page 14.
February 13 & 14
Love, Sex & the I.R.S. Homestead Festival House. Timberlake, NC. See ad page 22.
February 14
Crossing of the Dan Commemoration of the 1781 Revolutionary War – Reenactment, encampment, river crossing, program at 10a.m. www.prizery.com Storytelling Festival – See page 15. Elvis Tribute Show – See page 15.
February 16
Innovators’ Expo - Exhibition of African American Innovators in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. 12-2pm. Ballou Recreation Center. 434.799.5216.
February 17
Art Classes with Kathy - Certified art instructor, Kathy Anthony, teaches you how to paint on everyday items to make them beautiful. Bring a mailbox.1-4pm and 6-9pm. Ballou Recreation Center. 434.799.5216.
If you’d like to submit an item for the Evince calendar, visit www.showcasemagazine.com. The deadline for the February issue is Thursday, February 12, at 5:00 p.m. Please send just the basic information following the format on these pages.
Evince Magazine Miss Nelson Is Missing - Even though they had the sweetest teacher of all, Miss Nelson, the students in Room 207 were the worst-behaved class in the whole school. But when Miss Nelson is unexpectedly absent one day, the class gets the strictest substitute they have ever met: Miss Viola Swamp! Two performances. Caswell County Civic Center. 336.694.4591. A Long Civil Rights Movement. Averett. See page 5. St. Patty’s on the Dan. 5:30-9pm. 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Co.
February 18, 21 & 24
AU Baseball. See page 5.
February 19
Garden Basics - Landscape Design. Do you have questions about your plants, flowers or how to design your yard? Registration required. 12-1:30pm. Pepsi Building. 434.797.8848.
February 19 (thru 21)
Noises Off. Averett. See page 5.
February 20
Painting in a Day - Created a piece of art in 3 hours. All materials included and light refreshments. Ages 13+ 14pm, 6-9pm. Ballou Recreation Center. 434.799.5216 Zip Line - Winter Twilight. Zip from sunset to twilight on this the last of our winter zips. Challenge your friends to glide through the night with you. Ages 8+. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. 6-7:30pm. Skate Park at Dan Daniel Park. 434.799.5215.
February 20 (thru March 1)
Over the River & Through the Woods We all hope for great opportunities for our chidren, even though we know those opportunities may take them far away from us. If we can just figure out how to make them want to settle down near their roots... 7:30pm/3:00pm. Prizery – 434.572.2543.
February 21
Whole and Healthy Bread Baking earn how to prepare home-style breads fresh from the oven. Join Janet Darby, of Wild Thyme Herbs Catering, and receive hands-on experience in making different kinds of bread. 10am-12pm. Stonewall Recreation Center. 434.797.8848. Extreme Bull Bash - True Grit Rodeo. Hurt, VA. www.truegritrodeo.com.
February 22
Chatham Concert Series – Chamber Music featuring the Classic Strings Duo of Kevin and Bryan Matheson with pianist Judith Clark. Enjoy the sonatas of Brahms, Beethoven, Kreisler and Paganini. Admission by donation for the musicians. Reception following. 3pm. Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Chatham. kstrings1@hotmail.com.
February 24
Ladies’ Luncheon - A great way to embrace being graceful, elegant, fabulous women! Join us for a day of sisterly bonding and up building fellowship. This Afternoon Tea Social will feature music from classically trained pianist, Michael Leonhardt, heavy hors d’oeuvres and activities for all to enjoy. This all-girls event is perfect for church groups, book clubs, and women’s organizations. 12-1:30pm. Ballou Recreation Center. 434.799.5216.
February 25
Doodle Bugs! - Physical Sciences: Matter. Children ages 3 to 5 can experience natural history first-hand. The hour-long programs include imaginative stories, fun activities, games and crafts that spark creativity and curiosity. Children must be accompanied by an adult. 3-4pm. VMNH. 276.634.4141
February 27
Empty Bowls (fundraiser for God’s
Storehouse). See page 15. IdeaFest. See page 15.
February 28
Fashion Show to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters See page 15.
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Upcoming March 4
Ellen Glasgow in Virginia. The Wednesday Club. See page 15.
March 7
American Chamber Players. Danville Concert Association. See ad page 19.
March 8
American Chamber Players - They have established standards of chamber music performance equal to any in the world. 2:30pm. Prizery, Chastain Theatre. South Boston 434.572.2543.
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February 2015
Book Clubbing A review by Diane Adkins
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande
Atul Gawande wants you to think about death. There’s a good argument to be made that February is the time to think about it, too. After all, Garrison Keillor often admonishes his listeners that winter is trying to kill us. It’s a cold, bleak topic for a cold, bleak season. Yet, in Gawande’s hands, we feel as if we are being led along by a good and wise friend as we contemplate the end. Because if we don’t think about it, we won’t make the choices that make our ending-the period at the end of our own story-- a good one. Gawande is a world-renowned, Harvard-based surgeon and writer. This is a topic he has had to confront, not only in his practice of medicine, but also in his personal life. One of the fundamental points he makes is that medicine fails the people it is supposed to help. “The waning days of our lives are given over to treatments that addle our brains and sap our bodies for a sliver’s chance of benefit,” he says. The book is not about blame, but it’s clear that our refusal to confront our end leads us to use herculean measures to avoid it. Those measures are medical interventions that continue to reduce us until what is left is often breathing by machine, eating through a tube, and barely able to assert anything at all. Is this the end we want? Gawande tells stories about patients and the choices they make that often buy mere weeks of time at the price of painful and debilitating treatment. He also shows us new models that do not involve the traditional progression from assisted living to nursing home to the grave. Some of his stories are deeply personal, especially the narrative about the death of his own father. There are heroes in the stories, too, people who have found alternative ways of helping others meet the end. He shines a light on those choices that actually seem to make sense on a human level, especially hospice. His goal? To help people find a way through the end of their days that preserves their ability to live a life that has meaning and purpose and allows them to “keep shaping the story of their life in the world.” Modern medicine has allowed us to live much longer than in earlier generations. But practitioners today are ill-equipped to help us deal with the results—aging populations of people in decline. In showing us the choices that make our end what we want it to be, Gawande’s book is a very helpful guide. Diane S. Adkins is the Director of the Pittsylvania County Public Library System (Chatham, Brosville, Gretna, Mt. Hermon), the History Research Center and a bookmobile. Send information about what you or your book club is reading to joycewilburn@gmail.com.
Evince Magazine
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eannounce is pleased to ince Magazine V the new Spirit Awards. These awards recognize exceptional businesses and individuals in our region. Nominate your favorites in the following categories: • Exceptional Customer Service • Exceptional Products • Exceptional Service • Exceptional Community Spirit • Exceptional Community Involvement To vote for your favorite, go online to
evincemagazine.com/2015-spirit-awards Voting Ends February 28
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February 2015
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especially the Moses Cone House and Mabry Mill. At the Moses Cone House, my family enjoyed front porch mountain vistas while listening to the creaking sounds of the wooden rocking chairs in which we rested while moving. I recall the great creaking sound of the gristmill at Mabry Mill and my family’s ride on the old paddlewheel steamboat. I don’t think it’s there now. After Googling paddlewheel-Mabry Mill, only a picture of a couple in a little, leg-operated paddleboat appears.
ecently, I had a great day for computer pop-ups, because they kept a poppin’. All were for some natural remedy that They don’t want you to know about. Although convicted fraudster Kevin Trudeau is in prison, his mantle has been taken up by others. Many of these supplements were for arthritic creaks and pops. Wooden and metallic squeaks and creaks are best remedied with WD-40; other squeaks with the use of D-con. After shutting down the computer, I decided to take a walk to benefit some of my personal creaking and popping sounds (actually, not for their benefit, but for their lessening and possible extinction). In the wind-blown tree boughs across from my Grove Street home, I heard a creaking sound exactly replicating the sound produced by a wooden rocking chair. It was quite strange. I suddenly remembered the sounds of rocking chairs and the turning wheels of gristmills on Blue Ridge Parkway vacations,
From Computer Pop-Ups to Fireplace Pops by Mack Williams
Thinking about the wood’s inherent sounds, I realize that just like some traits are “in our bones”, those noises are “in wood’s bones” too. A tree service recently worked on those Grove Street trees and the rocking chair sound is no more. Those trimmings weren’t destined for the sawmill, so that creaking noise won’t be reincarnated into a rocking chair or door, but maybe as an explosive fireplace pop accompanied by a few sparks.
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here are so many talented people in the world. They have a talent, a brain-wired rhythm for a certain activity. They or their parents know early on and they begin to practice whatever it is they’re talented at. If they practice long and hard, they become highly skilled in their area of innate talent. They become masters. One of my friends is a classically trained pianist. From the second she begins playing, it’s clear that she’s a master. The thousands of hours of piano practice have sharpened her understanding of rhythm such that it spills over into other areas like her artfully crafted prose. Another friend, a writer, has such a feathery touch with metaphor that one reads through it and knows something more just happened but is not sure what. One reads the passage again and has this sense of an elusive shadow of meaning that’s just beyond one’s ability to articulate. She’s a master at her type of writing. A former teacher of mine began painting later in life. He had the talent all along, but didn’t develop the skill until he had the time to practice. Six of his works hang in our home and two carved candlesticks reside on our shelves. He used his time
Reflecting Forward The Voice of Talent by Linda Lemery gifted by insomnia to develop his artistic skills with amazing results. When I compare myself to these people, I feel quite pedestrian because I’m not an artistic master. Oh, I’m good at things like reading fiction; making/crossing things off lists; organizing; doing academic course work; meeting deadlines; planning; keeping a household afloat in the face of daily eldercare, critical illness, and alien children at various points in our lives; working; delegating to a workforce of one (“Steve, would you please get that flat tire fixed?”); supporting people; volunteering; rearranging furniture; swimming (often upstream); writing (sometimes); and filling cars with gas. I’m a master at amassing clutter and overbooking the planner. We have no storage in this small, old house, so I have clothes for all seasons in plastic stackable,
labeled tubs on the main floor. The basement is full of my deceased mother’s clothes, furniture I’m storing for our sons, holiday decorations, home medic equipment (that goes out on loan), and our sons’ junk in addition to the normal clutter my husband -- also a saver -and I have amassed. We have books stacked everywhere. Writers have trouble with echoes and can’t get the writing right, right away, so I have drafts. I love yard sales, which feed the clutter along with the paperwork from settling our mothers’ estates and all our own paperwork in a dining room in which we never dine and thus was long-ago converted to a work and filing space. No wonder we don’t have people over often; they have an urge to cross themselves when they walk through the door while uttering in faint tones, “...You have a lot of stuff.” The planner is booked with
appointments that manage the intangibles of living and meals with friends (in restaurants, so I don’t have to fail at cleaning up the clutter at home). The planner also houses the tickler list of daily lunch hour errands timed right down to the minute. As I rush out the door for lunch, a work colleague regularly hollers after me, “Don’t forget to eat.” I feel like I use my 1,440 minutes per 24-hour day effectively (less the 240-420 minutes allocated for sleep, not that I’m counting), but compared to master pianists, writers, and painters, I feel I fall quite short. Maybe my mastery would seem more compelling if I’d started practicing amassing clutter and making lists and planner entries as a toddler or in the womb. As it is, I can’t seem to measure up. I just have to keep trying. As master of metaphor John Green says in The Fault in Our Stars, “There is no try. There is only do.” I believe I’ll start with this week’s grocery list. About the Author: When she’s not making lists of all the stuff she hasn’t done yet, Linda Lemery llemery@averett.edu works as Circulation Manager at Averett University’s Mary B. Blount Library in Danville. She welcomes your comments and wishes readers a happy Valentine’s Day.
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I Love These Heart-Hand Pies by Annelle Williams February is and will forever be associated with love. I think I share this thought with many, but not necessarily for the same reason. Valentine’s Day brings to mind all the romantic love experiences we have had during our lives, beginning with the Valentine boxes we decorated in early school days hoping to find a declaration of love from some special secret admirer hidden inside. My grandmother, the absolute embodiment of unconditional love, was born in February 1900, and certainly not by chance, on Valentine’s Day. She was born to spread love and in return she received an abundance of love from all who knew her. You just couldn’t help but love her—always a smile, never an unkind word—she always knew the right thing to say and told the best bedtime stories. One of the loving things my grandmother did was make fried apple pies for us. They were so good that I dream about them, so good that I tried hard to make them myself and was overwhelmed with the amount of time it took to make something that only vaguely tasted like Mama Nell’s. We ate them with not enough consideration for her efforts, lost in the heady decadence of eating all we wanted. I’m not suggesting that you find some home-dried apples, make a filling, make a pie crust, cut the crust into small circles, add the filling, fry the pies, etc. No. Instead, I found a very easy recipe using puff pastry cut into heart shapes and filled with sweet cherries. They’re as cute as they can be and they’re also quick and delicious. Next fall we’ll take a day and work on fried pies like grandmother did. Enjoy!
Heart-Shaped Hand Pies Recipe makes ten 3-inch heart pastries. (adapted from Chew Town Blog) 2 cups frozen pitted cherries, thawed and drained 1/4 cup sugar plus 1/4 cup for outside of pastries 1 tablespoon cornstarch
juice of 1⁄2 lemon 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 boxes puff pastry 1 egg white vanilla ice cream, optional
Preheat the oven to 400°. Remove puff pastry from freezer and let it thaw while making the filling. Place thawed cherries in colander and mash a little with back of large spoon to remove most of the liquid. Put drained cherries in bowl and add sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and vanilla. Stir to combine and set aside. Put remaining sugar on a saucer. With a cookie cutter (I used a 4-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter), cut hearts from pastry. Gently press one side of half the hearts into sugar and lay them sugar side down on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper. With a slotted spoon drain some of the liquid and add about one tablespoon of cherry mixture to heart. Cover each heart with the remaining pieces of pastry. Seal by pressing the edges with the tines of a fork. Make a small X in the center of each pie. Beat egg white with a fork in a small bowl and brush each pie. Sprinkle remaining sugar over hearts. Bake for 15-18 minutes until pastry is puffed, crisp and golden. Serve alone or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream while still warm. Questions or comments? Email me: AnnelleWilliams@comcast.net I look forward to hearing from you!
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Photo Finish Evince readers accepted the invitation to attend the reopening of the Carrington Gallery (January, page 7) and had a great time. The art was beautiful, the discussions informative and entertaining, and the food was delicious. Of course, Evince photographer, Von Wellington, was there taking these pictures. If you missed the opening, visit the gallery before the next event at the Historic North Theatre. Read the Calendar Clips on page 15 for more information. Hope we’ll see all of you at one of the February community events and maybe you’ll be in the March Photo Finish.
Cara Burton, Cathy Farley, and featured artist Lee Farley pause for a moment during the reception.
Rita Lea and Mack Williams arrive promptly to enjoy the art, fellowship and food.
Robert Clifton and John Hawkins admire Farley’s work before selecting some for purchase.
Paula Smith, Patsi Compton and Laura Powell enjoy chatting. For more info about Von Wellington Photography, visit www.vonwellingtonphotography.com or call 434.770.3553. See more pictures on Facebook.
Rhianna Abbott and Marie Abbott traveled from Chatham to view the collection.
Lee Farley’s father, Andy, attended the opening.
Millie Hatcher brought Houston resident, Jane Hatcher Rasi, to the opening.
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The smiles of Tyler Bushong and Carrie Petrick show it was a fun event.
Artist Lee Farley demonstrates the scratchboard technique to Janet Holley and Genna Turner.
Andrea and Burton Scearce make time in their busy schedules to participate in the re-opening.
Chris GrifďŹ th and Ina Dixon share a moment of conversation.
Dan Adams listens to Wayne Alan, the owner of The Historic North Theatre.
Steve Petrick and Jane Reid check out the art before dining at the Moon River Thai Bistro on the lower level.
Larry Wilburn, Janet Holley, Genna Turner, and Larry Meder catch up on local news.
Amanda Farley serves refreshing drinks to Albert Handy and other guests.