Evince Magazine June 2015

Evince Magazine Page 1

Around the Table

Buying Local Just Got Easier Page 28

Ina Dixon & Carrie Petrick Choosing Danville Page 3

June 2015

Photo by Michelle Dalton Photography

Page 2

Editor’s Note

I’m never bored. There is too much curiosity in me to have any room for boredom. I recently met my soul mates, Ina Dixon and Carrie Petrick, pictured on the cover. If you have enough curiosity to step out of your comfort zone, these cheerleaders for Danville will inspire you to see our city in a new light and explore something different. Learn their story on page 3.

Linda Lemery believes that curiosity is a good thing but it can also be scary. Read Curiosity: If It Doesn’t Kill Me, It Might Make Me Better on page 28. Dena Hill questions her husband about his curiosity in She Said He Said. Read his response on page 4. Carollyn Lee Peerman believes Satisfying Your Curiosity Makes You Smart on page 7. What a great concept!

No one would ever doubt that Annelle Williams is a curious person, especially when food is involved. If there is a new restaurant or grocery store to visit, or a new recipe to try, she’s on top of it. Read Buying Local Just Got Easier on page 29.

I challenge every reader to find at least one opportunity in these 32 pages that offers a new experience.

Promise me you’ll try it. Take Stephanie Ferrugia’s advice on page 12 and Think Fresh. Nurture your curiosity this summer and you’ll become a more interesting person, and please, never say you are bored. Only boring people are bored.

June Contents

2

Editor’s Note

3

Ina Dixon & Carrie Petrick / Choosing Danville

by Joyce Wilburn

4

She Said He Said / Curiosity Killed the Cat

by Dena Hill & Larry Oldham

5

The Voice of Readers

7

Satisfying Your Curiosity Makes You Smart

by Carollyn Peerman

Editor Joyce Wilburn (434.799.3160) joycewilburn@gmail.com

8

Spotting Exceptional Customer Service

by Kathleen Harris

Associate Editors Larry G. Aaron (434.792.8695) larry.aaron@gmail.com

9

Second Thoughts / Paid in Full by Kim Clifton

President Director of Sales & Marketing Larry Oldham (434.728.3713) larry@evincemagazine.com

Jeanette Taylor Contributing Writers

12 Think Fresh & Soak Up Summer by Stephanie Ferrugia 15 Where Can I Find an Evince?

16 Calendar Clips 18 Calendar 20 Celebrate Business Appreciation Week by Kim Custer 23 What’s Happening in the PCP Libraries

Art & Production Director Demont Design (Kim Demont)

26 Pollenaise by Mack Williams 27 Going Tubeless by Sarah D. Minick 28 Reflecting Forward Curiosity: If It Doesn’t Kill Me, It Might Make Me Better

by Linda Lemery 29 Around the Table Buying Local Just Got Easier

by Annelle Williams

Photo of Ina Dixon & Carrie Petrick

by Michelle Dalton Photography

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

Lee Vogler (434.548.5335) lee@showcasemagazine.com

25 Water Safety Tips for Kids & Adults Going to a Waterpark? / Read This First

by Laura Baumgartner

On the Cover:

Diane Adkins, Laura Baumgartner, Hosana Blanchard, Cara Burton, Shirley Cadmus, Kim Clifton, Ernecia Coles, Patsi Compton, Kim Custer, Stephanie Ferrugia, Adam Goebel, Joe Graves, Mimi Grubb, Vernell Gwynn, Kathleen Harris, Mark Harrelson, Dena Hill, Telisha Moore Leigg, Linda Lemery, Sarah Minick, Larry Oldham, Carollyn Lee Peerman, Alison Streeter, Melanie Vaughan, Diane Whittle, Joyce Wilburn, Annelle Williams, Mack Williams

Marketing Consultants Kim Demont (434.792.0612) demontdesign@verizon.net

24 Book Clubbing How to Be a Friend to a Friend Who’s Sick a review by Diane Adkins

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

OICE OF CURIOSITY

CEO / Publisher Andrew Scott Brooks

10 Git / Fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg

30 Photo Finish

THE

evince\i-’vin(t)s\ 1: to constitute outward evidence of 2: to display clearly: reveal syn see SHOW Deadline for submission of July stories, articles, and ads is 5 p.m. on Friday, June 19.

Submit stories and articles to: joycewilburn@gmail.com.

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SENIORS THE 2015 GUIDE

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Meet Some of Our Contributors

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Vernell Gwynn is a member of The United Daughters of the Confederacy. www.aejohnsudc.com

Kathleen Harris is a Danville native and Langhorne House board member.

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Evince Magazine Page 3

Carrie, Ina, and Kendall Ratliffe show off their Danville by Choice team T-shirts during the Project Literacy fundraiser, JeopardBee.

Carrie and Ina encourage the adult and child on the bench to become Facebook friends with Danville by Choice.

The sculpture, Sharing a Story, is located on Main Street Plaza and is part of Danville’s Art Trail.

Photo by Michelle Dalton Photography.

Ina Dixon & Carrie Petrick

Choosing Danville

by Joyce Wilburn

F

ifty or 100 years from now when observers of economic development identify Danville’s visionaries, the names of Ina Dixon and Carrie Petrick should be included in that esteemed group. Why? because the two young professionals saw a problem and quickly developed a solution that has already met with success.

The problem? how to educate newcomers and residents about all the activities offered in the area and how to encourage their participation in these happenings The solution? Create a Facebook page, Danville by Choice.

It all began about a year ago. Carrie explains, “I was asked by Corrie Teague

(Project Manager, Downtown Development) to be in a focus group with a consultant the city had hired. Ina also had been invited and we sat next to each other. We hit it off right away.” When their group discussed the needs of young professionals, one member commented, “There’s nothing to do in Danville.” Carrie and Ina looked at each other in bewilderment. “There’s so much going on,” Carrie remembers saying and Ina immediately agreed. Within a few weeks, an idea was conceived and Danville by Choice was born on Facebook. “We want to be the group people come to when they first move here to learn about all that is going on in Danville,” says Ina. Danville by Choice is the perfect name for this endeavor because both women, who are neighbors in the River District, have made

a conscious choice to live in this small Southern Virginia city.

Carrie’s Story “I moved back here by choice,” says Carrie, who lived in the coastal city of Wilmington, North Carolina, for 14 years. Her job with PPD, a pharmaceutical product development organization, requires her to travel a lot when she isn’t working from home. “I fly from Greensboro all over the country. I moved back to Danville because my family is here; I wanted a slower pace of life and I know that big things are happening in Danville. It’s fun to be back here and be a part of that,” says the 1999 Virginia Tech graduate.

She has been more than pleased since returning to her native city, but frustrated at the initial reception she received. “People would ask me ‘Why did you move back? Did you fall and hit your

head?’ It was insulting in a way.

I would respond that I moved back here by choice and I was happy to be here,” Carrie says with conviction. Ironically, the negative reactions often came from natives who had never left, and therefore, maybe didn’t realize how attractive this reimagined city is to those who see it with fresh eyes. “Our Facebook group, Danville by Choice, is a way to change that perception by sending out positive vibes about Danville, meeting up with new people, and promoting upcoming events,” Carrie says.

Ina’s Story Ina Dixon could easily have canceled our interview. On the Sunday afternoon that we met in a noisy, crowded River District restaurant, she had laryngitis and joined in the conversation with whispered comments. A few days later when her voice returned, she explains, “I can’t stop myself! I like going places where people are excited about what’s going on, whether it’s the opening of a new art gallery, Music on Main, or fireworks at the Community Market.” She pauses to think about the previous weekend and then continues, “Saturday was so much fun at the farmers’ market. There were so many people who were happy to be there buying things. I have seldom experienced that in other places. People here are happy to have all these events.

They are happy to celebrate where they are.”

Continued to page 22

Page 4

June 2015

SHE SAID

by Dena Hill

Curiosity Killed the Cat

human beings act, speak and live.

Remember that curiosity killed the cat and I am expecting you to live as long as I do; it’s just going to take a whole lot more work to make you normal.

The time has come to address your curiosity about people. I am not HE SAID saying you are judgmental about

by Larry Oldham anyone, but you certainly do have Define normal. God put me on an opinion about everyone and His green Earth to satisfy all of the every situation that presents itself. curious people in the world. So far, I hear discourse after discourse I have only reached a few people in about the most unimportant Danville, but I am working on a plan snippets under the sun. Who cares to spread my what color gospel to the Jane Doe’s four corners hair is today? of the world.

Who cares My plan to get whether John there includes Doe had a making hamburger everybody or a hot dog I come in for lunch? Is contact with there anyone a happier or anything person when that you I leave them. don’t have Sometimes an opinion this is going about? What to ruffle a makes you so few feathers, curious about including delving into yours. everyone’s Aren’t you life? Do you ever curious want to be about why them? Do some people you want to do the things trade lives they do? with them?

Photo by Don’t you Don’t answer Michelle Dalton Photography. want to figure that because out why some of your people are friends aren’t like they are?

Don’t you ever wish exactly my type and I don’t want to you could fix people other than me? live with someone I don’t like.

That is what makes us different. I care about helping people find and I like you. I could probably do define themselves. You only want without your banter all of the time, to turn me into the kind of person but it’s nice the way you put me to you think I should be and we are far sleep every night with your endless apart on the attributes of me. chatter. In fact, you also put me to I am a little curious about why you sleep while we’re driving on a trip. think I am unhappy with my life, You keep me entertained daily with bored with my life, or have a need all of the stories of your youth. I can to change my life. I strive to make repeat them verbatim, because I’ve you happy and I do a great job of heard them so many times. entertaining you and putting you to sleep at the drop of a hat. You My suggestion is for you to become can’t say you haven’t learned many curious about your own life, try to things from me. I mean you could figure out what makes you tick, say it, but would you really mean it? and then correct everything that is Curiosity killed the cat, but guess wrong. Now I’ve given you a project what? I am so much cooler than to work on. Call it my summer a cat. I might also be a bit more program for you. I have my own list curious than a cat, but you’ve got to of things to do. As a matter of fact, admit --that is what makes me, me. just consider yourself my intern I go back to my original statement, over the summer and we will work define normal. You already know to get you back to the way other that the definition will not describe me. Don’t you find that a tad bit He Said / She Said can be found in Showcase Magazine. curious?

She said He Said

Evince Magazine Page 5

Mimi Grubb

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The Voice of Readers To the Editor: We spotted our first May Evince yesterday and so enjoyed reading your cute captions for the photos.

(Photo Finish page 38-39 May 2015).

Thank you again for showcasing our new business and for everything you do to raise our region’s profile through Evince!

Lauren Mathena Jeff Gignac Flash Productions It’s always a pleasure to work with you two. Thanks for the opportunity.

To the Editor: Thanks so much for all you do for the region by helping publish this magazine. You know I don’t get out much. I’m always rearranging clutter (the deck chairs on the Titanic) or writing or whatever. However, people stop their cars in the middle of the street when I’m out walking to holler out the window that they loved my last column. I’m ashamed that I can’t remember what I wrote about because I’m always thinking about the next one, so I holler back to thank them and then go home and read what I wrote.

It’s really nice when people read one’s words all the way to the end -- that’s a huge compliment. I appreciate our readers.

Linda Lemery Reflecting Forward (page 28) I agree 100%.

To the Editor: What a pleasure to read the lovely review by Diane Adkins of my book, Save My Place (Book Clubbing page 32 May 2015), in your wonderful magazine. Diane is director of the Pittsylvania Library System and it was an honor to have her review Save My Place. She is just as lovely as the review!

Evince magazine was also so kind to review my first book Miss Hildreth Wore Brown-Anecdotes of a Southern Belle (page 15 October 2010). I cannot thank you enough. I noticed the numbers for both books were going up on Amazon, so you have a lot of readers! My publisher, Mercer University Press, will be thrilled. As an author, I thank you for your support and encouragement of the written word.

Your magazine is informative, wellwritten, and delightful. Many thanks.

Sincerely, Olivia deBelle Byrd 712 Moore Circle Panama City, FL 32401 850.785.8160 I always enjoy reading your books and am happy to share them with our readers.

To the Editor: Thank you for the wonderful article highlighting the NARM benefit at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History (Admission Is Free page 6 May 2015). We have had several members upgrade their memberships.

The extra exposure you gave will help get more. Thank you!

Cara Burton, Director Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History Visiting art and/or history museums using my DMFAH membership benefit of free admission is a pleasure. Thank 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 joycewilburn@gmail.com or send mail to Evince Editor, 753 Main Sreet, Suite 3, Danville, VA 24541.

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

Page 6

June 2015

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Evince Magazine Page 7

Perfect or Done?

There are two kinds of people....those who get things perfect, and those who get things done. Are you a Perfectionist or a “Get ‘R Done” person?

Perfection is difficult to achieve and often isn’t 100% necessary.

For example: Two students have been assigned a project to produce a solar system replica along with a report on the subject. The due date is tomorrow.

The Perfectionist student may get caught up in ensuring that the replica is of the finest materials, accurate colors, most realistic surface, exactly to scale, etc.

This can often happen to the detriment of the report, and the due date!

Satisfying Your Curiosity Makes You Smart

by Carollyn Lee Peerman

“I

don’t think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday,” said Abraham Lincoln. Are you wiser today than you were yesterday?

You are, if you have made the best use of your time. True learning like fire takes the form of spontaneous combustion rather than methodical coercion. Rote memorization is drudgery not a joy. On the other hand, the fire of learning something new ignites your spirit to new opportunities. It wakes you up to the world around you. It makes you a bigger person than you were before. “Learning makes people fit company for themselves,” say the English.

“One good head is better than a hundred strong hands,” said author Thomas Fuller. How do you have a good head? One way is to read quality books; another way is to ask questions. Asking interesting questions reveals that you really want to know. Do you possess the two key elements of intelligence-- a keen sense of curiosity and the need to satisfy it? How dull life would be without curiosity. Let your inquisitiveness take you to where you have never been before. Inquire into what you do not know. Move a mountain of ignorance one stone at a time.

Oh, the places you’ll go! “The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man’s determination,” said Coach Tommy Lasorda. Are you determined to learn something new every day?

“Make your friends your teachers and mingle the pleasures of conversation with the advantages of instruction,” advised Jesuit author Baltasar Gracián. Are you learning from your friends? Are you learning from your enemies? Are you learning from a fool? They know something that you do not know.

Even a fool is right sometimes.

Use the thoughts of other people’s brains. You can learn from others and from your own powers of insight. You can learn from your mistakes. You can learn from doing. Nothing is lost or wasted if you learn from it. Most of all you can learn from those you love.

“Seeing much, suffering much, and studying much, are the three pillars of learning,” said Disraeli.

Are you doing all three? Learning is not a spectator sport but an action sport. When you travel do you take advantage of the opportunity to learn from historical sites along the way? Do you always keep a book with you so that time spent waiting for your appointment in an office will not be wasted? Unless you accept lifelong learning as a habit, you have shortened your own life. Live long and learn long.

Learning is a delight and has its own exceedingly great reward. “The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young,” said Henry Ford.

Learning keeps your mind young whether you are twenty or eighty.

Enthusiastically learn day after day.

The “Get ‘R Done” student will analyze the grading rubric and determine the replica is only worth 5 points and the must-have elements of the report will carry the most weight. This student will focus on ensuring the report meets the specified criteria and then produce a replica not nearly as perfect, but satisfactory.

The lesson here is that we face these decisions every day in our tasks.

Sometimes a task must be perfect, for example brain surgery! However, most of our tasks have the latitude described above.

It’s important to evaluate a task and determine the appropriate amount of effort, double-checking, etc. needed to accomplish the task to the highest quality necessary, within the allotted time frame.

Note: “highest quality necessary,” not “highest quality possible.”

Sometimes perfection is more critical than timeliness, and it’s important to know when this condition exists. More often, however, getting the job done is more critical than having it reach an unnecessary level of perfection.

Prioritization and effective time management are dependent upon making these decisions well. Ultimately, weigh the use of your time and energy carefully, and allocate them with proper focus. You’ll accomplish more, and what you accomplish will be done more consistently.

Quote: “Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.”

--Lin Yutang, Chinese writer, translator, linguist and inventor 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.

Page 8

June 2015

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Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Evince and the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce want to encourage and recognize exception customer service. When someone gives you exceptional service, please let us know. In 300 words or less, tell us what happened. Email your story to joycewilburn@gmail.com or chamber@dpchamber.org. It’s a nice way to show appreciation for a job well done. We look forward to hearing from you.

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by Kathleen Harris

I would like to nominate Melissa DuVall, retail sales consultant at the ATT&T store, 165 Holt Garrison Parkway in Coleman Marketplace, for the Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Award.

I recently bought a new phone just like my old one and she was able to help me transfer my photos and numbers. A few weeks later I attempted to delete duplicate numbers from my contacts and deleted all of them! I was at a loss because most of the numbers were not written down. I went to the office right after church; she was working and I told her of my big problem. Within ten minutes she had retrieved all l00+ numbers on my phone! Her magic fingers saved the day for me. I will always ask for her assistance in the future and be eternally grateful.

559 Main St Danville, VA Mon-Fri 10-6, Sat 10-5 434.792.6822 rippes.com

Thank you, Melissa.

Evince Magazine Page 9 remarried and is finally happy again. He’d be proud at how brave my mother has been when facing major troubles without him. He’d have loved that I never outgrew my passion for silly transportation and that I drive a MINI Cooper instead of something traditional. Even now, the dull ache is there when I watch TV shows he’d like and it still feels odd to be the one sitting in his recliner.

There’s no way to adequately thank someone who held a cool cloth to my head when I was sick, who hugged me when I cried and who cheered me on when I didn’t have the selfconfidence to try. The truth is,

Second Thoughts

by Kim Clifton ©2015

Paid in Full A note from Kim: Too many of my friends are facing their first Fathers Day without one. I’ve revisited a piece I originally wrote in 2001 because I want my readers to know I understand just how tough this special day can be.

My father was an accountant for 35 years. He knew what it meant to balance books at work and taught it to me at home, even when I didn’t like it very much. The toughest lesson was when I was a kid pining for a new bike. There wasn’t anything wrong with the one I had except those at JC Penney had steering wheels instead of handlebars and mine didn’t.

You must know that my father was generous but practical.

Rather than give in to my whining, he decided to turn this into a budgeting exercise.

It must have bothered him to require that I pay anything because he made me an

incredible deal. He’d buy it and I would reimburse him my share out of my allowance. Seven dollars doesn’t sound like much, but to a fourth grader in the ‘60s, it may as well have been $7,000.00. Gradually I’d pay on my bill and he’d make an entry in the ledger book. We even had a note-burning celebration when my debt was paid. That was 46 years ago. I’d all but forgotten about the bike until we were going through some documents after his passing. It was when my mother opened their safe deposit box to bring home insurance papers that she discovered an envelope with my maiden name scribbled on the outside. “For Kim Ryan,” was all it said. When I opened it, I stared in disbelief as the cash I’d given him rolled into my hand. Turns out he’d saved all of it for me to find later.

I was a grown woman, but when I fingered the money, I was nine years old again. I saw myself hopping onto the bar

Kim’s Dad beams at his twin grandsons: Andrew and Phillip Gardner. He loved being a father and a grandfather. stool beside him to present my payment. I could still see his smile as he made a mark on the sheet. I squeezed the coins tighter, knowing that my dad was the last one to touch them and wishing somehow they would bring him back to me. It’s taken a long time to get used to a world without my father in it, but even that hasn’t been the hardest part. What’s worse is grieving over what he’s missed.

He’d be thrilled to know that not only did his twin grandsons grow to love the game of golf he taught them, but that they both made careers in it with one in the PGA program and the other as a club manager. He’d be so relieved that my sister

Daddy, I’ll never know all you ever did for me. Those silver dollars remind me of that. You left seven coins sitting patiently in a safe deposit box for decades waiting for me to find them. You needed me to know it was just a lesson and that you didn’t have the heart after all to actually take my money. That’s just the kind of man you were.

Giving. Nurturing. Loving. I may have settled my debt with you for my bike, but you were the one who left this world leaving a legacy and a life...paid in full.

In loving memory of John C. Ryan, Jr. March 9, 1927 – July 13, 2001

Page 10

June 2015 seat passenger window moves down slowly and the second man stretches looking around. And I couldn’t watch them both. I think about my Mama saying we got to forgive.

Git fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg

“Y

ou ain’t no better’n me,” Mean Keisha said today as she opened the shelter dryer and took my clothes and towels and dropped them on the floor. She held onto my big blue towel and wrapped it around her son, the naked toddler Kwon, who gurgled and garbled words, delighted and fresh from his bath.

Mean Keisha put her clothes in; she set the timer again, staring me right in my face.

“You so stupid it ain’t even funny.”

Mean Keisha continued popping Double-Mint gum. I didn’t say nothing to the dark and ugly wretch, because I couldn’t fight with her then or I’d be late for school. Just the day before, Mama, chemo-sick and puking into a rose plastic trash can, said that all Mean Keisha wants is to be my friend.

“Say something, now, stupid? Huh! What?! You too good to speak?

Where you going?” Mean Keisha strolls out, stepping on my clothes, like a broke-down queen, and it’s all I can do not to smack the back of her head. Mama says Mean Keisha wants to be my friend. But I don’t want that. I want to knock her trifflin’ tail into next week. Besides, I got more to worry about than Mean Keisha. I got to worry about Raleigh B. Mills.

“Hey, You, pretty girl,” he yelled from the car window leaned over into the passenger side, not even smiling. “Girl! Girl!” as I walked, the car rolling alongside. I stop.

He stops. I move forward he moves in his car until he reaches the corner of Warrenlin and he turns left. I can breathe then.

Today, the bus lets me off again

on the corner of Warrenlin and Southerby Streets at 3:34 p.m. and every day, for the past four to five weeks, somewhere around is Raleigh Mills. Somewhere watching, not smiling, never smiling, just waiting like sharks for the tides to come back to sea. At 14 almost 15, I’m pretty now, rounding into beauty; I know that. It doesn’t particularly help me, though, my beauty. I got no one to protect me, and, well, beauty without barrier is often a field trampled.

“I got something for you” or “I want to talk to you for a minute,” mostly he says. Sometimes he tells me about himself, his place over there on Harlet Street. He plays old school love songs from his car. His car tires hug the curb and I smell pineapple air freshener and cigarette smoke coming from the dark blue interior. He never raises his voice, never looks anywhere but into my eyes and talks, talks, talks, the car rolling. “What you need, pretty girl?

Huh? What—” the Warrenlin Street ends and like a dog on the end of his chain he turns the corner.

At 18, Mean Keisha is not pretty like me. She is dark and not a pretty dark ‘cause her skin is bad. On her back, she has scars and on her stomach she got some stretch marks from having Kwon. She don’t care, she says. She still pretty, she says. She still the “jank,” she says, and I’m the dumb one. The best features about Mean Keisha are her height and her eyes: big, black-brown, with thick lashes. She looks rough and she is rough. Best believe.

I see his reflection in old store windows: a Leon’s bicycle shop open only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, a Row’s Auto Repair Shop that sells mostly mufflers with rough laughter coming from the bays. There’s a small pile of bricks there where Leon

had repaired around his door. It’s been weeks now but I know he’s there. He’s an unattractive man, about 40, about my shade of tan, only a little taller than me. He has what old folks call safe eyes, an outer ring around his eyes a different color from the rest of his iris, but he’s not safe. I know this. Most times he sits in his old white Buick LeSabre with its dark blue interior, his hands gripping the steering wheel. He wants to do more than watch me. I could tell someone about Raleigh Booker Mills; I know he thinks I’m beautiful. I know that’s a bad thing.

Yesterday, Mama said that Jesus says we must all forgive, although I have never known her to be especially connected to Jesus. Still, I want to please her, so I nod. She smoothes my hair down. It’s not blonde like hers, and it isn’t as straight as hers, but she tells me, “You’re so pretty, Fallon.” And sighs. I know that’s a bad thing. I want to tell her about him, that man that rolls his car like loaded dice up the street after me after school but I don’t again. I want her to see the worry in my heart, but she can’t. Tired, she’s so tired.

Yesterday Mean Keisha came down the hall, looked at us, frowned at Mama stroking my hair and –angry and stomping-- moved on down the hall, Kwon toddling after.

There were two men in the car today.

Raleigh and some other man and they were both smiling. You know that feeling like lightening burning in your stomach. “Hey, pretty girl.

Come here for a second,” the second man said. And the back passenger door opened. The bus long gone.

And I couldn’t watch them both. The car rolled, moving down Warrenlin Street but too far down the block before the turn. I don’t see nobody to call. I drop my book bag to run.

I know I won’t make it. The front

“Git,” That’s the scream I hear coming from my left side in a rough rumble, coming out of the doorway of Leon’s Bicycle Shop. Mean Keisha says it. She’s wearing short shorts and a purple turtle neck, got what looks like mashed potatoes on her left shoulder. Kwon is not there and Mean Keisha’s got a brick in her hand. “Git!” And Raleigh don’t move, just looks to Mean Keisha, who looks like she on fire hurling curses and broke bricks. Mean Keisha she ain’t subtle. “You nasty mutha...” She’s carrying on. Me, I can’t move. She picks up more bricks; she’s mad; she’s crying; she comes running like Jericho tumbling down and she throws that brick and her braids move like a war banner behind her. She busted his windshield, yelling.

The men come from the muffler shop and stood and laughed.

But Mean Keisha didn’t stop. She broke Leon’s Bike Shop window and kicked at his padlocked door. When it wouldn’t open, she crawled through the broken picture window and grabbed some detached handle bars, swinging and hollering. Gone, I mean she was gone somewhere in her head.

No one touched her to stop her.

And the men from the muffler shop stopped laughing, moved back in some kind of reverence.

The second man with Raleigh took off walking briskly, hands in his pockets, until he broke out in a run.

“What you want, old man! You want this?” Her words were vile and wild, spit running from bottom lip in her haste to hurt, until Raleigh B. Mills drove, cracked windshield, away from Warrenlin Street. “Git,” Mean Keisha said, finally tired, slumping down to the sidewalk with her last brick. I get my book bag and I tug her arm. Back, back, Mean Keisha’s coming back from wherever she went.

“Hey, stupid,” she says to me sitting in the dirt and concrete and shattered glass on Warrenlin Street like some rag doll, only her eyes big and wise, so hurtingly wise. “You ain’t no better’n me,” Mean Keisha says again, hands on her hips, chin jutting out, like she daring me to disagree. I nod as she gets up. I’m walking behind her, and we go back to the shelter, glass crunching under our feet, some probably embedding in the soles of our shoes. And we don’t tell anyone. That’s the day Mean Keisha became my friend.

Evince Magazine Page 11

Page 12

June 2015

Ready For a Getaway? ������������������ Help You Get There.

We’re Your���������� Credit Union NMLS #402961

www.piedmontcu.org 434-797-1954

Concerned about their mom’s health, Anne Foster’s daughters gave her a kayak for Christmas. She now regularly enjoys paddling the Dan River for exercise and relaxation. Let Anne be your inspiration to try something new this summer. Photo by Missy Gould.

Think Fresh and Soak Up Summer

by Stephanie Ferrugia Program Director, Get Fit Dan River Region Who’s ready for the summer pace? My whole being just seems more balanced in the warmer months. Exercise and nutrition do not require such a concerted effort and slowing down to enjoy the lush landscape of late spring and early summer comes second nature.

In fact, my curiosity kicks into overdrive and I actually want to learn something new. My daughter and I are going to take tennis lessons together this summer. Previous seasons included horseback riding and martial arts. Longer days and a more flexible schedule offer more time to play in the kitchen and try new recipes. Like many of you, I am also able to soak up activities I enjoy such as gardening, reading, and spending unstructured time with family and friends. I take a break from social media, put my television on vacation mode and bask in the glory of sunshine and keeping life light.

Clearly, I’m not the only one who feels this resurgence of curiosity. In the last several

months, I have observed a shift in our community. We seem to be embracing the idea of sampling fresh foods and dabbling in new activities. The inaugural Color Me Danville run was wildly popular at the Festival in the Park, while the established Nestle 5K that same day held its own. Two races in one day in our community; who would’ve thought we could pull that off, but we most certainly did. In fact, I saw several folks who participated in both! Our local farmers’ markets are booming with new business. Interest in buying local produce, or even growing our own, is gaining momentum. Menu offerings at professional and social gatherings feature a healthier balance of fruits and veggies.

Here’s this month’s Team Get Fit charge: Keep feeding that curious side of your soul. Adopt an enjoyable exercise and fresh nutrition behavior. Above all, soak up the summer fun and sun to stay healthy and fit, Dan River Region!

Evince Magazine Page 13

Page 14

June 2015

You can spend hours online searching for the right hotel or reviews of a great vacation spot – But how do you choose your doctor?

Finally a tool that guides you in finding the right doctor . Routine mammograms, controlling seasonal allergies, the risk of heart disease… when you need a doctor, where do you start? Finding the right doctor is one of the most important things you will do for yourself and your family. Don’t leave such an important decision to chance or a random GoogleTM search. Call today and our our experts will help you find the right services to fit your needs perfectly.

When an apple a day isn’t enough!

Call 1-800-424-DOCS (3627) today for a personal consultation.

For additional information, please visit our website:

www.DanvilleRegional.com

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Where Can I Find an Evince?

Ten thousand copies of Evince are distributed each month at over 100 locations. Find your copy at:

Riverside Drive/Piedmont Drive/Marketplace Area: Buffalo Wild Wings Checkered Pig Danview Restaurant on Danview Drive El Vallarta on Westover Drive Goodwill on Westover Drive Hibachi Grill on Executive Court IHOP on Piedmont Drive Joe & Mimma’s Karen’s Hallmark @ Piedmont Mall Los Tres Magueyes Ruben’s The Highlander URW Credit Union Western Sizzlin YMCA

Main & West Main Street/Downtown/ River District Area

American National Bank Comcast on Patton Street Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History Danville Public Library on Patton Street Danville Regional Medical Center on South Main Street Danville Science Center on Craghead Street Dell’ Anno’s Pizza Kitchen on Main Street Food Lion @ Ballou Park H. W. Brown Florist (they deliver an Evince with your order) Jake’s on Main Main Street Coffee Emporium Midtown Market on Chambers Street Rippe’s,

Piney Forest Road Area

ERA Holley & Gibson Realty Co. Mary’s Diner Piedmont Credit Union

Franklin Turnpike Area Food Lion, Medo’s PCP Library @ Mt. Hermon Ruben’s Too Village’s Pizza

Memorial Drive

Frank’s Pizza Ginger Bread House

Other

Danville Welcome Center at River Park Drive

In Chatham Area

Community Center Chatham Health Center ChathaMooCa Frank’s Pizza PCP Library on Military Drive

In South Boston, VA

3 Women No Truck Bistro 1888 Halifax County Public Library O Sol Mio on Bill Tuck Hwy. Southern Virginia Higher Education The Prizery Toots Creek Antiques Mall

In Gretna

American National Bank Carter Bank & Trust Crossroads Family Restaurant

In Martinsville

Checkered Pig China Buffett El Ranchito Elizabeth Pizza Martinsville Visitor Center The Pacifica Bay Restaurant Walsh Chicken

In Yanceyville, NC

Caswell County Civic Center Gunn Memorial Public Library The Drug Store

Page 16

June 2015

Calendar Clips Clip it. Post it. Do it.

For more activities, see the calendar on page 18.

Mondays, June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

Step by Step Through Life Club

This group is for anyone who wants to be proactive about preventing cancer or the recurrence of cancer.

Each week tips will be given on how to put the fun in fitness, learn what’s new in nutrition or strategies for relieving stress. Afterwards, the remaining time together will be spent walking or engaging in other light exercise. The club is appropriate for all ages and fitness levels. The gatherings begin at 4:00 p.m. at the Cancer Research and Resource Center of Southern Virginia, an outreach initiative of VCU Massey Cancer Center. Kennedy Hall, 103 South Main Street (lower level). Contact dwhittle@vcu.edu or call 434.421.3060 for more information. Parking is in the Stratford House parking lot. Follow signs. The Cancer Research and Resource Center of Southern Virginia is funded by VCU Massey Cancer Center and the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Revitalization Commission. (submitted by Diane Whittle)

Monday, June 1 – Tuesday, June 30 People, Pets, & Pilot

Register to have your photo taken with your pet(s) by Steve Mantilla, an award-winning photographer, for only $20. Any kind of pet and in any local setting. The picture of your choice will be made into an 11x14 print that is yours to keep.

Registration forms are available at the YMCA, The Ginger Bread House and most area veterinarians. All pictures will be displayed and the community will vote in cash for a favorite picture. The winner is determined by the picture that raises the largest amount of “cash votes.” For more information, call 434.429.6113 or email mkaravanic@yahoo.com. All money raised stays in the community to support those with brain-related disorders and disabilities and is distributed through the Luncheon Pilot Club of Danville. (submitted by Melanie Vaughan)

Tuesday, June 2 - Sunday, August 2 DMFAH Exhibit: Three Artists

This exhibition at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History, 975 Main Street, features the work of Shirley Cadmus, Linda Gourley, and Sam Lasris, all award-winning artists from the region. Shirley Cadmus, owner of Milton Studio Art Gallery, creates pottery --big, rounded or bottleshaped pots with tiny openings and the unpredictable earthy results of Raku, wood, or pit firing. Captivated by the interaction of earth, fire and water, Cadmus built her own wood-burning kiln to produce Big Goldie objects whose surfaces capture and reflect that interaction. Ashes from Mt. St. Helen’s volcano, tiny copper filaments, Spanish moss, seaweed, silver nitrate, glass filaments,

colored mica, lava, sand – any or all might become ingredients in the unique recipes she concocts to glaze her distinctively beautiful creations.

Cadmus has spent the last 40 years as a Danville art teacher. She has been exhibiting her work and winning awards since 1970. Most recently, Big Goldie, a pot glazed with a finish created as a tribute to a dear friend named Goldie, who died from cancer, was accepted into a national juried exhibition in San Sebastopol, California, September 2014.

A familiar figure on the Danville art scene, Linda Gourley, populates her hand-colored prints with Rubenesque garden angels, voyeuristic tom-cats, flitting hummingbirds and longlegged herons against a backdrop of hellebores, veterinary offices, and boudoirs. Gourley’s work displays a celebration of spirit and a sense of joy as well as elaborate artistic technique. Using a special process called Chine-collé, Gourley etches copper and zinc plates with a nitric acid bath and then applies handmade papers and a variety of inks during the printing process to produce a sophisticated use of color and effect.

The Great In her elaborate collographs (collage Blue Heron prints), she uses wallpaper, metal pieces, lace, pressed flowers and leaves to produce images with a variety of textures. Gourley currently teaches art in the public schools and serves as DMFAH Artist-in-Residence and instructor.

Sam Lasris only recently began his artistic endeavors. His life-long appreciation for the arts is equaled by his interest in politics, human rights, urban and suburban growth and development, and access to health care. “While a lot of art focuses on nature, the starting point for me is the man-made object. Almost all manufactured objects are the result of hours of deliberation, the exact shade, shape, size, and weight. Whether it’s a button, a label on a can of peas, or a silicon chip, someone designed it. And yet, end users discard these items with little regard for the person who created Girl in the item or the item itself. My work Yellow Bikini primarily is based on those cast-aside items, so called disposables,” he says. Lasris recently won second place at the Art League of Hilton Biennale, a national juried exhibition. Of over 1000 entries, only 100 were selected for the show. (submitted by Patsi Compton)

Tuesday, June 2 – Sunday, August 2

Mending a Nation

This Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History exhibit at 975 Main Street recognizes the 150th anniversary of the Reconstruction Amendments that secured freedom, citizenship, and voting rights.

These rights, however, were not fully recognized for years. This exhibit features events in Danville’s history to highlight the barriers African Americans faced even after these amendments were ratified: Bloody Monday of 50

Evince Magazine Page 17 years ago; the race riot of 1883; Jim Crow segregation; and women’s right to vote. This exhibit has been researched and curated by a team of local historians, Cara Burton, Dr. Andrew Canady, Ina Dixon, and Dean Hairston with technical consulting by Paris Designs. This thoughtful journey through the past 150 years explores local history, making us want to dig deeper into our past to help understand our community today. (submitted by Cara Burton)

Street, South Boston. This one-act musical features students ages 18 and younger who are participating in the Children’s Theatre Workshop.

Shows are June 6, 13, 20, 27 at 10:30 a.m. Featured songs include “Arabian Nights,” “Friend Like Me,” “Prince Ali,” and “A Whole New World.”

Tickets are $12 adults; $10 seniors; $6 students. For more information and tickets, visit www.prizery.com or call 434. 572.8339. (submitted by Alison Streeter)

Tuesday, June 2 – Sunday, August 2

Sunday, June 7

To Be Sold: Virginia and the American Slave Trade

This exhibit offers a frank exploration of the Commonwealth’s role in the business of the “second middle passage” -- the forced relocation of two-thirds of a million African Americans from the Upper South to the Cotton South in the decades before the Civil War. Intrigued by the abundant notices of slave auctions in Richmond newspapers in 1853, visiting British artist Eyre Crowe began attending the auctions. He turned his sketches and experiences into a series of remarkable paintings and engravings that humanized the enslaved and spoke eloquently of the infamy of the trade and the despair of the individuals whose forced labor made cotton an integral part of the South’s economy and political structure before the Civil War. The DMFAH is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. An admission fee is charged except for the first weekend of each month for residents of Danville, Pittsylvania County or Caswell County. For more information, call 434.793.5644 or visit www.danvillemuseum.org. (submitted by Cara Burton)

Thursday, June 4

River District Scavenger Hunt

The River District Association (formerly Downtown Danville Association) will host this free event from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in downtown Danville. Participants have a choice of two starting points: the JTI Fountain and the former Downtowner site at the corner of Union and Main Streets. The Hunt begins at 5:30 p.m. and ends at 7:15 p.m. Participants will receive a game sheet to be stamped by participating businesses. A visit to all 25 participating businesses increases the chance of winning the $500 grand prize. Mayor Sherman Saunders will draw for prize winners at 7:30 p.m. Enjoy music, games and refreshments at Main Street Plaza while waiting. Danville Regional Medical Center, Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce, American National Bank, First Citizens Bank, First State Bank and Virginia Bank & Trust are co-sponsors. (submitted by Ernecia Coles)

Saturday, June 6 – Saturday, June 27 Disney’s Aladdin Jr.

All of your favorite characters from the hit Disney film – Aladdin, Jasmine, Lago, Jafar, the Genie, and more – are in this musical adventure filled with magic, mayhem, and flying carpet rides at The Prizery, 700 Bruce

An Historical Event

At 3:00 p.m., the Anne Eliza Johns Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy will hold its annual program at Green Hill Cemetery, 761 Lee Street, in memory of the Confederate soldiers buried there and in honor of the birthday of President Jefferson Davis. Lawrence McFall will speak on The President’s Danville Visit. The 18th VA Re-enactors will perform. Bring lawn chairs. For more information, call 434.251.6691. (submitted by Vernell Gwynn)

Thursday, June 11 – Sunday, June 14

The Sunshine Boys

The Little Theatre of Danville will present this Neil Simon comedy at The Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History, 975 Main Street.

This stage version of the hit Broadway show and movie tells the story of Al Lewis and Willie Clark, a onetime vaudevillian team known as “Lewis and Clark,” who over the course of 40-odd years not only grew to hate each other but never spoke to each other off-stage throughout the final year of their act.

The stubborn Clark, who was not ready for retirement, resented the wiser Lewis for breaking up the act when he opted to leave show business. It is now 1972 and CBS has invited the team to reunite. Much of the humor is derived from efforts to get the two cantankerous actors into the same room for a rehearsal, their differences of opinion once they reunite, and their shenanigans on the actual broadcast. The production will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. Cost is $12 in advance, $15 at the door. Advance tickets are available at DMFAH, Rippe’s, Karen’s Hallmark in Danville Mall and at www.danvillelittletheatre.org. (submitted by Mark Harrelson)

Saturday, June 13

Danville Science Center 20th Birthday Celebration

From 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. there is free admission for the grand opening of the newest traveling exhibit How People Make Things, live science demonstrations, cake and more. Enjoy free dome shows hourly, planetarium demonstrations, a fossil dig and hands-on activities for the whole family. For more information, visit 677 Craghead Street, www.dsc.smv.org or call 434.791.5160. (submitted by Adam Goebel)

Contnued to page 21

Page 18

June 2015

June Calendar Ongoing

Guided Walking Tour – Millionaires Row & Holbrook Street. $8; free for children 12 & younger. www.danvillehistory.org.

434.770.1974. See ad page 4.

Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History (DMFAH) self-guided audio-visual tours.

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.

Pittsylvania County Public Library Events. See page 23.

Tai-Chi Day Classes - Increase strength, balance, flexibility and progress at your own pace.

M 11:15am-12:15pm; W 3:304:30pm. Ballou Rec. Center.

434.799.5216.

Let’s Dance – Learn new dances, make new friends and have loads of fun. Adults 18+. Tues.

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 – Providing a great workout and cultural awareness with live drumming and energetic dancing.

Kids M 6-6:30pm; Adults M 67:30pm. Stonewall Youth Center.

434.797.8848.

Prime Time Fitness - Lowimpact aerobics workout with a mix of various fun dance steps. Tu/Th 9:30-11am or 5:30-7pm. Coates Rec. Center.

434.797.8848.

Get Moving with Chair Exercises – Low-impact class

ideal for adults 50+. Tu/Th 11:30am-12:30pm. Coates Rec. Center. 434.797.8848.

Zumba Classes - Hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves create a one-of-a-kind interval training fitness program with fun routines that tone and sculpt the body while burning fat. W 5:15-6pm/TH 5:30-6:30pm Pepsi Building. TH 7-8pm. Coates Rec. Center. 434.797.8848.

Art with Flo – Wet on wet technique of oil painting. Ages 18+. W 9:30-11:30am, 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.

W 6-7pm. City Auditorium.

434.797.8848.

African Rhythms by Nguzo Saba – Learn West African dance to live drumming. W 6-7pm. City Auditorium. 434.797.8848.

Cardio Step Class – Uptempo, high energy class. Tu/Th 8:30-9:30am. City Auditorium.

434.797.8848.

Baby Boomer Style Work Out – Walking, cardio activity & weight training designed for older adults. Tu/Th 9-10:30am. City Auditorium. 434.797.8848.

Ballou Jammers - Acoustic musical jamboree. Bring a stringed instrument or just listen.

TH 3-5pm. Ballou Rec. Center.

434.799.5216.

Ballou Book Swap - Take a book or two to read and leave a book or two to share. F 9am-5pm. Ballou Rec. Center.

434.799.5216.

Friday Night Fun and Dance – Enjoy a night of dancing with live music by City Limits Band or Country Pride Band. Ages 50+.

F 7:30-10:30pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216.

June 1

Deco Mesh Wreath Making – Beautiful deco mesh wreaths are the hottest trend going and it is no wonder because they are so easy and quick to make. Deco mesh can be used indoors or out. It is perfect for celebrating the seasons and holidays, as well as life’s special events. In these classes, you will learn how to make a seasonal wreath. 3-5pm, 6-8pm. Ballou Recreation Center.

434.799.5216.

June 1 (thru 5)

Business Appreciation Week.

See page 20.

June 1 (thru 29)

Step by Step Through Life Club. See page 16

June 1 (thru 30)

Living on the Water - All day.

Virginia Museum of Natural History. Martinsville, VA. 276.634.4141.

People, Pets & Pilot.

See page 16.

June 2015 S

M 1 7 8 14 15 21 22 28 29

T 2 9 16 23 30

W 3 10 17 24

T 4 11 18 25

F 5 12 19 26

S 6 13 20 27

entrance to the First Fridays at the Crossing. It is free to register your team for HeartChase! www.

HeartChaseDanville.org Art Reception: Spirit -Work

by Don Marlowe.6-8pm. Kirby Gallery. 213 North Main Street.

Roxboro, NC.

June 5 & 6

Canoe and Kayak Lessons 6:30-7:30pm. Mayo Lake. 1013 Neals Store Road, Roxboro, NC.

Uncle Billy’s Day – Two funfilled days of live music, crafts, food vendors, trade lot, carnival, pony rides, car show, art and photography show, and Saturday night fireworks. 5/5 - 4-11pm; 5/6 - 9am-11pm. English Park, Altavista, VA. www.unclebillysdayfestival.com

June 2 & 23

June 5, 6 & 7

June 2

Toastmasters - Toastmasters members improve their communication, public speaking, and leadership skills. 6-7:15 pm. National University; Tues.

434.793.1431.

June 2 (thru August 2)

DMFAH Exhibit: Three Artists Also, Mending a Nation and To Be Sold: Virginia and the American Slave Trade. See page 16.

June 4

Job Corps Information Session - 10:30am-12:30pm.

Workforce Development Center.

434.455.2521.

River District Scavenger Hunt Pick up a ‘game sheet,’ visit the merchants listed, and find the Scavenger Hunt Square placed in each store and receive a stamp on the game sheet. Return the sheet to the JTI Fountain to earn tickets for the drawing. 5:30-7:30pm.

Downtown Danville.

June 5

4th Annual American Heart Association HeartChase of Danville - sponsored by Danville Regional Medical Center; starts at American National Bank on Main St. Teams participate in fun challenges and locate hidden power up cards along the course through downtown Danville, and compete against other teams to find the heart of the community. HeartChase will end at Carrington Pavilion.

All participants will receive free

North American Road Racing Association - NARRA is an event promoter and governing body for the US GT Championship, Whelen US Time Trial Championship, USPC and Radical Cup. www.narraonline.com. All day.

VIR. 434.822.7700 x 117.

June 6

Community Yard Sale - 8am.

Halifax Farmers Market.

Tank Museum Vehicle Run Day - Hear them roar, see them move, feel them tremble! A variety of wheeled and tracked vehicles from the museum collection will be run throughout the day.

10am-4pm. Tank Museum.

434.836.5323.

Artfelt Expressions of Bob Ross - Ed Gowen, certified Bob Ross instructor, will help you complete a beautiful painting in one day. Bring a roll of paper towels and a 16x20 canvas. All other supplies are included. Adults 18+.10:30am3:30pm. Ballou Annex Building.

434.799.5216.

River District Summer Pub Crawl - The three downtown restaurants will have specials after 5pm with live music, gifts drawings and more.

June 6 & 13

Zip Line - Dan Daniel Memorial Park. Ride solo or tandem.

Ages 8+. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. 3-4:30pm. Skate Park.

434.799.5215.

If you’d like to submit an item for the Evince calendar, visit www.showcasemagazine.com. The deadline for the July issue is Wednesday, June 17, at 5:00 p.m. Please send just the basic information following the format on these pages.

Evince Magazine Page 19 June 6 (thru 27)

June 17

An Historical Event.

See page 17.

Walsh Kelley Irish School of Dance -Founded by Ms. Kelley, a native of Cork, Ireland, the school’s students have been performing at the highest level of competition since 1998. A light lunch will be served.12-1:30pm.

Ballou Recreation Center.

434.799.5216.

June 11 (thru 14)

June 18

Danville’ Farmers Market 7:30am-12pm Sat. Danville Community Market.

434.797.8961.

Aladdin Jr. See page 17.

June 7

The Sunshine Boys. See page 17.

June 12

Danville Comedy Club Show Don’t miss a fun evening of professional clean comedy.

Headliner Andrew Ouellette, featuring Jake Daniels. 8pm.

Historic North Theatre – 434.793.7469.

Movies in the Park - Frozen Enjoy watching family movies underneath the trees. Bring lawn chairs or blankets. Movies are suitable for all ages. 9pm-11pm.

Ballou Park Stage. 434.799.5215.

June 13

Science Saturdays - Gens & Minerals. 10am-3pm. VMNH. 276.634.4141.

DSC’s 20th Birthday Celebration. See page 17.

Big Hats & Bow Ties Garden Party - Join Piedmont Arts Yo Pros and Piedmont Arts Board of Directors for this fun-tastic fundraiser. Enjoy yard games, a 50/50 raffle, a big- hat contest, and more. 6:30-10:30pm. Little Post Office. 207 Starling Ave. Martinsville.

Family Fun Magic Show - World famous celebrity magician Wayne Alan (owner of the Historic North Theatre) presents his fun filled magic show in such a friendly and down to earth manner that is sure to leave a smile on the faces of both children as well as adults. The show captures the real wonder in Wayne’s World of Magic. The combination of baffling magic with lots of humor makes this program a sure-fire winner. 8pm. Historic North Theatre – 434.793.7469.

June 13 & 14

CCS 16th Annual Virginia Festival of Speed - CCS Racing offers a professional racing environment for beginning and seasoned riders alike – all centered around increasing the “fun factor” in a safety-conscious atmosphere. All day. VIR. 434.822.7700 x117.

June 16

Danville Memory Café - This is a place for relaxed conversation and interaction for persons who are diagnosed with early-stage symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment, or another related memory disorder.

Care partners/family are invited to this social opportunity. 11am12pm. Ballou Recreation Center.

434.799.5216.

Music on Main Concert Series Lawyers, Guns & Money (R&B, Blues and Rock and Roll) - Bring a chair, blanket and picnic basket for a relaxing evening. In the event of rain, concerts will be held indoors at the Community Market.

6:30-8:30pm. Main Street Plaza.

434.793.4636.

June 19

Painting with Pepper - After just three hours in this acrylic painting class, you will create a piece of art. All materials are included and light refreshments will be served. 1-4pm. Ballou Annex Building. 434.799.5216.

TGIF- Heartbeat of Soul - Uptown Martinsville at the Broad Street parking lot. 6-10pm.

Third Friday Art Walk - Enjoy art, food, music, and fun along Martinsville’s historic streets.

Over 20 galleries, restaurants and shops are open with live music and other events happening.

5-7pm.

Gardening Basics - Irrigation, Summer Plant Feeding Join Stuart Sutphin, Virginia Cooperative Extension Agent, as he shares information and answers questions about landscape design. There is no fee, but registration is required.

12-1:30pm. Pepsi Building.

434.797.8848.

Rox ‘N Roll Cruise In – A funfilled evening that is sure to get your motor running! This familyfriendly event welcomes unique vehicles of all styles and ages to cruise into the courthouse square of Uptown Roxboro. With music, door-prizes and raffle drawings, there is something to excite everyone at this unique event!

336.322.6018. Historic Uptown Roxboro Main Street.

June 19 & 20

Plein Air Art Contest.

See page 21.

June 19, 20 & 21

Milton Street Fair and Thomas Day in Milton. See page 21.

June 19, 20, 25-27

Wizard of Oz. See page 17.

June 19 (thru 28)

Disney’s The Lion King, Jr. See page 17.

June 20

Deals 4 U Sale - Name brand merchandise at extremely low prices. 8am-3pm. Tank Museum.

434.836.5323.

Sappony 5K Trail Race - 8:30am.

Mayo Lake Park, Roxboro, NC. www.sapponytrailrun.org.

See page 15.

Run for Justice - Kid’s 2K, 5K walk or run and 10K race (run only). Takes place on the scenic River Walk Trail. Shirts, refreshments & door prizes. Kid’s 2K participants do not receive a shirt. Proceeds benefit the DCC Justice Club. 9am. Angler’s Park.

434.797.8468.

Covers at the Crossing Concert - Listen to the sounds of “All My Rowdy Friends” (the ultimate Hank Williams Jr. Band) with Matt Boswell and the Hillbilly Blues Band. 6:3011pm. Carrington Pavilion.

434.793.4636.

June 23

Movies in the Park - Mary Poppins - Enjoy watching family movies underneath the trees on the big screen at the Ballou Park stage. Bring lawn chairs or blankets. Movies are suitable for all ages. 9-11pm. Ballou Park Stage. 434.799.5215.

June 26

Film Premiere: Senior Proms of Yesteryear. See page 13.

June 27

Danville by Choice Meet-Up 4:00pm to 8:00pm, Camilla Williams Park, 700 Memorial Drive. Bring your own nonalcoholic beverage and favorite dish and meet the folks who call Danville home. See page 3.

June 28

Meet the Artists Reception Plein Air Contest winners.

See page 21.

June 29 (thru July 3)

Artios Outpost Summer Camp - One Big Giant Really Cool Story

by Artios Outpost is a one-week summer arts camp designed to give students (aged 7-17), of many levels, an opportunity to further their area of interest in the arts! Campers participate in worship, small groups, games, improv, workshops, a talent show, and more. Campers are taught the arts through a biblical worldview. The weeks camp will focus on Musical Theatre.

Campers will learn specific skills in the areas of drama, music, and choreography, and work towards presenting a one-act musical for their community by the end of the week. This major is designed to be adaptable for any student, no matter their level of experience in the performing arts. 9am-3:30pm. New Life Community Church. jwhitfield@artiosacademies.com. www.artiosoutpost.com.

June 29 & 30

Danville Braves - vs Kingsport.

See ad page 26.

Upcoming July 1

Farmers Market. See page 21.

July 1 (thru 3)

Danville Braves. See page 26.

July 4

Independence Day Celebration. See page 21.

Tank Museum Family Fun Day. 10am-4pm. Tank Museum.

434.836.5323.

July 7 & 21

Toastmasters. 6-7:15 pm.

National University; Tues.

July 8 (thru 10)

Danville Braves. See page 26.434.793.1431.

July 10 & 24

Movies in the Park - Enjoy watching family movies underneath the trees in Ballou Park. Bring your lawn chairs or blankets. Movies are suitable for all ages. 10 - Lego the Movies; 6/24 - Planes; Fire and Rescue.

9-11pm. Ballou Park Stage.

434.799.5215.

July 16

Music on Main - West End Mambo (Classic Salsa and Latin Jazz) - Bring a chair, blanket and picnic basket. In the event of rain, concerts will be held at the Community Market. 6:30-8:30pm.

434.793.4636.

Page 20

June 2015

Celebrate Business Appreciation Week

by Kim Custer Special Projects Assistant City of Danville Office of Economic Development Join in the following activities scheduled for the first week in June: • Tuesday, June 2 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

RCATT Building, 121 Slayton Avenue, Business Matters – Stay on the right side of the law. Free workshop. Starting a business? Want to make sure your current business is taxcompliant? Calm your fears about paying the wrong amount of tax or completing forms incorrectly. The Commissioner of Revenue will discuss taxation to help businesses avoid potential pitfalls. Register at www.dpchamber.org.

5:30 p.m.- 6:30p.m. meet with city council members in the second floor conference room, City Hall, 427 Patton Street. Enter a chance to win a team-building experience for 15 employees at Dan Daniel Park.

5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at the San Marcos Restaurant, 13950 US-29, Chatham, attend the Business After Hours. Register at www.dpchamber.org.

• Wednesday, June 3 Noon-1:30p.m. The Launch Place, 527 Bridge Street, Suite 200, Entrepreneur Network Series. Attend the presentation

by KSI Data Sciences including

drone demonstration. RSVP: rhaynes@thelaunchplace.org.

4:00-5:30p.m. at the Danville Family YMCA, 215 Riverside Drive join WE!Lead--Finding Balance Women Empowered.

This is a new initiative that is designed to encourage women in the Danville-Pittsylvania County region to pursue their ambitions and to change the conversation from what we can’t do to what we can do. Register at www.dpchamber.org.

• Thursday, June 4, 2nd Annual River District Association Scavenger Hunt. See page 17.

• Friday, June 5 11:30a.m. – 7:00p.m.

The 25th Annual Chamber Classic Golf Tournament will culminate with a cocktail reception that honors business leaders who have been instrumental in the tournament’s success. Register at www.dpchamber.org.

5:30pm – 7:00pm HeartChase Danville. Teams of 3-5 players have fun completing Heart Healthy challenges through Downtown Danville. Free.

For more information, visit www.HeartChaseDanville.org or email Ashley.Ege@Heart.org.

See page 18.

Evince Magazine Page 21

Calendar Clips

Continued from page 17

Friday, June 19 – Sunday, June 28 Disney’s The Lion King Jr.

The African savannah comes to life at The Historic North Theatre, 629 North Main Street, when this play based on the award-winning Broadway musical is presented by North Star Theatre Project. Watch Simba, Rafiki and an unforgettable cast of characters as they journey from Pride Rock to the jungle and back again in this inspiring comingof-age tale. Performances are June 19, 20, 26, and 27 at 7:00 p.m. and June 21 and 28 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults, $8 for students/children. To purchase tickets, call 434.793.SHOW or visit www.thenorththeatre.com. (submitted by Mimi Grubb)

Friday, June 19 – Friday, July 3 The Wizard of Oz

Like so many girls her age, little Dorothy Gale of Kansas dreams of what lies over the rainbow. One day a twister hits her farm and carries her away to another world.

Come join Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, and Toto as they travel the universe of Dorothy’s imagination.

Over 20 collegiate and professional actors and technicians join a local company of more than 50 actors to bring this classic 1939 MGM film to life. Seats are $24 to $30 for adults; $22 for seniors; $12 for students; half-price matinees on Wednesdays. Shows at 7:30 p.m. June 19, 20, 25, 26, 27 and July 2-3 and 2:30 p.m. June 21, 24, 28 and July 1 at The Prizery, 700 Bruce Street, South Boston. For more information, visit www.prizery.com or call l434.572.8339. (submitted by Alison Streeter)

Friday, June 19 – Saturday, June 20 Plein Air Contest

Pack up your easel and favorite paints and head to the Milton Studio Art Gallery, 239 Broad Street in Milton, North Carolina, and register between 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Friday for this contest. The subject is Milton, the view may be obvious or obscure, and technique may be realistic or abstract. If abstract, some subject matter still needs to be recognizable. There are two age groups: 417, and 18+. The gallery reserves the right to photograph works for publicity. Cost is $15.00.

Paintings are due at the gallery by 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 21, when a critique will be given by artists/educators Shirley Cadmus and Diane Kendrick. Between five and15 pieces will be selected for exhibition in the gallery with a reception to meet the artists on Sunday, June 28, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The exhibition ends August 1. Contact: miltonartgallery@aol.com. (submitted by Shirley Cadmus)

Friday, June 19- Sunday, June 21 Milton Street Fair

Friday events on Broad Street in Milton, North Carolina, include kid’s sidewalk chalk drawing beginning at the Milton Studio Art Gallery and the official unveiling and dedication ceremony for the Milton Heritage mural by artist George “Bucky” Buchanan at 7:15 p.m. followed by light refreshments.

Saturday’s activities begin at 10:00 a.m. with a parade featuring an antique horse-drawn fire engine.

Browse the art and crafts tents while enjoying live music and delicious homemade food. The historic Milton State Bank and the Thomas Day House/Union Tavern will be open for tours starting at noon. Kids will enjoy a bouncy house, craft stations, face painting, storytelling, magician “Bucky” the Magic Cowboy; T-shirt decorating, cupcake decorating workshop, and a mural workshop with artist George “Bucky” Buchanan.

Sunday’s activities include tours of the Thomas Day House/Union Tavern from noon until 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit Facebook. com/Milton Street Fair or call 434.728.5115. (submitted by Hosanna Blanchard)

Friday, June 19 Sunday, June 21

Fred Motley’s Thomas Day in Milton

Come see Thomas Day (1801-1861) walk the streets of Milton with his beautiful wife Aquila.

Fred Motley’s theater group will present an original play about Thomas Day’s life and times in Milton, North Carolina in the 1850s. Using period Thomas Day House / dress, choral groups, period music, local talent, Union Tavern audience interaction, and various musical instruments, Motley’s group will entertain and enlighten. The play will be presented in the historic Milton Woman’s Club on the corner of Broad and High Streets. Performances are at 6:00 p.m. on Friday; 4:00 p.m. on Saturday; 3:00 p.m. on Sunday and is being funded through the Danville Regional Foundation. There is no admission charge, but donations will be appreciated. For information call 434.822.8967 or email QMCGRAVES@hotmail.com. (submitted by Joe Graves)

Upcoming Wednesday, July 1

Farmers’ Market in Danville

The market, at 629 Craghead Street, opens on Wednesdays from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. until August 26. Buy fresh tomatoes, lettuce, corn, fruit, and more. It is open every Saturday from 7:30 a.m. until noon.

Saturday, July 4

July 4th Celebration

Shop the Farmers’ Market, 629 Craghead Street, for delicious, locally grown items for your holiday cookout, then return to the Crossing for the celebration at the Carrington Pavilion featuring Captain Jim’s Magical Illusion Show, the Danville Symphony Orchestra and fireworks.

Page 22

June 2015

Choosing Danville To say that Ina is content to live and work in Danville would be an understatement. That’s why she is the co-founder of Danville by Choice on Facebook. “DBC is another opportunity for me and others to meet new people and find out what’s happening and learn how to participate,” she says. The young professional chose Danville even though other places might have been equally as inviting. She could have selected Germany where she was born; South Africa, her mother’s homeland; Maryland where she graduated from St. John’s College; Illinois where she worked and graduated with a master’s degree in history from the University of Chicago; Northern Virginia where she taught history at Madeira School; or Chatham where her dad once owned a book store and she worked during the summers. Instead Ina became a Danville Regional Foundation Fellow in 2014. “I collect and promote local history. History

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United works collaboratively with local historical organizations to develop an inclusive narrative of the region,” she says.

Before departing the interview to participate in Theology on Tap, a monthly community conversation at Jake’s on Main, Ina brags a bit about a recent post on Danville by Choice.

“Penguinz Snoballs at the intersection of Piney Forest Road and Arnett Boulevard got 285 “likes” and people posted their own photos! We thought that was really great, because that meant others were interacting with us and joining in the excitement,” she comments, smiles, and hurries off to another fun function in Danville.

The next time you are at a community event, look for Danville by Choice co-founders, Carrie Petrick and Ina Dixon.

These two women are making history and they want you to be a part of it.

• Visit www.facebook.com/ danvillebychoice and “like” it. You must love Danville to “like” it. There are no other restrictions.

• The next Community Meet & Greet will be a potluck on Saturday, June 27, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Camilla Williams Park, 700 Memorial Drive. Bring your own non-alcoholic beverage and favorite dish and meet the folks who call Danville home.

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

Evince Magazine Page 23 Gilbert, who will be present, and discussion will be led by Dr. Andrew Canady, assistant professor of history, Averett University. All are welcome. The series is made possible by a grant from the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities and is presented in partnership with History United, an initiative of the Danville Regional Foundation.

Reading/Learning Programs:

• Preschool Early Literacy Programs: Summer Reading Program Mother Goose on the Loose: Monday, June 8, 10:00 a.m., Brosville.

Every Friday, 10:30 a.m., Mt. Hermon. Books, music, poems, nursery rhymes, and rhythm instruments. Open to children ages newborn to 3 with their parents or caregivers.

• Wednesdays for Wees: All branches. Children ages newborn to 5.

Presented in partnership with Smart Beginnings Danville Pittsylvania County.

Book Discussions for Adults:

• Teen Book Club: Wednesday, June 10, 6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m., Chatham. Discuss favorite books and make dragon eggs.

• Second Thursday Discussion Group: June 11, 4:00 p.m. – 5:45 pm., Chatham. Open to adults.

• Book Talk: Friday, June 12, noon, Brosville. Read a book that you would not normally read. Bring salad or dessert; pizza will be provided. Open to adults.

STEM Programs for Students:

• STEM Saturday: June 6, 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., Chatham. We’ll make and launch slingshot and stomp rockets.

Open to ages 8-14.

Food, Nutrition, Fitness, Health:

• Second Tuesday Recipe Club: June 9, 5:00 p.m., Gretna.

Call for information and to register.

Computer Classes:

• One-on-One Tutorials with Luther: Every Wednesday, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m., Chatham. Low stress, lots of friendly help.

Art & Craft Programs:

What’s Happening in the Pittsylvania County Public Libraries Summer Reading Program:

Read to the Rhythm of Summer kicks off June 1-6 and ends on July 18. Earn chances to win prizes. Sign-up week is June 1-6.

Kickoff events feature well-known storyteller, recording artist, and author Dylan Pritchett of Williamsburg.

• Chatham: Wednesday, June 10, 10:00 a.m., Chatham Baptist Church, 12 Court Street • Gretna: Wednesday, June 10, 2:00 p.m. at the Gretna library • Mt. Hermon: Thursday, June 11, 11:00 a.m. at Mt. Hermon • Brosville: Thursday, June 11, 2:00 p.m. at the Brosville United Methodist Church, 12648 Martinsville Highway.

• Knitting & Amigurumi Crochet Groups: Mondays, June 1 and June 15, 6:30 p.m., Mt. Hermon. All skill levels are welcome.

• Re-Use It Tuesday Craft Night: June 2, 5:00 p.m., Gretna.

Sports Seat Cushion. Call for supplies list and to register.

• Crochet: Tuesdays, June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, noon, Brosville.

Join the group to learn and work on your projects.

• Second Saturday Quilt Club: June 13, 10:00 a.m. until noon, History Research Center and Library, Chatham.

• Loom Knitting: Thursday, June 25, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Brosville. Learn to knit a hat on a knitting loom. You can bring your own loom or borrow one from us. Yarn provided.

Game Programs & Activities:

• Learning with LEGOs: Saturday, June 13, 10:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., Mt. Hermon • LEGO Play Day: Fridays, June 19 and 26, 10:00 until noon, Chatham • Book Bingo: Tuesday, June 30, 5:00 p.m., Gretna. Family fun and prizes.

Movies:

Tales Told Out of School:

• Monday, June 15, 2:00 p.m., Brosville. 2014 remake of Annie.

• Monday, June 22, 2:00 p.m., Brosville. Paddington • Mondays, June 15, 22 and 29, 2:00 p.m., Chatham. TBA.

Our Civil Rights: A Local and National Story film and discussion series:

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

Thursday, June 4, 6:00p.m. -7:45 p.m., Brosville. Do you have memorabilia or stories about any of the county public high schools that have closed since 1945? Join the history team at Mt. Hermon.

Bring your items and your stories, and let’s talk.

Tuesday, June 30, 6:45 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at the History Research Center and Library in Chatham. This new series continues the themes of last summer’s film and discussion series, Created Equal. This event will highlight a StoryCorps interview with local resident Robert

Page 24

June 2015

Book Clubbing A review by Diane Adkins

How to Be a Friend to a Friend Who’s Sick

by Letty Cottin Pogrebin

You might be like me.

Suddenly, I have four close friends sick with cancer.

One day, you are living your life, having fun, and the next day you feel as if you are visiting friend after friend facing hard diagnoses. Knowing what to say, what to do, when to show up—it’s not always second nature to us. This most recent book by Letty Pogrebin is the most helpful book-length guide I have found to negotiate these difficult waters.

Pogrebin was diagnosed with breast cancer at a point in her life when she felt exceptionally healthy and on top of her game. The idea for the book came to her as she waited, sometimes for more than an hour, for her radiation treatments. There is a fellowship of shared suffering in those waiting rooms and she decided to see if her wait-mates would allow her to interview them about the things that helped and the things that didn’t as they walked their individual paths dealing with serious disease. She intersperses their insights with her own story.

Her first chapter is entitled, “I Can’t Believe You Said That!” She gives plenty of examples of cringe-worthy sentences said to those who are sick, including many we have all heard. “Everything happens for a reason.” “You need to be strong for your kids.”

“Maybe it happened for the best.” “You’re so brave.” Her interviewees tell why these words are unhelpful. Better to say, “I’m so sorry this happened to you.” “Tell me how I can help.” Or even, “I’m bringing dinner.”

One of the many useful takeaways from this book is the idea of asking and acting. It works well to ask your sick friends, “How can I help?” if you really intend to do something. If the patient answers truthfully, they receive what they need. But it’s also important to act, to actually follow through and do that useful thing your friend needs right now, whether it’s making a brownie or giving a hug or washing the laundry. Sometimes your friend will tell you they need no help. This is the time to be discerning. Is that true or do they not want to be a burden? Do they need a visit or do they need privacy? The key thing to remember is that it’s about them, not about you. Learn how to ask and find how you can truly be of help. This book helps with the awkwardness we feel when we aren’t sure what to do or say. Read it and you’ll be a better friend to someone who needs you now.

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.

Evince Magazine Page 25

Going to a Waterpark?

Read This First

by Laura Baumgartner, U.S. Swim School Association

Water Safety Tips for Kids & Adults

by Laura Baumgartner, U.S. Swim School Association Although many parents worry about their children’s safety around swimming pools, drowning incidents also occur in natural bodies of water. Safety precautions need to be taken around all water environments.

According to the Center for Disease Control, about half of all drowning incidents happen in natural water settings such as lakes, rivers, or oceans.

Almost 75% of people killed in boating accidents die as a result of drowning. There are steps parents can take to keep themselves and their children safer in the water. The United States Swim School Association has put together the following guidelines: • Make sure your children know how to properly wear a lifejacket. Always have children 12 and under wear a lifejacket when boating or using personal watercraft.

• Personal floatation devices (PFDs) should always be U.S. Coast Guard approved. Never substitute water wings or other recreational type floating toys for an approved PFD. • Create a water safety plan for your family and have water emergency drills with your kids covering how to recognize the signs of someone struggling in water and what to do in this type of emergency.

• Teach your children the “throw don’t go” rescue method.

•

•

•

•

•

Instead of entering the water to help a struggling person, teach your child to throw in a rope, reach with a stick, paddle, or other object to pull-in the person.

If you take your kids on a shore excursion while boating, be aware of tides and currents and other risks the ocean or beach may present.

Non-motorized boats can also pose a risk. If your family is canoeing or kayaking be sure your child is wearing a life jacket and knows what to do if the boat flips.

If your child is playing near a natural body of water and accidentally falls in, teach your child to roll over on his or her back and float until help arrives if exiting the water is not an option.

Never use floatation devices or water wings to keep your child safe in the water. Rely on your direct supervision.

Swimming lessons will help keep your child safer while boating and around open water.

To find a USSSA affiliated swim school or for details on becoming a member of the nation’s leading swim school organization visit www.usswimschools.org. The Danville Family YMCA offers swimming lessons for all ages.

For more information, call 434.792.0621. Scholarships are available.

According to the World Waterpark Association, over 85 million people in North American went to waterparks during a recent summer season. Although water parks can be a fun, family activity during hot weather and school vacation, crowds and distractions can make it difficult for parents to keep their children safe. The United States Swim School Association (USSSA), the preeminent swim school organization in the country, has created safety suggestions for parents planning a trip to a waterpark this summer.

Water Park Safety Tips

Assign each child a buddy. One parent cannot physically keep an eye on more than one child at all times. Pair the kids up before you arrive at the waterpark and have them promise to watch their buddy and stay together.

Schedule hourly meetings at an agreed upon location so you can verify that everyone has checked in regularly and is safe.

Talk to your children about how to react in an emergency situation such as a drowning

incident or if someone receives a serious cut. Rather than running around the park looking for you, teach your children to locate the nearest lifeguard, mom or dad to provide help.

Do not rely on lifeguards to constantly monitor your children.

You cannot be sure how experienced a lifeguard is and should never assume. It might take a new guard time to notice an unsafe situation in a crowded pool and you need to be ready to react first if your child needs help.

Do not use water wings or pool floats as a substitute for supervision if your child is not a strong swimmer.

Hydrate and snack regularly. Even though your kids might not feel hot and sweaty because they are in the water, a day in the sun can quickly take its toll. Dehydration and heat stroke can strike rapidly if proper precautions are not taken.

To find a USSSA affiliated swim school or for details on becoming a member of the nation’s leading swim school organization visit: www.usswimschools.org

Page 26

June 2015

I

my contacts, so my West Main walk was Monet-esque—giving me only a colorful impression of reality. I did put in the contacts before driving, however, because an imagined Monet painting of crystal-clear, foreground steering wheel with impressionistic roadway background is too scary to contemplate. Such could be titled: Monet at the Wheel, but I’m not seriously suggesting that Impressionism was inspired by near-sightedness.

begin this story with posthumous apology for its title--posthumous not on my part, but that of the object of my offense, the late (as of 1849) Frederick Chopin, composer of Polonaise. I should probably ask forgiveness from the nation of Poland as well.

Because of the abundance of pollen in the air, I feel that I’ve been appearing in a film entitled, Yellow Dust--maybe a sequel to the 1932 romantic drama, Red Dust, starring Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, and Mary Astor. Upon arising one recent morning, it could be said that the pollen got me, much as in the old childhood game of tag. I knew this, when I couldn’t swallow sans extreme pain. Having fortified myself with Claritin against the pollen, I began my daily walk down West Main Street. In one section of road, a preceding rain shower had made a small pool filled with the floating, spring dust of sickly, jaundiced hue. Motor oil from a passing car had dripped into it, causing the pollen to spiral into patterns. I thought of the old PAAS swirl-an-egg decorating kit, but no one would have eaten any egg swirled in this cup.

These encounters with pollen remind me of a past Danville Science Center exhibit of magnified grains of pollen.

One kind of pollen, round with spikes, looks similar to the mines my Uncle Eustace searched for while on a U.S. Navy World War II minesweeper. Thinking of inhaling those spiked pollen orbs exhibited under magnification made my lungs feel as if they were mined.

Pollenaise

by Mack Williams Natural History Educator Danville Science Center

Due to the pollen, I couldn’t wear

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In a rewriting of the old saying about lemons: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, I say, “When life gives you pollen, write about it,” and so I have.

Evince Magazine Page 27 Sunday night. But Dan Rather and the evening news soon crept into our lives, and for awhile, like 66% of Americans, we ate our dinner while watching the tube. Now without the TV, we relax and sit at the kitchen table, and instead of hearing about the latest political debate, we enjoy the food and each other’s company.

Going Tubeless

by Sarah D. Minick

We owned our last TV in 2002, so we’ve spent the past six years disconnected from the networks.

Before, when we had a TV in the house, it always became too much of a temptation to turn it on and mindlessly get sucked into watching something I cared little about. At the same time, I’d be like everyone else, absorbing countless minutes of advertising I’d rather not see. And guess how many commercials the average American watches by the time they turn 65? Two million, and too many.

Want to gain nine years of activity over a lifespan?

Sarah Minnick gives a plan in this commentary she wrote in 2008.

“D

id you see Oprah yesterday?” asks Jacob, one of my more advanced first graders as we stroll down the tiled school hallway. Jacob always raises interesting questions as we travel between his classroom and my reading room. The day before, he wondered if I knew how a jellyfish swims and then proceeded to demonstrate, even accidently swatting me. He knows his facts, and I answer him seriously about Oprah. I tell Jacob I hadn’t seen the show and add that I don’t have a television. “No TV!?” he reacts.

Then after a pause, he offers, “I’ll ask my mom if you can have our old TV in the attic.” I smile, thank the six-year-old, and explain that I don’t want a TV. But he is right to be surprised by my lack of television.

The average American home owns at least two TVs, often more, according to a Nielsen survey. We willingly bombard our brains with talking heads in our kitchens, bedrooms, and bathrooms. One of my relatives has five TVs, so they journey from one room to the next without missing a minute. Likewise, we find the attention-suckers in restaurants, doctors’ offices, and airports. Americans have become thoughtlessly dependent on daily doses, allowing televisions to consume both public and private spaces.

If you have several TVs, then it seems only logical to spend time watching them. As a result, most of us tie ourselves to our tubes for over four hours a day. That’s nine years over the lifetime of a 65-year-old--nine years we spend as sedentary, passive, unproductive sofa blobs. Luckily, I learned the freedom that only one percent of Americans have discovered. I live a tubeless life and it happened by fortunate accident.

As newlyweds trying to live cheaply, we received a small black-and-white television from a relative. Its rabbit-ears only picked up two local networks, but at the time it suited our needs.

Years later when we moved, we donated this trusty TV to Goodwill and decided to upgrade to a color television with a DVD player. But we were building a new home that became more expensive than planned, so we put the purchase on hold. A year later we went shopping for our new viewing box. We walked the aisles examining large, flat-screen models with expensive price tags.

I asked my husband if we really wanted to invite one of these back into our home. We both realized we did not.

On our drive home with an empty trunk, we tried to list what we missed in our life without a television. Not much, it turned out, and certainly nothing necessary. On past occasions we enjoyed sitting together on our lumpy couch, sharing supper as we watched 60 Minutes on

I do concede the one time I welcome television is when I am sick. Then the electrical distraction helps pass the time until I feel better. But in general, televisions steal our time, relationships, and health. In these tubeless years, I spend more time hiking in the woods with my three dogs, talking with my husband, and knitting intricate patterns that require mental concentration.

Once I thought I would miss television, but I don’t. Here’s the proof. When we travel and stay in hotels, we flip on the TV before bedtime to relax. Hotels have an uncountable number of channels, so you would think we would find something to watch.

But this usually fails (except for the time my husband had to watch the World Series). We punch the remote through all the channels two or three times.

Then satisfied that we’re not missing anything in our tubefree existence, we switch off the flat screen and settle in with a couple of good books. Consider going tubeless and see how your life changes for the better.

Sarah Minick teaches reading in Virginia. She’s a knitter and basket maker and hikes and gardens with her husband and three dogs.

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June 2015

Reflecting Forward Curiosity: If It Doesn’t Kill Me, It Might Make Me Better

by Linda Lemery

I

just finished reading Randall Munroe’s What If: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Theoretical Questions. My college math and physics courses were decades ago and those teachers don’t ever want to see me again.

So what am I doing, reading a book that was primarily about math and physics? I was curious. It’s that simple. Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are really important in today’s society.

I’m only partially a STEM kind of girl, but I’ll try to read anything. My husband is a mathematician and computer scientist and he asked for this book for Christmas, so when it came, I snatched it up.

I have found that reading is a great way to satisfy curiosity. I remember asking for The Wind in the Willows

by Kenneth Grahame on my 11th birthday. I still have that book.

Its world of Ratty, Mole, and Toad was compelling and charming.

And so is Munroe as he lures us deeper into What If, especially when he says things like, “Then the 92nd little pig built a house out of depleted uranium....”

I’ve just finished Deep Storm by Lincoln Child, a fictional work about a structure built miles-deep in the sea to drill down to the Moho layer to explore the anomalies that lie buried there. In the same way, I really enjoyed reading The Year-Long Day, nonfiction by A. E. Maxwell and Ivar Ruud. It’s about young Ruud’s choice to live alone as a hunter and trapper about 400 miles from the North Pole.

Although I wouldn’t want to live in these hostile environments, I’m curious about people who do.

Where did I get this curiosity?

My Danish father was a curious man. He came to the States at age 39 and taught himself English by reading and talking. He had the best vocabulary of anyone I’ve ever known. He read with a dictionary at his side and looked up each unfamiliar word. He was curious about everything and read whenever he could. There was an almost child-like air about his delight when he learned something new.

In “Essential Questions,” an article published in Scholastic Instructor, author J. D. Wilhelm suggests that one secret of good teaching is asking good open-ended questions that engage students, leading them to explore topics on their own.

This approach seems designed to harness curiosity as a driver to learning, regardless of age; my dad indulged his curiosity to feed his mind. That’s how he learned.

I’m grateful to my dad for teaching me the love of reading and learning, but that curiosity he instilled in me sometimes gets me in trouble. I read the What If book because I was curious about this fascinating author and his ideas. Then my husband, the math geek, told me about the fun he was going to have in a workshop on how to inject more physics and math calculations into college coursework. It is being held in Green Bank, West Virginia, which is a quiet zone (no cell phones) due to the sensitive radiotelescopes situated there. I began wondering about the course and Green Bank, and thus, in a moment of pure lunacy, some four decades after my last college math and physics classes (which you’ll recall were not resoundingly successful), I signed up for the workshop. Did I mention I’ve never had astronomy?

I’ll let you know how it goes. I’m scared enough that I’ve compiled a bunch of physics materials to review. Hopefully, curiosity won’t kill this cat. I’ll learn so much more than anybody else in the class because I have almost no knowledge to start with. When you’re at the bottom of the heap, the only way you can go is up.

Thanks, Dad, for that sense of curiosity you’ve given me. I’ll be even more grateful for it after the class is over.

About the author: When she’s not enrolling in classes for which she’s completely unprepared, Linda Lemery llemery@averett.edu serves as Circulation Manager for Averett University’s Mary B. Blount Library in Danville. She wishes readers a happy Fathers Day and welcomes their comments.

Evince Magazine Page 29

Buying Local Just Got Easier

by Annelle Williams Bruce Hutchings, owner of Ridge Farm Natural Foods Market, is quite an interesting guy. We had been talking for only a few minutes when I realized how much I’d been missing. It seems that many of my friends and acquaintances have known Bruce for a long time and have been enjoying the fruits of his labor for years.

In 2009, Bruce began selling fresh, local produce under a pop-up tent at 2000 Westover Drive. He did this for several years through the growing season. All the while, he was building a loyal customer base that depends on his ability to find the best locally sourced seasonal fruits and vegetables. Two years ago, he decided to move inside and have a year-round business, which meant adding meats, eggs, cheeses, jams, jellies, BBQ sauces, pasta sauces, pickled vegetables, granola, and much more to his shelves, still focusing on local sources. I found myself wanting to try everything and over the past few weeks, I think I have.

To quote Bruce, “The most gratifying part of this whole business is to see the excitement and joy people get when they find out that all these wonderful products are available here in Danville.

Good healthy real food is an essential part of a happy life as far as I’m concerned.”

Ridge Farm Natural Foods Market is not far from the intersection of Piedmont Drive and Westover Drive. It’s easy to find with good parking.

It didn’t take much time in the store listening to Bruce interact with customers in person and on the phone to get a real sense of how invested he is in providing the best food products possible. So far he’s had beautiful strawberries, blackberries, asparagus, lettuce, heirloom tomatoes, and green beans. Every day new produce arrives. Fresh bread is available on Fridays from Camino Bakery in Winston-Salem (be sure to try the baguettes). Cheese and butter from Ashe County are regulars, too, along with Homestead Creamery Ice Cream. Ridge Farm’s free-range grass-fed chickens (and eggs) are raised here in Pittsylvania County. The beef, from North Carolina, is grass-fed with no antibiotics, no hormones and no steroids. There is locally raised and processed pork, including nitrite/nitrate-free bacon, breakfast sausage, Italian sausage and several brats. Quick-frozen freshly-caught seafood from the coast is also on hand.

I think you have to try the products and taste for yourself. I promise there is a huge difference and once you’ve enjoyed the fresh flavors, you’ll be hooked.

As an added bonus, fresh, organic, locally sourced foods offer added health benefits and the prices are very reasonable and competitive.

We recently had a Sunday evening cookout, and almost everything on the table came from Ridge Farm: grilled bratwurst and burgers, green bean salad, tomatoes, lettuce, and strawberries and cantaloupe for dessert. It was all delicious.

Earlier in the week we enjoyed baked chicken with Bob’s All Natural Hell Raisin’ BBQ Sauce, and a light Eggplant Parmesan with Hooper’s Marinara Sauce. Do yourself a favor. Make a trip to Ridge Farm for your groceries next week. And then tell your friends—let’s not keep such a good find a secret!

• Ridge Farm, 2000 Westover Drive, is open Wednesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Green Bean Salad with Pine Nuts 1 lb. young, fresh green beans 3 finely chopped shallots 1/2 cup mayonnaise juice and zest of one lemon

salt and pepper to taste 3/4 cup toasted pine nuts* lettuce leaves, washed and dried

Trim the ends and any strings from the green beans. Parboil in lightly salted water, leaving the beans crisp tender. Drain, cool and pat dry. Mix the chopped shallots, lemon juice, zest and the mayonnaise. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add the sauce to the beans and toss to completely coat. Line a serving plate with lettuce leaves and top with the sauced green beans. Add the toasted pine nuts and serve. *To toast pine nuts, I put them in a small non-stick skillet over medium heat.

Shake the pan occasionally until you begin to smell the nuts cooking and see that they are just beginning to toast. Immediately, remove from heat and set aside. This takes only a couple of minutes and the nuts will burn very quickly, so don’t turn your back for long.

Questions or comments?

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

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June 2015

Photo Finish Evince photographer, Von Wellington, captured the excitement and fun at the River District Rebranding Celebration that was held at the Crossing at the Dan on May 1. The event started with sunshine, experienced a 45-minute rain delay followed by a beautiful rainbow over the train station and then finished in the light of a full moon. Despite the unpredictability of the weather, it was a terrific evening for the entire community.

As the storm clouds gather, Andrew Barla slides down the inflatable one last time.

The celebration is a multi-generational happening for this family: Jeevan Kumar, Jay Kumar, Rajeshwari Kumar, Saraswati Suvarna, and Mamta Kumar.

Wade Hopkins provides balloon magic for Logan King, Aolani Kelly (pink bow in hair), and Nykole Sutterlin.

For more info about Von Wellington Photography, visit www.vonwellingtonphotography.com or call 434.770.3553. See more pictures on Facebook.

The sun shines brightly behind Parker and Laura Ashworth as mom and daughter play in Danville Science Center’s Imagination Playground.

Junita Edwards and Kimberly Edwards prepare to listen to The Dueling Pianos.

Fire Marshall Shelby Irving makes a final check before the activities begin.

The crowd cheers and claps as the new River District logo is unveiled.

Melanie and Kevin Vaughan didn’t allow the rain to disturb their evening.

John Hiltzheimer chats with Bill and Janice McMann.

Evince Magazine Page 31 Betty Colman and Debbie Ibargo register for prizes as Kathy Davis from WBTM and Ellen Davis watch the entertainment.

Mike and Rhonda Tosh enjoy dancing in the rain to the live music.

Director of Economic Development, Telly Tucker, and Deputy City Manager,Ken Larking, show off the new River District Reimagine That T-shirts. They are standing in front of “Ker-Plunk,” a sculpture on the Danville Art Trail at the entrance to the Riverwalk Trail.

City Councilman James Buckner shares a story with Karen Miller and Vice-Mayor Gary Miller.

Wesley Shelton, Mary Davis, and Ray Thornton strike a pose for the camera.

The crowd watches an inspiring video on the big screen about the new branding of the River District.

Kayla Shelton says, “Hi,” while Matthew Hackworth and Josh Hackworth smile at her antics.

A fireworks show ends the celebration.

Lucas Allan comes prepared with boots to play in the puddles.

Shortly before the unveiling of the new brand, a rainbow appears over the River District as a good omen.

Photo by Kim Demont

Page 32

June 2015