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CONTENTS
Showcase Magazine
NOVEMBER 2023
Showcase Magazine
@showcaseDVA
showcasemagazineva @ info@showcasemagazine.com
FEATURES A Life Full of Interesting Tales 9
ALSO INSIDE Not in Plan View (A Poem) 16
2024 RAVE Ballot 17
Games
Crossword & Wordsearch 20
Paws for a Cause Meet Frank 22
Confessions of a 30 Something An Abundance Of Thanks 19
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showcase NOVEMBER 2023
CEO Andrew Scott Brooks scott@showcasemagazine.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Paul Seiple | paul@showcasemagazine.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kim Demont | demontdesign@verizon.net FINANCE MANAGER Cindy Astin | cindy@showcasemagazine.com ADVERTISING Lee Vogler | Director of Sales and Marketing lee@showcasemagazine.com | 434.548.5335 Emily Wilkerson | Executive Assistant emily@showcasemagazine.com 753 Main Street #3, Danville, VA 24541 Phone 434.709.7349 info@showcasemagazine.com www.showcasemagazine.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Paulette Dean | Barry Koplen Lee Vogler | Emily Wilkerson CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Patrice Graves | Dick Inlow Ashley Lovelace | Lee Vogler COVER Dick Inlow. Photo Credit Patrice Graves and Ashley Lovelace Facebook.com/Fantastic360photos Instagram.com/ Fantastic360photos Website: Fantastic360photos.net
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FEATURE A LIFE FULL OF INTERESTING TALES
A Life Full of
Interesting Tales BY EMILY WILKERSON PHOTOS COURTESY OF DICK INLOW
A
t 98 years old, Richard “Dick” Inlow has called Danville home for many years, but he originally hails from Detroit, Michigan. He earned an English degree, but his career path ended up more calculating than conjugating. For 30 years, Inlow taught as a math professor at Averett University in Danville. He has spent time as an actor and a preacher and is an accomplished tennis player, winning thirty trophies. Inlow’s life is full of interesting tales, but the most memorable stories come from serving time in the Marines as a Seabee during World War II. Inlow earned multiple honors during his service in the Marines. In 1944, he was a part of the Invasion of Green Island, repairing the airstrip, which he
claimed was “the island’s only feature of interest.” They succeeded with little difficulty and were all awarded a battle star for this mission, but the story has deeper layers. Inlow did not find out until many years later that one of his mates on the island was none other than Commander Richard M. Nixon, who later became the commanding officer on the island. He joked, “Had I knew this while Nixon was president, I would have communicated with him and surely would have been invited to the White House for a friendly glass of ginger ale and many an evening chat about days gone by.” Not all missions were as simple as Green Island. Inlow fought in the Battle of Peleliu, one of the most important Pacific battles in World War II. Peleliu was a small island, only ten square miles, less than one-fourth Continued to Page 10
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FEATURE A LIFE FULL OF INTERESTING TALES
Continued from Page 9
the size of Danville. While the island may not seem like much, it was “the grave of many men.” He recalled, “When we ‘hit the beach’ we were met by a Japanese force of over 10,000 soldiers. When it was over, months instead of the expected days later, only 301 Japanese prisoners survived, while the Marines suffered the greatest percentage of casualties in Marine Corps’ history.” Upon returning, Inlow and his comrades wore the battle star they were awarded from this perilous venture proudly, amongst their other honors. Over 70 years later, Inlow has completed his time serving our nation, but continues to be honored for his bravery. In 2022, he was invited to go on an Honor Flight alongside his brother. The Honor Flight Network coordinates the flying in of veterans from all over the nation to Washington, DC, at no cost to them, to show its appreciation. While in DC, veterans are taken to tour national monuments. On Inlow’s trip, he
visited The National World War II Memorial, Arlington Cemetery, The Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Pentagon, the Iwo Jima Memorial, and a performance of the “Silent Drill.” He shared, “When the group found out I was a Seabee, the bus turned around and made a special trip to the Seabee Memorial which features a huge, bare-chested, impossibly muscled Seabee protecting a small, thin boy. Of course, everybody said I had posed for the statue, which was true, but I withheld the fact that it was the small, weak boy I posed for.” As part of the Honor Flight, veterans are assigned a guardian who is there to look after their every need. Larry Fink was Inlow’s guardian. He shared that Fink quickly became a best friend and stayed in touch. Months after the Honor Flight, Fink called Inlow and said, “Get ready, Richard, we’re going to New Orleans.” The news of the trip to The Big Easy shocked Inlow. Fink solved the mystery, informing him they were going to be attending a “Soaring Valor” trip to visit the National World War II Museum. The Soaring Valor is like the Honor Flight Network, in that their work is to honor and show appreciation to veterans. Soaring Valor is specific to World War II veterans. The program also extends to students, providing them a visit to the Museum, and to engage with veterans. Soaring Valor teaches about the atrocities of World War II and helps to preserve the stories of those who served. The Museum struck Inlow by its size. “In one room, there are six or seven World War II airplanes hanging from the ceiling, and two of them are bombers. And a little Marine Corsair, which was the plane I saw the most of in the Pacific theater.” There is also a replica of the Stage Door Canteen. The original Stage Door Canteen was in the Broadway District in NYC, a venue where servicemen could come and unwind and forget their troubles for at least a short period. Besides performances, military personnel were offered free food and opportunities to dance with the hostesses. Many celebrities, including Perry Como, Duke Ellington, Alfred Hitchcock, and Gypsy Rose Lee, volunteered their time to contribute to the effort. New Orleans’ version of the Stage Door Canteen featured the Victory Belles. “They are a professional trio who intentionally sound just like The Andrews Sisters,” Inlow remarked. Continued to Page 13
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For Inlow, the Museum’s main event was the immersive movie theater experience. He described it. “The screen was 180 degrees around us, and as tall as a house, and separated from the audience by an orchestra pit. Narrated by Tom Hanks, it tried to cover the entire war from Hitler coming to power to General MacArthur overseeing Japan’s surrender on the deck of the Missouri. It is a memorable experience.” In addition to his time in World War II, Inlow has achieved a lifetime of great accomplishments. The answer to why an English major connected with numbers is simple. Averett needed a math professor, and Inlow needed a job. So, he made Danville hone. He taught 45 years, 30 of which were at Averett. Though he may have switched words for numbers,
Inlow’s love of language remained pertinent. Once at a faculty meeting, he delivered an entire report in iambic pentameter (a line of verse with five metrical feet, consisting of a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable; the form in which Shakespeare is famous for writing in.) He gave some very memorable speeches and was admired by students and parents alike. Inlow really just loves to speak. He occasionally preaches at his church and has acted in over a hundred stage plays. He performed throughout his time in college and later acted in many of the Averett theatre department’s plays while teaching there. Over the course of his lifetime, Inlow has combined his two worlds, Marine and Linguist, by writing about his experiences.
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FEATURE A LIFE FULL OF INTERESTING TALES Continued from Page 13
The following poem is an original piece, written by Richard “Dick” Inlow.
The Golden Gate Bridge Emerged from the haze A long way off. We watched it grow And curve from land to land. All ships were drawn toward it As though with suction It was emptying the sea. Before long it was over us And we looked straight up And watched it passAnd we were back where children play. But even then Our thoughts went back To many a lonely Coral Isle Where fallen comrades lay.
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Not in Plan View (A Poem) BY BARRY KOPLEN
Her face last night, the same she wore when we met in Berlin or was it Paris where her lips touched mine like a foreign word perfectly translated; her face, the key she used to decipher me. I never thought her visage would change as it did in Manhattan on stage, as Evita so versatile, too complex for me, a pauper of faces, unable to read them except in darkness when subtleties fell from her slate; my fingers caught her then. Away from me now, I imagine images her mirror trap and releases—moments of emotional clarity I inhale whole. Sometimes she turns her back when I misread, calls me her Tom Sawyer when she paints her lips to tell a story I can’t see the ending of.
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F A V O R I T E
THINGS TO EAT
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CONFESSIONS OF A 30 SOMETHING
Confessions of a 30 Something An Abundance Of Thanks BY LEE VOGLER PHOTO BY LEE VOGLER
As 2023 comes to an end and the holiday season begins, it is easy to reflect on all the things we are grateful for. It is almost Thanksgiving, after all. I try to remind myself of my many blessings all the time, but it always seems to resonate more during this time of year. I don’t have the space to adequately list all the things I am grateful for, but I wanted to highlight some of them. • My family: This one probably goes without saying, but I am incredibly grateful for my family. I was raised by two wonderful parents who are still an active part of my life. My wife, Blair, and I have shared a great life together for over 13 years, and we have the two most wonderful children: Kingston and Ava. They are both outstanding students and excel at many activities outside of school. I can’t forget my longtime cat, Marshall, either. • My health: I am grateful for my good health. I can live a full and active life with no major health concerns. After spending the last couple of years getting my diet and
exercise in order, I feel better than I have in many years. ● My friends: I am grateful for my many friends, some of which have been in my life for almost 30 years. We all lead busy lives now, but still find ways to get together. • My career: I am grateful for my career. Between my ever-growing role with this company and this success we’re having, combined with being on City Council for the Comeback City, my work life has never been more exciting or fulfilling. • My home: I am grateful for my home. It’s my safe haven and place of comfort to decompress after a long day. • My freedom: I am grateful for my freedom. I truly thank God nearly every day for being fortunate enough to have been born in the United States, the greatest country the world has ever known. I am thankful for these things and more. I am truly blessed. What are you thankful for?showcasemagazine.com
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EXTRA GAMES
Games
Crossword Puzzle ACROSS 1 Bum 5 Capital of Norway 9 Root beer brand (3 wds.) 14 Poetic “evening” 15 Smudge 16 Regional vegetation 17 Be in a __ 18 Definite 19 Frozen pizza brand 20 Energy unit 21 Of this 23 Hospital (abbr.) 24 Older 26 Central Intelligence Agency 28 November (abbr.) 29 Spanish dessert 31 Distant 34 Microorganism 37 Weapon 39 South American country 40 Goddess 41 Brand of blue surface cleaner 42 Look at steadily
44 Aerial (3 wds.) 47 Charge 48 One of Columbus’ ships 50 Escudo 51 MGM’s Lion 52 Shocks 56 Opaque gem 59 Commotion 63 Fib 64 Fish tank growth 66 Young girl 67 Very large truck 68 Wanders 69 Location 70 Taverns 71 Lash 72 Prying 73 Molecule Down 1 Spices partners 2 Oval 3 Started 4 Only 5 Scout 6 Mumble 7 Tempt
8 Brand of sandwich cookie 9 Behind 10 Hawaiian ‘hello’ 11 Taboo 12 Removes the water 13 Beeps cousin 21 Whoop 22 Farm credit administration (abbr.) 25 Accumulate debt 27 Writing liquid 29 Female singer ___ Apple 30 Hold out 31 Island nation 32 Far away 33 Tyrannosaurus 34 Second letter of the greek alphabet 35 Arabian 36 Stable gear 38 Association 39 Clock time 43 East northeast 45 Rumor 46 Sports channel 49 Promissory note
51 South American animal 56 Paddles 53 Aleutian 57 Diagram 54 Obscureness 58 Seaweed substance 55 Tremor 60 Drawing
61 Tropical edible root 62 Usages 65 Sixth sense 67 Hotel
Word Search
BATTLESHIP CATAN CHECKERS CHESS
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CLUE
PICTIONARY
JENGA
SCRABBLE
MONOPOLY
SORRY
SPADES
TROUBLE UNO YAHTZEE
Answers on Page 22
PAWS FOR A CAUSE
Paws for a Cause WRITTEN BY PAULETTE DEAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DANVILLE HUMANE SOCIETY
Anyone who loves animals knows that they can teach us important lessons for life. They do it without speaking a word. Two emaciated dogs that I had just seized taught me about gratitude when they licked the hand of the volunteer who gave them rawhide chews. They had lived on short chains with no shelter and would not have survived much longer. Those simple treats were treated as if they were a wonderful feast. An elderly chihuahua we named Franklin taught us all the value of helping others. We put a scared little dog in the cage with Franklin and the transformation was amazing. That dog was quickly adopted. In fact, Franklin helped rehabilitate four more scared dogs who were then adopted. From kittens who play happily when they are taken from their cages to exercise in the playroom, I learn to find joy in the moment. A ferret was found on the Riverwalk and came to us emaciated and sad. He did not show any interest in life until a few days later when another emaciated ferret was found on the Riverwalk and brought to us. We knew they must have been abandoned together and the reunion was a privilege to watch. Humans certainly could learn the value of friendship from those two! Thousands of scared or abused or abandoned animals who come through our shelter doors teach us resilience.
MEET FRANK This gorgeous cat is a cuddler. His blue eyes will quickly win your heart.
We would love to hear about the lessons you have learned from the animals. Please e-mail them to dahsinc@yahoo.com.
DANVILLE HUMANE SOCIETY
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Games Solutions Continued from Page 20
Crossword Puzzle
Word Search
www.VisitSoSi.com
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