Evince Magazine December 2020

Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Page 6

The Wine Spot

Hope for the California Wine Industry Page 9

Photo Finish

TEDxDanville Page 14

Ryan Taube

Zooming In See Page 5

Page  2 December 2020

Photo by Michelle Dalton Photography

Editor’s Note

Hoping for a new job in 2021?

Or maybe a first job? You must read page 5 about Ryan Taube (pictured on the cover) and his tips for looking and sounding great if your preemployment interview is being held in the virtual world.

You’ve probably been hibernating a bit since mid-March.

With winter beginning at 11:28 a.m. on December 21st, your hours of staying close to home will probably increase.

That gives you time for cooking (page 13), playing trivia (page 7), meditating (page 7), reading a good book (page 11) and a short story (page 8) and hosting a very small gathering (page 6). If you decide to venture out, try one of the activities listed in the Calendar on page 10.

These events have all been designed with your good health in mind.

As 2020 comes to an end, we look ahead with hearts full of hope for a better year. If you need a little help feeling optimistic, read the inspirational thoughts on page 12 and remember that “Hope Springs Eternal” (page 4).

December Contents

3 Editor’s Note

4 Hope Springs Eternal

by Isla Wiles 5 Ryan Taube

Zooming In

by Joyce Wilburn 6 Renovation Reality

by Carla Minosh 7 Trivia Night

by Abby Karavanic

Meditation Moment

by Casey Molloy Davis

8 Carols

Fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg

Spotting Exceptional Customer Service

by Janet Laughlin

9 The Wine Spot

Hope for the California Wine Industry

by Dave Slayton 10 Calendar 11 Book Clubbing / review by Diane Adkins

Healing the Heart of Democracy

by Parker J. Palmer 12 Reflecting Forward

Choose Hope

by Linda Lemery 13 Around the Table

Roasted Vegetables with Feta

by Annelle Williams 14 Photo Finish

Evince Magazine Page 3

THE

OICE OF HOPE

CEO / Publisher Andrew Scott Brooks Editor Joyce Wilburn (434.799.3160) joycewilburn@gmail.com Copy Editors Jeanette Taylor Larry Wilburn Contributing Writers

Diane Adkins, Casey Malloy Davis, Lewis Dumont, Helen Earle, Karen Harris, Abby Karavanic, Janet Laughlin, Telisha Moore Leigg, Linda Lemery, C.B. Maddox, Louise Martling, Carla Minosh, Desiree Shaffer, Dave Slayton, Joyce Wilburn, Isla Wiles, Annelle Williams

Art & Production Director Demont Design (Kim Demont) Finance Manager Cindy Yeatts (1.434.709.7349) Marketing Consultants For ad information contact a marketing consultant listed below.

Lee Vogler Director of Sales and Marketing (434.548.5335) lee@evince magazine.com Kim Demont Graphic Design, Marketing (434.792.0612) demontdesign @verizon.net evince\i-’vin(t)s\ 1: to constitute outward evidence of 2: to display clearly; reveal syn see SHOW Deadline for submission of January stories, articles, and ads is Friday, December 18, at 5:00 p.m.

Submit stories, articles, and calendar items to joycewilburn@gmail.com.

On the Cover: Photo of Ryan Taube by Michelle Dalton Photography taken at Link’s Coffee House Cafe, 319 Craghead Street, Danville.

Editorial Policies

Evince is a free monthly magazine with news about entertainment and lifestyle in Danville and the surrounding area. 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

Sincerely,

For subscriptions to Evince, email info@evincemagazine.com.

Cost is $24 a year.

joycewilburn@gmail.com

Credits: Amber Wilson: hair; Catherine Saunders: skin care and makeup; Genesis Day Spa & Salon, 695 Park Avenue, Danville.

Janelle Gammon: nails; Salon One 11, 111 Sandy Court, Danville.

Ryan Taube Zooming In Page 5

© 2020 All rights reserved. Reproduction or use in whole or in part in any medium without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

Page 4 December 2020

Hope Springs Eternal

P

by Isla Wiles

utting a tiny seed (think

mustard and orchid seeds)

into soil involves hope that it will grow and most of the time it does. Here are six suggestions reflecting gardeners’ hopes and plans for this winter and the next growing season: • Hoping to enjoy amaryllis in December involves purchasing healthy bulbs and allowing the typical four to six weeks for the bulbs to sprout and grow.

• Enjoying a living Christmas tree involves planning a trip to a favorite tree farm or roadside vendor. Purchasing a potted or balled evergreen tree and hoping it will survive the transition to the outdoors involves preparing the proposed in-ground home and having the tree in a dry indoor environment for the least amount of time, preferably no more than four to seven days.

• Hoping a friend or relative will like a plant gift? Gift giving involves a bit of detective work.

What plant has the recipient admired in your house or garden? What is the recipient’s plant care tolerance? High or low maintenance? What are the light and moisture conditions that the gift plant needs? Can your friend provide these conditions?

• Hoping to enjoy your garden in the winter and next spring?

Be careful about pruning.

Sometimes, seeing a plant without leaves activates the pruning instinct. Check pruning calendars at pubs.ext. vt.edu to see when a particular

plant should be pruned. Winter pruning on some plants makes them vulnerable to cold; pruning others after they have set their blooms for the spring season often means fewer or no blooms.

• Hoping that your plants will survive the winter in good condition? We cannot control nature, but we can provide help for our plants by mulching or putting down pine needles.

When applying mulch don’t put it close to the tree trunk. This will discourage moles from eating/ damaging the roots. If rainfall is not sufficient, water plants, especially newly planted ones. Even plants that lose their leaves continue root growth.

In some instances, applying anti-desiccants to keep leaves from drying out during winter conditions can be helpful.

Erecting physical barriers of burlap or plastic can also decrease the effects of windy conditions.

• If you are hoping to enjoy wildlife during the winter, be aware that deer are hungry and love annuals such as pansies.

Gardeners need to be diligent with preventive measures such as physical barriers or sprays and granular products that repel deer with their odor.

Hope? Gardening? Yes, they are intertwined. In the 18th century, Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote “Ode to the West Wind” that concludes with the hopeful words to which we all can ascribe, “If winter comes, can spring be far behind?”

Evince Magazine Page 5

Ryan Taube

Zooming In

by Joyce Wilburn

R

yan Taube wants you to

know that attending virtual

job interviews and meetings is not going away in the near future, if ever. Therefore, you might as well learn how to have fun and work in that environment. “Employers will continue to have virtual interviews after COVID, because it saves them a ton of money.

They don’t have to fly someone to the company for an interview nor pay for a hotel and meals,” he comments while sitting in his office on the Averett University campus.

The AU Coordinator of Career Competitiveness and Greensboro native has very good advice for hopeful job seekers or anyone who is attending a Zoom meeting, whether it’s for a book club gathering, a Google Classroom, or an extended family party. With a master’s degree in career counseling from North Carolina Central University, Ryan has the educational background and experience to give credence to his recommendations. Here are his top nine tips for looking and sounding good on Zoom: • Find a very quiet place and close the door. There should be no distractions and no background noise including the TV. Put the pets in another room and a “Do Not Enter” sign on the door. You don’t want unexpected visitors becoming a part of the meeting.

• Make sure you have a strong internet connection.

Otherwise, you might not be able to hear someone and they might not be able to hear you.

Plug in your device to avoid an unexpected shutdown due to low battery.

• Check the lighting on your face.

If the light behind you is too bright, your face might be in the dark and no one can see you. That is a detriment to a successful meeting.

• Look at your background. It should not distract from you.

Ryan Taube meets with a friend on Zoom. Photo by Michelle Dalton Photography.

• Place the camera at eye level so that the focus is not up your nose or only on half of your face.

• Wear appropriate attire—the same thing you’d wear if you were in person. Don’t be deluded into thinking you can wear pajama bottoms as long as you look professional from the waist up.

You might have to stand during the meeting for some reason and your secret will become painfully obvious.

• Practice using the software before the meeting i.e. how to turn the camera off/on, how to mute/ unmute, how to chat, etc.

• Mute yourself, if you are not speaking. Don’t speak too fast or too loudly. Wait to respond in case there is a sound delay. To see everyone on the call, click Gallery View.

• Become comfortable with the entire process before you go live.

If you are hoping for a new job in 2021, now is the time to prepare.

“It might take six to eight months to find it,” says Ryan pragmatically.

Even if you aren’t job searching but just want to meet with family and friends, stay healthy, and Zoom with confidence.

Page 6 December 2020 During the COVID-19 pandemic we have all found new and unusual ways of entertaining.

Take a cue from Carla who has enjoyed the gathering of friends and family for almost two decades at the construction site she and husband Tom call home. You too can safely meet with others in some manner of unusual partying. Read how she made it happen.

Renovation Reality

by Carla Minosh

O

ne of the main reasons we

decided to buy this house

in this town was because of the community that surrounds it. I missed the friendly and familiar faces of the little town I grew up in and the joy of growing a solid group of long-term friends—something that was so challenging in our transient world inside the Capital Beltway. From the realtor who showed us the Danville house, to the neighbors she introduced us to, and even the friendly faces we met as we visited the local coffee shops, we saw a stable community with so much potential. We were sold. We were not disappointed!

As our group of friends grew so did the size of the gatherings we hosted. We didn’t want the massive renovations to get in the way of entertaining.

Thus we created a new dress code for the circumstances: Dress Code Casual; Hard Hat Optional. These were the days before social media and smartphones, so in order to let our new friends and neighbors know that we were preparing a fun evening, we strung bright red chili pepper lights from the top of the porch and turned them on as a secret signal that the party was about to begin.

Being on Main Street helped, and those who understood the code would flock to the house after the dinner hour.

During the holidays, we placed garland on the staircase, around power tools, and over stacks of boxes. Sawhorses, with their plywood working surfaces, were

cleared of debris, draped in festive paper tablecloths, and used for serving drinks and desserts. Our paintings, carefully crated for the day when they could be safely hung on finished walls, had their crates opened so that all could enjoy their beauty.

The best part of these gatherings were the small groups that would form throughout the house. We invited our friends to explore the progress going on in every corner. It was a pleasure to skip from group to group, explain what we were working on in that space, and spend time getting to know everyone a little better. We encouraged people to bring friends, visiting relatives, and others in the community who would enjoy the company of the growing group. As a result, there were

always new faces and interesting people to meet.

Often I wouldn’t be able to give newcomers a proper tour.

Therefore, I would find a willing volunteer among my friends, who always had permission to create a story, if they didn’t know the answer to a question.

It was pure gold when those “facts” would come back to us weeks or months later. I loved hearing the imaginative ideas our friends could conjure and how far they could push the envelope and still be believed!

Although drinking wine and talking to friends in an unfinished bathroom or between scaffolds or surrounded by construction detritus might seem strange, those were the best days I ever spent in our house.

(to be continued)

Evince Magazine Page 7

Meditation Moment

by Casey Molloy Davis, RYT

by Quizmaster Abby Karavanic

Round Two: Can You Identify the Country Where the Dishes Originated?

1. borek, baklava, shish kebab 2. space cake, Gouda cheese, stroopwafel 3. churros, gazpacho, queso 4. shepherd’s pie, trifle, Scotch eggs 5. sauerkraut, Bavarian Cream, pretzel 6. guacamole, elote, chalupa 7. sea cucumber, egg roll, chow mein 8. bisque, soufflé, foie gras 9. fudge, pepperoni, pimento cheese 10.scone, haggis, cock-a-leekie soup

Answers to Round One 1. Woodstock 2. kidney 3. Paralympic Games 4. cell phone 5. moon 6. Philadelphia 7. 1997 8. Juneteenth / June 19th 9. MTV Video Music Awards 10. Michael Jordan

Round One 1. Along with over 300,000 other fans, I watched Richie Havens kick off this four-day fest of peace and love in New York. Where am I? 2. In 1954, I watched Dr. Joseph Murray perform the first successful transplant of what paired organ?

3. I was in Rome in 1960 to watch athletes with physical disabilities compete at the first of these. What is it?

4. Some of you watched the first call made from one of these.

It was in a commercial filmed at Soldier Field in 1983. What is it?

5. On July 20, 1969 at 10:39 p.m.

EST, I watched the first steps being made here. Where am I? 6. In 1985, I and other concert goers watched Live Aid, a famine relief fundraiser, in London and in what U.S. city?

7. What year did I watch the “bite of the century” during a bout between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield?

8. Although I watched Abraham Lincoln read the preliminary draft of the Emancipation Proclamation in September of 1862, this event is widely celebrated yearly in what month and on what day?

9. I saw Lady Gaga wear a monstrosity made of raw

meat that animal rights groups condemned at what 2010 awards show?

10.I saw this six time NBA champion beat Dominique Wilkins in the ’88 slam dunk contest. Who is it?

Answers to Round Two: Identify the County 1.Turkey 2. Netherlands 3. Spain 4. England 5. Germany 6. Mexico 7. China 8. France 9. U.S. 10. Scotland

Z

oom in on the next Trivia Night December 7 and 21.

For more information, email scott.jones@richmond.edu.

The poses and breathing practiced in yoga are intended to prepare the body to sit comfortably for extended periods of time in meditation. Photo by Clark Davis

F

or the first time in a long time, I think there is some thing we can all agree on-2020 has not been an easy year.

Patience, trust, and endurance have been put to the test both independently and collectively.

It would be far easier to succumb to the temptation of the negative and dwell upon all that has gone wrong this year.

We must recognize that anytime there is darkness, there is also light. Where there is negative, there is also positive. There is always opposition present in the universe, always another side of the coin, and fortunately, we have the choice to flip it.

Rather than viewing this year as a loss, we can assess what we have learned from the changes that have been imposed upon us. Without expectation or excuses, we can reflect on what has helped us adapt to these changes. Where have you found strength when times looked bleak and your pandemic fatigue was on the brink of a major meltdown? How has your family dynamic unfolded?

My hope is that we have all had time to slow down and acknowledge that we actually needed to slow down. Our 2019 selves may have lacked appreciation for just how easy certain aspects of our life were

pre-pandemic. Perhaps in the past we may have failed to recognize just how much we relied on the efforts of our significant others, parents, or peers. When we come to understand this, we are able to move forward with more appreciation and humble gratitude for what is important to us.

The theme for my yoga class last week was joy. Dutch author Henri Nouwen writes, “Joy does not just happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.” This concept is easier said than done. In times of unemployment, illness, or any other myriad of impacts you may have suffered, hope and joy may seem like a dim flicker far from your reach. What you may not realize is that the light you seek is hiding deep within you. We all have a vibrant light that radiates from our heart, and it can offer incredible powers of healing and love, both to ourselves and to those we share it with. We are asked to harness our internal power and use it to educate and elevate one another. During unprecedented situations like these, it is vital to nurture our human connections. Cultivate an appreciation for those around you, even if they have to stay six feet away. Have hope that we are moving forward and remember the glass can be half-full but only if you choose to see it that way.

Page 8 December 2020

Carols fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg “She don’t want to see you,” Mean Keisha said as she realized who we were. Her eyes cut me down even as she slid them back to Old Man/ Dr.Corinth. Then, just then, my mother, Mean Keisha hissed out between her teeth pointing her long brown finger in the sanctuary right into Old Man / Dr. Corinth’s pale face, “Hitch on, ya sorry bastard!”

--Mean Keisha at Aunt Fallen’s wedding, and yes she would do violence.

Not all Old Man/Dr. Corinth’s words were Greek, or academic, meant to teach, but they always did anyway. And I could hear them for nights on end as he rambled in his night sweats in the Holiday Inn off the highway, halfway on the end side of 360 before you hit 58.

I heard them as I bathed him after he threw up again, couldn’t keep anything down again, sometimes a little blood in the kerchief. And on and on he would ramble in his nightly dreams. It was December now and I took leave, emailed my assignments on an old Chromebook to grad school. We never made it back to the shelter.

Fits of dosing, staring into space with wide-eyed dazes, they are as close as he comes to sleeping nowadays.

But, there was no scene. Mama Mandy came forward with a polite smile and dead eyes, pinched Mean Keisha’s arm and said, “Father, I’m so glad you could come.” To me she said like a stranger, “Kwon, you too.” Like she hadn’t raised me, like I wasn’t her family too...Anyway...

Sometimes his mumbled words sounded like prayers although I knew he didn’t believe in them.

Sometimes I thought his words were from his travels, but they were garbled or words I’d never heard, words without cognate, yet somehow I always knew them.

Always I got the understanding; they were always the same word in any tongue told through his eyes, dying and ravaged with regret.

Mama Mandy Blue still hadn’t said a word to him after the almostscene at Aunt Fallen’s wedding. I wanted to tell Mama Mandy that there wouldn’t be much time, but I think she knew that, and anyway she wasn’t speaking to me either. I know on the surface that

I shouldn’t have brought the father who abandoned her back to her. I know that now. I guess I just kept hoping.

Mama Mandy hugged him at the wedding, him frail and dying in his baggy suit and unlaced wingtip shoes. She was the one who led him to the reception room with crepe-paper pastel hearts.

Sadness is its own tongue spoken with no meaning, a rough stone rolling on the back of your throat until you choke it down...until it becomes a part of you and then... and then….you know sorrow, without being able to say it. You understood the rough path of how it made it to your heart cutting along the way. When I call the house phone, when I call home, Mean Keisha cusses me out, and she is always the one who answers the phone. No one answers any cell. I admit, I am a little angry at Old Man in a quiet way. I can see now how he used me and I should tell him how he used me.

I should leave, but I couldn’t really look at Old Man / Dr. Corinth now without those words coming up,

words I didn’t have the way to say or the definition for, and his sad going kept teaching me them over and over, synonyms for loss until I couldn’t take it in the four walls of the Highway 58 Holiday Inn, and so it was always I who turned away, never Old Man /Dr. Corinth. In his end, I kept him clean enough, gave him medicine I found in the back of his suitcase that he knew and I knew would not do any real good or much dull the pain. And despite all that, I’m sorry he’s going to die soon. I will miss him. My name is Kwon.

The wedding was not a disaster, Mama Mandy wouldn’t let Aunt Fallen suffer that at her wedding. So Mama Mandy smiled and I hoped.

Strangers thought it was a happy story. Father and daughter reunited at a wedding, or father coming to see his daughter, and everyone could see he was frail. Wasn’t that daughter so good and wasn’t this something special?

But daughter hasn’t come to the Holiday Inn, and time has moved to Christmas carols piped through lobby speakers, enough that I catch myself humming the tune as I go to get our meals. Old Man/Dr. Corinth

says she’ll come, but every day he’s less and less lucid for less and less time. Today, Old Man/Dr. Corinth said nothing I can speak, just those dead tongues fetching heartache and grief. Here is what I know. There is a coffee machine in the Holiday Inn, a microwave, a nightstand-safe. I heat soup in the coffeemaker. I wipe his chin when it dribbles down. Old Man/Dr. Corinth says, “Kwon, come here,” and I think now he will give in or he will let go, but he doesn’t. He wants me to help him up. Tonight, I helped him sit in the lobby. The manager knows him and waves.

He watched the people come and go, their baggage toted on a rolling cart painted a too-shiny gold, the businessmen trying to beat the coming snow.

“She will come to me,” Old Man says; he doesn’t look at me and he does not doze; he waits. I want to call Mama Mandy and Mean Keisha and home. I want home too, but I can’t leave him and maybe they will not let me in. Tonight, the speakers play Christmas muzak and Old Man hums a brokenlipped tune.

Spotting Exceptional Customer Service

by Janet Laughlin CVS Pharmacy on West Main Street is my pharmacy of choice, and I always find the staff to be friendly and helpful. This past week I experienced customer service from April Bolt that went beyond my expectations when I tried to use a coupon about to expire.

April had scanned all of my items, but the coupon wouldn’t work with the phone number I gave her. She then asked for additional phone numbers that might be associated with the account and my CVS card. Finding the match, she took all of the items out of the bag and rescanned them— something I would never have asked her to do or expected. The coupon amount was small, but this CVS employee’s patience and care made a huge impression. It is my pleasure to recommend April Bolt for the Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Award.

Evince and the Danville Pittsylvania Co. Chamber of Commerce want to encourage and recognize exceptional 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 chamber@dpchamber.org.

Evince Magazine Page 9

Y

ou’ve gotta have....heart

All you really need is heart

extent of the losses, most of the 215 wineries located within Napa Valley’s evacuation zones were still standing by the time the Glass Fire was reaching a stable containment level.”

When the odds are sayin’ you’ll never win That’s when the grin should start

The resilient Sherwin Family Vineyards wrote on social media: “[W]e are heartbroken to share the news that our winery burned to the ground yesterday, but, rest assured, we will rebuild and be there for you. We still have wine and we are still in business, so all is not lost. Thank you all for your loyalty and incredible support. It means the world to us, especially at a time like this.”

You’ve gotta have hope, mustn’t sit around and mope Nothin’ half as bad as it may appear Wait’ll next year and hope.

(Damn Yankees) In an October 9, 2020 article for National Geographic, Esther Mobley describes the fire destruction in California’s famous Napa and Sonoma valleys: “First, in August, came a lightning siege that sparked fires throughout the state. One of the lightning strikes touched down in Napa. The resulting fire would ultimately grow to over 360,000 acres… Then, in late September, a separate blaze known as the Glass Fire erupted in Napa Valley. It would soon become the most destructive wildfire in the history of this valley.” Esther goes on to say, “Despite the

The Wine Spot

Hope for the California Wine Industry

by Dave Slayton

a member of the Master Court of Sommeliers

It is my sincere hope that when the winter rains come there will be no mudslides to worsen this bad situation. Keep in mind the following line spoken by Andy Dufresne, a fictional character in The Shawshank Redemption: “Hope is a good thing maybe even the best of things and good things never die.”

Let’s toast to Hope. Cheers!

Page 10 December 2020

December Calendar Abbreviation Key

• AU=Averett University, 434.791.5600 www.averett.edu • DMFAH=Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History, 975 Main St. 434.793.5644 www.danvillemuseum.org • DSC=Danville Science Center, 677 Craghead St. 434.791.5160 www.dsc.smv.org • PA=Piedmont Arts, 215 Starling Ave, Martinsville 276.632.3221 www.PiedmontArts.org • The Prizery=700 Bruce St., South Boston, 434.572.8339, www.prizery.com Brosville Library: 11948 Martinsville Highway www.pcplib.org 434.685.1285 Danville Public Library: 511 Patton St. readdanvilleva.org 434.799.5195 DPL Westover Branch: 94 Clifton St. www.readdanvilleva.org 434.799.5152 Gretna Library: 207 A Coffey Street, www.pcplib.org 434.656.2579 Gunn Memorial, Caswell County Public Library: 161 Main Street East, Yanceyville, NC www.caswellcounty.gov/library 336.694.6241 Halifax County Public Library: 177 South Main St. halifaxcountylibrary.org 434.476.3357 History Research Center and Library: 340 Whitehead St,, Chatham www.pcplib.org 434.432.8931 Mt. Hermon Library: 4058 Franklin Turnpike www.pcplib.org 434.835.0326 Pittsylvania County Public Main Library: 24 Military Drive, Chatham www.pcplib.org 434.432.3271 South Boston Public Library: 509 Broad St. 434.5575.4228 www.halifaxcountylibrary.org

Camilla Williams Exhibit: Exhibit features her opera costumes including Madame Butterfly. DMFAH Danville Civil Rights Exhibition: The Movement on permanent display. DMFAH DSC: Learn about “Water”--its chemical makeup, the power it can generate, and the ecology of the Dan River. “Go!” highlights the intersection between the physics of machines and the biology of the human body. The J.T.-Minnie Maude Charitable Trust Creativity Lab is a makerspace offering hands-on access to craft and design tools.

December 1 (thru 29)

A Stitch in Time: a yarn art class on Tuesdays 10-11:30am knitting & crocheting, $5 DMFAH

December 1 (thru March 28)

David Douglas Shadow of Place Art Exhibit: Working at the intersection of drawing, painting and photography, Douglas creates largescale works that explore the power of place. 536 Craghead Street Gallery.

Open Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays noon-8pm; Sundays noon-5pm. www.danvillemuseum.org

December 1

WE Read: The Art of Gathering

by Priya Parker WE Read provides access to an informal environment that fosters conversations about substantive books that can inspire, develop and empower women in business. noon-1pm Zoom $20 Register at dpchamber.org

Ongoing

Danville Master Gardeners will answer inquiries about gardening, lawns and landscaping on Mondays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 434.799.6558 danvillemastergardeners@gmail.com.

Guided Walking Tours: Millionaires Row, Holbrook Street and Tobacco Warehouse District.

434.770.1974 www.danvillehistory.org DMFAH: self-guided audio tours

December 1 (thru 15)

Box of Hope: Purchase a $5 Box at any of the six Food Lions in Danville to help provide meals for neighbors in need. Food boxes are donated to God’s Storehouse

The deadline for submitting information for the January calendar is Friday, December 18, at 5:00 p.m. Please send just the basic information following the format on these pages to joycewilburn@gmail.com.

December 2 (thru 16)

Holiday Hobbies: Create a craft on Wednesdays. DPL free 5:306:30pm

December 3 (thru 24)

A Stitch in Time: a yarn art class on Thursdays 10-11:30am knitting & crocheting, $5 DMFAH

December 3

Life Drawing Class: DMFAH 6:309pm $20/$25 Registration required. info@danvillemuseum.org

December 5

Luminaria Trail Walk: Walk begins at the Main Street Plaza and ends at the Community Market trailhead. 6-8pm free 434.793.4636

December 6

Holiday Open Studio: 2-5pm, crafts and art available for purchase DMFAH/Swanson Studio:

December 7 (thru 21)

Festive Family Fun Nights: Make a holiday craft. Mondays free 5-7pm DPL

December 7 (thru 28)

Ballou Virtual Bingo: Mondays free 2pm cards are provided from Ballou Recreation Center. Prizes are mailed. 434.799.5216.

December 2020

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

December 14 & 15

DMFAH Free Admission

December 16

Veronica Jackson Artist Presentation - Exhibition Narratives: That’s Pop’s Money and other Tales of Invisibility, DMFAH 1-3pm join by Zoom info@ danvillemuseum.org or 434.793.5644

December 19

Cars & Coffee: See classic cars, sports cars, muscle cars, and more in the parking lot at Crema & Vine, 1009 Main St. Danville 9-10:30am 434.548.9862

December 26

DMFAH Attic Sale Drop-Off: davidc522@comcast.net

December 29

New Year New You - Vision Boards: Use the art of collage to create a vision board for 2021. Ages 8+ free DPL

December 31

Happy New Year!

We’re

December 8 (thru 22)

Holiday Stories for the Family: Tuesdays 5-5:30pm DPL

December 8

Bark the Halls: Walk through the festive lights with your pup. Ballou Park 6-8pm free 434.793.4636

December 9 (thru 25)

Community Holiday Light Show: Ballou Park 6-9pm Closed on Christmas Eve. $10 cars/$20 vans/ mini-buses 434.793.4636

December 12

DSO Christmas Concert: Each section of the Danville Symphony Orchestra, Strings/Woodwinds/Brass/ Percussion, will perform separate pieces. Tabernacle on Rt. 58 in Danville 7:30pm Tickets are free and can be ordered at dansymorch@ gmail.com or 434.797.2666.

Seating limited to 250. This will be a chance to get a closer look at each section of the orchestra and a great performance for kids. The concert will be about one hour in length. Social distancing will be observed. www. danvillesymphony.net Yoga in Your Living Room: Free 45-minute class on Zoom. 9am 434.799.5150

on Danville!

Donna Gibson Owner

HOLLEY & GIBSON REALTY COMPANY

339 Piney Forest Rd., Danville, VA 24540

Office: (434) 791-2400 Fax: (434) 791-2122 Visit our website at

www.holleyandgibsonrealty.com

Evince Magazine Page 11

Book Clubbing review by Diane Adkins

Healing the Heart of Democracy

by Parker Palmer

Few would deny that the United States is a deeply divided country. The stress that division causes is reflected in every news broadcast and social media feed. Many of us have made a conscious choice to step away from the fray in the interests of mental health.

That is not a solution to division, however, nor does it further the flourishing of democracy that depends on a robust exchange of ideas.

Some days the situation seems hopeless. It is into that space that Parker Palmer’s book comes, showing us a way forward.

Palmer starts with Terry Tempest William’s statement that “the human heart is the first home of democracy…. Can we be equitable? Can we be generous?” Palmer believes that we must find ways to bridge our differences so that we can work for the common good that democracy depends upon. In order to do that, he believes we need to focus on five habits of the heart that make democracy possible: an understanding that we are all in this together; an appreciation of the value of otherness; an ability to hold tension in life-giving ways; a sense of personal voice and agency; a capacity to create community.

Often when “we the people” talk about politics, we talk about them. When we talk about people who are not in the room, we don’t go far. We need instead to talk about us, cultivating lines of civil discourse across our places of difference. It is in this way that we reweave and rebuild the civic community. We encounter conflicting ideas and listen to each other, finding points upon which we agree. That starts to rebuild our notion of the common good, one that is damaged by watching cable news and doomscrolling through social media. The infrastructure of democracy, in Palmer’s view, is first rebuilt locally, listening to and talking with our neighbors, families, friends, colleagues, and those with whom we share interests. This infrastructure is in disrepair.

You may visit places where you encounter people whose lives have been significantly different from your own. If not, find that place. This edition of Palmer’s book includes a discussion guide and suggestions for creating the type of safe space where we can have these conversations. Instead of shouting at each other, we need to listen to each other and find what we have in common.

Can we be equitable? Can we be generous? There is more to it than that, of course, but reading this book may help germinate the seeds of hope in your life. It’s a good time to start Diane S. Adkins is a retired Director of Pittsylvania County Library System.

Page 12 December 2020

T

Hope is the power that gives a person the confidence to step out and try.

-- Zig Ziglar

his has been a difficult year.

However, we are a resilient

species. We draw strength from the hope that the umbrella of COVID will close, that this state of constant tension we are in will ease.

Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering, “It will be happier.”

-- Alfred Lord Tennyson

I think hope resides in quotations; they’re a source of strength. Perhaps one of these will resonate with you: Hope is the only thing stronger than fear.

-- Robert Ludlum When the world says, “Give up,” Hope whispers, “Try it one more time.”

-- Unknown Hope, the best comfort of our imperfect condition.

-- Edward Gibbon I am prepared for the worse, but hope for the best.

-- Benjamin Disraeli Hope for the best, expect the worst, life is a play, we’re unrehearsed.

-- Mel Brooks The best bridge between despair and hope is a good night’s sleep.

-- E. J. Cossman

Reflecting Forward Choose Hope

by Linda Lemery The natural flights of the human mind are not from pleasure to pleasure, but from hope to hope.

-- Samuel Johnson Where there is no hope, it is incumbent on us to invent it.

-- Albert Camus Once you choose hope, anything’s possible.

-- Christopher Reeve

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.

-- Albert Einstein Let your hopes, not your hurts, shape your future.

-- Robert H. Schuller Never hope for it more than you work for it.

-- Rita Mae Brown Hope is passion for what is possible.

-- Soren Kierkegaard

The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something.

Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.

-- Barack Obama May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.

-- Nelson Mandela Choose hope. -- Unattributed In this holiday season of thankfulness and grace, let’s celebrate our growth and learning over the past year. For next year, I choose hope as the framework for my actions. Readers, what do you choose?

About the Author: Linda Lemery llemery@averett.edu wishes readers the happiest holiday ever.

Evince Magazine Page 13

Roasted Vegetables with Feta

by Annelle Williams

This holiday season is like none other in my lifetime. Fortunately, there is great hope that vaccines will soon protect us and by this time next year our traditional holidays will return.

This year, we’ll celebrate a bit quieter in smaller groups but with no less enthusiasm. My new favorite thing for the Christmas table will be roasted vegetables. Roasting makes just about any vegetable delicious and acceptable to the younger ones at the table. You can roast a single vegetable or a combination. Sometimes I use only olive oil, salt and pepper. I’ve added cumin and lemon to this recipe. This combination is delicious with chicken or turkey. There are so many choices: Italian herbs, Southwest flavors, a little heat with chili flakes or cayenne. You can also use an infused olive oil. Have fun with your vegetables during the holidays.

Roasted Vegetables with Feta (All these amounts can be changed—this is just what I used today) 1 small head of broccoli, cut into small florets 1 bunch asparagus, with ends trimmed 1 medium red onion cut into wedges 8 oz. French style green beans 1 red pepper, seeded and cut into half-inch slices

1 pint red cherry tomatoes zest of one lemon, then cut lemon into thin slices 3 T olive oil 1 tsp. cumin 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper 1 T chopped fresh thyme 1 cup feta cheese crumbles

Heat oven to 400°. Prepare a sheet pan by lining it with foil (makes cleanup much easier). Combine vegetables in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables. Sprinkle cumin, salt, pepper and lemon zest over the vegetables. Toss with tongs to evenly mix and coat all vegetables. Pour vegetables onto sheet pan and spread out evenly. Add lemon slices and chopped thyme. Roast for 20 minutes, mixing with tongs after 10 minutes. Remove from oven and spread the feta cheese evenly over vegetables.

Questions or comments?

Email me: AnnelleWilliams@comcast.net I look forward to hearing from you!

Page 14 December 2020

Photo Finish Justin Ferrell and Bryant Hood were the visionaries who volunteered to organize TEDxDanville. On November 10 approximately fifty people heard the TED-like talks at a black box theatre on Lynn Street. (TED is an acronym for Technology, Entertainment, Design.) Just like TED events, the presentations had no commercial, religious or political agenda. The goal of TEDxDanville was to spark conversation, connection and community. For more information, visit www.TED.com.

Connor Hudson greets Justin and Emma Oakes at the entrance to the event.

Kim and Dan Hayes were excited to be in the audience for the presentations.

Photos by Elisha Stroud of Von Wellington Photography

Curtia Guthrie and Zydasia Swift wait outside before the program begins.

Jessica Edwards and Keisha Averett welcome guests.

Madelyn and Mary Kent arrive early to hear “Milltown Without a Mill.”

The line formed quickly inside 319 Lynn Street.

Christy Harper proudly displays the Greek letter Delta with her fingers in honor of her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta.

Evince Magazine Page  15 Von Wellington makes last minute preparations for videoing the presentations.

Brenda David, Aminah McCree, and Petrina Carter socialize before the event.

Antoinette Venable and Rosalind Scott from Schenita’s Catering make sure everyone enjoys refreshments.

Briana Bill displays her art work before the program begins.

City Councilman Bryant Hood is flanked by Sheriff Mike Mondul and Mary Mondul.

Diana Schwartz, Executive Director of the River District Association, discusses the importance of a vibrant downtown area.

Cheryl Sutherlin of Main Street Art Collective shows Ann Sylves some of the items available.

Warrick Scott, CEO and Founder of The Wendell Scott Foundation, explains the work being done for at-risk children.

Corrie Teague Bobe, Director of Economic Development, speaks on the inevitability of change.

Page  Page 16 16December December 2020 2020