Evince Magazine April 2017

Evince Magazine Page 1

Calendar Clips

Historic Garden Week Tour Page 13

Creating Something for Your Garden– Even if It Doesn’t Grow See Page 3

Editor’s Note

Photo by Michelle Dalton Photography

Page 2 April 2017

Kennedy Fowler pictured on the cover is probably one of our cutest cover girls ever. Equally as pretty are the watering cans that surround her—the creations of a very resourceful Sheryl Craig. Read “Creating Something for Your Garden, Even if It Doesn’t Grow” on page 3 and learn how this Danvillian’s functional works of art made national news. Another expert on resourcefulness, Carla Minosh, continues her series, “Renovation Reality” on page 7. She is proficient in turning someone else’s trash into treasure. Of course, the very clever Kristi Hall always finds new uses for ordinary objects and writes about them in “DIY Do or Don’t.” See page 20 for this month’s idea.

Knowing how to deal skillfully with a difficult situation is a hallmark of being resourceful.

Some winemakers have done that with wonderful results. Read “Resourceful Italian Wine Makers Make Amarone” by Dave Slayton on page 18. Evince cooking expert, Annelle Williams, tells readers how to make an easy dessert that looks and tastes like it was labor intensive. How ingenious! See page 21. If you feel like you’re not very resourceful, read “Try One More Time” by Carollyn Peerman on page 16. She won’t let you give up. Carollyn is a good resource for inspiration.

Of course, there’s more including our regular features. Just select your favorite article from the table of contents, grab something to sip, find an easy chair, sit back and enjoy this issue of Evince, The Voice of Resourcefulness.

April Contents

2 Editor’s Note 3

THE

Sheryl Craig Creating Something for Your Garden– Even if It Doesn’t Grow

by Joyce Wilburn

CEO / Publisher Andrew Scott Brooks President Director of Sales & Marketing Larry Oldham (434.728.3713) larry@evincemagazine.com

4 She Said He Said

To Sleep or Not to Sleep?

by Dena Hill & Larry Oldham

Editor Joyce Wilburn (434.799.3160) joycewilburn@gmail.com

5 The Voice of Readers

Associate Editors Jeanette Taylor Larry Wilburn

7 Renovation Reality / Part 13

by Carla Minosh 8 Spotting Exceptional Customer Service

by Kim Clifton

Contributing Writers

Larry Aaron, Diane Adkins, Brigid Belko, Kim Clifton, Alisa Davis, Ina Dixon, Adam Goebel, Bonnie Hale, Kristi Hall, Dena Hill, Telisha Moore Leigg, Erica Lowdermilk, Carla Minosh, Larry Oldham, Carollyn Lee Peerman, Rachel Shaw, Dave Slayton, Jay Stephens, Kate Stokely-Powell, Lisa Tuite, Melanie Vaughan, Joyce Wilburn, Larry Wilburn, Annelle Williams, Mack Williams

9 Second Thoughts

I Give Up

by Kim Clifton 10 All the Waters of Rome / Fiction

by Telisha Moore Leigg

Business Manager Paul Seiple(1.877.638.8685) paul@evincemagazine.com

11 What’s Happening in the Public Libraries 12 Calendar Clips

Marketing Consultants Kim Demont (434.792.0612) demontdesign@verizon.net Lee Vogler (434.548.5335) lee@showcasemagazine.com

14 Calendar 16 Try One More Time

by Carollyn Lee Peerman

Art & Production Director Demont Design (Kim Demont)

17 Book Clubbing

The Wangs vs.The World by Jade Chang

a review by Diane Adkins

evince\i-’vin(t)s\ 1: to constitute outward evidence of 2: to display clearly: reveal syn see SHOW

18 Entertaining an Earthly Angel with an Old Soul

by Mack Williams

Wine Spot

Resourceful Italian Wine Makers Make Amarone

by Dave Slayton

Deadline for submission of May stories, articles, and ads is Sunday, April 23, at 5:00 p.m.

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

20 DIY: Do or Don’t?

Succulent Garden

by Kristi Hall

Reflecting Forward

by Linda Lemery

For ad information contact a marketing consultant or the Director of Sales & Marketing listed above.

Editorial Policies:

21 Around the Table

Short & Sweet

by Annelle Williams

Don’t Forget to Pick Up the April Edition of Showcase Magazine

22 Photo Finish

On the Cover:

Photo of Kennedy Fowler by Michelle Dalton Photographer

OICE OF RESOURCEFULNESS

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.

Featuring the

SPONSORED BY

First Responders Issue

Meet Some of Our Contributors

EVINCE MAGAZINE 753 Main St. Suite 3, Danville, VA 24541 www.evincemagazine.com © 2017 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: 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.

Alisa Davis is Director of Reid Street Gallery in Chatham, and Publicity Chairman for Chatham Garden Club, Chatham Rotary Club, and Chatham First.

Bonnie Hale is co-owner of Brewed Awakening and coordinator of the shop’s annual Spring Book Festival.

Lisa Tuite is the Director of Pittsylvania County Public Library.

She loves bringing info, entertainment, learning and services to Evince readers.

Diane S. Adkins is the retired Director of Pittsylvania County Public Libraries.

We now accept Visa, MC, and Discover for ad payments

For subscriptions to Evince, email cindy@showcasemagazine.com

Evince Magazine Page 3

F

or Sheryl Craig, a watering

can is so much more than

a portable container for irrigating plants. In fact, with the Danvillian’s talented touch, these boring, utilitarian, metal or plastic vessels are magically transformed into functional works of art that are so impressive and eye-catching one was featured in O, The Oprah Magazine last June.

Sheryl’s journey to becoming an artist whose work was pictured in Oprah’s list of “a few things we think are just great” began decades ago.

The Alabama native moved to Danville when her dad, Conwell Anderson, became president of Averett in 1966. “I was a senior in high school and the move was traumatic for me. I made friends quickly though, because my dad gave me a yellow Mustang!” she jokes, adding that he felt bad about uprooting her at a pivotal point in her academic life. After graduating from Averett with a degree in social work, Sheryl stayed in that field for a decade and then she and her husband opened a retail clothing store for women in Durham. “I’m not good at sales,” she admits, “but the store stayed open for ten long years”—with an emphasis on long. During that time, she realized that retail wasn’t her strength, but she also discovered that creating something that could be sold wholesale might be the perfect plan. That’s when her mom entered the picture.

Photo by Michelle Dalton Photography.

Sheryl Craig shows her watering cans to Kennedy Fowler, 3-year-old daughter of Ashley Fowler.

“My mother gave me a decorated watering can she had bought from a store in Wisconsin,” she says. At that moment, inspiration struck.

Using cans, scissors, wrapping paper, glue, and plastic resin, she began to create decoupaged watering cans in her home. “I work all over the house,” she says, referring to her residence near Averett University, “but there is one room used exclusively for where I put the plastic resin on them and it slowly drips and hardens.

I keep that part of the process confined because that stuff is a mess.” When the coating and drying are finished, the watertight cans are signed, dated and shipped out.

Through a network of friends and acquaintances, Sheryl supplies boutiques in Chicago,

Sheryl Craig Creating Something for Your Garden – Even if It Doesn’t Grow

by Joyce Wilburn Florida, California, North Carolina, New York City and of course, Danville, Virginia. One of those cans at the Gramercy Park Flower Shop in New York City’s Plaza Hotel caught the eye of Oprah’s staff and eventually led to recognition in the national publication. Sheryl doesn’t have an accurate account of how many cans have been shipped from her home business, but estimates that it’s in the thousands. They are great gifts because recipients probably don’t have such a unique

item. “Gramercy has told me that tourists buy them, pack them in their suitcases, and carry them home all over the world; the store in Naples, Florida has sold thousands,” she continues.

Asked if she ever uses one in her own garden, she thinks about her cat who either eats plants or digs them up and replies, “I use one to put water in the bird bath,” and then laughs at the mention of another use for a watering can that doubles as a work of art. Like Oprah said and

Sheryl will confirm, “It makes for great décor even if your garden doesn’t grow.”

• Watering cans by Sheryl Craig Designs are available at Foxglove Clothing of Danville, 1011 West Main Street. Look for her cans on the Historic Garden Week Tour in the home on Linden Drive and in the home on Shoreham Drive.

See page 13.

• For more information, email sherylcraig49@gmail.com.

Page 4 April 2017

SHE SAID

by Dena Hill

To Sleep or Not to Sleep?

You know I don’t ever complain about what you do or don’t do or your little idiosyncrasies that would drive most sane women to drink.

The main reason for that is that it doesn’t do any good so why waste my breath? At your age, habits are set in stone and I’ve accepted it.

Like your mother says, “He’s going to do what he’s going to do, no matter what.” I concur. That’s the reason I never confront you directly.

However, there is a situation that has arisen, so I want to just bring it out in the open.

I try to do the best job I can both at home and at work.

I stay out of your way and you always stay out of mine, especially when I mow the grass, or vacuum, dust, and cook.

on crumpled sheets and waddedup blankets if I would let you. I am just suggesting, Mr. Sleepyhead, that you rise earlier and don’t make me late for work or someone might have to start sleeping on the couch.

HE SAID

by Larry Oldham When I married you, I thought I was marrying a school marm, not a cleaning lady. I am not going to debate the merits of making the bed each day or leaving the bed just like it is when we get out of it. I can’t win that argument, so I won’t even try. Out of the six years we have been married, how many times have I stayed in the bed and you had to ask me to get up so you could make it? As far as my volunteering to make the bed, being the gentleman that I am, normally that would not be a problem. But I have learned my lesson many times, for example….do you remember when I got up in the middle of the night for a drink of water and when I came back in the bedroom, my half of the bed was made up? Even your children have said they could never please you when it came to making beds. Now, I could make the bed but it wouldn’t win any awards and probably not measure up to the standards of the Westin staff or you, so why bother?

She said He Said

I am also diligent about getting to work on time because I have regulated hours and I, being a responsible human being, always attempt to meet my obligations.

One recent morning you stayed in bed just a little bit longer than you usually do, preventing me from making the bed. I felt bad asking you to get up so I could make it.

There are some men who would have said, “Don’t worry about it honey, I’ll make the bed when I get up.” Did you do that? Nope, you sort of copped an attitude and started your routine with, “Why make it up in the morning? We are just going to mess it up tonight.”

You know that doesn’t set well with me. I want to come home to a freshly made bed so I can turn back the covers and crawl into a welcoming comfort zone. You, on the other hand, would just sleep

The benefit, as I see it, of sleeping on the couch, is that I don’t have to make up the couch. I just remove the comforter to the closet and get ready for work. The second benefit would be that I could sleep as long as I wanted without being awakened by the hair dryer or all that shuffling around in the drawers and opening and closing of doors. Let me think about it as I weigh my options to sleep in or not sleep in.

He Said / She Said can be found in Showcase Magazine.

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The Voice of Readers To the editor: The March Evince is absolutely fabulous. I cannot tell you what a kick I have had working on this story, “Canadian Finds Gibson Girl Connection in Danville,” anticipating it and now seeing it in print (page 14). It is just such fun! Thank you for making my beautiful and loving forever child a cover girl.

Just heading home now from a trip to Vietnam and Cambodia and will definitely be back in Danville very soon.

All the best, Kathy Ramsay Thank you for working with us to make this such a great story. I know it’s not easy to get a cat to pose for a picture, even if she is a Gibson Girl.

To the editor: Just wanted to take a moment to thank you for plugging our book, If, (March “Calendar Clips” page 16).

We had a great turnout for the book signing and I am sure your article will help to spur future sales.

Again thanks for your help.

Mike Bennington We are looking forward to reading the second book in the trilogy.

Keep us updated.

To the editor: Just a note of congratulations on your continuing creative expression through Evince. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the most recent copy. In many ways, but especially through your writers and subjects-especially people, you truly capture the special spirit and soul of what makes Danville special. You tap into the creativity of the community giving voice to all.

Brava! Guz Hoffman Thank you for taking the time to write. Your words are very much appreciated.

To the editor: For many years I have looked forward to reading Kim Clifton’s column because of the humorous and self-deprecating manner in which she relates her escapades.

February’s column (“Second Thoughts: Thanks for the Memories”) was a most moving tribute to her father-in-law as she shared her sadness and pain at his loss. At the same time I could feel her joy and appreciation for this man who meant so much to her in life. This was her finest writing and any would-be writer should read this piece to learn how it’s done.

Thanks Kim. Larry Wilburn I thank you for your kind words.

My hope has always been that each column will find a common ground with our readers. I am most grateful when I’m told it has and I appreciate your taking the time to send this letter to the editor. Kim

Letters must contain the writer’s name, address and phone number. Letters may be edited for space or style. Submission constitutes permission to use.

Tell us what you think.

Email your comments to joycewilburn@gmail.com or send mail to Evince Editor, 753 Main Sreet, Suite 3, Danville, VA 24541.

If you missed any of the stories mentioned, they are still available at www.evincemagazine.com.

Page  6 April 2017

Evince Magazine Page 7 conversation throughout to take our minds off the cold. It sounded something like this:

We’re

“Red square. So what did you do then? White triangle.”

“I pretended I knew what she was talking about and just nodded my head…”

“Cream triangle.” “…hoping I would figure it out quickly”

Renovation Reality Part 13

“Football shape and another white triangle.” “and suddenly I realized that she thought I was Trish!”

by Carla Minosh Unlike shows on HGTV where home renovations are completed within 30-60 minutes, the Victorian house at the corner of Chestnut Place and Main Street in Danville has been under a transformation for 16 years. This series that began in April 2016 explores the truth of home renewal from someone who has been there and done that. If you missed any of the installments, visit www.evincemagazine.com.

In the March Evince, Carla described the creation of a master bath. Here is more about that adventure.

I

scanned eBay for sinks, faucets, toilets, and such.

Surely there were deals to be found and we could save money by buying someone else’s mistake. An ancient copper sky light from a warehouse in Massachusetts caught my eye and for $50 it was mine.

We also purchased the entire span of a Gothic balcony from a de-commissioned church in Pittsburgh. As a bonus, we received the quarter-sawn oak wainscoting on the backside of the balcony. We intended to use the Gothic face of the balcony in the library one day, but perhaps we could use this wainscoting for the bathroom.

All of these bits and pieces we were collecting started to come together into a cohesive idea.

As the ceiling was being pulled down, the contractor discovered that a second plaster ceiling had been installed over the original one. It was just another curiosity of the evolution of our home until I was handed a chunk of plaster from the original ceiling. It was a

keepsake beyond imagining-the signature of the first owner, E.H. Miller, followed by 1886, the date when the addition was constructed.

To decide the finishes for the new master bath, Tom drew various geometric tile floor designs in black, white, and grey. Once he got the pattern just right, a trip to the local marble supply warehouse brought us enough color choices to work within the tonality needed to pull off the pattern. Five dominant colors emerged: black, white, brown, red, and cream. A dark green accent piece provided that almost-black-but-not-quite tone.

Once the space was roughed out and the sub-floor laid, we ran into our first obstacle. The floor had been laid two inches too low, so that there would ultimately be a two-inch trip hazard at the threshold. A second floor, two inches high, was then constructed on top of the first, and thus continued the now fully-established pattern of doing everything twice.

The delay gave Tom time to cut the marble. Using standard 12x12 inch squares of marble, he cut smaller squares, large, medium, and small triangles and “footballs” of the colors we needed. It was now time to lay some tile. In January! In an unheated room! The joy and excitement of the prospect was almost overwhelming. I became the official mud girl and mixed load after load of cement. My job was to prepare each piece as it was called out, slap mortar on the rear, level it with the notched trowel and hand it to Tom as he then called out for the next piece.

We carried on a steady

And so it went for chilling hour after hour. I looked at the sunken bathtub covered in plastic that promised a future of hot baths. The heater attached to the jets would warm the water and ease my aches and pains, but on this day, my sore muscles could only clench in resentment that they wouldn’t enjoy that bathtub for many months to come.

(to be continued)

on Danville!

Janet Donna Holley • Gibson Owner 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.eraholleyandgibson.com WE’RE SELLING HOUSESSM

Page 8 April 2017

Spotting Exceptional Customer Service

by Kim Clifton

When the unthinkable happens, you need someone who can. While it’s definitely not the kind of business we like to talk about, it’s one that we can’t do without. When my father-in-law prearranged his funeral ten years ago, he tried to make as many decisions as he could so that we wouldn’t be burdened. When the time came to re-open his file, Laten Ford of Wrenn-Yeatts Funeral Home, 703 North Main Street, Danville, Virginia, made certain that we never were.

It takes a special combination of professionalism and compassion to do this kind of work. Laten Ford has both. He knew when to talk and he knew when to listen. He knew what we needed before we did. Not only did he take care of our family, he brought honor to it by ensuring that the memorial service was flawless.

Even though Laten is a funeral services intern studying to earn his license, his skills are that of a seasoned veteran and he represents Wrenn-Yeatts well.

It’s hard to imagine what would draw someone to a career where there is so much sadness, but we were fortunate that Laten was. At a time when our world fell apart, he was there to put it back together again. For these reasons, I nominate him for the Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Award.

Evince and the Danville Pittsylvania County 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 but that’s really sticking your neck out. If I gave up anything, the hardest would be my iPad. I’m never without out it. I like it better than my phone because it has a larger screen and it doesn’t ring. That means I can spend hours playing my favorite games without interruption.

I’m so self-absorbed that it needs a different name to describe my relationship with it.

I guess MePad, though, would sound a little too Tarzan.

Second Thoughts

by Kim Clifton ©2017

I Give Up It is the season of Lent. For believers like me, it is a time of personal preparation for Easter.

It is a holy time of reverence and repentance. It is forty weekdays of self-discipline and very often forty weekdays of self-denial.

Without intending disrespect, Lent is often reduced to forty days of “giving something up.”

It can’t just be anything. It has to be something you really enjoy. It has to be something you would consider a major sacrifice to live without. It has to be something so important to you that a virtual hole will be left by its absence. Those who practice have lots of different ways to accomplish it.

Some people give up chocolate which is practically unthinkable.

Chocolate is more than a treat.

It’s a staple. Forty days without a candy bar would be a mighty long stretch for me. Forget the little yellow marshmallow peeps on Easter Sunday...I’d

take to the streets looking for Mr. Goodbar. Some people give up a daily libation which is not without its merits. At the end of a tough day, however, sipping on ice water instead of firewater would definitely be an adjustment. So, praise to those who do and still have happy hours without it.

Some people give up smoking which is really big. If you’re a smoker, you know it’s an understatement to say it’s a drag not to be able to take one. It’s not just torture; it’s a double whammy. It means causing unimaginable stress by giving up the only thing that relieves it. Some people give up Facebook which may be easiest for me since the stuff I’m seeing looks more appropriate for National Geographic than social media.

An eagle hatching eggs is about all that I can handle. I’ve tried to avoid the zoo webcam pointed at a pregnant giraffe.

I’m in favor of the circle of life,

choices. We would truly see a kinder and gentler nation.

I pause to think that someone gave His life for me and the best sacrifice I can manage is to give up all of mine in a game of Angry Birds. At the end of these days, Easter is really more than doing without. It’s a promise that when this world is over, a greater one awaits. It’s a promise of forever... one that is given to us and not just lent.

But of all the sacrifices people make during Lent, there’s one that I think is the neatest. It’s a different kind of self-denial that transforms penitence into personal growth. Some are giving up habits they enjoy more than food or drink. Some are giving up gossip and replacing it with grace. Some are giving up fear and replacing it with faith. Some are giving up griping for gratitude and crassness for kindness.

However Lent is approached, it is a season that can be for all regardless of faith and affiliations. Imagine if everyone endeavored to make a fresh start and amends for bad

We’re growing - Limited classes and events this month!

WEEKLY IN APRIL

Gentle Yoga with Lorrie Laming

Mondays 5:30 - Begin your week with a gentle yoga practice designed to relax and restore.

Tai Chi with Wynona Witcher Tuesdays 10:00 - $10 per person

Weekly classes subject to change please contact us for updated information.

APRIL

Speaker - Bill Leuchtenburg will discuss his book: The White House Looks South Friday, April 14- 6-8pm

William E. Leuchtenburg, is the William Rand Kenan, Jr. Professor Emeritus of History at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

The White House Looks South— Perhaps not southerners in the usual sense, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, and Lyndon B. Johnson each demonstrated a political style and philosophy that helped them influence the South and unite the country in ways that few other presidents have. Combining vivid biography and political insight, William E. Leuchtenburg offers an engaging account of relations between these three presidents and the South while also tracing how the region came to embrace a national perspective without losing its distinctive sense of place.

Co-hosted by: Danville Historical Society and Pittsylvania County Historical Society Visit www.reidstreetgallery.com for more information on this event.

Featured Artist

Berenda Brokaw

I paint because of color and find it interesting and challenging to attempt to capture on canvas the ever changing patterns, shapes, colors, and values found in a landscape. I especially enjoy painting dappled light and finding the myriad of colors that can be seen in it. Painting landscapes has given me a greater appreciation of the gift God’s great creation.

I am constantly reading and studying works of the Impressionists, primarily Sisley, Pissarro, and works of the lesser known Americans, George Stengel and Walter Baum. I continue to experiment and hone my style.

24 Reid Street Chatham, VA 434.203.8062 reidstreetgallery.com FB Reid Street Gallery

Follow us on Facebook and check out our website for more events and information…..www.ReidStreetGallery.com

Page 10 April 2017 “The lucky go quickly, AnnaMargaret. We unlucky ones die strangers to our hearts. We move when we should rest, hover when we should flee; we’re unlucky, unliving but not dead, still here but already gone.”

All the Waters of Rome fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg

Dr. Bartholomew Corinth classics professor, father of Anna Margaret (aka Mandy Blue Eyes)

W

hen I was still 15 just

barely, on the last Tuesday in May, the college

semester had ended. Papa was finally free for the summer, and he came to see me at home unexpectedly. He had a surprise for me, he said. But first, Papa picked up the tea, iced and sweet, that Mother had left on the iron-porch table for us. Papa didn’t particularly like iced tea and certainly not sweet tea.

But Mother did. And since the divorce she could drink it now, anytime she wanted. And she knew my father. He would never ask her to change it. He would drink it stoically.

Of course, Papa meant it sarcastically when he said the proverb in the original medieval Latin from memory, “si fueris Romae...” or something like that only longer. Of course, he expected me to know what he had said, even lifted his glass of sweet tea to the Boris, North Carolina heavens in mock salute, then leaned to me conspiratorially smiling.

And I was my father’s girl. I was a classical studies professor’s child, so I did know his “when in Rome...” In fact, I knew almost any proverb he had ever told me. I knew the translation, not the meaning, not the nuance of philosophies and sea-hearts clashing. At 15 almost 16, I learned whatever Papa would teach me because I loved him.

Mother never contested my father’s visitation rights, never kept me from him, never objected to his barely speaking to her but sitting on her new husband’s front porch. Papa would not come inside or take me away from the house.

Instead, he sat there, looking at her living room lace curtains with longing, telling me stories.

Looking at the upscale vinyl sills and double-panes of those highenergy-efficient windows, he told me of a foolish woman who became a spider for pride, then of men who lost their minds to the gods’ envy. But as that lace

curtain never wavered, he ducked his head, told me the stories of the Fates and how they measured and cut the lives of men. Sitting on another man’s porch, drinking his tea, longing for his wife, my father haunted me with heroism, the pageantry of myths, and I swallowed it down like ambrosia, unaware.

Even I knew the marriage had been sudden, Mother and Harold’s. Mother, at 39, had remarried in a blaze to the kind owner of a medium-to-large sized Honda dealership. It was sudden, and if she wasn’t happy, she was at least financially comfortable.

Comfort was not the same, she said, but you can’t make a heart love if it will not. I never thought to ask her if she meant Papa or Harold or herself. All I knew was that she now grew the gardenias Papa couldn’t abide. Lots of them.

Of course, it was never Rome where Papa and I were going.

It was Ireland, south of Dublin, a pretty university, long on history and short on pay, Mother speculated. Papa’s surprise, specifically a fellowship at a small university in Ireland, with

a saint’s name, was more than even my mother could give me.

Her new husband was affluent, but he couldn’t get me “in.” And Mother always wanted to be “in,” so, of course, she wanted me in too. And I could take classes there. This was an opportunity for me even though I was so young, still Mother fretted. But with the cultural experience alone and my father guiding me, she wavered. I would gain polish with a father’s protection. In her new kitchen, between African marble countertops and stainless steel, Mother worried, released concern.

Even with all that, Mother didn’t want me to go, but she couldn’t hold me. Inside she knew if there was a contest between her and my father, she could never win. All Papa had to do was ask.

I think it would have been easier if Harold had been a bad man, but he wasn’t. He liked Mama just fine, put her in a five-bedroom brick house on the incline of a hill in a nice area of Boris, North Carolina, with sidewalks, mature landscaping, and a family history. He was kind to me; he gave me nice things, and I had no complaints. Of course,

Harold tried to talk to Papa. Big, raw-boned, always laughing, Christian in a loose-jointed, blessed kind of way, he didn’t understand my father’s gods, my father’s inside classical jibes, but he did understand what was past was past. Opening doors for her, the smoothing of her cheek, a compliment to the meatloaf Papa had barely tasted—I remember thinking even as a child that Harold loved Mother better. I think Papa saw it too in Harold’s casually draped arm over Mother’s shoulder.

Thinking back, I realize now that Papa was a man who couldn’t bear to be unhappy, not for very long. It was not in his nature.

And I think now, looking back, at his twisting hands, the new rough stubble on his cheeks, his sudden love for Ireland, the lace curtain that never moved, and that damn tea, that I knew he was leaving. And this time, I was going too. My stepfather never told me not to go, but I remember it was Harold who warned me, coming home from Sunday school, in a pale-yellow Polo shirt under a navy blazer, some lesson about someone named Jephthah’s daughter, about how she rushed out whole-heart to hold her father, but he had already promised the destruction of the first who came to him. I think now that Harold was not even sure why he was telling it, but Harold was earnest in his telling, Spirit-led he said, but he couldn’t tell it right, stumbling in the newness of message and awkwardness of charge. Papa never really told these stories to me. Either way, I couldn’t hear Harold, couldn’t really commit to understanding what I didn’t want to hear.

“I’m going with Papa,” I said out loud just five minutes later in the kitchen. Of course, I told Mama, when she already knew, and she smiled tremulously into her homemade lasagna, shakily drank her glass of sweet wine, before holding it up in salute.

She turned on the faucet to wash her hands and I saw the waters flowing down, down, into the strainer of the sink and drain. I wanted to take my words back then, some bad premonition that, of course, would turn out to be true. I didn’t take it back because all waters go the same way, always seeking down. And, of course, I should have known.

Evince Magazine Page 11

Pittsylvania County

What’s Happening in the Public Libraries

Submitted by Lisa Tuite

Brosville/Cascade • Needlework Tuesdays: 10am Work on your own projects.

• Wednesdays: Dancercise 9am adults • Wednesdays for Wees: 10am ages 3-5 and their caregivers.

• Fridays: Walk Fit 9am • April 10: Mario Monday 4:30pm kart racing • April 13: Friends of the Library meeting 6pm • April 20: Book Bingo. 6-7:30pm family fun • April 27: Try It Thursday 6pm Paint birdhouse gourds.

Chatham • Mondays: Mother Goose on the Loose: 11-11:30am stories, music, etc. ages birth to 3 and their caregivers • Tuesdays: Computer 1-on-1 help 11am-noon • Wednesdays: It’s Story Time with Ms. Angie & Friends 10am ages 3-5 and their caregivers.

Computer 1-on-1 Help 6-7pm • April 6: Book Bingo 4-5:30pm family fun • April 7: Music & Movement 1010:30am ages birth to 5.

• April 7: Crochet 3-4:30pm Come to work or learn to crochet.

• April 11: Fairy Lantern Craft 3-4:30pm free Registration required.

• April 13: 2nd Thursday Discussion Group 4-5:45pm adults • April 17: Coloring Program 4-6pm all ages • April 21: Crochet, 3-4:30pm Work or learn to crochet.

• April 22: Earth Day program 11am-noon Plant a flower.

• April 28: National Superhero Day Vote and enter to win a prize.

Gretna • Mondays and Thursdays: group fitness 10am adults.

• Wednesdays: Wednesdays for Wees 10am ages 3-5 and their caregivers.

• Thursdays: Learn to Crochet 5pm • April 4: Book Club 10:30am.

Discuss The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom • DIY Craft 5pm. Make a hydrangea wreath. $4 for supplies • April 11: 2nd Tuesday Recipe Club 5:30pm The theme is Easter. Make a recipe from a book in the library’s collection and bring the dish and recipe to share.

• Homeschool Connection 2pm Travel the world through stories and crafts.

• April 14: Bingo for Books 2pm family fun • April 25: Homeschool Connection 2pm Travel the world through stories and crafts.

• Bingo for Books 5pm family fun Mt. Hermon • Wednesdays: Mother Goose on the Loose: 10am stories, music, etc. ages birth to 3 and their caregivers.

• Fridays: Preschool Pals 10am stories and more. ages 3-5 and their caregivers • April 3: Knitting 6:30-8pm Work on your own projects.

• April 8: Family Movie 10:30am.

South Boston Public Library Submitted by Jay Stephens

Tuesdays: Itsy Bitsy PALS 12:301:30 birth to age 2; PALS 2:304:30 ages 2-7; Tweens 4:305:30 ages 8-12; Throw Paint at Cancer 5:30-7:30pm Register @ 434.476.2714

• April 27: Author Kelly Cherry, former Poet Laureate of Virginia, will read selections from her latest work and sign copies of her books that will be available for sale. 6:30 pm. refreshments and door prizes

• April 6: Computer Class: Internet Research and Computer Basics 6pm Registration required 434.575.4228 • April 11: Adult Crafts: DIY Easter Peep Wreath 1pm

For more information, visit South Boston Public Library, 509 Broad Street, or www.halifaxlibrary.org, or call 434.575.4228.

Unless otherwise noted, all programs are free. For more information, contact Gretna Library, 207 A Coffey Street, 434.656.2579; Mt. Hermon Library, 2725 Franklin Turnpike, 434.835.0326; History Research Center and Library, 340 Whitehead Street, Chatham; 434.432.8931; PCP Main Library, 24 Military Drive, Chatham, 434.432.3271; Brosville Library, 11948 Martinsville Highway 434.685.1285 or www.pcplib.org.

Danville Public Library

Submitted by Rachel Shaw

Mondays • Free tax help from AARP: through April 17: 10am-2pm 434.799.2618 • Move It! Move It! Music and Movement Program: 11- noon ages 2-5 • Computer Basics: 11am-12pm • Maker Mondays: 5-6pm DIY crafts, technology, Legos, and more Tuesdays • Free Tax Help from AARP: through April 17: 10am-2pm 434.799.2618 • Genealogy 101: Getting Started 11am-2pm • Book Club @ Westover: April 11 11am-1pm • Crafter’s Corner: 4-6pm Wednesdays • Mother Goose on the Loose Storytime: 10-10:45am ages 0-2 • Computer Basics: 11am-12pm • Children’s Programs @ Westover: April 19 4-5pm Thursdays • Intermediate Genealogy Classes: 11am-2pm • Mad Science: April 20 4-5pm ages 6-12 Fridays • Preschool Storytime: 11-11:45am Ages 3-5 • April 3: Anime Club, Kokoro

Connect (TV-14) 3:30-5:30pm ages 13-18.

• April 6: Create a Resume Workshop 4:30-5:30pm • April 6: Lawyer Talks: Divorce and Child Custody 6:30-7:30pm. free presentation by local lawyer David Pugh • April 10: African American Voices Author Talk: Dr. Joyce E. Glaise 4-5pm • April 13: Teen Movie Night: Doctor Strange (PG-13) 4-6pm • April 13: Download the Library: eBooks, Audiobooks, and more 4:30-5:30pm • April 15: Family Movie Matinee: The Great Gilly Hopkins (PG) 10:30am-12:30pm.

• April 20: Introduction to Online Job Searching 4:30-5:30pm • April 22: Dan River Twins Puppet Show, 11am-12pm. Based on the book The Dan River Twins all ages • April 29: Dan River Twins author talk with Cyndy Unwin 10-11am.

All programs are free but require registration at ww.playdanvilleva.com.

For more information visit DPL, 511 Patton Street, www.readdanvilleva. org or call 434.799.5195. For the Westover Branch, visit 94 Clifton Street or 434.799.5152.

Gunn Memorial

Halifax County Public Library Submitted by Jay Stephens

• Wednesdays: Itsy Bitsy PALS: 12:30-1:30 Birth to age 2; PALS: 2:30-4:30 Ages 2-7; Tweens: 4:30-5:30 Ages 8-12 • Second and Fourth Thursdays: Art @ the Library 4 pm-5 pm ages 5 -17 • Third Thursday: Art for Adults 10 am-noon, ages 18+ • Third Tuesday: Tea and Book Discussion Group 2:30-3:30 Gentleman in Moscow

• April 9-15: National Library Week Visit our photo booth! #checkoutPCPL • April 17: Knitting 6:30-8pm Work on your own projects.

• April 22: Earth Day 11am. Learn about bees.

• April 27: Hooks & Books 6-7:30pm Crochet an amigurumi figure. Basic crochet experience required (chain, slip, and double crochet).

History Research Center & Library • April 8: African-American Genealogy Workshop 10:30am1:30pm. Learn how to research your family.

• April 22: We Were There: Forgotten Patriots of the American Revolutionary War 11am-12:30pm.

A talk by Dr. Shelley Murphy with information about the Daughters of the American Revolution resources and application process.

• April 3: Computer Class: Internet Research and Computer Basics 3pm Registration required 434.476.3357 • April 12: Adult Crafts: DIY Easter Egg Wreath 1pm For more information, visit Halifax Public Library, 177 South Main St. in Halifax or www.halifaxlibrary.org or call 434.476.3357.

Submitted by Erica Lowdermilk

• Mondays: 3:15-4:30pm tutoring for K-12 students Registration required. Job seeking skills lab 2-3pm; April 3 Writing Workshop 5:30pm • Tuesdays: 3:30-4:15pm Book Baggers ages 5-12; April 4 Book Club 6pm April 25 Spring Financial Fair, Caswell Senior Center, 649 Firetower Rd. Yanceyville, NC 10am-1pm • Wednesdays: 10-11am Storytime ages 0-5; Easter Egg Hunt April 12 at 10-11 a.m. April 26: Teen Art Club 5pm

• Thursdays: 3:30-4:15pm Teen Thursdays games, crafts, art. ages 12-18 Snacks served; April 6 Battle of the Books 12-2pm; Rhode Scholar Program April 13 10am • Fridays: Job seeking skills lab 1011am and 3-4pm • Saturdays: Adult Computer Class 10-noon For more information, visit 161 Main Street East, Yanceyville, NC or www. caswellcounty.gov/library or call 336.694.6241.

Page 12 April 2017

Calendar Clips Clip it. Post it. Do it.

For more activities, see the calendar on page 14.

Saturday, April 1 - Sunday, May 28 Art Exhibit

by Sally Sutton

This colorful exhibit, Food, Farm and Community, is found in both galleries at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History, 975 Main Street. Sutton writes about her work, “I enjoy the challenge of capturing light and experimenting with rich and bright color combinations and contrasting them with deep shadows using brushstrokes that create movement and energy in my work. I want my work to reflect what I feel about a place or subject and instill some sort of emotional response in the viewer. I have always been intrigued with nature and enjoy painting en plein air in the surrounding countryside, local and beyond.” For more information, visit www.danvillemuseum.org or call 434.793.5644.

Saturday, April 1 – Monday, May 1 Chatham Banner Contest

Chatham First invites area artists to design banners for the town’s lampposts to commemorate Pittsylvania County’s 250th anniversary. The group is looking for a set of five designs, one for each season, and one that will celebrate Chatham’s historical heritage. The winning artist will receive $250 in cash and the honor of having his/her designs grace Main Street in Chatham. Elements that may appear in the designs, but are not required, include buildings that represent Chatham in line or silhouette form. Color will be an important element and should coordinate with the flower baskets that hang on the lampposts.

Flowers are typically white, magenta, and purple petunias. There is no entry fee. Submissions should be digital files emailed to adavis@reidstreetgallery.com. (submitted by Alisa Davis)

Monday, April 10 AU’s Third Annual Engage Showcase

Join Averett University from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Frith Fine Arts Center on Mountain View Avenue. Learn ways to work with AU students that allow them to apply key theories from courses to practical situations. Students will share their experiences of contributing to the Dan River Region Dr. Susan Huckstep (second through service-learning, on left) and her Advanced Public Relations class present the Community volunteerism, and internships.

Leader Award to Robert Woodall and Table presentations will come the Danville Life Saving Crew at from a range of academic disciplines the 2nd Annual Engage Showcase. and address varied community opportunities: from learning to appreciate music with Stratford House residents, to the Teach It Forward! tutoring challenge, to first-semester students showing how they connected interdependence in academic success with teaching social media and online literacy at Ballou Park Senior Center.

Contact AU Director of Experiential Learning, Brigid Belko, for more information bbelko@averett.edu or 434.791.5656. (submitted by Brigid Belko)

Tuesday, April 11 Keeping Well: Pain Management

Mary Lou Dunn, Assistant Professor of Nursing at Averett University, will discuss the impact of opioid use, pain management, drug management and palliative care in this free presentation from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Ballou Recreation Center lower level, 760 West Main Street. Bring a bag lunch or order a boxed lunch for $6.50. Call the Cancer Research and Resource Center of Southern Virginia at 434.421.3060 or email cllitzenberg@vcu.edu. (submitted by Kate Stokely-Powell)

Saturday, April 15 Butterfly Hello at the DSC

Celebrate the re-opening of the Danville Science Center Butterfly Station, 677 Craghead Street. Free children’s activities will occur from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; the Danville Master Gardeners Association will assist with gardening questions. Visit www.dsc.smv.org for more information. (submitted by Adam Goebel)

Monday, April 17 100th Anniversary World War I Program

This Pittsylvania Historical Society (PHS) program will be held at the Pittsylvania History Research Center and Library in Chatham, 340 Whitehead Street, beginning at 7:00 p.m. As Pittsylvania County continues with the celebration of the 250th anniversary of its founding, this program will recognize the 100th anniversary of another significant event which occurred in 1917-- the beginning of World War I for the U.S. when Congress declared war on Germany on April 6. Nearly five million Americans were called to military service and 116,516 died in “the war to end all wars” including 51 from the County. Dr. Larry Aaron, PHS President, will speak on the causes of the war in Europe and the necessity for America’s involvement. Glenn Giles, Chairman of the PHS Veteran’s History Project, will relate how WWI affected the lives of County families and the celebrations that occurred when the armistice was signed.

The program will conclude with a tour of WWI exhibits, uniforms, weapons, scrapbooks, and pictures. (submitted by Larry Aaron)

Thursday, April 20 Science after Dark

Enjoy the Danville Science Center, 677 Craghead Street, from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and discover the mysteries of the universe. Tour the night sky while viewing an astronomy feature in the digital dome and hear an educator-led journey at the Cosmic Expeditions planetarium show. Learn how to use and create a star chart. At nightfall, peer through telescopes and witness some of the wonders of the nighttime sky (weather permitting).

Free for DSC members and students with college ID. Discounted general admission is $5. This is a partnership with the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research. (submitted by Adam Goebel)

Evince Magazine Page 13 Saturday, April 22 Spring Book Festival

Brewed Awakening, 610 Craghead Street in Danville, is hosting this event from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

The festival features 21 local and regional authors with books for children and adults representing a wide range of interests: novels, history, horror, inspirational, homespun literature, and more. Brewed Awakening, formally Binding Time Café of Martinsville, has hosted a local book festival for many years. For more information, call 434.483.2138 or visit Facebook. (submitted by Bonnie Hale)

Saturday, April 22 Chatham Rotary Casino Night & Auction

Don your sparkliest dress or snazziest tuxedo for this event starting at 6:00 p.m. at the Olde Dominion Agricultural Complex, 19783 Highway 29 South. Enjoy a buffet dinner catered by Suzy Q and an open bar. $5000 in casino cash will be supplied for games. The fun continues at the live and silent auctions. Bidders can register online and view all auction items at chathamrotaryclub.wordpress.com and click Online Auction. Black-tie dress is optional. Photo booth provided by Von Wellington. Tickets can be purchased at 24 Reid Street Gallery in Chatham or call 434.203.8062 for more information. (submitted by Alisa Davis)

Sunday, April 23 DAL Spring Exhibition Opening Reception

The opening reception for the Danville Art League’s (DAL) 30th annual spring juried exhibition, “Springtime Again”, at the American National Bank & Trust Company (ANB), 628 Main Street, is from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. “Springtime Again” looks forward to the freshness and beauty of spring; it is a time of new beginnings and ideas which the artist can express in many ways. Expect to see a variety of interpretations on the theme as well as innovative and traditional work in oil and acrylic paintings, watercolors, photography, digital art, mixed media, graphite and charcoal drawings. Amateurs and professionals are encouraged to submit work at ANB on Friday, April 21, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, April 22, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. For more information and a show prospectus, find DAL on Facebook, visit ANB, or contact Jim Jennings at 434.489.1179 jennings64@gmail.com. (submitted by Melanie Vaughan)

Friday, April 28 Historic Garden Week Tour

The Danville, Gabriella, and Chatham Garden Clubs have joined to host this event from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The tour highlights the beautiful architecture and interiors at each location and the history of events and individuals who resided or worked in each structure. Arrangements of spring flowers are featured throughout each site. This is the first year Danville and Chatham tours are combined. In Danville, visitors will tour a restored 19th century mansion and garden in the Old West End Historic

District, a 1940’s stucco ranch transformed into a Mediterranean style villa in Forest Hills, and two homes in Windsor Heights. Advance tickets may be purchased at the discounted price of $20 in Chatham at Reid Street Gallery and M&W Flower Shop; in Danville at Chestnut Lane on Main Street, Commonwealth Silver and Goldsmiths, Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History (DMFAH), Foxglove, Ginger Bread House & Garden Center, Golden Leaf Bistro, Karen’s Hallmark, Raywood Garden Center, Rippe’s, Stratford House Visitor Center, and www.vagardenweek.org. Tickets may be purchased on the day of the tour for $25 at DMFAH. A buffet lunch is available for $15 per person at the Danville Golf Club, 2725 West Main Street, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Reservations required. Call 434.792.7225. For more information, visit www.vagardenweek.org. (submitted by Alisa Davis)

Upcoming Saturday, May 6 Finding Our Roots

From noon until 4:00 p.m.at the 24 Reid Street Gallery in Chatham, find the answers to questions about your family’s past in this free community event. Explore family and local history while discovering the connections shared through both. Discuss family history with professional and local genealogists and librarians, understand the free genealogical resources that are available. Lunch will be available for purchase. Simultaneously, the Pittsylvania County History Research Center and Library, 340 Whitehead Street, will also be open for participants to begin their genealogical search.

There will be an Ancestry.com DNA kit giveaway and a keynote address by historian Lynn Rainville, author of Hidden History: African American Cemeteries in Central Virginia and a forthcoming book Invisible Founders: Two Centuries of African American Labor at Sweet Briar. Pittsylvania County Public Library, Danville Public Library, Gunn Memorial Library, History United, and the Pittsylvania Historical Society are hosting this event.

Register at Eventbrite: http://bit.ly/FOR2017. (submitted by Ina Dixon)

Saturday May 6 Derby Day on the Lawn at DMFAH

From 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., this fundraiser for the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History, 975 Main Street, will offer video-racing games with local sponsors’ names and horses in each race. There will be lawn games, Betsy Bacon, Keith Robinson and Elizabeth Johnson costume and hat at the 2016 Derby Day on the Lawn. contests, music by the Laura Adcock Band, beverages (including mint juleps) and food to celebrate the Kentucky Derby Run for the Roses highlighted by a live broadcast of the Derby on the big screen. Tickets are $40 per person in advance and $45 at the gate and can be purchased at the DMFAH or online at eventbrite.com: Danville Museum Derby Day. For more information, call 434.793.5644 or visit www.danvillemuseum.org. (submitted by Larry Wilburn)

Page 14 April 2017

April Calendar Abbreviation Key

• AU=Averett University, 434.791.5600 www.averett.edu • CRC=Cancer Resource Center 434.421.3060 • 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 • HNT=Historic North Theatre, 629 North Main St. Danville www.

TheNorthTheatre.com 434.793.7469 • 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

Ongoing

Eat Well, Play Well – DSC brings nutrition and fitness education together to encourage all-around healthy living for visitors of all ages. Learn the science of making healthy food choices while exploring fun and interesting ways to stay active and healthy.

Guided Walking Tours – Millionaires Row, Holbrook Street and Tobacco Warehouse District. Danville Historical Society. www.danvillehistory.org.

434.770.1974.

Reid Street Gallery Events.

See page 9.

The 1963 Danville Civil Rights Movement – The Protests, the People, the Stories. The Danvillian Gallery.

434.466.7981.

DMFAH self-guided audio-visual tours. 434.793.5644.

Public Library Events. See page 11.

Tai Chi with Wyona – A slow moving exercise to enhance breathing, calm the mind, relieve stress $6. Ballou Rec. Center Mondays 11:15am-12:15pm & 5:45-6:45 p.m. Wednesdays 3:30pm4:30pm 434.799.5216.

Tai Chi with Paul. Ballou Nature Center Wednesdays 3:30pm-4:30pm Thursdays 11:15am-12:45pm.

Let’s Dance – Learn new dances, make new friends. Donna Robbins teaches a variety of dances in a fun atmosphere.

A partner is not necessary. Adults 18+.

Tues 7-8.30pm. Ballou Rec. Center.

434.799.5216.

Art with Judie – Learn how to paint with acrylic, oil, or water color. M/ TU – Times vary. Ballou Annex.

434.799.5216.

Kuumba African Dance – a great workout with live drumming and energetic dancing. Kids M/W 5.30pm; Adults M 6-7.30pm. 434.799.5150.

Prime Time Fitness – Low-impact aerobics workout with a mix of various dance steps. Tu/Th 9.30-11am. Coates Rec. Center. 434.799.5150.

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. 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.

April 2017 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

African Rhythms by Nguzo Saba – West African dance to live drumming.

W 6-7pm. Pepsi Building.

434.797.8848.

Ballou Jammers – Acoustic musical jamboree. Bring a stringed instrument or listen. TH 3-5pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216.

Friday Night Fun and Dance – Live music provided by the City Limits Band on the first, third, and fifth Friday.

The Country Pride Band plays on the second and fourth Friday. Ages 50+.

F 7.30-10.30pm. Ballou Rec. Center.

434.799.5216.

Community Market 629 Craghead St. 11am-2pm Registration required.

434.799.5199 Winged Migration: This 2001 documentary on the migratory patterns of birds was filmed over the course of four years on seven continents. DMFAH 7pm cash bar/concession available.

Admission fees; free for members.

Danville Comedy Club: HNT 7:30pm Headliner Irwin Loring. $15 The White House Looks South: Author/Speaker Bill Leuchtenburg will discuss his book 24 Reid Street Gallery, Chatham 6-8pm 434.203.8062

April 20 & 27

April 1 (thru 20)

April 15

April 22

AU Student Art Show: Jut’s Café Student Center first floor, 204 Woodland Dr., and Mary B. Blount Library, 344 W. Main St.

April 1 (thru 29)

Wanda Prillaman Watercolor Invitational Exhibit: PA

April 3

Danville by Choice Quizzo: 4 rounds of trivia played by teams of four 2 Witches Winery & Brewery 209 Trade St. Teams begin to form at 5:30; play starts at 6pm. 5:30-8pm

April 6

From These Pages by Choice: Join Danville by Choice and From These Pages for a spoken word event exploring the theme of “choice”: how choices shape who we are, and what we can become. Share your short story, poem or song that explores the theme of choice. Refreshments served and open mic sign up until 7pm. RSVP at Danville By Choice on Facebook.

Fowlkes Gallery 43 West Main St. Yanceyville, NC 6:30-8:30pm

April 6 (thru 8)

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike: Take a trip to Buck County, Pa., where adult siblings, Vanya and Sonia, are still residing in their old family home and mourning their lost dreams and missed opportunities.

When their often-wrong, fortune-telling maid warns of impending dangers and their movie star sister, Masha, arrives suddenly with her young, sexy, boy toy, Spike, the family is launched into a rollicking weekend of one-upmanship, exposed nerves and a lot of broken mugs. 7pm AU Pritchett Auditorium 150 Mountain View Ave. $10/$8

April 7, 8 & 9

Legally Blonde: HNT. $15/10.

7th & 8th - 7:30pm; 9th-2:30pm.

April 11

History United Networking Meeting: learn how Pittsylvania County’s character and heritage are reflected through local art. Reid Street Gallery 24 Reid Street, Chatham 5-6pm Sweet-ly International: AU International faculty, staff and students will introduce a dessert from their home countries and present the culture and meaning behind the dessert. 7 p.m.

AU Student Center multipurpose room, 204 Woodland Dr. free

April 14

Easter Egg Hunt for individuals with impairments: Danville

Concert of Sleight of Hand: close-up magic starring world champion illusionist Wayne Alan HNT 7:30pm $15

April 16

Easter Sunday

April 17 (thru 21)

DMFAH Collection for Attic Sale: 10am-5pm

April 18

Sneezy, Itchy and Scratchy: Free program about allergies Ballou Nature Center, 760 West Main St. Danville light refreshments door prize; preregister 434.799.5216

April 18 (thru May 23)

Pharmacy Facts: So what’s all this talk about compounding medication? We will discuss a different topic on Wednesdays in our six week series with locally owned Kare Pharmacy staff. April 18 Sneezy, Itchy and Scratchy?; April 25 Ruff, Meow, Tweet, Oink. Pets and Compounding; May 2 Pain Relief and Compounding; May 9 Men & Women—Put some “Spring into Your Libido!; May 16 Brown Baggin’; May 23 Let’s Tour the Lab! Ballou Rec Center 760 West Main St. Danville. Preregister 434.799.5216. jonesci@danvilleva.gov

April 19

Virginia-Carolina Scottish Society: Annual Tartan Dinner and Ceilidh: Scottish dishes, traditional Scottish music on the Celtic harp, guitar, bagpipes, piano, fiddle, and by vocalists, a display of Highland tartans and information on the Scottish Highland clans and their tartans $12 First Presbyterian Church, 937 Main Street, Danville 6pm 434. 793.7432

April 20 (thru 23)

Cats: tells the story, in song and dance, of the annual gathering of Jellicle cats at which time one special cat is selected to ascend to the Heaviside layer. A magical, moving, and humorous glimpse into the lives of others, Cats takes T.S. Eliot’s lyrical poetry and puts it into the mouths of a diverse company of singing, dancing felines.

Rated G www.phccpatriotplayers.com 276.638.8777 ext. 0460

Throw Paint at Cancer: DMFAH 4:30-7pm free. Registration required.

April 21-23, 25, 28-30

Chicago: The Prizery 700 Bruce St. South Boston Times vary.

434.572.8339.

April 21

Racin’ & Tastin’: Danville Community Market, 629 Craghead St. 5:3010:30pm $30 434.793.4636 AU Spring Concert: free Pritchett Auditorium 150 Mountain View Ave. 7:30pm Spring Book Festival: See page 13.

Chatham Rotary Casino Night & Auction: See page 13.

Spring Attic Sale: DMFAH 9am-1pm Touch a Truck: Jr. Wednesday Club will provide trucks for kids to climb on, trackless train, bounce houses, food trucks $5 advance at Danville Toyota/$6 at the gate AU North Campus 707 Mt. Cross Rd. 11am-3pm

April 25

Walk and Talk Step by Step: Meet at Karen’s Hallmark on the top floor of the Danville Mall for a healthy walk at 9am. Meet at Nature’s Essentials, 413 Mount Cross Rd, for a talk and taste at 10:30am. Topic: “Why Fiber in the Diet Is Important to Good Health” 434.421.3060 or dwhittle@vcu.edu

April 28

Canvas & Cabernet: DMFAH social painting class, pre-registration & payment required. cash bar/concession available. 6:30pm-9pm Thomas Jefferson’s Revolutionary Garden: a lecture by author Peter Hatch will compliment the annual garden club tour. DMFAH 7pm cash bar/concession available. Regular admission fees. Free for members. $2 off a paid admission for guests with a garden tour ticket.

April 29

K of C Wine Festival: Danville Community Market, 629 Craghead St. $12/15 434.792.2599

Upcoming May 2

Pain Relief and Compounding Oh My Aching Back: free program.

Ballou Rec Center, 760 West Main St. Danville light refreshments door prize preregister 434.799.5216

May 5 & 6

Songs of Frank Sinatra & the Big Band Sound staring John Wilt: HNT 2pm, May 5; 7:30pm, May 6 $20/15

May 6

Derby Day Lawn Party: DMFAH 4-7pm See page 13.

For more events see Calendar Clips on pages 12 & 13.

The deadline for submitting information for the May calendar is Sunday, April 23, at 5:00 p.m.

Please send just the basic information following the format on these pages to joycewilburn@gmail.com.

Evince Magazine Page  15

Page 16 April 2017

Try One More Time

by Carollyn Peerman “Keep hammering away,” said Holocaust survivor Eva Mozes Kor. She recently spoke at Sweet Briar College and Randolph College about her experiences living through the twisted medical experiments by Auschwitz’s “Angel of Death,” Dr. Josef Mengele. This is a woman who refused to die.

What presence! When our eyes met and I extended my hand to shake hers, I could feel the strong coping power of her mind. Eva never gave up. She is one of the most unforgettable women I have ever met. It is so easy to quit when the going gets tough.

Eva didn’t. She persisted and won. She never let doubt and fear enter her mind. Today she is the mother of three children, author, lecturer, and business woman. When the Holocaust Museum in her hometown was destroyed by fire, Eva rebuilt it better than ever. By refusing to die she lived. What can you learn from her? “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.

Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education alone will not; the world is full of

educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”

It’s often the last key on the ring that opens the door, so try one more time. Keep on keeping on. You conquer by continuing.

When William Carey was asked the reason for his success as a missionary, he replied, “I can plod.” Stick to your job until it is finished. Little by little you can overcome. Take it one step at a time. The road you are on will arrive somewhere if you follow it long enough. Like Mary Kay said, “You can eat an elephant one bite at a time.”

Eva Kor was determined to live.

She resolved to take her situation by the throat and shake the living out of it. Hallelujah! Eva succeeded. At the age of ten she survived the worst hell that the most evil of all men could throw at her and came out of Auschwitz a stronger person with a message to tell the world. Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote, “When you get in a tight place and everything goes against you until it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the time and the place the tide will turn.”

Evince Magazine Page 17

Book Clubbing A Review by Diane Adkins

The Wangs vs.The World

by Jade Chang

Sometimes the everyday world is too much and you need an escape.

For some, that means a trip or an afternoon at a spa, but for me it means a book.

When I needed to step away from the twentyfour hour news cycle, in walked Jade Chang and her first novel. I’m so glad she showed up.

Charles Wang, the patriarch, makes a fortune in cosmetics— and just as quickly he loses it. Born in China, he discovers that urea, which his family factory processed, is a key ingredient in American cosmetics, and he parlays that knowledge into a company and a fortune. Then came the financial collapse of 2008 and suddenly the money is gone. Though Charles is an immigrant, America has shown him love, and he returns the favor by reacting to misfortune in a typical American way---he sets out on a road trip. He decides the whole family can go and live with his oldest daughter, Saina, who has made a name for herself as an artist. Charles and his wife Barbra head out in a 1980 Mercedes that he had once given to an elderly housekeeper, collecting daughter Grace, a fashion blogger, from boarding school in Santa Barbara and son Andrew, who aspires to be a stand-up comedian, from college in Arizona on their way to Saina’s farmhouse in upstate New York.

Prepare to have any stereotypical notions you possess about Asian-American youth upended. In alternating chapters, readers become acquainted with each of the siblings and see how they react to the very sudden loss of their lives of privilege. The conversations, either in person or by phone, among them as they sort out their new reality provide much of the comic narrative structure of the book. Because, make no mistake, this book is smart, yes, but it’s also really funny. If you like fully-drawn, fun characters, excellent writing, and a family story with an unexpected ending, then get into that Mercedes with the Wang family and join them on this crazy ride.

Diane S. Adkins is a retired Director of Pittsylvania County Public Libraries.

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Page 18 April 2017

U

nexpected compliments

often make a greater

impression than those anticipated or sought.

Surprising praise came my way recently at my workplace in the historic Danville train station that is part of the Danville Science Center.

was a little girl of about nine or ten standing in front of me with the look of an old soul in her eyes. I’ve seen that look in the eyes of just a few children over the years. She had walked from the basement by herself to tell me, “I heard that beautiful voice and had to come upstairs to see who was singing!” Later while walking outside to the main building, I heard a small voice exclaim, “Have a good evening!” I turned around and saw the same little girl in the passenger seat of her mother’s car. I responded, “You have a good evening too!”

That building’s lobby is so acoustically alive that sometimes my friend and coworker Brian Buchanan and I perform an impromptu vocal duet, usually “The Wreck of the Old 97” for a visitor who is also a railroad buff. Stepping into the train station lobby, the acoustical difference from the outside world is obvious, a fact not lost on toddlers who suddenly realize their shouts will be answered with an echo.

The other day, while tidying up the brochure racks, I sang an old Italian tune learned during voice study at Appalachian State University. I thought I was alone and wasn’t singing loudly, but when I turned around, there

Entertaining an Earthly Angel with an Old Soul

by Mack Williams,

If being resourceful is having the ability to find clever ways to overcome difficulties or challenges, can winemakers be resourceful? Yes! Consider the winemakers of the Veneto region of northeastern Italy not far from Venice. Their popular and my personal favorite wine Amarone della Valpolicella or Amarone is from this region.

How does resourcefulness come into play here? If you have tasted Valpolicella wines you may have considered them to be light in body and flavor and simple rather than complex. Complex means that the flavor changes from the time you taste it to the moment you swallow it.

Amarone developed when Veneto’s winemakers searched for a way to increase the body and complexity of their wines.

In order to concentrate the natural sugars and aromatics in Valpolicella wines, local producers dry the grapes to remove water from the berries while retaining sweetness and flavor. The grapes are kept in drying rooms with

It is said we should always be on our best behavior and put our best foot forward, because “Many have entertained angels unawares” and I would add that you might also receive an unexpected compliment from an old soul.

warm temperatures and low humidity for three weeks to three months. Traditionally, the grapes were dried on straw mats in the warmest part of the house or winery, but modern technology has replaced straw with steel and lofts with pallets.

When the drying process is complete, the grapes are gently pressed before the fermentation process. After fermentation, the wine is then aged in barrels for at least two years before commercial release.

The Wine Spot Resourceful Italian Wine Makers Make Amarone

by Dave Slayton

a member of the Master Court of Sommeliers

This technique proved very successful, although initially it was used to produce sweeter styles of wine. The early Amarone wines were first seen as mistakes but eventually the style gained recognition and respect. Today they are very popular and very tasty.

Cheers!.

• In Italian, Amarone literally means “the great bitter.”

Originally, this was to distinguish it from the Recioto produced in the same region, which is sweeter in taste.

Evince Magazine Page  19

Page 20 April 2017

DIY: Do or Don’t?

Succulent Garden

Reflecting Forward

by Linda Lemery

by Kristi Hall

Do-It-Yourself Projects always look easy when someone else is doing them. Kristi will test them for you and give her opinion about whether it’s worth your time and effort.

The trendy item in home decor this spring is succulents. I haven’t been able to go on social media or to my favorite store without seeing some sort of terrarium creation. I’m going in the bottom. to guide you on suggestions for • Add enough soil to support creating your own. You can bring

the plants. Place plants in soil. so much life to a room or patio • Add additional soil around with these awesome plants. the plants. Enhance the Supplies: setting with pebbles or rocks.

• glass terrarium or other container Succulents are very low • plants: I chose a succulent maintenance, but you can and a cactus. The number create the same look with fake depends on the size of the plants. Any hobby store should container. have fake succulents in the • rocks or pebbles flower section. You can also use • potting soil for cacti fake moss and pebbles. I give this project five out of five stars.

Directions: I love the way it looks and the • Clean the container. Put a many ways you can change it to thin layer of rocks or pebbles reflect your personality.

Gossip Girls by Sally Sutton is part of the current exhibit at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History. See page 12.

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ast month, Linda wrote about building a chicken coop even

though she thought it was an impossible dream. She was quite surprised when she and Steve were successful and the coop became a reality a few weeks later. (“Chasing Efficiency: To Dream the Impossible Dream” March page 22). Here’s an update:

We now have two chickens.

(That’s another story that’s much better told in person.)

The chickens’ egg-laying is still a mystery to me, but I’m hoping that will come with chicken self-sufficiency and my being more knowledgeable about oyster shell supplement, egg-laying supplements, how to cut up vegetable leftovers and have them ready to fling into the coop in the mornings along with the feed, how to keep the water feeder clean and not tipped over, and how to cart the chicken coop around the yard so the chickens can dig up the whole yard as opposed to digging down to China.

Readers have come to me and said, “I really loved what Steve had to say about chickens!”

(Although I might wear a tie imprinted with chickens, I don’t want real ones.) One woman even gave me two bags of pine shavings for chicken bedding from her woodworker husband, so now I don’t have to buy pine shavings. Life is so interesting when one embraces it!

Hopefully, Linda’s regular column will return in May once the chickens are self-sufficient.

When she isn’t tending her urban chicken coop, Linda Lemery llemery@averett.edu serves as Circulation Manager at Averett University’s Mary B. Blount Library. She welcomes reader comments.

Evince Magazine Page 21

Short & Sweet

by Annelle Williams

Spring arrived last month and this is the perfect recipe for celebrating a new season. I found it almost a year ago and have been saving it.

The picture caught my eye because the cookies looked so pretty, like spring flowers, but it was the taste that sold me. The citrus of the lemon curd paired with the shortbread is a winning combination. And, there’s one other thing—you can use store-bought lemon curd and white cookie icing, and the cookies take no time to make, while giving the appearance and taste of a labor- intensive dessert. Enjoy!!

Lemon-Lime Shortbread Cookies (adapted from Land-O-Lakes) 2 sticks butter, room temperature zest of one lime juice of 1/2 lime 1 tsp. vanilla pinch of salt 2/3 cup sugar

2 cups plus 2 T plain flour 2/3 cup lemon curd, store-bought or make your own* white cookie icing, store-bought or make your own**

Add butter, lime zest and juice, vanilla, salt and sugar to mixer bowl. Mix on medium speed until well combined and creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the flour in three separate portions until combined. Scrape the bowl again, cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

Preheat oven to 350°. Cover sheet pan with parchment paper. Scoop dough with tablespoon for about a one-inch ball. Roll dough with hands into a ball. Using little finger, make indention in top of dough. If sides crack, smooth out crack.

Place on parchment about two inches apart. Fill each indention with about 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of lemon curd. Bake for 15 minutes, or until edges are just beginning to brown. Remove from oven and completely cool before adding icing.

*Lemon Curd

(adapted for Saving Room for Dessert blog) 3 eggs, lightly whisked 1 cup granulated sugar dash of salt 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed

3/4 cup lemon juice (about 4 large lemons) zest of 2 lemons

Zest two lemons and set aside. Juice 4 lemons or enough to make ¾ cup juice.

Strain pulp and seeds before measuring. In a medium-heavy bottom saucepan whisk together the eggs, sugar, salt and lemon juice until blended. Add butter and lemon zest. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the curd is thickened and coats the back of the spoon. For a silky smooth texture, blend briefly with an immersion or stick blender. Cool for at least 10 minutes then cover and refrigerate until chilled.

**Icing 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

juice from 1/2 lime

Combine the confectioners’ sugar and the lime juice and stir with fork until smooth. Add more sugar to thicken, or more juice to thin until piping consistency.

Add icing to small Ziploc bag, snip a corner and decorate cookies.

Questions or comments?

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

etheince Magazine is presenting V 3rd Annual 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 Voting Ends May 1

Page 22 April 2017

Photo Finish Whenever something newsworthy is happening, Evince photographer, Von Wellington, is there with his camera to capture it for posterity.

March was a busy month and it kept him moving. If you missed the fun last month, make plans to attend several community events during April. Go with a smile on your face, though, because Von will probably be there and you want to look good for the camera and maybe next month’s Evince.

Danville’s Economic Development Director, Telly Tucker, entertained a large crowd with music, song, and talk at the Wednesday Club on March 1st.

(February Evince page 3)

Middle Border Forward Executive Director, Jennifer Gregory, takes a selfie of the Middle Border Forward Fellows.

The Fellowship is designed around daylong monthly sessions where the Fellows learn about the region through each of MBF’s pillars. Here, they are enjoying being at the Danville airport as part of the infrastructure session.

Speaker Melody Warnick facilitated a brainstorming session to help Danville residents love where they live. (March Evince page 15 & 26)

All Danville photos by Von Wellington.

For more info visit www.vonwellington photography.com or call 434.770.3553. See more pictures on Facebook.

Even St. Patrick (Jeff Wright) celebrated his day at 2 Witches Winery & Brewery on March 17 sponsored by the Danville After Hours Rotary.

Who knew “Lady Gaga” would attend Danville Historical Society’s speakeasy in the Pepsi Building?

Wendy and Mark Hermann pose with “Lady Gaga” at the Danville Historical Society speakeasy fundraiser on March 18.

Even the chickens had a good time at the River District Association Kickin’ Chicken WingDing at the community market on March 25.

Fire Marshall Shelby Irving made sure the dancing chicken wasn’t cooked.

A large crowd enjoyed the RDA’s Kickin’ Chicken WingDing on March 25.

Evince Magazine Page 23

t u o l e v a r t o t n o s a e r o n “ There is ” . e r a c t r a e h t a e r g r o f of t own — Jim Shields, Danville businessman

Keep Your Heart Close When Jim Shields suffered a heart attack, the cardiac catheterization lab team at Danville Regional Medical Center, a Duke heart affiliate, was able to quickly diagnose a blockage in his heart – “the widow maker.”

Jim survived, thanks in part to the smooth and seamless care he received at Danville Regional. He participated in Danville Regional's cardiac rehabilitation program and still runs his business full-time.

At Danville Regional, your heart is our priority. We are committed to delivering you expert, compassionate care from procedure through rehabilitation. With the region's only ER, only Accredited Chest Pain Center and only Advanced Certified Primary Stroke Center, the choice is easy.

You can keep your heart close. Just like Jim. Read about Jim and other patients’ stories at DanvilleRegional.com/stories.

Page  24 April 2017