Saving Charlie’s Life
Remembering Dan Daniel (Park) & the Veterans Memorial
A Grandmother’s Story
Page 22
Page 3
May 2014
Photo by Michelle Dalton Photography
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Editor’s Note
The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world. When poet William Wallace wrote that line in 1865, he was probably thinking about a feminine hand guiding her offspring to maturity. In 2014, the norm has changed and that hand could be male or female and it might not belong to the birth mother. In this issue, Evince salutes all the people who are currently nurturing others through life or who have cared for youngsters in the past. Grandmother Crystal Gregory writes about a true incident no caretaker wants to experience in Saving Charlie’s Life on page 3. In Linda Lemery’s fictional story, The Wish, she writes about encountering her deceased grandmother on a dark country road. It is so well written, readers will wonder if it might really have happened. See what you think (page 21). Diane Adkins reviews Glitter and Glue by Kelly Corrigan on page 18. Corrigan describes her father as the glitter in the family and mom as the practical, worrying realist glue. Mack Williams admits on page 20 that My Mother Taught Me to Worry. At the end of his story, readers realize that the right kind of worry can be very productive. Celebrate the people who mothered you on Sunday, May 11. Later in the month on Memorial Day, May 26, honor local veterans. Read page 22, Remembering Dan Daniel (Park) & the Veterans Memorial, for ideas.
May Contents
2
Editor’s Note
3
Saving Charlie’s Life / A Grandmother’s Story by Crystal Gregory
4
She Said He Said / The Mother Lode by Dena Hill & Larry Oldham
5
The Voice of Readers
7
Get Fit 50,000 lb Weight Loss Challenge by Ciji Moore
President Larry Oldham (434.728.3713) larry@evincemagazine.com
Associate Editors Larry G. Aaron (434.792.8695) larry.aaron@gmail.com Jeanette Taylor Contributing Writers
Second Thoughts / This Does Not Compute by Kim Clifton
10 Spotting Exceptional Customer Service by Joyce Obstler 11 The Magician / Fiction / by Telisha Moore Leigg 12 Calendar Clips 14 Calendar
Diane Adkins, Kim Clifton, Patsi, Compton, Crystal Gregory, Rhonda Griffin, Karen Harris, Dena Hill, Peter Howard, Natalie Judge, Sarah Latham, Telisha Moore Leigg, Linda Lemery, Elizabeth Marshall, Ciji Moore, Jane Murray, Joyce Obstler, Larry Oldham, Carollyn Lee Peerman, Mary-Michael Robertson, Elizabeth Whittaker, Joyce Wilburn, Annelle Williams, Mack Williams
Business Manager Paul Seiple(1.877.638.8685) paul@evincemagazine.com
16 Mother’s Death Inspires Daughter / Sherry Lansing by Mary-Michael Robertson
Director of Sales & Marketing Larry Oldham (434.728.3713) larry@evincemagazine.com
18 Book Clubbing One Soldier’s Story: A Memior a review by Carollyn Lee Peerman Glitter & Glue a review by Diane Adkins
Marketing Consultants Kim Demont (434.792.0612) demontdesign@verizon.net Moriah Davis (434.334.4583) moriah@showcasemagazine.com Lee Vogler (434.548.5335) lee@showcasemagazine.com
20 My Mother Taught Me to Worry by Mack Williams
Art & Production Director Demont Design (Kim Demont) evince\i-’vin(t)s\ 1: to constitute outward evidence of 2: to display clearly: reveal syn see SHOW
21 Reflecting Forward / The Wish fiction by Linda Lemery 22 Remembering Dan Daniel (Park) & the Veterans Memorial by Joyce Wilburn
Deadline for submission of June stories, articles, ads, and calendar clips is Monday, May 19, at 5 p.m. Submit stories and articles to: joycewilburn@gmail.com. Submit calendar items by Monday, May 12, at 5 p.m. to www.showcasemagazine.com for Evince and Showcase. For ad information contact a sales associate or sales manager above.
25 Around the Table / The World’s Hardest Job by Annelle Williams 26 Photo Finish
On the Cover:
Cover photo of Charlie Hopkins, son of Grete and Shawn Hopkins, by Michelle Dalton Photography. See story on page 3.
Editorial Policies:
Don’t Forget to Pick Up the May Edition of Showcase Magazine
Meet Some of Our Contributors
Enjoy the beauty of spring and May—the month of mothers and memorials.
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Dr. Jeff The Family Vet Flea, Tick & Heartworm Prevention by Dr. Katie Rohrig 9
THE
Karen Harris is the Director of God’s Storehouse, a non-profit food pantry serving those in need of food in Danville and Pittsylvania County.
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Elizabeth Marshall is the Executive Director of Danville Speech & Hearing Center. She is a native and resident of Pittsylvania County.
Mary-Michael Robertson is a student at Chatham Hall.
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Evince Magazine
A
t 9:15 that summer morning, the crazy ring tone my granddaughter had installed on my cell phone sounded like an invasion from Mars. “Oh well, what now?” I thought. Then, fear. I heard sobbing and stammered words, “Grandma, come quick! Charlie’s not bre...” Panic mangled my thinking. I slammed my way towards the car. “Where’s your momma? Did you call 911?”
room staff cared for Charlie, they were taking care of all of us, too. For example, the chief of staff took one look at Charlie’s father who was struggling with the effects of the stomach virus. Within minutes, he had been placed in a treatment room and was hooked up to an IV. The chaplain circulated among the family offering quiet prayers and reassurance. As Charlie’s condition stabilized, nurses chatted with his mother, reinforcing her strength that always normalizes desperate situations. I remember looking at a Golden Hour chart and having one nurse assure me that Charlie was not only within the Golden Hour, the first responders had been so fast, he was within the Golden Minutes. I was so grateful for the medical expertise and the caring attitude of everyone. No one intruded on our private agonies; yet, they gave us support to move on to the next steps that we would need to take to help Charlie survive.
I think I understood that Charlie’s momma and daddy were with him, but I know that I was desperate for help. I hit the emergency call button on my Bluetooth. Seconds were hours; 911 was not answering. I hit it again. “Why?” “What was going on?” Finally, an insistent voice registered; she was telling me, “Ma’am, we are already responding to that call. EMTs are on the scene.” And, they were. Within two minutes of his daddy’s plea to come because his little boy was not breathing, the firemen arrived.
Duke’s transport team arrived. Everything about them is always so smartly professional. Charlie spent the first four months of his life in the care of cardiac surgeons and doctors, so for me Duke is a synonym for hope. Now, on this morning, to watch the interaction between them and the local hospital team was to witness the best in coordinated medical care. Then, we were off to Durham.
In those intervening minutes, Charlie’s momma instinctively breathed for him. She took heart from hearing one soft moan and feeling the determined clenching of his teeth. Then a fireman gently placed an oxygen mask on that tiny face and a different determination took hold. Professionalism softened fear. “He is unresponsive. He needs respiratory assist.” Those sentences became tolerable only because we realized that the EMTs knew what to do; they cared; they would help. Other firemen quickly investigated the scene to discover the cause of Charlie’s distress. One found evidence that he had thrown up on a pillow in his favorite big chair where his sister had discovered him minutes earlier. Everyone in the family had been fighting off the stomach virus for days, and so early on the medical team suspected that he had aspirated vomit. The ambulance arrived; a fireman gently picked up Charlie’s limp little body and carried him to a stretcher; more EMTs began assisting and within minutes Charlie was on his way to the ER. I know it sounds like a cliché, but watching what happened in the emergency room really was like seeing a movie. First of all, I could hardly believe the number of people involved. There were
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Saving Charlie’s Life A Grandmother’s Story by Crystal Gregory doctors, nurses, technicians, a chaplain, even the chief of the hospital stood ready to save Charlie. They were so fast! And all the while, we could hold on to Charlie’s hands and stroke his little legs. They allowed us to offer him comfort, and even though he was unconscious, somehow he comforted us. Every member of the medical team focused in a specific way on Charlie; they consulted in what seemed like verbal shorthand and decided
what to do. I remember that they inserted a breathing tube and suctioned out his lungs. I remember being told that he would remain unconscious because they were sedating him and that because of his complicated medical history, Duke’s Life Flight team was already on the way. Looking back, I realize that another interesting dynamic was occurring. While the first responders and the emergency
I can share this story because of its happy outcome. Charlie recovered. After exhaustive testing, Duke’s doctors decided that indeed the first investigation by the Danville firemen probably revealed what had happened. Enveloped by his comfy pillows in his favorite chair, Charlie was suddenly struck by a wave of nausea. It seems so impossibly ordinary. He became sick, threw up, and simultaneously inhaled. But, it was not ordinary. He lived because his sister and parents reacted so quickly; the fire department responded so quickly; the ambulance EMTs stabilized him so quickly; the emergency room medical team made the right decisions so quickly. To the First Responders of Danville (911 Dispatch, Danville Fire Department, Regional One Emergency Medical Services and Danville Regional Medical Center’s Emergency Room): thank you for saving Charlie.
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May 2014
SHE SAID by Dena Hill
The Mother Lode Can you guess what the month of May represents? Probably not, so let me give you a hint. This is the month that (most) men go out of their way to make the special women in their lives happy. (I know you are going to say that you strive to make me happy every month, but this month is extra special.) May is the month of mothers. Almost every woman I know and most women that you know are Photo by mothers. I’m Michelle Dalton not asking Photography. you to be extra nice to me this month because I’m not your mother. But as a mother, I will ask you to treat any woman you come in contact with this month as if she were your mother.
that you are acting and sounding like my mother? I believe you could ask every woman you know what kind of man I am and they would be in total agreement that I am an advocate of women and especially an advocate of mothers. I can’t remember all the times I have told my male friends how special women are.
She said He Said
Don’t buy them presents, don’t kiss them, and for goodness sake don’t ask them to fix dinner or iron your shirts. My suggestion is that you go the extra mile to make the women around you feel more appreciated. I know you feel that you are always nice and treat women with respect, but for the month of May I’m suggesting that you try to understand what women go through as mothers and treat them with more dignity than you would otherwise. Being a mother has been such a blessing in my life and watching my children grow from infants to mature adults has been one of life’s best experiences for me. Being a man, you can’t understand the maternal instincts that most women are born with. This month I want you to put yourself in their places and try to understand the emotions and challenges that only mothers have in their lives. Remember this is Mother’s Day and I challenge you to spend this one month thinking about mothers instead of thinking about yourself. If you were a mother I think you would understand.
HE SAID
by Larry Oldham To be perfectly clear I understand completely. Why do I have the feeling
Women are smarter than men and much more flexible about everything; whereas, we are not. Women handle the children’s problems better than we do; they help with the schoolwork and choose the appropriate clothes for them to wear. They are just basically all around better mothers than we could ever be. I would be the first one to not only congratulate all of the mothers in the world for a job well done, but take my hat off to how smart women are when it comes to training their children and their spouses. I think all my male friends would agree (at least when we are in mixed company). Even when we are separated and the men folk are sitting around talking politics and war and things, we never lose sight of just how important the women are in our lives. I especially applaud the wives and mothers who let their husbands go fishing and hunting. I guess I am a little surprised and even disappointed that you would even have to bring up this proclamation to me. Why do you think I give in to you so easily and let you have your way all the time? I even come to you and have you explain many of life’s perplexing events to me that I don’t understand. As a man, I clearly understand your needs. I understand the need to boss me around and make decisions for me and keep me on the straight and narrow. I understand all of this because that is what mothers always do, so as a mother, that’s all you know. That is why I love you so much because you make a great mother. Happy Mother’s Day to my wife who is like a mother to me. He Said / She Said can be found in Showcase Magazine.
Evince Magazine
Desperately Seeking Simplicity
How much is on your “to do” list right now? Do you need more hours in the day? When it comes to your time, have you ever considered your return on investment?
The Voice of Readers To the Editor: Have you ever noticed that when something comes to your attention, you start seeing it everywhere? A close friend sent my husband and me a cookbook, Afternoon Tea, Delicious Recipes for Scones, Savories & Sweets and two days later I picked up Evince and learned about the tea and fashion show at the Museum (Sara Spissu: 21st Century Gibson Girl April page 3). My husband immediately said, “You should go!” And so I did! Everything about this event was perfect, from the delicious food to the beautiful teapots and table settings, the programs and complimentary fans, our solicitous hosts, the effervescent models, the friendly atmosphere; even the weather cooperated! I can hardly wait to write our friend and thank her for putting a perfect afternoon into motion. And I thank everyone involved who made the tea and fashion show an unforgettable event. Pat Hufford I agree with everything you wrote and enjoyed the afternoon also. Everything was perfect.
To the Editor: I was excited to see the April Evince because on the last two pages were the photographs I had taken at Danville Historical Society’s Marchi Gras Party. This was the second time I set up my photo booth at a DHS event. As always, it was fun; I met interesting people, had nice conversations and the pictures came out great. I was happy to be a part of an important fundraiser. As an artist-photographer, I take portrait, family, and baby photographs with free photo sittings. This is a work of love and customers pay as much as they can afford. I give people with small budgets the opportunity to have a professional and lasting visual memory. I look forward to meeting people in my studio downtown, 210 North Union Street, or at other locations. For more information please visit sallypictures.com. Sally Popu You definitely captured the fun of the evening. We only had room to publish a few of the many photos you took. I hope if readers were in attendance and their pictures are not on page 30 and 31, they will contact you.
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 joyce@evincemagazine.com or send mail to Evince Editor, 753 Main Sreet, Suite 3, Danville, VA 24541. To read past issues of Evince, visit www.evincemagazine.com.
Every day you are investing your time in something. By nature, we complicate things, take on too many tasks and do a lot of things the hard way. The result is stressed out, burned out people, frantically functioning through life, without really living it. Henry Thoreau said, “Our life is frittered away by detail...Simplify, simplify.” If you really desire more time for what’s important, it’s up to you to simplify. Here are some suggestions: Start by identifying what is most important to you. Boil it down to two or three main things you do with your time that you feel will have the most lasting impact. Put those at the top of your list.....and keep them there. Eliminate or delegate things of lesser importance. Scan the list for things you don’t really have to do, but you do anyway. Determine if it’s time to eliminate some of these things, or if someone else could do them just as well. Consider email lists to which you can unsubscribe to eliminate clutter,
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magazine subscriptions you can cancel because you never read them, and chores you can assign to others in your household - especially if they’re just as “qualified” as you are to do them! Automate as much as possible. Consider using direct deposit to save a trip to the bank, automatic bill pay to avoid missing critical due dates, creating grocery lists and appointments in your phone so they’re always handy, and letting calls go to voicemail if you know you don’t have time to talk to the caller. Don’t overcomplicate tasks by requiring perfection. There are cases where perfection is the only option, but for the majority of things, good enough is good enough. The house will eventually get dusty again, but your children won’t grow smaller. Determine what can function just as well with good enough right now and save perfection for the things that really matter. Consider your time a precious commodity. Invest it wisely. Kristina R. Barkhouser, CPLP Direct: 434.797.6770 Mobile: 434.489.1309 kbarkhouser@ExcelenPerformance.com Kristina R. Barkhouser is the founder and President of Excelen Performance, Inc. She has over 20 years of experience in technical and interpersonal skills development.
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May 2014
Evince Magazine basic, fun exercise moves that can be done anywhere at any time by anyone.
25,000 37,500 12,500
50,000
Rev Your Bev by Ciji Moore, Get Fit Dan River Region 100,000 people. 50,000 pounds. 90 days. Will you join Team Get Fit? All we’re asking is for 100,000 people to lose 1⁄2 pound each (50,000 pounds) before July 4, but if you want to lose more we’ll take it. Over 20,000 pounds have been pledged since April 4,
but we need more. Take the pledge and follow the workouts and nutrition tip each week at www.teamgetfit.org. You’ll see Team Get Fit along with the Team Get Fit trainers demonstrating how to do very
In May, we are asking the region to drink more water and Rev Your Bev. It’s simple. Drink water with every snack and meal you have each day. Following this tip along with the Team Get Fit workouts and you will be well on your way to losing that 1⁄2 pound or more. • Everyone who takes the pledge will be entered into a weekly drawing for a month of free training from a Team Get Fit Trainer. • Danville Athletic Club 24/7 Fitness, 441 Piney Forest Road, is offering free open gym Monday-Friday noon until 1:00 p.m. to everyone who takes the pledge. • Southside Power and Endurance Company (SPEC), 201 Eastwood Drive, will be offering free open gym on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. until noon to everyone who takes the pledge. • Take the pledge and join the team at www. teamgetfit.org. • Follow us at Get Fit Dan River Region for upcoming events: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.
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May 2014
Evince Magazine then that the IT person in me noticed something I hadn’t before. My face was red now from embarrassment, not anger. No wonder the cable folks were totally stumped by my interrupted service. Dangling from the back of my computer was a cord that should have been pushed in a bit tighter. In all of plugging and unplugging, I’d overlooked putting everything back the way it needed to be. I was the reason I couldn’t get connected, not them. I was the reason all of my work, games, and fun had come to an end. The fault was mine and only mine. I am also the reason a new entry was probably made in the employee troubleshooting manual as PICNIC error... Problem In Chair Not In Computer.
Second Thoughts by Kim Clifton ©2014
This Does Not Compute “Wait. Let me understand this. You’re going to put me on a monthly support plan so I can pay you all year to find out what doesn’t work tonight,” I asked with righteous indignation. “That’s correct ma’am. Your problem has exhausted the limits of the courtesy tech support our company offers,” the cable representative on the other end explained to me. Livid doesn’t begin to describe how irritated I was. Normally when people rob you they use a gun. Even so, I had no choice but to pay. I had to have Internet access. Everything I do depends on it. Everything. I work on websites for a living, so without the Internet, I’m about as useful as a water bucket with a hole in the bottom. I don’t just need it so I can work. I also need it so I can play. Even that can get complicated and affect other people’s fun, not just mine. I’d have friends stuck in place while waiting for me to send them more lives. Cartoon pets would have no one to rescue them. And let’s face it. That candy is not going to crush itself. There is an entire game center of close, personal strangers waiting to see if “kim4apps” is going to come out and play. Social media is the only interaction I have with people. I can’t save face if I don’t have Facebook. My peeps need me to click “like” so that they know their posts were worth putting out there. Besides, imagine all of the top stories I’d miss from the news feed. Someone could actually check-in at Target to buy deodorant and I would never know it. Pay more each month, I fumed. Because I do all my banking online, if I don’t have Internet, I couldn’t pay anything even if I wanted to and I
haven’t written a check in years. Take away my Internet access and I’ll get behind in my bills faster than Congress on holiday. I’ve become my father’s child. “It’s a racket. It’s all just a racket,” hearing his words come out of my mouth made me smile. I’d have given anything to tell him about this. He was convinced the world was run by a conspiracy since no one plays fair anymore. I don’t know if he was right or if he’d just read one too many John Grisham novels. For something that hasn’t really been in our lives that long the Internet has surely taken over mine. It’s the kudzu of communications. One day it’s a single leaf and the next, twisted vines have covered everything in sight. That might explain some of our problems with getting good customer service. Companies no longer specialize, trying to do too much and often not doing any of it very well. Back in the day, Ma Bell’s phones took calls, not pictures. Having cable service just meant more channels to watch and no rabbit ears. Mostly, only Internet providers got you online. When you heard that faxscreeching sound, you knew you were getting somewhere. Once during the night, our machine downstairs started to dial on its own. I punched Robert to check on the burglar I was certain was in the house. “Seriously? You think it’s a burglar? You honestly think a burglar is going to break into this house just to check his email?” Well, I know I would. I’m that desperate to be connected, which brings me back to my conversation with the cable company that night. “So, I have to agree to this fee, just to keep this conversation going,” I’d followed up with the technician. It was
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May 2014
Spotting Exceptional Customer Service
Assistant Managers Tim Jennings and Erica Clark
To encourage exceptional customer service, the Business Development Committee of the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce and Evince will recognize those who give it. When you experience exceptional customer service, tell us about it in 300 words or less. Include your name and phone number. Email your story to joycewilburn@gmail.com or visit www.dpchamber.org; under Business Development, click Customer Service Award Nomination.
by Joyce Obstler On Saturday, March 15, I attended the performance of Werther, an opera that the Danville Stadium Cinemas and theaters around the world simulcast live from the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. This particular performance was three hours long. About seven minutes from the end, the audio portion of the broadcast was lost. The audience waited patiently for the sound to return, but unfortunately, it did not until the opera was over. Leaving the theater slightly disappointed, we were all greeted by an employee of the Danville Stadium Cinemas who apologized for the loss of sound. The loss was due to a problem with the satellite and no fault of Danville Stadium Cinemas. The employee then told us to go to the box office for a full refund. With the cost of admission being $22, this was quite significant! The employee stated that they “wanted us all to come back for another show sometime.” I left the theater with $22 back in my pocket and very impressed with this show of customer service. Danville Stadium Cinemas, thank you. I will definitely be back.
Evince Magazine
The Magician L
fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg
ong ago there was nothing but Moon and her old father, Sea. There was no land yet, just the ebb and flow of tides, and Moon lived below the water, not above. She was young, beautiful, and lonely. When Night came to court, Moon fell in love, became hand fasted in his dark robes, wrapped herself again and again in his dreads that were tangled with stars. It’s the need to love that can never be restrained. And that, my dear, is how the universe begins. --excerpt from The Magician: All the Secrets of the Known World Eighteen-year-old Colby Keen showed the coin gracefully to the guests at the wedding. Laurel, his 19-year-old bride, sat on a stone bench in the shadows beside some forgotten honeysuckle, quietly rubbing the lace at her wrists of her grandmother’s gown covering scars she gave herself. She did not look at Colby; Laurel had seen tricks before. So good was Colby at his sleight of hand that even Dorothy Ann Potts, who hadn’t even been invited to the wedding but came boldly anyway marveled, before she called him “some white heathen” under her breath. The young men in crooked ties stopped dancing to inch closer craftily trying to learn the secret, while the women and old ones were surprised and a little shaken or bemused by turns. Their favorite trick, the disappearing/reappearing coin was the one they most couldn’t figure out. Colby made coins appear beside ears, from guest pockets, from the left shirt pocket of his now father-in-law. When he stopped, they all clapped and cheered wanting more. All the guests went back to the reception smiling, all but his bride. So Colby sat down on the bench, pulled the coin, the silver dollar from behind Laurel’s cinnamon-colored ear, and leaned to her. He tipped up her chin with his index finger and he whispered as he handed the coin to her, “I could show you how to do it, if you like.” On the first day of courting, Night gave Moon a thousand smooth shells. But Moon would not ascend. Daughter of Sea, she had all the shells she could hold. But Laurel merely smiled and turned away, eyes empty and strange. She didn’t believe in magic. “They’re supposed to watch the wrong thing, baby” Colby flipped the coin end over end, then took Laurel’s long brown fingers and put them to the back of his hand. Laurel felt the residue of something not quite glue, a little shiny in the moonlight. “Don’t be scared,” Colby said and Laurel knew he didn’t mean the coin or his trick for hiding it. He meant their life starting together. “This is how I do it.” He took her hands in his and held them. On the tenth time of courting, Night— who was blind— opened his eyes before
her, reflected her beauty in his own dark vulnerability, and he told her of his love in languages of worlds he had been to, but she had never known. But Moon, waterfall full and unsure, saw only her paleness and heard only a wave echoing confusion at the tongues he called from. Still, Moon would not ascend. Folks left them alone, but thought it strange. Hours ago, folks gave up thinking the couple would leave for the honeymoon. Long after the toasts, long after the dancing in the cooling night air, Colby and Laurel were still there. By now, the wedding was pretty much over, and the music was waning, a couple of musicians smoking, then yawning, by the edge of a fence by the garden gate instead of playing. And still the husband and bride rested, didn’t start on their five-day trip to the neighboring town to stay in the Econo Lodge off 29 before she went back to college and he began his welding classes. On the twenty-ninth time of courting, Night told her what held the stars to him, the secret of the universe and all it held. Their wedding was quiet, a roving push of water, the ceremony of Moon’s arms bound in seaweed, and coral, a wreath around her head. Night sang to Moon of the earth, of mountains and cliffs. And she wanted this new thing, and trembled in indecision. Laurel thought there was no particular love that needed to be made tonight, nothing they couldn’t make tomorrow or the day after. They had as long a forever as time would give them. So when her husband didn’t rush her, and took off his jacket, put it over her shoulder, in a show of trust and kindness, Laurel leaned her head on his shoulder. And still they sat, quiet, beside the honeysuckle, while Colby showed her the mechanics of magic, the craft of illusion. Long ago, on the last day of Night’s courting, Sea pulled back, and Night came closer than ever before, and Moon moved from Sea to the edge of light, and Moon remembered every secret Night had ever told. And it was Night’s tears that made a bridge of land for her to cross to him. Moon ascended halfway and turned to her lover, all hope and dreams. “It’s time to go, Mrs. Keen,” Laurel’s father, Tim Knox, called to his child, careful not to intrude too close to the stone bench and the couple by the honeysuckle. And Laurel never understood how to do the trick herself, only his patient resolve that she try. It is the need to love that cannot be restrained. And that is how the universe begins and lives to tell the tale. The author welcomes your reactions at telishamooreleigg@gmail.com.
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May 2014
Calendar Clips Clip it. Post it. Do it.
For more activities, see the calendar on page 14.
Thursday, May 1 - Sunday, May 25 DMFAH Exhibits
Enjoy the current exhibits at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History, 975 Main Street, including Alla Parsons’ Magic Realism in the Jennings Gallery and Bright Leaf and Tobacco Barns in the Schoolfield Gallery. Look for the boy and girl silhouettes posted throughout the historic Sutherlin Mansion and the Civil War exhibition Between the Lines to identify hands-on opportunities for visitors to explore history. For example, lift a Civil War soldier’s rifle (safely attached to a display) to see how heavy his equipment was. Work the milk churn for even a few minutes and you will be grateful for the plastic jugs at the grocery store. (submitted by Patsi Compton)
Thursday, May 1 – Saturday, May 31
DMFAH Summer Class Registration
Karan Johnson’s Oodles of Doodles in early June will ignite any four-to-sixyear old’s imagination with a combination of art, games, and songs designed to appeal to all five senses. Linda Gourley will offer two sessions of Elements of Art, for seven-to-twelve-year olds, one in June and another in July. Space is limited. Sign up early. Adults and mature teens can experiment with pottery in Jon Scollo’s Forms in Clay. Beginning artists and experts alike can complete an entire acrylic painting on May 16 at Firehouse Friday. Pepper Martin offers this once-a-month painting class in the museum’s Swanson Studio that was once a fire station. For more information, visit www.danvillemuseum.org or call 434.793.5644. (submitted by Patsi Compton)
Friday, May 2
Temple Beth Sholom Interfaith Open House
The public is invited to the only Jewish temple in Danville at 127 Sutherlin Avenue for a Sabbath service starting at 7:30 p.m. There will be an opportunity to ask the Rabbi questions about Jewish theology, philosophy and practice. Refreshments will follow. No tickets required but call 434.799.3505 for reservations. Seating is limited to 120 people. Temple Beth Sholom is a member of Danville United. (submitted by Peter Howard)
Saturday, May 3 Sutherlin Art & Wine Show
Spend the day at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History, 975 Main Street. A silent auction, music, and food are part of this annual juried art show. An added feature is the opportunity to sample Virginia wines while shopping for that special piece of art work. The free art show is from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The wine tasting is from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Cost $10 in advance, $15 at the gate, and $5 for the designated driver. (submitted by Patsi Compton)
Saturday, May 3
Opening Day of the Danville Farmers’ Market
Don’t miss an opportunity to support your local farmers, artisans and bakers at the opening of the Market, 629 Craghead Street, from 7:30 a.m. until noon. Learn where your food comes from while you check out the local fare in the produce areas. Enjoy listening to live music, eating baked goods and browsing the craft section. Free tomato plants will be given to the first 500 visitors. For more information, call 434.797.8961 or visit www.playdanvilleva.com. (submitted by Elizabeth Whittaker)
Tuesday, May 6
Eat Out to Help Out
The National Association of Letter Carriers, Rural Letter Carriers and the U.S. Post Office are sponsoring this annual event. Leave non-perishable food items (no glass please) at your mailbox before the carrier arrives. Food collected in and around Danville benefits God’s Storehouse and food collected in Chatham and points north benefits the Northern Pittsylvania County Food Pantry. This food is distributed during the summer months when donations are low. (submitted by Karen Harris)
Saturday, May 10
DMFAH Attic Sale
The Volunteer Guild of the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History will hold its annual attic sale from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at the DMFAH, 975 Main Street. A preview sale for members of the museum will be on Friday, May 9, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. As you spring clean, save your unwanted, gently used items (except for clothing and shoes) and donate them to the sale. Donated goods are tax deductible. Furniture is especially welcomed. Drop off donations on May 5, 6, 7, or 8 during museum hours. Pick up for large items or quantities is available. For more information call 434.793.5644. (submitted by Jane Murray)
Friday, May 16 – Saturday, May 17 Menopause the Musical
GFour Productions, winners of 54 Drama Desk and 44 Tony Awards, are proudly bringing the international hit show to The Historic North Theatre Performing Arts Center, 629 North Main Street, for three performances. Shows are Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and Saturday matinee at 2:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at www. thenorththeatre.com or call 434.793.SHOW (7469). Group discounts for 10+ are available by calling 888.686.8587 x5 or 434.793.7469. Since March 2001, this hilarious show has entertained and inspired women from coast to coast and internationally. The 90minute production includes parodies from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. (submitted by Natalie Judge)
Evince Magazine Saturday, May 17
CCHA Heritage Festival
Step back in time with the Caswell County Historical Association in Yanceyville North Carolina’s Town Square from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. During the 1800s, Caswell County was one of the wealthiest places in North Carolina. The tobacco industry was booming and Caswell County was a leader in the field. Many Caswell County citizens were prominent figures during the 1800s and their stories will be told throughout the day. Watch A Day in the Life of the Civil War behind the Richmond-Miles History Museum. Watch a parade of horses on Main Street. Tour the Historic Courthouse, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, that is architecturally considered one of the most distinctive courthouses in North Carolina. See the historic jail (with workable, but not working gallows). Visit the Richmond-Miles History Museum and oneroom schoolhouse. There will be demonstrations of basket weaving, quilting, gunsmithing, and blacksmithing. Learn how Underground Railroad quilts had hidden codes that guided slaves to freedom. See antique farm equipment, tools, and fire equipment. Come as you are or dress the part. For more information, call 336.694.6241. (submitted by Rhonda Griffin)
Saturday, May 17
Danville Symphony Orchestra Concert
From images of dinosaurs in Jurassic Park to the space travel of Star Wars, the DSO spring pops concert pays tribute to America’s greatest film composer, John Williams, who scored more than 75 films. Under the direction of Peter Perret, the DSO presents its final concert of the season with familiar selections that recall adventures from some of the most popular films of the past 30 years: Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., Superman, Jurassic Park, Star Wars, Saving Private Ryan and Harry Potter. There is no admission charge, but attendees are asked to bring donations of canned food or cash for God’s Storehouse. The concert will begin at 8:00 p.m. in the George Washington High School Auditorium, 701 Broad Street, Danville (ssubmitted by Mary Franklin)
Sunday, May 18
Civil War Field Music Program
The Danville Historical Society presents renowned bugler, Jari Villanueva, who will speak about and play Civil War field music from both the Union and Confederate sides including the most inspiring field song of the Civil War, Taps. It is a haunting melody that was played by both sides in America’s bloodiest conflict and survives today as the music played when soldiers and veterans are laid to rest. The program will be presented at the Veterans Memorial in Dan Daniel Park, 302 River Park Drive, starting at 2:00 p.m. For more information, visit www.danvillehistory.org. (submitted by Sarah Latham)
Upcoming Friday, June 6
Greenberg/Overcash/Heard Memorial Golf Tournament
The Danville Speech and Hearing Center will hold its annual fundraiser at Caswell Pines Golf Club in Yanceyville, North Carolina, beginning at 1:00 p.m. Team entry fee of $300 includes green fee, cart fee and lunch for a four-person team. Prizes will be awarded to first, second, third, and fourth place finishes. The Center is a non-profit, outpatient clinic that provides professional speech/language pathology services to improve the quality of life for those dealing with communication disorders. For a registration form or more information, call 434.793.8255 or e-mail danvillespeech@yahoo.com. (submitted by Elizabeth Marshall))
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May 2014
May Calendar Ongoing
Guided Walking Tour – Millionaires Row & Holbrook Street. 434.770.1974. www.danvillehistory.org. See ad page 24. Danville Science Center Digital Dome Theater - Open for guests to fully explore the known universe as well as some fascinating phenomena right here on Earth. The immersive dome setting showcases the scientific wonders of space, engages visitors with live astronomers, and offers large format films. Danville Science Center (DSC) – 434.791.5160. Estlow’s Trains Exhibit - John “Jack” Estlow, Jr. originally constructed this “N” Scale Train layout which was donated by his daughters and grandson so visitors can enjoy trains running in the train station. DSC – 434.791.5160. Bingo – Bring a gift to exchange and have blood pressure and body index checked. Location/times vary. 434.799.5216. Tai-Chi Day Classes - Increase strength, balance, flexibility and progress at your own pace. M 11:15am-12:15pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216. Yoga Classes - Challenge mind and body, increase flexibility and stamina, build strength, improve balance and concentration, improve circulation, promote relaxation in this stress- relieving wellness class. M 11:30am-12:30pm, Danville Public Library (DPL); 5:30-6:30pm, Ballou Rec Center. 434.797.8848. Walk Fit - Get fit with walking and low impact exercises in this new exercise class designed for ages 50+. TuF 7:30am. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216. Let’s Dance – Formerly Boogie Mondays. Learn new dances, make new friends and have loads of fun. 7-8:30pm. Ballou Rec. Center - 434.799.5216. Art with Judie – Learn how to paint with acrylic, oil or watercolor. M/TU - Times vary. Ballou Annex. 434.799.5216. Ladies, It’s Time to Work It Out. MW 8:30-10am. City Auditorium. 434.797.8848. Kuumba African Dance – Live drumming and energetic dancing that helps raise cultural awareness, uplift and provides a great workout. MW 6-8pm. Stonewall Youth Center. 434.797.8848. Zumba Classes - Hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves create a oneof-a-kind interval training fitness program with fun routines that tone and sculpt the body while burning fat. MTH 7-8pm. Coates Rec. Center. W 5:15-6pm Pepsi Building. 434.797.8848. Pickleball – A combination of the elements of badminton, tennis and table tennis. MWF 9am-12pm. Coates Rec. Center. TTH 5-7pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434799.5216. Prime Time Fitness - Low-impact aerobics workout with a mix of various fun dance steps. MTH 9:30-11am or 5:30-7pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.797.8848. Hand and Foot Social - Play, socialize and enjoy refreshments. TU 2-4:30pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216. Sewing Classes – Learn how to use a needle and thread, make simple alterations or even clothes. Bring portable sewing machine, material, pattern and thread. Beginners and experienced welcomed. TU 6:30-8:30pm. Coates Rec Center. 434.799.5216. Cardio Step Class – Up-tempo, high energy class. TTH 8:30-9:30am. City Auditorium. 434.797.8848. Baby Boomer Style Work Out – Walking, cardio activity & weight training designed for older adults. TTH 9-10:30am. City Auditorium. 434.797.8848. Art with Flo – Wet on wet technique of oil painting. Ages 18+. W 9:30-11:30am, Glenwood Community Center; 6-8pm, Ballou Annex. 434.799.5216. African Cardio Blast - A unique workout that includes dance movements from various regions of the African continent. 5:30-6:30pm. City Auditorium. 434.797.8848. Wednesday Friends - Bring a lunch and enjoy a special activity or speaker. Shopping
day is the second Wednesday of the month. Ages 60+. W 11am-1:30pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216. African Rhythms by Nguzo Saba – Learn West African dance technique to live drumming. W 6-7pm. City Auditorium. 434.797.8848. Mommy & Me Fitness - Safe and effective workout for moms, babies, toddlers and preschoolers. TH 8:30-9:30am. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.797.8848. Ballou Jammers - Acoustic musical jamboree. Bring a stringed instrument or just listen. TH 3-5pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216. Ballou Book Swap - Take a book or two to read and leave a book or two to share. F 9am-5pm. Ballou Rec. Center 434.799.5216. Friday Night Dances - Live music, dancing and refreshments. Ages 50+. F 7:30-10:30pm. Ballou Rec. Center 434.799.5216.
Through May 25
DMFAH Exhibits - Magic Realism, paintings of artist-educator Alla Parsons, and Bright Leaf & Tobacco Barns, vintage photographs of the process that took tobacco from seedling to the auction floor. Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History (DMFA&H) – 434.793.5644. See story page 12.
Through May 10
VMNH Exhibits – Stories from Skeletons: Hard Evidence & Nano exhibit. Virginia Museum of Natural History (VMNH) – 276.634.4141.
Through May 17
DSC Exhibits - From Here to There explores the science of how things move by land, sea and air. Participants will lift, launch and levitate with hands-on exhibits that make gravity, friction, and the laws of motion fun; Blood Suckers focuses on the biological wonders of creatures that eat blood - through encounters with live species and interactive exhibits. DSC – 434.791.5160.
Through May 31
Mapping Local Knowledge – Danville Virginia 1963. This exhibit highlights 17 people who were important figures in the struggle for civil rights in the Danville area in 1963. TU-Sat 10am-2pm. Pittsylvania County Public Library (PCPL) - History Research Center & Library, Chatham. www.pcplib.org.
Through July 5
The Hidden Lives of Ants – With the aid of a macro lens Dr. Mark Moffett’s stunning macro photographs tell incredible stories about the lives of ants—hunting, communicating, dealing with disease and agriculture—and chronicle the work of entomologists in the field. This sciencebased exhibit includes a live ant colony and hands-on models that will awe both adults and children. VMNH – 276.634.4141.
Through October 11
Butterfly Station & Garden – The garden is open and full of lovely butterflies and flowers. Bring a camera and enjoy the scenery. DSC – 434.791.5160.
Through October 25
Uptown Farmers’ Market. 7am-12pm. Uptown Martinsville. www.martinsvilleuptown.com
May 1
Alive After Five – The Mason Lovette Band will perform country favorites and rock classics, which are sure to energize any crowd. 5:30-9pm. Merritt Commons, Roxboro. 336.599.3116 x3308.
May 1 (thru 4)
Beehive, The 60’s Musical – It will lift your spirits and have you dancing in the aisles. 7:30pm/3pm. The Prizery. 434.572.8339.
May 1, 15 & 29
Family Story Time – 5/1 is Craft Day; 5/15 is Movie Day; 5/29 is Game Day. TH 4-5pm. PCPL - Mt. Hermon. www.pcplib.org.
May 1 (thru 29)
Stained Glass Classes - Using the Copper Foil Method, learn how to score and break glass, foil, grind, clean and assemble a light catcher project and much more. Materials and tools furnished. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216. Lacework – Learn to read a lacework pattern and charts to create a beautiful shawl. 5:30-8:30pm. The Artisan Center – 276.656.5461.
May 1 (thru 31)
DMFAH Summer Class Registration. See story page 12. Art Exhibit – ArtFest 2014. Reception 5/9 6-8pm. Kirby Gallery, Roxboro. 336.597.1709.
May 2
Fancy Nancy Party. Requires advance registration. 10:30am. Gretna. www.pcplib.org. Homeschooler Get-Together – Mars Rover. 1-3pm. PCPL - Brosville. www.pcplib.org. SHS Benefit Golf Tournament – 18 hole, four player, captain’s choice tournament. Top 3 teams with the lowest scores will receive prizes with 2 cars as prizes for two designated holes for a hole in one. 1pm shotgun start. Goodyear Golf Club. 434.793.2656. Temple Beth Sholom Interfaith Open House. See story page 12. Singing at Ballou - Karaoke - sing or just listen and enjoy. 2-3:30pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216. First Friday Art Walk. 5-7pm. Studio 107, Martinsville. 276.638.2107. Halifax Co. Cancer Association Spaghetti Supper. 5-7pm. American Legion Post 8. 434.470.3283 or 434.476.2714. Fridays at the Crossing Concert Series – Escape the workweek by gathering with family and friends to enjoy music and fun with Dragon Fly with food and beverages available on site. 6-10:30pm. The Crossing at the Dan. 434.793.4636. First Fridays Painting + Pinot. 6-9pm. Piedmont Arts Association (PAA) – 276.632.3221. Ana Vidovic Concert. Danville Concert Association. 7:30pm. The Historic North Theatre. 434.792.9242. Maria in the Shower – Mix of Tin Pan Alley ditties, Cuban shuffles, hollow hills spirituals, roots and rockabilly is readymade for live performance. Part Vaudeville show, part cabaret, part punk and part folk, Maria provides an evening of great music. 8pm. Rives Theatre. 276.632.3221.
May 2 (thru 5)
Halifax County Heritage and Antique Machinery Festival - Festival highlighting rural and agricultural heritage. 12pm. Halifax County Fairgrounds. 434.572.6879. www.halifaxcountyheritagefestival.org.
May 2 (thru 20)
Low-impact Exercise – Uses the Go4Life routine from the National Institute on Aging as well as Tai Chi, Wii, yoga, and chair exercise routines. MF 10-11am. PCPL Brosville/Cascade. www.pcplib.org.
May 3
Southside Master Gardener Plant Sale – Event provides the community with an opportunity to buy locally grown plants and help support the Master Gardener’s Community Educational Outreach Program.7-11:30am. Virginia Cooperative Extension Office, Halifax. www.ssmga.org. Farmers’ Market Opening Day - Visit the market to meet the vendors and farmers, get the year’s first taste of fresh local produce, purchase meats, baked goods, arts and crafts and much more. Free tomato
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plants for each patron while supplies last. 7:30am-12pm. Danville Community Market. 434.797.8961. See story page 12. Woods & Water Outdoor Show Featuring local vendors selling and displaying hunting, fishing, camping, boating, off-road vehicles and much more. 8am-4pm. Crossing at the Dan. 434.797.8961. John Deere Day - Donations to the Danville Cancer Association give chances to win a lawn tractor. Live radio broadcast, lunch, test drives, bouncy house and more. 9am-3pm. James River Equipment. www.jamesriverequipment.com. Spring River Clean Up – Kick off the citywide “Make Danville Shine” campaign by cleaning up the Dan River or participating in a neighborhood cleanup project. Individuals and groups are encouraged to participate. Gloves, litter-getters and trash bags will be provided. Ages 12+. 9-11am. The Crossing at the Dan. 434.799.5215. Bug Daze – Featuring a plethora of bugs that crawl, fly, or a little of both, Bug Daze is the place to be for entertaining insect curiosity and curing buggy fears. Don’t miss the Bearded Bee Man and a variety of games and crafts. 9am-4pm. VMNH – 276.634.4141. Comic Book Day – A single day when participating venues across North America and around the world give away comic books to anyone who comes in. There will be special giveaways for those celebrating as their favorite character from a comic or graphic novel. 10am-2pm. PCPL - Mt. Hermon. www.pcplib.org. Spring Craft Fair - Outdoor craft fair with handcrafted items made by local and regional artisans. 10am-3pm. The Artisan Center. 276.656.0343. Martinsville Mini Maker Faire - The greatest show and tell on earth. Check out the inventions and tour the first ever Fab Lab in Virginia. 10am-3pm. The Artisan Center. 276.656.5474. Bob Ross Painting Class - Complete a painting, A Cooper Winter, in one day. 10:30am–3:30pm. Ballou Annex. 434.799.5216. Sutherlin Art & Wine Show. DMFA&H. See story page 12. Reptile and Amphibian Bio Blitz - Enjoy a fascinating search for and count of reptiles and amphibians in the local environment. Discover the impact we have on the world around us and what can be done to protect it. Ages 10+. 1-4pm. Anglers Park. 434.799.5215.
May 5
Comic Book Giveaway – Pick up a free comic book and discuss favorite comic or graphic novel character. PCPL - Brosville. www.pcplib.org. Shrimp Fest Tickets - Tickets go on sale at 9am. No phone orders accepted. Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce. www.dpchamber.org. Meet the Mouse Computer Class – Intro to the mouse and keyboard. Ages 50+. 11am-1pm. DPL – 434.799.5195. Bingo. 4-4:45pm. PCPL - Chatham. www. pcplib.org. Caswell Book Club – An evening of literary discussion of Drew Perry’s This Is Just Exactly Like You. After the book discussion, dine at Hush Puppies with the author. 6-7:45pm. Gunn Memorial Library. 336.388.0248.
May 5 & 12
Sauces & Marinades - Learn to make healthy and natural sauces and marinades using natural herbs, spices and vegetables. 5:30-7pm. Stonewall Rec. Center. 434.797.8848.
If you’d like to submit an item for the Evince calendar, visit www.showcasemagazine.com. The deadline for the June issue is Monday, May 12, at 5:00 p.m. Please send just the basic information following the format on these pages.
Evince Magazine May 5 & 19
Knitting – All skill levels and ages welcome. 6:30pm. PCPL - Mt. Hermon. www.pcplib.org.
May 6
Ballou Choir Rehearsal – Join the choir and share talents. Performances at various locations. Male vocalists especially needed. Five performances per month. Ages 50+. 11:15am-12:30pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216. African Violet Club - Learn about garden tending, pest control and more at this meeting which includes a covered dish meal. 12-1:30pm. Ballou Rec. Center 434.799.5216. Eat Out to Help Out. See story page 12. Crafternoon at the Library – Spring flowers. 3-5:30pm. PCPL. www.pcplib.org.
May 6 (thru 27)
SHS Tours – Parents are invited to attend a informational school meeting. Prospective students are invited to shadow a student in a classroom. 9-10am. Sacred Heart School. www.sheartschool.com. Needlework – Knitting, embroidery, crochet. TU 10am. PCPL - Brosville. www.pcplib.org. Re-Use It Tuesdays – Crafts include a Mother’s Day crown, Balloon Ninja stress balls, a two-liter bottle apple gift box, and magazine butterflies. TU 5:30pm. PCPL Gretna 434.656.2759. www.pcplib.org.
May 7
Basic Word 2010 Computer Class – Learn how to use the basic features of Microsoft Word. Prerequisite: Meet the Mouse/Keyboard or comparable knowledge of using the mouse and keyboard. Ages 50+. 11am-1pm. DPL – 434.799.5195. Burial and Cremation Seminar Preplanning can give peace of mind to enjoy life! Ages 50+. Light refreshments served. Presented by Norris Funeral Services. 12pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216. Technology Woes Lifeline - Bring tech woes to one-on-one trouble-shooting with a computer-savvy technician. W 1-4:30pm; TH 3-4pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216. Mother’s Day Gifts. Ages 6-10. 3:304:30pm. DPL-Westover – 434.799.5195. Card Crafting – Make a tulip card for your Mom’s special day. 4pm. PCPL Mt. Hermon. www.pcplib.org.
May 7 & 21
Craft and Crochet. 1:30-3pm. PCPL Chatham. www.pcplib.org.
May 7 (thru 28)
Zen Zone – De-stressing techniques including reflexology, aromatherapy and music. W 12-1pm. PCPL - Brosville/ Cascade. www.pcplib.org. Computer Classes – Individual Help. Bring questions and get the one-on-one help needed with computer or device. 6-7pm. PCPL - Chatham. www.pcplib.org.
May 8
Bob Ross Technique Workshop – Cooper Winter. 9am-3:30pm. PAA – 276.632.3221. Jewelry Workshop – Learn basic techniques for assembling necklaces, earrings and bracelets. Registration required. 10am-12pm. PCPL - Brosville. www.pcplib.org. Medicare Seminar - Make the right choices regarding Medicare plan. Ages 50+. 11am-12:30pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216. Mystery Trip - A surprise trip limited to 10 people. Wear comfortable shoes. 11am12:30pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216. Book Discussion Group. 4-5:30pm. PCPL - Chatham. www.pcplib.org. Mentor Role Model Annual Fundraising Gala – A full coarse meal, silent auction, cash bar, entertainment, 50/50 raffle dancing and plenty of laughs to help raise funds to improve the lives of children. 6-9pm. 434.575.3011.
May 9
Book Talk – Theme is Books with Recipes. Bring a sample. 12pm. PCPL - Brosville. www.pcplib.org. Movie Screening - Age of Champions. Enjoy free showing compliments of Shelley Paschal of Humana & AARP. Ages 50+. 23:30pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216. Flip Flop Friday - Relaxing evening of music, yummy food from ChathaMooCa, and delicious wines! 6-10pm. The Homeplace Vineyard. 434.432.9463. Kayaking by Moonlight - Enjoy a guided river tour by twilight. Ages 12+. 7-9:30pm. 434.799.5215. Sierra Hull – This exciting, young american bluegrass singer, mandolinist and guitarist will charm with her engaging performance. 7:30pm. The Prizery. 434.572.8339. Comedy Night-Good Clean Fun – With headliner Phil Hogan, a Southern flavored blend of stand-up, original comedy songs,
guitar goofiness, and musical impressions. Phil is not your typical guitar act... he can actually play the guitar...no endless string of parodies here. Featuring Rob Ruthenburg. 8pm. Historic North Theatre. 434.793.7469.
May 10
It’s All About the Kids Super Saturday Gala Fundraiser. See ad page 7. Food Drive to Benefit God’s Storehouse – Leave non-perishable food items (no glass please) at mailbox. Your donation stays local, helping neighbors in your community. 434.793.3663. Museum Guild’s Attic Sale. DMFA&H. See story page 12. Second Saturday At The Halifax Farmers Market. 8am. 434.476.2147. Noland Village Country Fair Day – Enjoy food cooked on-site, homemade desserts, live music, antique tractor and machinery displays, quarter-scale tractors, classic and antique vehicles of all types, children’s area, arts and crafts and the antique tractor parade. 10am. Nathalie, VA. 434.454.2210 or 434.476.6655. www.nolandvillage.org. Lego Playdate – Bring creativity and build during this free play day. 10:30am-1:30pm. PCPL - Mt. Hermon. www.pcplib.org. Tinkers Car Club Spring Cruise-in – All trucks, cars, motorcycles are welcome. 5-9pm. Vinny’s Italian Delight Restaurant. 434.575.7032 or 434.572.6739.
May 10 (thru July 4)
Expressions Exhibit – Offering an eclectic mix of styles and media, this open-entry judged art exhibit features work by local and regional artists. PAA – 276.632.3221.
May 11
Classic Movie – Viva Las Vegas. 3pm. Kirby Theater, Roxboro. 336.597.1709.
May 12
Beginner Internet Computer Class – Learn how to connect to the internet, and perform basic searches. Ages 50+. 11am1pm. DPL – 434.799.5195. Senior Bowling Tournament - Exercise, make new friends, have fun. BP and BMI checked while waiting to bowl. 1-3pm. Riverside Lanes - 434.791.2695.
May 12 & 13
AARP Smart Drivers Class - This class refreshes driving skills and is designed for those over 50. 12:30-5:30pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216.
May 12 (thru 18)
Children’s Book Week – Check out a child’s book and receive a chance for a basket of books. All children will receive a hand-stamped tattoo. PCPL - Brosville. www.pcplib.org.
May 13
Seniors on the Move Trip - Sarah P. Duke Gardens, Durham, NC. 7am-7pm. Ballou Rec Center. 434.799.5216. Tables Luncheon Fundraiser - The ‘Tables’ are each sponsored by community groups, civic clubs, and individuals who are invited to decorate a beautiful spring luncheon table and sell the tickets to that table. 12pm. South Boston-Halifax Museum. www.sbhcmuseum.org. Craft Day – Make a bee flower. 3:304:45pm. PCPL - Chatham. www.pcplib.org. Jumping Frog Day – Celebrate a day inspired by Mark Twain’s story The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County with our jumping frog contest. Learn to make origami jumping frogs and have a friendly competition. 4pm. PCPL Mt. Hermon. www.pcplib.org. Crafter’s Corner – Bring current projects or learn new ones. 4:30-5:30pm. DPL – 434.799.5195.
May 13 & 15
Intro to Genealogical Research I & II – An intro to online genealogical databases to aid in research. Ages 18+. Part 1 11am1pm; Part 2 8am-1pm. Computer Lab, DPL – 434.799.5195.
May 14
Library Online Catalog & Resources Class - Instruction on how to use the online catalog and databased. Ages 50+. 11am1pm. Danville Public Library. 434.799.5195. Stand Up and Be Strong - Seminar to teach participants to recognize fall dangers in home and exercises to prevent falls. Ages 50+. 12-1pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216. Polliwogs & Science Stars – Build a recycled robot model while combining engineering skills with creativity. Ages 3–4, 1–2pm. Ages 5–7, 3:30–4:30pm. DSC - 434.791.5160.
May 14 (thru June 25)
Youth Gardening Program - Kids learn the basic skills needed to grow and maintain a garden in this hands-on
instruction and education in planting and gardening. 4:30-6pm. Stonewall Youth Center. 434.799.5150.
May 15
Senior Bingo. Ages 50+. 11am-12pm. DPL – 434.799.5195. Senior Citizens Club - Monthly meeting and covered dish luncheon. Ages 50+. 121:30pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216. Family Game Night. 5:30-7:30pm. PCPL - Brosville. www.pcplib.org. Enchanted Evening Concert – Bring a chair, blanket and picnic basket for a relaxing evening in the park. Ray Martin band performs. 6:30-8pm. Ballou Park Stage. 434.799.5216 or 434.793.4636. Sky Watchers – Examine the constellations Leo the Lion and its bright star Regulus, which is actually a multiple star system. Use Ursa Major’s guide stars to find the North Star, and observe the Ursa Major stars Mizar and Alcor. The planet Jupiter and its 4 largest moons should also be visible. Nightfall. DSC – 434.791.5160.
May 15 & 16
TGIF Concert Series - I’m With The Band 5/15; Paradox 5/16. 6:30-10:30pm. Uptown Martinsville. www.martinsvilleuptown.com.
May 16
National Bike to Work and School Day Use a green form of transportation to travel to work, school, or to favorite places. Register by May 13th to be recognized. Allday event. 434.799.5215. Movies on Main - Bring blankets & chairs and enjoy Disney’s Frozen. Popcorn & drinks for sale. 8-10:30pm. Constitution Square, Downtown South Boston. 434.575.4209.
May 16 & 17
Menopause the Musical. Historic North Theatre. See story page 12.
May 16 (thru 18)
Festival in the Park. See ad page 13,
May 17
Nestle 5K Run/Walk/Wheelchair Race Benefit for Special Olympics. 8:30-11:30am. Ballou Park. www.playdanvilleva.com. Dog Wash. 9am-12pm. Danville Community Market. 434.793.4636. Canning Workshop – Learn to make strawberry jam. 9am-12pm. Watson Memorial United Methodist Church, Chatham. 434.432.3271. www.pcplib.org. CCHA Heritage Festival. Yanceyville, NC’s Town Square. See story page 13. Lego Day. 10:30am. PCPL - Gretna 434.656.2759. www.pcplib.org. Spring Fling Family Day – Enjoy paper flower crafting and hands-on mural making. Kids will create a small broken tile mural to take home. Handmade baked goods for sale. 2-4pm. PAA – 276.632.3221. Cruise In – Check out cruisers ranging from motorcycles, classic cars, and new cars. 4-8pm. Uptown Martinsville. www. martinsvilleuptown.com. Danville Symphony Orchestra Spring Pops Concert. See story page 13.
May 18
Civil War Field Music Program. Veterans Memorial, Dan Daniel Park. See story page 13.
May 19
Basic Email Computer Class – Learn the basics of email and set up an account. Practice receiving and sending as well as composing and replying to emails. Ages 50+. 11am-1pm. DPL – 434.799.5195. Plant, Harvest, Use – Now is the time to plan a herb garden. Session will discuss planting and maintaining herbs in the ground, harvest times and methods, and some useful things to do with the harvest. 5:30-8:30pm. The Artisan Center. 276.656.5461. Caswell Book Club - An evening of literary discussion of Dr. Stephanie Helms Pickett’s Her Name is SHE. After the book discussion, there will be dining at a local restaurant with the author. 6-7:45pm. Gunn Memorial Library. 336.388.0248.
May 20 & 27
Concerns of Medicare – Long-Term Care or Retirement Planning and Medicare Benefits Overview. On behalf of AmeriLife, have lunch, educate and take advantage of every Medicare benefit available. Take the confusion out of all Medicare programs today. Invitation & reservation ONLY. Golden Corral. 540.562.3300. Diabetes Management Education – First two of four live streamed interactive programs on diabetes management. Topics include self-management basics and nutrition basics. 1-3pm. PCPL Chatham & Brosville. www.pcplib.org.
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May 20 & 22
Court Records for Genealogical Research – Learn how to utilize court records to guide genealogical research. Ages 18+. 11am-1pm. Law Lab, DPL – 434.799.5195.
May 22
Gardening Basics - Weeds and Garden Pests. Info and answers about gardening topics and more. 12-1:30pm Pepsi Building; 6-7:30pm DPL Auditorium. 434.797.8848. Read. Play. Live. Workshop – Container Gardening. MF 5:30-6:30pm. PCPL Brosville/Cascade. www.pcplib.org. Kayak - Paddle stress away while moving through class II rapids. Ages 12+. 6-8pm. Newton’s Landing. 434.799.5215. Konstantin Soukhovetski & The Richmond Symphony – A classical pianist, Soukhovetski returns to perform Mozart’s piano concerto in D m K 466. 7:30pm. The Prizery. 434.572.8339.
May 23
Zip Line-Night Flight – Fly through the moonlit sky while zipping through the trees. Ages 8+. 6-7:30pm. Philip Wyatt Memorial Skate Park Shelter. 434.799.5215.
May 24
Creeks, Streams and Squiggly Things Find squiggly amphibians swimming in the creeks. Ages 6-12. 10-11:30am. Anglers Park. 434.799.5215.
May 27
Film Discussion – Created Equal. A series of four film/discussion programs around the theme Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle. May’s discussion is based on the film Slavery by Another Name. 7:008:30pm. PCPL - History Research Center & Library, Chatham. www.pcplib.org.
May 27 & 28
Stock Car Open Test Days – See the biggest names in stock car racing as they test in preparation for NASCAR’s road race circuits. 9am-5pm. Virginia International Raceway. 434.822.7700. www.VIRnow.com.
May 27 (thru August 11)
Coates Summer Fun Camp - Activities focused on character building, arts, health and fitness and much more. 7:30am-6pm. Coates Rec. Center. 434.799.5150. Mad Science Camp - Activities centered around science and technology along with field trips, fun and games and more. 7:30am-6pm. Glenwood Community Center. 434.799.5150.
May 29
Lego Club. 4-4:45pm. PCPL - Chatham. www.pcplib.org.
May 30
Summer Concert Series - Great food, music (featuring the tribute band Appetite for Destruction) & beverages for the entire family. 7:30pm-11:30pm. Constitution Square, Downtown South Boston. 343.575.4209.
May 31
Uncorked Winery Bus Tour – Spend the day tasting Virginia wines and let someone else do the driving. Explore three beautiful wineries (Keswick, Horton, and Barboursville) of Charlottesville, VA. Receive 3 souvenir wine glasses, one wine cellar tour, enjoy wine tastings and time to stroll the grounds. 7am-8:30pm. Departing from Danville K-Mart. 1.757.805.5759. Harriette Moore Memorial Golf Tournament - 4-Person Captain’s Choice, 50/50 drawing, mulligans, red tees, prizes for closest to the pin on par 3’s. Lunch 11:30am-12:30pm. Shotgun Start-1pm. Caswell Pines Golf Course. 434.432.8380. Boating Demo Clinic - Try kayaking, canoeing, or stand up paddle boarding. Ages 8+. 2-5pm. Camilla Williams Park. 434.799.5215. Senior Prom - A Dance Down Memory Lane is the theme. Music by the Bullet Band, heavy refreshments, photos and lots of prom fun. Ages 50+. 6-10pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216.
Upcoming Events June 1
Bus to Broadway: Mamma Mia. PAA – 276.632.3221.
June 2
Chamber Classic Golf Tournament. Registration & Lunch: 11:30am-1pm. Tee Time: 1pm. Awards Reception Immediately Following Golf. Danville Golf Club. 434.836.6990. www.dpchamber.org.
June 6
Greenberg/Overcash/Heard Memorial Golf Tournament. See story page 13.
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May 2014 cancer today, she would probably have the same outcome. A lot of money goes into cancer research, but it’s not enough. I will feel frustrated until the day when cancer is no more. I’ve lost too many loved ones and friends to cancer. It’s sad, disappointing, and painful to watch, but like any problem, you just keep moving forward; you have to.”
Leader in Residence, Sherry Lansing, speaks to Chatham Hall students about her career and philanthropy. Photos by Robert Ankrom.
Sherry Lansing
Mother’s Death Inspires Daughter
A
t the age of 40, after Sherry Lansing, the first female President of Production at 20th Century Fox, had achieved success in the film industry and had “seen her dreams come true,” she lost her mother to ovarian cancer. As a result of her mother’s battle, Lansing was inspired to devote her life to funding cancer research. Recently, when she spoke to Chatham Hall students, she described her mother as a generous woman who always gave her time and offered to help those in need. Growing up in a charitable household gave Lansing the
by Mary-Michael Robertson impetus to give back throughout her career. “Losing my mother to
cancer was the motivating factor that really got me involved in cancer research because I loved my mother so much, and I could honor her memory by raising money for cancer research, so that, one day, no one will have to suffer as she did,” Lansing said. Lansing, a co-founder of Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C), explained, “Finding a cure for cancer would be the greatest dream I could ever imagine in my lifetime and cancer would not be the horrible disease that it is.” Describing her mother as one of her many role models and influences, Lansing continued, “Cancer research is happening quickly, but also slowly. If my mother were diagnosed with ovarian
While Lansing was at Chatham Hall as a Leader in Residence, she met with students in small groups for meals and discussions about topics ranging from cancer research to Leonardo DiCaprio. Lansing concluded her stay with a keynote address, A Conversation with Sherry Lansing, in which she responded to questions from students, faculty, and members of the community. When asked which obstacles impeded her success in the film industry, Lansing said, “The biggest obstacle was myself. I had to dream more and find the self confidence to go after those big jobs. Whether it is your mother, father, a minister, a rabbi, or a therapist, when you don’t have the self confidence to get to where you want to be, go talk to someone about it. I did that at a young age, and I believe that allowed me to dream big dreams and then to think I actually could make those dreams happen and not be frightened.” Lansing, a 1966 graduate of Northwestern University, worked as a math teacher before moving on to various jobs in film, including acting and producing. She is the founder of the EnCorps Teachers Program, which “retrains mid-career and retired professionals from the technology sector to serve as STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) teachers in California public schools.” In addition to being the President of Production at 20th Century Fox, Lansing has headed her own production company, served as Senior Vice President at Columbia Pictures and as the chair of the Motion Picture Group of Paramount Pictures. At Paramount, Lansing oversaw the production of over 200 films, including Forrest Gump and Titanic. As the founder and chair of the Sherry Lansing Foundation, Lansing is a philanthropist in the areas of health and education. In addition to numerous other accolades, Lansing has earned an Oscar for her humanitarian work. Obviously, the cause about which Lansing is most passionate is cancer research.
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May 2014
Book Clubbing A review by Carollyn Lee Peerman
One Soldier’s Story: A Memoir by Bob Dole
Did you know that June 6, 2014, will be the 70th Anniversary of D-Day--the beginning of the invasion of Allied forces in Europe during World War II? Even if you don’t have a friend or relative who fought in WW II, there is one powerful book you should read in memory of these brave men, One Soldier’s Story: A Memoir by Bob Dole. Dole overcame one hardship after another in order to survive and become one of America’s most respected statesmen. His life will inspire you to fight on and achieve to the fullest extent making your country a better place to live. He wrote, “The real heroes of World War II are the men and women who never came back. If there was anything heroic about my story, it is my recovery from the wounds I received. I could not have made it without help, lots of it, from fellow soldiers, doctors, loved ones, friends and others. None of us who travels the valleys of life ever walks alone.” Dole was from a family where love and sacrifice shaped his life. When World War II began, he enlisted. At age 21, he was entrusted to lead a platoon of men in the famed 10th Mountain Division when he suffered injuries in the final days of the war on Hill 913. While trying to pull his radioman to safety during a battle against a fortified German position in the mountains of Italy, he was hit by enemy fire in his right shoulder and back. For three years he lapsed in and
out of consciousness, lost a kidney, and lost the use of his right arm and most of his left. He willed himself to live, conquering the harrowing experience. Dr. Hampar Kelikian worked on Bob’s arm performing seven operations. Although the operations were less than successful, Dr. Kelikian gave Dole a new confident attitude. Kelikian urged Dole to focus on what he had left and what he could do with it so that he could see possibilities and not just problems. Later in life, Dole served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1961 to 1969 and the U.S. Senate from 1969 to 1996. In 1976 he was the Republican nominee for vice president and in 1996 he was the Republican nominee for president. Let Bob Dole’s wit and courage lift you. • For more information about the D-Day Memorial and the June 6 activities, visit www.dday.org or call 1.866.935.0700. • The GPS address for the D-Day Memorial is 3 Overlord Circle, Bedford, VA. It is about 1 1⁄2 hours from Danville. • American Legion Post 325 is leading the Memorial Day service in Danville on Sunday, May 25, in the Danville National Cemetery, 721 Lee Street, at 2:30 p.m. The speaker will be Dale Chapman, the Department Adjutant for the American Legion in Virginia and a past American Legion State Commander. American Legion Posts 29, 1097, and 325, along with the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 19 and the Veterans of Foreign War #647 will be in attendance. The public is invited.
A review by Diane S. Adkins
Glitter and Glue by Kelly Corrigan
In a large and lucrative publishing subset, books about mothers and daughters, all promoted heavily during this Mother’s Day season, Kelly Corrigan’s Glitter and Glue stands out as a refreshing new entry. Kelly doesn’t sugarcoat a relationship that is often fraught; rather, she tells the story of how those difficulties with her mother are transformed into a recognition of the older woman’s strengths. It’s that balance and the way that the two women re-define their relationship as adults that shapes the story. Kelly lets us know at the outset that as she grew up, her mother was never her friend. It wasn’t her mother’s job to be her friend. Motherhood was serious work and she was there to guide her children into adulthood not to be their pal. Kelly’s father was the big, open, affirming type who praised everything his children did and glided over the surface of all difficulties, many of which were simply hidden from him by his wife. (“This would kill your father.”) When Kelly approached adulthood, it was her dad that she expected to hear in her head. However, as her mom stated it, “Your father’s the glitter, but I’m the glue.” Fun belonged in Greenie Corrigan’s domain, but Mary Corrigan made everything work. Much of the book recounts Kelly’s time as a nanny in Australia. It was her theory of life that “things happen when you leave the house.” That philosophy took her to the opposite side of the world on a carefree adventure with a good friend. When they inevitably ran out of money, Kelly took a job with a family, the Tanners; Ellen Tanner, the mother of two small children, had recently passed away, leaving their father, John, to raise them alone. As Kelly works with the children (“They are children, Kelly; kids are baby goats”), she begins to hear her mother’s voice in her head, guiding her, the interior voice appearing in italics at every turn of the page. This device makes Kelly’s mother come alive; her voice sounds so much like Everywoman or more accurately Everymother, and her matter-of-fact approach to life is so devoid of drama that readers begin to hear their own mother’s voice speaking Mary Corrigan’s lines: “How old are you? Twelve?” “What do you think, electricity grows on trees?” The book’s epilogue recounts Kelly’s search for the Tanner family years after her time in Australia, and the ways in which her time with them shaped her adult view of what a family is. This search takes place within the frame of Kelly’s own health crisis, not unlike Ellen Tanner’s. Telling that story affirms for her and for us, that her mother really is the glue. The beautiful ending alone makes the reading of the book worthwhile, as Kelly discovers that, although things indeed happen when you leave the house, being in the house with the particular and peculiar people who are your family “is the great adventure” after all. Diane S. Adkins is the Director of the Pittsylvania County Public Library System. Send information about what you or your book club is reading to joycewilburn@gmail.com.
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remember where I entered.
very once in a while, after having evinced a worrying nature to one of my friends, I always follow up by saying, “My mother always taught me to worry and I took her to heart!” Here are a few examples: My tetanus shot is always current status; I owe that to my mother. She constantly reminded me of what happened to my father’s cousin in North Wilkesboro in the 1920s. While chopping wood with a rusty axe, he cut his foot (not “off”, just cut). He later died from tetanus, called lockjaw back then. As was common in those days, if there wasn’t a picture of the deceased from life, one was taken of him at the funeral home. The Williams family did it one better. In our album, there is a picture of my father’s dead cousin with his wife. He is not in funeral home “recumbencey”, but he is propped up vertically in his coffin “standing” beside his wife in their front yard. Needless to say, I have always kept my tetanus shots current. One time, my Cub Scout troop visited Boone’s Cave in Davidson County, North Carolina. My mother
When I went to Appalachian State University in 1969, my mother warned me to never leave my drink unattended, as someone might drop LSD into it. I told her that I would always keep my glass in sight (but didn’t tell her that the glass might be filled sometimes with beer or wine). Nowadays, when drinking in public, I still keep an eye on my glass, despite the fact that someone is probably not dropping LSD clandestinely into drinks.
My Mother Taught Me to Worry Lorraine Williams is surrounded by her children in this 1987 picture: Rachel and Diane (standing) and Mack holding little brother, Jeremy. by Mack Williams wouldn’t let me go, being afraid that I might wander off and become lost. I recently Googled Boone’s Cave, Davidson County, NC and
learned that it is only about 140 feet in depth, but if I ever make the trip, with my mother’s concern in mind, I will do my best to
With all this talk of negative worry, let me now tell you that my mother also imbued me with the most positive worry of all, the worry that might come to me if I ever failed to treat another living soul with that precept of the Golden Rule: So that whatever you wish that others would do unto you, do you also to them. This, no doubt, inspired me to become a social worker for 27 years of my life. In a re-stating and amending of my first sentence--my mother taught me to worry, but she also taught me other things and I took her to heart, where she is, even unto this very day, in my heart.
Evince Magazine
Reflecting Forward The Wish
fiction by Linda Lemery had a few rings, remnants of the old country, but she never wore them in her hard, everyday life. Sometimes she would let me look and touch before hiding them away.
(Author’s note: The Wish was published in its longer form in the 2010-2011 Averett Journal. The author shares this condensation with Evince readers in celebration of Mother’s Day.) Have you ever noticed that impossible things seem more possible at night? I was driving home from a writers group meeting the night it happened. An unexpected wish rose through me: I wanted to see Stella, my grandmother, just one more time. Where did that come from? But then I thought about my grandmother. Stella was a Polish immigrant. An accomplished seamstress, she was a willful teenager of independent mind. Determined to emigrate to America, she saved her money and badgered her parents until, worn out, they agreed to let her go. At age 16, she traveled across the Atlantic alone to live with relatives. Her parents never saw her again. She met a man on the boat. Eventually, she married him and lived a life with more than its share of tragedies. But the grandmother I had known was full of joy. I adored her. Gramma Stella was the star of my early years. Giving and receiving unconditional love was a wonderful gift for a child growing up in a parental war zone. We spent summers together, Stella and I. Safe, secure summers alone on the farm, full of energy, work, dance, and laughter. I didn’t know we were poor. Perhaps we were so happy together because, with her, I could be a happy child living an uncomplicated life, and with me, she could recapture a childhood cut short. Gramma Stella
The highway rolled along under my wheels, matching the pace of the memories unrolling in my mind. But in the field on the right, a flash of white startled me. A deer, drenched in moonlight, leapt into the road ahead. It stopped and faced me, its eyes wide, opaque, as if it had not come from this world. As I pumped the brakes, the deer grew larger, frighteningly fast. I screamed and must have hit the horn. The deer came out of its trance. I watched it flash away into the trees. Pull over, I thought, shaking. My heart was pounding. Get out of the car. Lean over. Breathe. Drawing a slow breath, I straightened. My eyes swept over the moonlit fields. My heartbeat slowed. And out of the corner of my eye, I saw something more. It was another flash of white in the field in front of me. A distant figure was coming closer ... and it was dancing. The radiance of the moon illuminated the whirling figure, its frayed flannel shirt open, revealing the old-fashioned blouse beneath. The patched skirt flared outward. Inside the clothes, the angular body of a woman moved in a pattern of grace. Her head tilted back, her gold earrings glinted as they spun outward above the scarf clasped around her neck. Wisps of white hair escaped its clips. A ring on her finger caught the moonlight. Her eyes were closed, her lips parted in a slight smile and moving to a melody only she could hear. That looks like my grandmother. I felt an odd, flat lack of surprise. She stopped whirling. Her eyes opened and met mine. I can’t explain it. Maybe there is a frame of mind that transcends the physical plane, that lets us get a fleeting glimpse of those long dead through eyes made keener by the power of love and night. I took a step toward her. She shook her head, her body language hinting at a gulf between us, a gossamer visual bridge that couldn’t stand up to anything more. Her eyes softening, she held a finger to her lips. One hand gripped the other. Staring at me, she touched her lips to blow me a kiss with an odd, quick, furtive flip of her wrists. She straightened, looked me over and nodded, then cocked her head in an
attitude of listening. Tears glinted in her eyes. Her patched skirts ruffled as if in a breeze. Her head tipped back, her eyes closed, one arm arched over her head. Her other hand stretched out, its naked fingers graceful, pinching her skirts. She began to twirl, slowly at first, then faster and faster away from me until the flash of her white face faded out of sight. I was alone on the side of the road in the moonlight. But not completely alone, for I’d gotten my wish, and more. “Impossible,” you say? I looked
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down at the amethyst ring she’d thrown across that unnatural chasm, that ring from long ago that I’d caught without thinking, sliding it onto my finger with my eyes still riveted on her. I smiled as I rubbed my thumb over the stone. Proof enough for me. Biographical sketch: Linda Lemery llemery@averett.edu works as Circulation Manager at Averett University’s Mary B. Blount Library in Danville and writes short fiction. She welcomes reader comments.
photo courtesy/Steve Lemery
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May 2014
Remembering Dan Daniel (Park) and the Veterans Memorial by Joyce Wilburn Most Danville area residents are familiar with the 170-acre Dan Daniel Memorial Park on River Park Drive and the half-acre Veterans Memorial located to the left of its entrance, but to fully understand the close connection between the park’s namesake and the monument, one needs to travel to Hawaii. As strange as that sounds, it’s true. In the lobby of the beautiful Hale Koa Hotel in Waikiki, Honolulu, overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the volcanic crater of Diamond Head, hangs a six-foot oil portrait of the U.S. Congressman from Pittsylvania County, Dan Daniel. During his tenure in Congress (1969-1988), he was instrumental in the development of the Hale Koa Hotel, which means House of the Warrior in Hawaiian. Daniel knew how important it was for military families to have a beautiful place for R & R—rest, recuperation, recreation and relaxation-- and despite opposition, the hotel was built. It is owned by the United States Department of Defense and has more than one million guests every year, all of whom are required to be active duty or reserve, retired military, Department of Defense employees or their family members. If he were alive today, it’s a certainty that Daniel would also
enthusiastically support Danville’s Veterans Memorial in Dan Daniel Park. On the Memorial’s 7’x158’ black granite wall are written the names of all local veterans who have served in wars from the American Revolution to presentday conflicts. The central focus of the wall is the engraved slogan Freedom Is Not Free. A circular brick Memorial Walkway with a veteran’s name engraved on each brick enhances the site. Veterans from anywhere, living or dead, qualify for an engraved brick. The center of the circular walkway features the flags of the United States of America, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the flag that pays homage to prisoners of war and those missing in action. The average citizen can’t show appreciation to veterans the way Congressman Dan Daniel did, but a visit to Danville’s Veterans Memorial on Memorial Day, May 26, and the purchase of a brick to honor or remember a veteran is a good alternative. • For more information about ordering an engraved brick, call the Community Foundation 434.793.0884 or visit www.cfdrr.org and click on Learn or visit www.danville-va.gov. Click on Residents; Living in Danville; Veterans Memorial.
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May 2014
Star-rated childcare programs provide higher quality care for your child! Preschool programs participating in the Virginia Star Quality Initiative receive a quality rating of one to five stars. The star rating is based on:
• Teacher education and training • Learning environment • Quality of adult and child interactions Star ratings give you the power to make an informed choice about your child’s earliest learning experience.
85
%
of a child’s critical thinking skills are developed by age 5.
Star-Rated Preschool Programs in Danville & Pittsylvania County CHILD CARE CENTERS Children First Learning Center Children’s House at Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church CIC Head Start DRMC Child Development Center, FFI Faith Christian Academy Families First Children’s Center at DCC Little Blessings Childcare, Inc. Pittsylvania County Head Start Play-n-Pretend Small World Childcare Center Tot Spot www.SmartBeginningsDP.org |
FAMILY HOMES GabDan’s Christian Day Care Howard’s Day Care Little Prince and Princess Family Day Care COMING SOON Danville Public Schools/ VA Preschool Initiative The Harvest Corner Sacred Heart School
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434•797• 8887
Evince Magazine
World’s Toughest Job by Annelle Williams
American Greeting Cards recently advertised job interviews for the world’s toughest job. The requirements were overwhelming, and the job load promised to become even harder every holiday. There was no vacation and no pay. They videoed the few people who sat for the interview before they revealed that their campaign was a prank to make a point: the toughest job in the world is being a mother. As our children became adults and began their own lives I forgot about the unbelievable difficulties of the child-raising years until I became a grandparent. Now I’m watching it in real time as our beautiful daughter is working so hard to be the perfect mother, as well as wife, friend, teacher, etc. How in the world does she have the energy to do it all? It makes me tired just thinking about her schedule. Keeping up with a two-year old is a job in itself. But I know she’s doing it and doing it well. Proof is in the pudding, as they say. When I see her son’s little face break into a big smile when she enters the room, or when he runs to her for reassurance when he’s playing and then flies away just as quickly, I know she’s doing it-- just like I did and my mama did and our grandmother did. It’s a beautiful thing to see love in action. This Mother’s Day Marmalade Cake is for all you moms. Thank you for doing the toughest job in the world!
Mother’s Day Marmalade Cake 1 cup butter (2 sticks), room temperature 3 cups sugar 6 eggs, room temperature 1 tsp. lemon extract 2 tsp. almond extract pinch of salt
1⁄4 tsp. baking powder 3 cups all purpose flour 1 cup heavy cream, room temperature 2 T butter, room temperature 2 oz. cream cheese, room temperature 3 T orange marmalade
Prepare a Bundt or tube pan with baking spray. Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then mix in lemon and almond extract. Sift flour, salt and baking powder together. Add flour to egg batter alternately with heavy cream. Combine butter, cream cheese and orange marmalade. Pour half the batter into prepared pan. Spread the orange marmalade mixture evenly over the batter. Top with remaining batter. Place pan in cold oven. Set temperature to 300° and bake for 90 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and completely cool before removing from pan.
Orange Marmalade Cream Cheese Frosting 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature 8 T butter, room temperature
1⁄2 cup orange marmalade 3⁄4 cup confectioners’ sugar
Beat cream cheese and butter until combined. Add orange marmalade and mix until blended. With mixer on low, add confectioner’s sugar and mix until combined. Frost just the top of cooled cake letting extra frosting run down sides. Refrigerate to allow frosting to set. For more pictures and recipes, visit my blog: http://aroundannellestable.blogspot.com.
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May 2014
Photo Finish Evince photographer Von Wellington took his camera to several events during April. The flipping-the-switch ceremony at the Main Street JTI Fountain on Wednesday, April 2, was well attended and enjoyed by all. Two days later on Friday, April 4, another crowd gathered at the opening of the trailhead at the fountain plaza and the kickoff to the 50,000 Pound Challenge. On Saturday, April 5, it was a joyful occasion on the grounds of the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History when choral singers from different churches joined together in a Danville United event. Be sure to attend the next free community event and remember to smile for the camera!
The jovial crowd waits for the long-anticipated opening of the JTI Fountain in Danville’s River District at the intersection of Main and Craghead Streets.
The Third Story Band provides music for the festive evening: Cameron Owen, Sarah Moss, Norm Aquilo. For more info about Von Wellington Photography, visit www.vonwellingtonphotography.com or call 434.770.3553. See more pictures on Facebook.
Gathering at the fountain is a family event for the Austin family: Jameel, Latasha, Ha’nia.
Firefighters from the nearby Bridge Street Station join the fun for a few minutes: Chris Blevins, David Newell, Charles Keen, Chris Boyd, Allen Plummer, Kevin Hayes.
Delegate Danny Marshall and Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors member, Brenda Bowman, mix and mingle among the 350 attendees.
Scott Ehrhardt, Gingy Blakely, Terry Blakely (and dog Xena) wait for the JTI Fountain to come alive.
Walter Gunn, Kathy Hilliard, and Board of Supervisors member, Jesse Barksdale, enjoy the warm spring evening.
Steve Daniels, President of Japan Tobacco International (JTI), talks with City Councilman, Buddy Rawley, and Debbie Rawley.
Cindy Boyer, Wendy Hermann, Mark Hermann, and Mark Boyer enjoy dinner at Jake’s on Main near the fountain plaza.
After months of anticipation, the lights are turned on and the water flows at the $2.6 million pedestrian plaza.
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The Lighten Up for Life fitness group sets an example for staying fit and active: Cindy Jones, Donna Pleasants, Dolly Supernault, Vicki Johnston, Jo Ann Howard, Ann Smithwick.
Vice Mayor Gary Miller rides his bike to the Get Fit Challenge Chris Collins, Missy Gould, and Stacy Allocca wait for the Get Fit 50,000 Pound Challenge to officially begin.
Josh Marlowe, Justin Lloyd, Danville Regional Foundation President/CEO Karl Stauber and Averett President Tiffany Frank exchange pleasantries while waiting for the Get Fit program to begin.
Wayne and Nancy Oakes talk to City Manager Joe King about the latest fitness news.
Sam Kushner, Chair of the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History Board of Directors, introduces Rev. Serenus Churns, Music Director at Calvary Baptist Church, and Tim Navis, Music Director at Mt. Vernon Methodist Church, at the beginning of Danville Sings! a Danville United event.
Recreation Rex welcomes Buddy Rawley and Joyce Obstler.
Approximately 40 choral singers representing many churches in the area delighted the crowd with their songs on a sunny Saturday afternoon.