More Ways to Wheel Around Danville Page 6
Happy Birthday Evince Page 8
Berkeley & Lori Bidgood
Around the Table Let’s Celebrate! Page 21
Moving Around Danville Promoting Tourism Page 3
Page 2 July 2018
July Contents
The
Photo by Michelle Dalton Photography
2 Editor’s Note
Editor’s Note
If you’ve been in Danville’s River District recently, you’ve probably already seen Lori and Berkeley Bidgood who are pictured on the cover. Their choice to start Bright Leaf Segway Tours has already proven to be a hit. Read more on page 3. If that form of transportation doesn’t suit you, read page 6 for “More Ways to Wheel Around Danville” on page 6. Follow that with “Choices Have Unforeseen Consequences” on page 18. The hundreds of decisions that are made daily come together like the works of a watch to propel us into the future. Twenty-two years ago a small group decided to start the free community paper that you hold in your hands. Read a historical timeline on page 8 while sipping a Cucumber Lemon Spritzer to help us celebrate our birthday (recipe on page 21). Then follow the advice of Carolyn Peerman in “Always Choose to Enjoy Life: This Is Not a Rehearsal” on page 17. In “The Wine Spot” on page 18, learn if your age determines the wine you choose to drink or do you buck the trend? Thank you for choosing to read Evince, the oldest free publication in the area, and for supporting our advertisers who make it possible.
CEO / Publisher Andrew Scott Brooks
3 Berkeley & Lori Bidgood Moving Around Danville Promoting Tourism by Joyce Wilburn
Editor Joyce Wilburn (434.799.3160) joycewilburn@gmail.com
4 The Voice of Readers
Associate Editors Jeanette Taylor • Larry Wilburn
6 Renovation Reality / Part 25 by Carla Minosh
Contributing Writers
Diane Adkins, Jessica Austin, Kim Clifton, Lanie Davis, Mike Doan, Telisha Moore Leigg, Linda Lemery, Erica Lowdermilk, Kathy Milam, Carla Minosh, Carollyn Peerman, Danielle Pritchett, Dave Slayton, Jay Stephens, Donna Strange, Lisa Tuite, Joyce Wilburn, Annelle Williams, Mack Williams, Wyona Witcher
More Ways to Wheel Around Danville by Lanie Davis
8 Happy Birthday Evince 9 Second Thoughts / There’s No Place Like Home by Kim Clifton
Art & Production Director Demont Design (Kim Demont)
Finance Manager Cindy Yeatts (1.434.709.7349)
Spotting Exceptional Customer Service by Jessica Austin
Marketing Consultants
10 Raoul Fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg 12 Calendar Clips
Kim Demont (434.792.0612) demontdesign @verizon.net
14 Calendar 16 Book Clubbing / Educated a Memoir by Tara Westover a review by Diane Adkins
Lee Vogler (434.548.5335) lee@evince magazine.com
17 Choose to Enjoy Life / This Is Not a Rehearsal by Carollyn Peerman 18 The Wine Spot / How Do You Make Your Wine Choices? by Dave Slayton
Choices Have Unforeseen Consequences by Mack Williams
Sly Strader Milam (434.728.1291) sly@evince magazine.com
19 What’s Happening in the Public Libraries
For ad information contact a marketing consultant listed above.
20 Where Can I Find Evince?
evince\i-’vin(t)s\ 1: to constitute outward evidence of 2: to display clearly: reveal syn see SHOW
Reflecting Forward / The Voice of Choice by Linda Lemery 21 Around the Table / Let’s Celebrate! by Annelle Williams 22 Photo Finish
On the Cover:
Photo of Berkeley & Lori Bidgood by Michelle Dalton Photography
Don’t Forget to Pick Up the July Edition of Showcase Magazine
Deadline for submission of August stories, articles, and ads is Friday, July 20, at 5:00 p.m. Submit stories, articles, and calendar items to joycewilburn@gmail.com. For ad information contact a marketing consultant or the Director of Sales & Marketing listed above.
The Nature Issue
www.showcasemagazine.com
| July 2018 | ShowcaSe Magazine 1
Meet Some of Our Contributors
Editorial Policies:
Evince is a free monthly magazine with news about entertainment and lifestyle in Danville and the surrounding area. We reserve the right to accept, reject, and edit all submissions and advertisements.
EVINCE MAGAZINE 753 Main St. Suite 3, Danville, VA 24541 www.evincemagazine.com For subscriptions to Evince, email info@evincemagazine.com. Cost is $24 a year.
Sincerely,
Credits: Amber Wilson: hair; Catherine Saunders: skin care and makeup; Genesis Day Spa & Salon, 695 Park Avenue, Danville. Janelle Gammon: nails; Salon One 11, 111 Sandy Court, Danville. Clothes and accessories: Rippe’s100 Years of Fashion, 559 Main St. Danville.
oice of Choices
© 2018 All rights reserved. Reproduction or use in whole or in part in any medium without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. Jessica Austin is the happy homeowner of an 80-year-old house where she reads lots of books with Lucy the rescue pup.
Donna Strange is one of eight historical society members who authored An Architectural History of Halifax County, Va.
Mack Williams is the Natural History Educator at the Danville Science Center where he schedules lecturers, and works with groups touring the facility.
Kim Clifton has given us Second Thoughts to ponder over the years. Her reflections may make you laugh or make you cry. But they always make you glad to know that someone else feels the same way, too.
Evince Magazine Page 3
S
ix months ago when Berkeley Bidgood told his wife Lori to wait in the car because he wanted to check on something, she had no idea that the brief stop at a Segway tour site in Richmond would lead to a new business venture in Danville. Lori explains, “Berkeley was interested in purchasing a Segway because arthritis and injuries to his ankles have made it difficult for him to walk any length of time.” However, riding a two-wheeled, self-balancing scooter, made moving around easy. The Danville natives soon realized that what was good for one person could also benefit an entire community. Plans evolved quickly: their move to Richmond to be near adult daughters was cancelled, five more Segways were purchased, and a guide with knowledge of Danville’s historic districts was recruited to lead tours. “When we heard that people were coming from all over the United States and the world to see Danville and learn about its history, we knew that Segways and historic tours would be a good fit,” Lori says, referring to Danville Historical Society’s three guided walking tours. To promote the new business, Lori used her seven years of experience as Danville Community College’s graphic designer to create marketing tools and her Averett University master’s degree in business to develop a business plan. With everything in place, Bright Leaf Segway Tours opened for business on July 1. Because one of the Segway tours winds through the Tobacco Warehouse District
Had he continued the family tradition, Berkeley would have been the fourth generation to have a career in tobacco, but that didn’t happen. “I tried it for a few years and decided I did not want to miss my kids growing up while I traveled the world on business trips. Thankfully, I broke the chain,” he explains. Instead he became “Mr. Mom” for a few years in the 1990s when their daughters were very young and Lori returned to work. Now that the children are grown, Berkeley returns to the Tobacco Warehouse District almost daily, because with a Segway, business has become pleasure. Lori’s eyes shine with enthusiasm as she tells anyone who will listen about this different mode of personal transportation. “This is something new and exciting for Danville and riding a Segway is not difficult to learn,” she emphasizes and then continues, “It’s almost easier than riding a bike and you can see so much more than in a car or walking.”
Berkeley & Lori Bidgood Moving Around Danville Promoting Tourism by Joyce Wilburn where tobacco was processed and another takes visitors on Millionaires’ Row where the tobacco barons lived, it seemed like an appropriate name for the business. Looking around the former Acree tobacco warehouse on Bridge Street, now a public parking lot where the tours begin, Berkeley continues, “My dad worked in this building and
walked the rows of tobacco during the auctions.” Pointing to some faded signs advertising local businesses, he adds, “Those signs on the back wall were painted by Lori’s great uncle, Sam Ricketts.” The irony of starting a business in a building where both have past connections isn’t lost on the couple.
A group of ten took a practice run on the Segways in June: Andrew Canady, Berkeley Bidgood, Lori Bidgood, Rachel Covington, Barbara Seamster, Joyce Wilburn, Grace Manno, James Buckner, Ann Sylves, and John Ward. Photos by Michelle Dalton Photography.
To demonstrate the point, she and Berkeley strap on helmets, hop on the Segways, leave the warehouse where his dad worked forty years ago, and slowly glide over the cobblestones of Bridge Street. They are ready to get the wheels turning on this new amenity for Danville’s residents and visitors, even if the Segway’s top speed is only twelve miles per hour. Three tours are offered: The Secrets Inside of Millionaires Row; There’s a Story Here of Holbrook Street where the professional African-Amercian community lived in the late 1800s until the late 1960s; Tales of Trains, Textiles, and Tobacco of the Tobacco Warehouse District. Another tour, Highlights of History, includes the best sites of all three districts. • All tours are preceded by a thirty-minute instruction and practice period on the Segway. • For more information, visit www.BrightLeafSegwayTours. com or facebook.com or call 434.770.2521. • Tours are by reservation only. Times vary depending on weather. Prices start at $40 per person. • Participants must be fourteen years or older. Segway tours are not recommended for pregnant women and anyone with balance problems.
Page 4 July 2018
Second Though
You Can’t Ge There From t Here
ts
Page 9
Spotting Except ion Customer Servical e Page 9
Photo Finish
Page 22
Denise Hudson
Photo Finish munity College
Mark G
Family Curse Isignac’s a Good Thing Page 3
tions Giving Direc uring, and Farming, To See Page 3
Danville Com Page 22
The Voice of Readers To the editor: Thank you for your coverage of Danville Community College in the April issue (page 22-23). You did an excellent job of showcasing the College. However, I am most appreciative that you would support us and our contributions to the community. With heartfelt appreciation, Debra Holley The appreciation is mutual. Evince is thankful that DCC supports us.
To the editor: The Calendar Clip for Southern Fried Funeral was impressive (June page 13). Thank you for your help. You’ve done so much to promote Little Theatre of Danville in the last couple of years. We appreciate your support. Shirley Spalding We love promoting community groups especially one like yours that has been a part of our entertainment for 70 years!
To the editor: Thanks to publicity in Evince last month, we have our first participant taking advantage of Project CONECT in Danville. This lifestyle change program was previously only available to women in the Richmond area. We hope to hear from other readers soon. Charlotte Litzenberg Danville Coordinator VCU Massey Cancer Research and Resource Center I am so pleased. I hope others will soon follow. The Calendar on page 14 has more information about programs you offer.
Letters must contain the writer’s name, address and phone number. Letters may be edited for space or style. Submission constitutes permission to use.
Tell us what you think. Email your comments to joycewilburn@gmail.com or send mail to Evince Editor, 753 Main Sreet, Suite 3, Danville, VA 24541.
If you missed any of the stories mentioned, they are still available at www.evincemagazine.com.
Evince Magazine Page  5
Page 6 July 2018 We had seen fabric, usually silk damask, on the walls in many Victorian mansions and were not fans of the look. The walls were beautiful but added an air of unapproachability, grandeur that made one feel small and insignificant. Our goal has always been to create a welcome feeling in our home, to make all who entered feel as though they could live here. The massive stretches of shimmery, reflective silk created the feeling that visitors were intruding in someone else’s palace and clearly out of place. Ultimately, we found a beautiful, finely woven cotton in a Richard Morris design with honeysuckle on a green background. We planned to put a thick batting behind the fabric to absorb sounds and soften the feel of the material.
Unlike HGTV shows where home renovations are completed within thirty to sixty minutes, the Victorian house at the corner of Chestnut Place and Main Street in Danville has been under a transformation for eighteen years. This series that began in April 2016 explores the truth of home renewal from someone who has been there and done that. If you missed any of the articles, visit www.evincemagazine.com.
T
he music room presented a challenge because of its original purpose. As a true chamber for small concerts, it was designed to resonate acoustically and add a degree of richness to the music. It was engineered so that the last notes played would continue to echo, lending an air of professionalism to the instrument. Listening to music in this room with twelve-and-a-half foot ceilings sounded like being inside an instrument. Unfortunately, we don’t play instruments. In addition, it made conversations difficult, because the surfaces amplified the sounds of voices. If more than one person spoke, it caused the noise level in the room to rise until the din became uncomfortable. I had envisioned this room as a quiet respite for a small group or two during an event, when the parlors might be crowded. The music room would be a more intimate and quiet space. The noise amplification issue, however, threw a wrench in my plans. Fortunately, Tom found a great solution when he started ordering fabric samples.
Renovation Reality Part 25
by Carla Minosh
Using the above directions, I requested
(to be continued)
a ride from my house to Me’s Burgers and Brews. Lyft driver Kristi was outside my door within eleven minutes. She was prompt and friendly and she got me to my destination on time. I would definitely recommend using Lyft on a night out or for a quick, convenient ride.
Since last year, two new modes of transportation have been introduced in Danville: Lyft and Zagster. Lyft is an ondemand transportation system like a taxi. Zagster is a bike- sharing program that allows bike rentals from several stations around the city. A trolley also operates on the weekends. Just for fun, try a new way of getting around town! How to Use Lyft • Download the Lyft app from the App or Google Play store. • Open the app. Allow Lyft to use your location. Create a profile with your phone number, name, email, and payment information. • Choose a Lyft (4 seats) or a Plus (6 seats) from the homepage. • Set the pickup location as your current location or enter an address or place name. • Tap the purple “set pickup” banner to lockin your pickup location. • Set your destination by tapping “add destination.” This will also give you the price of your ride. • Request a Lyft by tapping the pink banner. • You will be notified of your driver’s name and a description of the car that he/she will be driving. You will be updated on how close your driver is to your pickup location.
Romanesque figures in proper garb and flowers in their hair would march serenely around the top of the walls below the decorative plaster molding. In the meantime, Tom began to choose the colors for the moldings, trim, and ceiling medallion that would appropriately bring the colors in the fabric to life. Because there was a boring 1940’s light fixture stuck to the ceiling, we shopped for an over-mantel mirror and a chandelier appropriate for the space.
Photo by Michelle Dalton Photography
More Ways to
Wheel Around Danville by Lanie Davis
How to Use Zagster Bike Share program • Find a bike station. There are five around Danville: Dan Daniel Park, the train station, Crossing at the Dan near the flag poles, Main Street Plaza, and Biscuitville on Riverside Drive. • Download the Zagster app from the App or Google Play store. • When setting up your Zagster app, you will need to put in a payment method. Be sure to bring along a credit or debit card. You will need it to unlock the bike. Bike rides are free for the first hour, then $3 for every additional hour. • Enable Bluetooth on your phone so you can connect to the bike you want. • Select a bike through the app using the numbers on the back of the bike. • The bike will then unlock so you can take it from the station and go for a ride. • When you have completed the ride, take the bike back to a station, insert the lock cable into the middle of the bike, tap the “lock bike” button on your phone, and follow the instructions on your phone to finish locking the bike. The app will tell you when the bike is locked.
Evince Magazine Page  7
3D mammography reveals more life-saving detail. ANCER
Breast imaging that offers better accuracy and fewer callbacks can be life-saving, especially for women with dense breast tissue. A 3D mammogram at Sovah Danville Imaging Center can improve cancer detection by 40%.* Schedule your 3D mammogram by calling 434.793.1043
*breastcancer.org
Page  8 July 2018 There are twenty-two candles on the Evince birthday cake this month. A special thank you to our advertisers who have supported us. We are funded solely through their support. Here are a few highlights from its past.
Happy Birthday
July/August 1996 The bimonthly Evince is published for the first time. Associate Editors are Rick Barker, Joe Kauffman, Larry Oldham. Publishers are: Rick Barker, Linda Miller Burford, Joe Kauffman, Larry Oldham, and Danny Vaden. Kim Demont is the graphic designer (and still is!). 15,000 copies are distributed. 1997 Second Thoughts by Kim Clifton appears for the first time. Evince wins first place out of 1,423 entries in the Printing Industries of Virginia competition. 1998 Evince wins first place out of 1,558 entries in the Printing Industries of Virginia competition. The Danville Historical Society presents an award to Evince for its dedicated commitment and service to the cause of historic and cultural preservation and development. 1999 Rick Barker is the sole publisher for the January/February issue. Emyl
2008 Evince website goes live. Evince is given a Certificate of Recognition for being a nominee in the 2008 Governor’s Award for the Arts for outstanding achievement and significant contributions to the arts in Virginia. Scott Brooks of Brooks Media becomes the publisher. Joyce Wilburn becomes Editor. 2009 Reflecting Forward by Linda Lemery debuts.
Jenkins is the editor. In March, Robert Sexton joins Barker as publisher. Evince becomes a monthly publication. 2000 Virginia Press Association presents five awards to Evince writers. The Printing Industries of Virginia Association awards Evince first place in a field of 1,938 entries for excellence in preparation and printing. Robert Sexton becomes the sole publisher. 2001 Virginia Press Association presents six awards to Evince writers and a photographer.
2002 Virginia Press Association presents ten awards to Evince for design and presentation, photography, feature writing, stories, and feature series. 2004 Annelle Williams writes the first Around the Table. 2005 Joyce Wilburn becomes Managing Editor. 2007 Evince joins with the Danville Pittsylvania Chamber of Commerce to award the first Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Award.
2010 Telisha Moore Leigg writes the first installment of her fiction series. Book Clubbing and Calendar Clips are introduced. Evince mourns the death of former editor, Emyl Jenkins, on April 27. 2013 Photo Finish featuring the work of Von Wellington Photography captures candid shots at community events. 2015 The Wine Spot by Dave Slayton debuts to the delight of wine enthusiasts. Meditation Moment by Casey Molloy appears for the first time. 2016 Carla Minosh writes Renovation Reality and tells the truth about DIY renovations.
Evince Magazine Page 9 the front porch, and someone else will call my room…hers. It will be odd to see a strange car out front and know that others are making memories within the same walls that used to belong to us. Their family, not mine, will be inside celebrating Easter Sunday together and opening presents Christmas morning. Our special place will become someone else’s
special place. At least I hope it will. Whatever an appraiser determines as its value won’t ever hold a candle to what my spirit feels it’s worth. Looking at this picture again, it’s still blurry but not because of poor photography. Now it’s because my heart is full…and so are my eyes.
Spotting Exceptional Customer Service
Kim (on right) and her sister, Diane, are shown in this blurry picture just before bedtime in the early 1960s.
Second Thoughts by Kim Clifton ©2018
There’s No Place Like Home This photo is a bit fuzzy. That’s okay, because most of my memories from this time in my life are, too. We have clearer pictures, but this one completely captures what it felt like to grow up in our house. It was all teddy bears and footie pajamas at night and warm smiles at breakfast in the morning. It was safe there. It was happy there. There was love there.
his little girls above his head so they can touch the ceiling when he comes home from work. I hope they can hear their mama tapping the spoon against the pots on the stove after she stirs what’s inside for supper. But mostly, I hope they discover how good little bread men taste in that kitchen, when made from leftover scraps of homemade biscuit dough.
Even though I’ve lived away from this place decades longer than I ever lived in it, it will always be home. It’s where I learned to walk as a child and where I learned to stand on my own two feet as an adult. The living room doesn’t look like this anymore. There’s no longer a coffee table with the family Bible resting on top. There’s no longer a fancy sofa reserved only for visitors. These pieces have since been discarded as well as the rest of the furnishings that filled each corner. This room is empty now. They all are. The only things left at this address are the memories inside and a “For Sale” sign outside.
I want the kids to know there really isn’t a vampire in the basement if they have to practice piano lessons downstairs like I did. And that sneaking to watch “Dark Shadows” isn’t smart even if your mom’s not around to know that’s what you’re doing.
There’s no way to predict who will live here next, but maybe it will be a family like ours. If it is, I hope the daddy also lifts
I wish they could find out that the front yard is perfect for croquet and the backyard for kickball. There are lots of bushes to protect you when you play hide-and-seek and lots of room to run when you play tag. The driveway is flat for hopscotch and the sidewalk just wide enough for Jacks. It’s hard to imagine, after sixtytwo years, no one I’m kin to will live in this house. Someone else will Windex the storm doors, someone else will sit on
Chris Well
Mark Guill
by Jessica Austin
The tornado that hit the Westover area was devastating to many. I was very fortunate to only lose power, not to have any damage to my home. However, when most of my Woodlawn Drive neighbors had their power restored on Tuesday, April 17th, I returned home to find that I was the only house on the road not to have power. Because there had been crews from the City of Danville Department of Utilities and Pike Electric crews working seemingly nonstop on Westover Drive since the tornado hit, I drove over there to see if I could find someone to whom I could report my outage. I found Danville Utilities employee Chris Wells. He assured me that he would report my problem. Minutes later, he and Pike employee, Scott Wilkerson, were in my driveway and found damage to the power lines coming to my house. They said that although they still had lots of lines to repair, they would try to get my power restored that night. Mark Guill and several crews arrived in my driveway later that night. After more than forty-eight hours without electricity, I was elated to see them. They quickly repaired the lines and were friendly and courteous, despite the fact that it was midnight and they had been working long shifts. Thanks to all those who worked so hard to repair Westover after the tornado! Evince and the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce want to encourage and recognize exceptional customer service. When someone gives you exceptional service, please let us know. In 300 words or less, tell us what happened. Email your story to joycewilburn@gmail.com or chamber@dpchamber.org.
Page 10 July 2018
Raoul fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg
I
saw him on the corner before he saw me, the steam climbing from his 1997 Caddie tailpipe.
When I was almost thirteen, I lived in my fifth (maybe sixth) home, this time with the Hendrix couple on the edge of Marsindale Street over by Gotla Avenue. But they weren’t home then, so I couldn’t go in the apartment that smelled like Black Ice car air-freshener, sour spaghetti, and old, sweet weed. The Hendrixes, they ain’t gave me no key. So I stood outside, like Raoul, the neighborhood’s one-eyed grey and dirty-white cat. Anyway, I remember it was about the 27th of January; it was gold cold, like God was going to get a medal for how cold He made it. If I was speaking to Him, I would have told Him that not nothing could come back in the spring from this kind of cold, but He didn’t ask me. Still, I remember thinking why the world so damn cold, what reason to be this damn cold. The sun was setting and I was alone on that street, and no one answered me, not even one-eyed Raoul digging in the Gotla Corner Market trash cans. And he only stayed with me until even he got cold enough and went in a wall hole for some warmth. I saw the waves of warmth when he rolled down the window, gave a twenty to the boy he told to go get him the fifty-cent Wednesday Sustain Herald that didn’t herald much nowadays. The smoke from his car-window words, that sad, seemingly satisfying, heat rising as he said keep the change to the boy who was awestruck with his lips trembling with cold. Yeah, I knew even then he wasn’t no good. The sun was almost gone now. Good and bad poor people alike moved back and forth heads deep into the collars of their coats as they passed by me. Those that saw me in my jean skirt, those notthick red tights, and my shiny-thin yellow, jacket moved around me like cold water. Maybe Mista Anton or his wife would come home soon and let me in, but I wouldn’t bet on it. Bet on it, like Mista was probably
doing right now, playing pool three streets over at Rosie’s (short for Roosevelt’s) Pool Parlor (not really a parlor). Miz Rancie was probably gone to see her sister’s family (if by sister’s place you mean having a drink or two at her male “friend’s” house on 8th Avenue). Their place was old, partially clean, partially kind, I’ve been in better, but I been in worse too. But none of that ain’t no nevermind, because it’s cold now, and I couldn’t go inside because ain’t no one never give me no key. He drove down to where I was under the street light, didn’t say nothing, just leaned over and pushed open the heavy door with his right arm. I remember he kept looking straight ahead the whole time. I knew this wasn’t going to be anything highquality good for me. At about dusk, the streetlights came on early ‘cause of the change of the times, but that corner didn’t seem no less dark. I remember the feeling of got-nowhere-to-go-but-you betnot-go-home. So when the old grey Caddie slowed down, the right front tire crunching ice in the gutter that didn’t completely melt, I got in. “What your name, girl?” as he turned up the car’s heater, still looking straight ahead, arm resting on the steering wheel like a summer lazy breeze. At first, he wasn’t unkind. “Keisha, everybody call me Keisha,” I said as we drove away down the street, slow, and I was warm. He turned the radio on and that song I love came on, about night coming, the moon and how you gotta not be afraid. My last thought before we totally left the block and this new hell began? Because, of course, I knew even before the car tires made the first full rotation that I didn’t choose right. Still, even then I remember looking like a little baby for that damn cat, Raoul. I wanted to ask him if maybe Raoul could come too. But I shut my mouth before I could ask. I knew those were the last thoughts of a child. Anyway, Raoul was somewhere warm, best leave it at that.
Evince Magazine Page  11
Page  12 July 2018
Never Home 4: Jack Moody, Warren Fuson, Andre Lesperance, Tom Anderso
Evince Magazine Page  13
Page 14 July 2018
July Calendar Abbreviation Key
• 2 Witches Winery & Brewing= 209 Trade St. Danville 434.549.2739 • AU=Averett University, 434.791.5600 www.averett.edu • DMFAH=Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History, 975 Main St. 434.793.5644 www.danvillemuseum.org • DSC=Danville Science Center, 677 Craghead St. 434.791.5160 www.dsc.smv.org • HNT=Historic North Theatre, 629 North Main St. Danville 434.793.7469 www.TheNorthTheatre.com • PA=Piedmont Arts, 215 Starling Ave, Martinsville 276.632.3221 www.PiedmontArts.org • RSG=Reid Street Gallery, 24 Reid St. Chatham 434.203.8062 reidstreetgallery.com • The Prizery=700 Bruce St., South Boston, 434.572.8339, www.prizery.com
We’re
Ongoing
DSC Exhibit – From Here to There! explores how things move by land, sea, air. Guided Walking Tours – Millionaires Row, Holbrook Street and Tobacco Warehouse District. Danville Historical Society. www. danvillehistory.org. 434.770.1974. See page 17. DMFAH self-guided audiovisual tours. 434.793.5644. Public Library Events. See page 19. Cascade Express Variety Band – Every Friday and every first & third Saturday; Cascade Community Center 3561 Huntington Trail 7pm 336.552.3703 The Virginia Living Well Research and Registry: a multi-year research project that collects critical information to help researchers understand important community patterns of lifestyle and environmental risk factors that are contributing to cancer in Virginia. The information collected will allow researchers and communities to better understand which behaviors and environmental factors may be contributing to these high rates of cancer. VCU Massey Cancer Research & Resource Center,103 South Main Street Danville 434.421.3060
July 1, 2 & 3
Danville Braves vs Bristol: 7/1 & 2 - 4pm; 7/3 - 7pm. DBraves.com 434.797.3792
July 1 (thru 29)
on Danville! Janet Donna • Holley Gibson Owner Owner
The Light in Fog Glenn Scarboro Photographs: A Retrospective DMFAH
July 3
Danville Braves Fireworks Night: following the final inning; tickets at DBraves.com 434.797.3792
July 4
HOLLEY & GibsOn REALTY COMPANY
339 Piney Forest Rd., Danville, VA 24540
Office: (434) 791-2400 Fax: (434) 791-2122 Visit our website at
www.holleyandgibsonrealty.com
Patriot Challenge: 5K/10K/ Children’s Fun Run Anglers Park 8am 434.793.4636 Fourth of July Celebration: free entertainment by The Wampler Brothers Band and Carolyn Smith, arts & crafts, Captain Jim’s Magical Illusion Show, fireworks at dusk, concession, crafts, commercial vendors, amusement rides Carrington Pavilion, 667 Craghead St. Danville, 6pm 434.793.4636
July 7
Staunton River Kayak Trip:
$40; 8am-6pm; 434.799.5150 www.playdanvilleva.com
July 9 (thru 13)
Robots, Rockets & Racers: DSC Summer Camp for ages 8-12; 9am-noon Elements of Art with Linda Gourley: drawing, printing, painting ages 7-13. All supplies and a snack included. $75 per child. DMFAH Call Linda Gourley to register 434.724.6427
July 10 (thru 13)
Danville Braves vs Burlington; 7pm. DBraves.com 434.797.3792
July 12
Small Town Orchestra Concert: jazz 111Main St. 6:30pm Danville 434.793.4636 www.playdanvilleva.com
July 14
Birding on the Dan: $12 1-3pm 434.799.5150 www.PlayDanvilleVa.com Celebrity Series - Alright Then: Starring veteran TV stars Orson Bean and Alley Mills. The story of how two people, who by all odds should not have wound up together, have “made it”. The play is told through humor, pathos and the occasional song. Orson appeared on The Tonight Show over 200 times. He was Loren Bray, the crusty storekeeper for seven years on the western drama, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman... and played Mrs. McCluskey’s husband for the final three seasons of Desperate Housewives. He played a Holocaust survivor opposite Denzel Washington in Equalizer 2. Alley Mills played Norma Arnold on The Wonder Years. She is a regular cast member of the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful, playing the bi-polar baddie Pamela Douglas. 7:30pm-one show only. Tickets are $25/20/15. A meet & greet at 6pm at $35 includes one drink & light appetizers plus a front orchestra ticket to the show. HNT 434.793.7469.
July 18, 19 & 20
Danville Braves vs Pulaski: 7pm. DBraves.com 434.797.3792
July 2018
S M T 1 2 3 8 9 10 15 16 17 22 23 24 29 30 31
W T F S 4 5 6 7 11 12 13 14 18 19 20 21 25 26 27 28
July 19
Pups & Poses Yoga Class: 5-7pm $5 Lefty Wilson Field www.PlayDanvilleVa.com 434.799.5150
July 19-22 & 26-29
The Little Mermaid: In a magical kingdom beneath the sea, the beautiful young mermaid, Ariel, longs to leave her ocean home to live in the world above. Patrick Henry Community College; times and prices vary www.phccpatriotplayers.com 276.656.0244
July 20
Tender Loving Christian Sisters of Danville Luncheon: speaker, music, 50/50 door prizes secret sisters Meet new friends and experience Christian fellowship. Mary’s Diner, 1203 Piney Forest Rd. 11am-1pm 434.793.8140
July 21
Danville Braves 5K: www.DBraves.com/5k Danville History by Kayak: 1-3pm $12 434.799.5150 www.PlayDanvilleVa.com
July 21, 22 & 23
Danville Braves vs Johnson City: 7/21 & 23 - 7pm; 7/22 - 4 pm. DBraves.com 434.797.3792
July 24
At the Table of the Farmer at the Table of the Worker: Author Bill Guerrant, will discuss his new book, Jim Wrenn. This session will examine the crossroads of food and work, discussing how different occupations shape what we ate during the heyday of tobacco and textiles and why. refreshments 5:306pm; program 6-7:30pm. Danville Public Library, 511 Patton St.
July 26
Kayaking for Beginners: 6-8pm $12 434.799.5150 www.PlayDanvilleVa.com Wayne Euliss Concert: 111 Main Street 6:30pm 434.793.4636 www.PlayDanvilleVa.com/MusiconMain
July 31 (thru Aug. 2)
Danville Braves vs Princeton; 7pm. DBraves.com 434.797.3792
For more events see Calendar Clips on pages 12. The deadline for submitting information for the August calendar is Friday, July 20, at 5:00 p.m. Please send just the basic information following the format on these pages to joycewilburn@gmail.com.
Evince Magazine Page  15
Page 16 July 2018
Book Clubbing a review by Diane Adkins
Educated A Memoir by Tara Westover
“With education, you can choose to remake yourself—or to be made by others.” Tara Westover, who has an extraordinary story, made that statement in a recent interview. Raised in a Mormon survivalist family in an isolated part of Idaho, she spent her childhood apart from the institutions of a typical life in the United States. Her father had no use for schools or doctors and believed that those who used either were weak, lacked faith, and were part of a larger government conspiracy. Her education was not so much homeschooling as no-schooling. The outdated books in her home would never be adequate to teach her what she needed to know. The seven Westover children were a free, unregulated labor pool that the parents used in their respective businesses. Westover’s mother was a reluctant midwife and later an herbalist. Westover’s father ran a scrapyard on the family’s property, the site of many injuries, some horrific, to members of the family. Those injuries were unfailingly treated by the application of herbs and essential oils. Her childhood was not just difficult. It was terrifying. In addition to the scrapyard injuries, she was regularly beaten by an older brother, and when she finally was courageous enough to tell her parents, they did not believe her. Their response threatened her confidence in her own view of reality. Then she went to college. After having watched one of her brothers educate himself in order to pass the ACT and enroll at Brigham Young University, Tara did the same. Nothing about this was easy, and yet she points out that you can teach yourself anything. For Westover, the process of becoming educated was the process of becoming herself, of having her own ideas instead of being a mouthpiece for her father’s view of the world. She graduated from BYU, went to Cambridge on a Gates scholarship, then to Harvard, and finally back to Cambridge, where she earned a Ph.D. in history. What kind of inner strength did it take for Tara Westover to make the choice to leave the only life she had known? How did she summon the fortitude to walk away when she was being told daily her family’s view of the world was the only correct one and to leave would be to willfully turn her back on the truth? She chose instead to broaden her world even though it meant estrangement from half of her family. Yet, she gracefully acknowledges what was good and worth keeping from her life in Idaho, and that is a quality that sets this book apart from other tales of escape from trauma. Diane S. Adkins is a retired library director.
Evince Magazine Page 17
Choose to Enjoy Life This Isn’t a Rehearsal by Carollyn Lee Peerman Be determined to enjoy what you do. Life is too short to be stuck doing something you don’t like. Find the kind of work that makes you tingle with the excitement of being alive. A feeling of exhilaration about your work and money go together. Have the courage to make a change to doing something that fuels your enthusiasm. “Don’t make money your goal. Instead pursue the things you love doing, and do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you. All other tangible rewards will come as a result,” advised Maya Angelou. Greet the dawn of the morning with all of the passion within you and you can relax with satisfaction at sunset. “There is real magic in enthusiasm. It spells the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment,” said Norman Vincent Peale. Value a
zest for life. Don’t let anything squelch it. It is priceless. Carry your eagerness and child-like wonder into the mature years of life. Your outlook and frame of mind as you age is what matters most. Don’t think of death as the greatest loss that can come to you. The greatest loss is letting enthusiasm die while you are alive. “Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul,” noted poet Samuel Ullman. Forget about comfort and luxury. All you really need in life is something to be enthusiastic about. Enthusiasm is like fire in a cook stove. It warms you up and keeps you going. It is contagious and spreads quickly to others. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. Drive the engine of your enthusiasm with education. You will succeed.
Page 18 July 2018
L
ife is full of choices, especially when it comes to wine. For some, their choice is based on following a current trend. For others the selection is based on information gathered from multiple sources. Marketers of wine often group wine consumers by age.
magazines than Boomers and Gen Xers. Millennials are interested in lesser known wines like Slovakian Chardonnay, Austrian Zweigelt, and Tasmanian Pinot Noir. They also want to know the story about the wine. Thus the cell phone with wine app becomes ubiquitous among Millennials.
Baby Boomers are those born after 1945 and before 1964. They are the ones who usually choose a familiar brand, grape varietal and region.
The first app that I was introduced to was Vivino. It is free, easy to understand and you can post your impression of a wine. My favorite is Wine Searcher Pro because it provides places where I can purchase the wine that interests me. Cellar Tracker is another app and website that offers lots of information. Delectable is yet another app that I think you may like. Just for grins, I entered the name of a favorite Spanish wine, 2015 Botani Moscatel Old Vines, into each app. Each app rated it highly.
Generation Xers are those born after 1964 and before 1985. Traditionalism takes a back seat for Generation Xers whose likes shifted as their palates became more discerning and diversity became fashionable. Millennials (sometimes referred to as Gen Y) are those born sometime after the mid-to-late eighties. They are said to be the largest generation to date at 75 million strong and have clout in the wine marketplace. They tend to be less concerned about the wine ratings of critics and
Photo by Dave Slayton
The Wine Spot
How Do You Make Your Wine Choices? by Dave Slayton
I say thank you, Millenials; thank you, Gen Xers; thank you, Boomers. May the next generation discover even more joys of the vine. Cheers!
a member of the Master Court of Sommeliers
B
ecause the lobby of Danville Science Center’s natural history building is also the Amtrak station, I sometimes meet members of the rail-going public. One day a man with numerous pieces of luggage waited with a very quizzical look on his face. I asked if he had made a reservation, but he said no, leaving me with a bad feeling about his travel chances. Amtrak No. 20 northbound arrived and departed without him, reiterating the importance of calling ahead. When he asked about bus service, I told him Greyhound and Trailways had departed forever and major air service took off years ago. When I jokingly said, “They don’t want us to leave Danville,” he grinned. He then thought of taking a cab to Reidsville and catching a bus there. I found telephone numbers for two cab companies. Both numbers worked, the first cab just never showed. Later when the muscular man with an aura
Choices Have Unforeseen Consequences by Mack Williams Natural History Educator Danville Science Center of a baseball player moved his luggage outside to wait for the cab, it started raining. I loaned him my umbrella and he said in the thickest of New “Joisey” accents, “God bless you.” The cab
arrived; he loaded his five bags. I waved, wishing him well and he returned in kind. In this case, a man’s decision (or lack of it) in making proper
Amtrak reservations was responsible for two people bumping into each other--two who otherwise might never have had such a pleasant encounter.
Evince Magazine Page 19
Pittsylvania County Submitted by Lisa Tuite
Brosville/Cascade • Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays: Activate 9am easy exercise • Tuesdays: Summer Reading Program 10am Brosville Methodist Church stories, crafts, game, lunch. Needlework: 10am. Work on your projects with others. • July 9: Monday Movie Matinee 2pm. Rio • July 12: Craft Night 6pm Paint with shaving cream. • July 16: Monday Movie Matinee 2pm CoCo • July 19: Book Bingo 6pm Win books and prizes. • July 23: Summer Reading Finale 10am Brosville United Methodist Church; See a performance of Alice in Wonderland. • July 26: Quilting Fun 6pm Learn the basics of making a quilt. Call for supply list. Chatham Library Events • Mondays and Wednesdays: walking program 9:30am See Chatham on foot. • Tuesdays: Summer Reading Program ages 5 and younger; 10-11am stories, crafts Summer
What’s Happening in the Public Libraries Reading Program ages 6-12; 2-3pm stories, games, crafts • Wednesdays: Computer Help 6-7pm personalized help with basic computer topics • Thursdays: Summer Reading Teen Program 3-4:30pm • Fridays: Makerspace 10-11am all ages • July 3: American-made cupcake program 3:30pm all ages • July 9: Monday Movie Matinee 2pm a giant yellow bird visits Asia. • July 11: Wednesday Movie Matinee 2pm. Madea is in hiding. • July 12: 2nd Thursday Adult Discussion Group 4-5:45pm • July 16: Monday Movie Matinee 2pm Charlie Brown and friends • July 18: art class 2-4pm painting basics; Register. space limited • July 23: Monday Movie Matinee 2pm Alice explores. • July 25: Summer Reading Willy Wonka Party 2pm/movie 2:30pm • July 30: Summer Reading Finale
Danville Public Library
Submitted by Danielle Pritchett
• Mondays: Game Geeks ages 17 and younger 4:30pm-6:30pm • Tuesdays: Little Explorers Storytime for preschoolers 11-11:30am; Genealogy Open Lab 11am-1pm • Wednesdays: Family Storytime @ Westover 11-11:30am; Craft and Tales 2:30-3:30pm • Fridays: Game Geeks ages 17 and younger 2:30-4:30pm • July 2: Read It...See It Movie Matinee: Peter Rabbit (PG) 11am; LEGO Brick Engineers 4pm • July 3: It’s Elementary; STEAM activities for grades 1-5; 4pm • July 5: Dino Dig 5:30pm; Kuumba African Dance Company 6pm • July 7: DMFAH Crazy Quilts 10am • July 9: Maker Monday 5pm • July 10: Westover Branch Book Club 11am • July 12: Resume Building Workshop 2pm; Intermediate Computer Class: Downloading the Library 3:30pm; Kuumba African Dance Company 6pm • July 14: Family Movie Matinee: Coco (PG) 10am
• July 16: 4H STEM Night 5:30pm • July 17: Tie Dye Tuesday 4pm • July 18: Intermediate Computer Class: Exploring Social Media 3:30pm; Crafternoon @ Westover Branch 4pm; Recycled Robots 4:30pm • July 19: Bright Star Touring Theatre presents Alice in Wonderland 6pm • July 23: Coding Club 5pm; family Bingo 5pm • July 24: Our Civil Rights: A Common Table 5:30pm • July 26: Intermediate Computer Class: Learning Google 3:30pm; Captain Jim’s Magic Show 6pm • July 28: Therapy Dog Read-A-Long 11am • July 31: Harry Potter’s Birthday Celebration 5:30pm All programs are free but require registration at ww.playdanvilleva.com. For more information visit DPL, 511 Patton Street, www.readdanvilleva.org or call 434.799.5195. For the Westover Branch, visit 94 Clifton Street or 434.799.5152.
Gunn Memorial, Caswell County
Submitted by Erica Lowdermilk
• July 12: Rockstar Magic 10am Caswell Civic Center, 536 Main Street, Yanceyville NC • July 19: Rags to Riches 10am Caswell Civic Center. After each performance, pick up a prize at the library. • Summer Reading Essay Contest: Choose a song that inspired you to learn, feel or change. Explain your choice in 150-500 words. Contest guidelines available at the library. Open to students in third through twelfth grades and adults. Deadline is 7pm on July 19.
• July 28: Summer Reading Celebration! 10am • Teens: Sign-up, read books and be eligible to win Amazon gift cards, teen room décor, a Twilight DVD box set, a Kindle Fire HD 10 tablet and more. • Adults: Complete a weekly reading assignment and receive a prize including gift cards, t-shirts, movies. For more information, visit the temporary location at 118 Main Street West, Yanceyville, North Carolina, or www.caswellcounty.gov/library or call 336.694.6241.
10am Chatham Baptist Church an Alice in Wonderland extravaganza all ages • July 31: Critique Group 4-5pm. Review soon-to-be-published books. Gretna Library Events • Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays: adult group fitness 10am Exercise to library DVDs. • Tuesdays: Summer Reading Program 11am or 2pm stories, crafts for kids • Wednesdays: Family Movie Matinees 11am and 2pm • Thursdays: Summer Reading Program 11am stories, crafts for kids; Learn to Crochet 5pm all ages and levels • July 3: Makerspace Craft noon-2pm Make a fun pocket fan. all ages • July 6: Makerspace LEGO Lab 1-3pm Build with LEGOs. • July 10: 2nd Tuesday Recipe Club 5:30pm Theme is “Around the World.” Bring a dish and recipe to share. Register. • July 13 & 27: STEM Lab 1-3pm. Try a STEM activity. • July 19: Makerspace Craft: all day while supplies last; Make Popsicle picture frames. all ages • July 20: Makerspace LEGO Lab 1-3pm Create with LEGOs. • July 30: Summer Reading Finale Alice in Wonderland theatre program 2pm Mt. Hermon Library Events • Tuesdays: Read beTWEEN the Lines 11am summer read-aloud series for ages 9-11; Read Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library (until 7/23); Teen Tuesdays 2pm games, escape rooms, snacks ages 12-17 (until 7/24). • Wednesdays and Fridays: Read &
Play 10am summer reading ages 5 and younger (until 7/23) • Thursdays: Read beTWEEN the Lines 11am summer read-aloud series ages 6-8. Read Nim’s Island (until July 23) Summer Studio 2pm handson projects ages 6-11 (until 7/23) • July 2 & 16: knitting group 6-7:30pm Beginners welcome • July 6: Teddy Bear Picnic 10am Bring your favorite furry friend. ages 5 and younger • July 11, 18, 25: open stitch 4pm. Bring your projects and meet other needleworkers. • July 14: LEGO free play 10am-2pm all ages • July 21: kids’ chess club, 11am12:30pm ages 8-12 no experience necessary • July 23: summer reading finale 2pm Bright Star Touring Theatre presents Alice in Wonderland! ages 6-11 • July 26: Hooks and Books 4:30-6pm amigurumi. Supply list available. Crochet experience required. • July 28: Train Town free play 10am-2pm all ages History Research Center & Library July 31: Created Equal 6:30-8:30pm. This film and discussion series will feature clips from The Loving Story, moderated by Andrew Canady, Averett University Associate Professor of History. Refreshments and social 6:30/ program 7pm Unless otherwise noted, all programs are free. For more information, contact Gretna Library, 207 A Coffey Street, 434.656.2579; Mt. Hermon Library, 4058 Franklin Turnpike, Tuscarora Shopping Center, 434.835.0326; History Research Center and Library, 340 Whitehead Street, Chatham; 434.432.8931; PCP Main Library, 24 Military Drive, Chatham, 434.432.3271; Brosville Library, 11948 Martinsville Highway 434.685.1285 or www.pcplib.org.
South Boston Public Library Submitted by Jay Stephens
• Mondays: Makerspace: 1-5 pm ages 8+ • Tuesdays: Itsy Bitsy PALS: 12:301:30pm ages 2 years and younger PALS: Dive into Great Books 2:304:30pm ages 2-7 Tweens and Teens: An Ocean of Reading 4:30-5:30pm ages 8-17 • Fridays: Art @ the Library 2:304:30pm ages 5-17 • Second Tuesday: adult crafts 1-2pm • Third Friday: Art for Adults 10-noon ages 18+
• Free Summer Meals Program: Mondays-Thursdays lunch at noon/ snack 3:40pm • July 14: Children’s author and Virgilina resident Marion Woods reads from her book Uncle Jerdon’s Farm. Woods will have copies of the book and the accompanying coloring book for sale. 11am For more information, visit South Boston Public Library, 509 Broad Street, or www.halifaxlibrary.org, or call 434.575.4228
Halifax County Public Library Submitted by Jay Stephens
• Wednesdays: Itsy Bitsy PALS: 12:30-1:30pm ages 2 years and younger PALS: Dive into Great Books 2:304:30pm ages 2-7 Tweens and Teens: An Ocean of Reading: 4:30-5:30pm ages 8-17 • Thursdays: Art @ the Library: 2:30-4:30pm ages 5-17 • Fridays: Easy Exercise for Adults 10-11am • Second Wednesday: adult crafts: 1-2pm
• Third Thursday: Art for Adults: 10am-noon ages 18+ • Third Tuesday: Tea & Book Discussion 2:30-3:30pm. • Free Summer Meals Program: Mondays-Thursdays lunch12:15 pm/ snack 3:40pm. • July 27: Senior Game Day light refreshments 3pm For more information, visit Halifax Public Library, 177 South Main St. in Halifax or www.halifaxlibrary.org or call 434.476.3357.
Page 20 July 2018
Reflecting Forward
More Ways to Whe el Around Danville
ghts nd Thou SecoCa t n’t Ge
Page 6
re You From He There Page
The Voice of Choice
9
by Linda Lemery
Happy Birthday Evinc
e
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ceptional Spotting Ex r Service Custome Page 9
ac’s
Gign d Thing e Is a3 Goo s r u C Page Family Arou Mark
nd the Table
Let’s Celebrate
Page 21
Photo Finish Page
22
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Berkeley &
Moving Around Danv Lori Bidgood ille Promoting Tour ism Page 3
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 El Vallarta Goodwill on Westover Drive Joe & Mimma’s Karen’s Hallmark Los Tres Magueyes Ruben’s 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Co. URW Community Credit Union Western Sizzlin YMCA
Main & West Main Street River District Area A La Carte Home Decor American National Bank Crema & Vine Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History Danville Public Library Danville Science Center Dell’ Anno’s Pizza Kitchen Food Lion @ Ballou Park Main Street Coffee Emporium Midtown Market Rippe’s SOVAH
Piney Forest Road Area Holley & Gibson Realty Co. Mary’s Diner Valley Star Credit Union Food Lion @ Market Square
Memorial Drive
Frank’s Pizza Ginger Bread House
Other
Danville Welcome Center
Franklin Turnpike Area Medo’s PCP Library Ruben’s Too Village Pizza
In Chatham Area
Community Center Chatham Health Center Chatham Public House PCP Library on Military Drive
In Tightsqueeze
American National Bank Frank’s Pizza Goodwill URW Community Credit Union
In Gretna
American National Bank Carter Bank & Trust
In South Boston
Bistro 1888 Halifax County Public Library O’ Sole Mio South Boston Halifax County Museum of Fine Arts & History Southern Virginia Higher Education The Prizery Toots Creek Antiques Mall
In Martinsville
El Ranchito Elizabeth’s Pizza Martinsville Visitor Center The Pacifica Bay Restaurant
In Yanceyville, NC
Goodwill Gunn Memorial Public Library The Drug Store
L
ife is a series of choices. Some time ago I attended a writers’ conference where one of the presenters remarked that people’s daily choices create their daily lives. I really thought about that. She talked about new writers developing their skills by writing daily. The comment haunted me long after the conference ended. I realized that choices shape movement for long-term directions, not just for in-the-moment meanders.
working at Averett, buying our house, adopting rescue animals, having children, embracing our younger son’s wife and our elder son’s fiancée, worshiping regularly. Also, reading, working with young people, taking courses outside my fields in distant places, traveling, planting gardens, taking care of our moms and learning to write. These choices have enriched my life.
I’m still working on some life skills because I didn’t make an earlier choice to learn them. Things such as: decluttering, setting up customized financial spreadsheets, improving time management, eating right, exercising, volunteering more, taking risks to learn things, and living gratefully.
From writing this column, I’ve learned that I have much to learn. I am a work-in-progress. Making good choices leads to living a life of gratitude for the privilege of having a life to live. Thank you, readers, for making the choice to read this column. I encourage you to think about the importance of daily choices in your own life.
I’m pleased about some of the better action choices I’ve made: finishing college, marrying Steve, moving to Danville,
About the author: When she’s not struggling to make sense of life, Linda Lemery llemery@averett.edu is Circulation Manager at Averett University’s Mary B. Blount Library in Danville. She welcomes reader comments.
Evince Magazine Page 21
Let’s Celebrate!
by Annelle Williams
Do we really need a reason to enjoy a refreshing summer cocktail? I ascribe to the “It’s five o’clock somewhere” school of thought, but if you need an event, July is your month. It’s the American way to celebrate summer while we’re paying tribute to our independence, and that can last all month. Also, it’s Evince magazine’s twenty-second birthday. Happy Birthday, Evince! When the humidity is high and the temperature is higher my advice is to make a pitcher of Cucumber Lemonade Spritzers—best enjoyed while kicking back on the porch in the shade or floating in the pool. It’s even better when you have good company and a little breeze. That’s exactly what we did yesterday: porch, breeze and this delicious cocktail with friends. It’s not the easiest afternoon cooler to make, but well worth the effort. I keep simple syrup in the refrigerator, but in case you don’t, it’s just a one-to-one ratio of sugar to water boiled or microwaved to dissolve and cooled. Don’t shortcut with bottled lemon juice. Fresh makes all the difference. Use a food processor or a blender and pulse until a liquid. Strain through cheese cloth, squeezing as you go. Save the juice and discard the pulp. Do this before guests arrive. Be sure to add the garnish because it’s delicious after marinating in your glass. Happy summer, Happy July, Happy Independence Day, and Happy Birthday, Evince!
Cucumber Lemonade Spritzer (makes 4 drinks)
2 medium cucumbers: Cut 4 thin slices to use as garnish, then peel, chop and pulse the remaining cucumber in food processor. Strain through cheese cloth or coffee filter discarding pulp and saving juice. You will need about 1/4 cup (1 tablespoon per drink). If using a coffee filter, wet it with water first so it doesn’t absorb all the cucumber juice. 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 1/2 cups simple syrup
1 1/2 cups vodka club soda
Mix ingredients in a pitcher and stir to combine. Fill 4 tall glasses with ice. Divide concoction equally. Finish filling the glasses with club soda. Garnish each glass with a slice of cucumber. Questions or comments? Email me: AnnelleWilliams@comcast.net I look forward to hearing from you!
Page 22 July 2018
Photo Finish On a pleasant evening in June, a hundred or more people enjoyed a free family-friendly event at Music on the Lawn sponsored by Canal at Riverside Mill on Bridge Street. If you missed this concert, mark your calendar for July 19, August 16, and September 20. We’ll see you there!
River District Board members and staff serve refreshments at Music on the Lawn: Jerry Amburn, Caitlin Hutcherson, Barbara Seamster, Robert Brooks, and Diana Schwartz.
Brenda Cardwell Lewis visits with Lydia Nyarko from Greensboro and Christine Gyemfi from Maryland.
Guitarist Matt Crowder and Megan Doss delight the crowd with beautiful music and song. Paul and Trish Sawyer appreciate an evening of cooler weather after warm temperatures during the day.
Becky Hamlin really liked “The Dan” pizza: roasted red peppers, sautéed mushrooms, pepperoni, and mozzarella.
The Mackin family enjoy quality time together during the live concert: Terese, Virginia, and Tony. Deb and Larry Johnson celebrate his 57th birthday.
Lori and Berkeley Bidgood stop for a minute to listen to Megan Doss and Matt Crowder.
Wendy Hermann, Molly and Kurt Voos, and Mark Hermann arrive early to enjoy the live music.
Karl and Dorothy Talts take time from their busy schedules for a relaxing evening.
Music on the Lawn was held outside Canal at Riverside Mill, a wedding and special event venue.
Evince Magazine Page  23
Page  24 July 2018