Women of Suffolk CMYK
SUFFOLKNEWSHERALD.COM THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016
Renee’ Battle: ‘The lives we have touched’
BY TRACY AGNEW NEWS EDITOR
Renee’ Battle is not just a business owner in Suffolk, although that in itself is an accomplishment at the relatively young age of 34. She also is a volunteer mentor to young ladies, runs a breast cancer char-
ity, serves on local boards and much more. Battle’s mother, Cora Overton, purchased T.E. Cooke-Overton Funeral Home in 1998. Battle is now vice president and coowner of the business. She said the most rewarding thing about her business “has been the
‘We want to help the community and be a pillar in the community.’
lives we have touched and impacted through individuals dealing with the loss of their loved one.” While it may seem odd to find something rewarding in running a funeral
home, Battle is in the position of helping families celebrate the lives of their loved ones. “It’s not just celebrating the life of the deceased; it’s celebrating life from
every aspect,” she said. “We want to help the community and be a pillar in the community.” As part of her community involvement, Battle runs the Suffolk Breast Cancer Society Inc. It raises money and awareness and honors survivors through a variety of events
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throughout the year. Battle plans a breast cancer walk later this year as well as a survivors’ masquerade gala. “It started with the funeral home recognizing and honoring breast cancer survivors,” she said. See BATTLE, 2B
Whitney Gwaltney: ‘Before and after’ BY TRACY AGNEW NEWS EDITOR
As a child, Whitney Gwaltney would climb on the sink to get closer to the mirror and wiggle her loose teeth with her tongue. She became even more CMYK intrigued with teeth and
mouths when she got braces a few years later and was able to watch the process of straightening her teeth unfold. Plus, “I had a really good pediatric dentist,” Gwaltney said recently. She likes to work with her hands, is detail-oriented and is a self-described
‘I love doing procedures and seeing the before and after.’ perfectionist, which is an important trait in a profession that works in small spaces where millimeters make a difference. So it seemed only natural that she would become
a dentist one day. Gwaltney’s accent belies her native region of southeastern North Carolina. She attended college at North Carolina State University and went to
Virginia Commonwealth University for dental school. Once a little girl who had fallen in love with dentistry while sitting on the bathroom sink, the college graduate fell in love with something else in dental school — one of her fellow students, Ryland
Gwaltney. The two met during an orientation session on their first day of dental school. They became friends, and the romance eventually blossomed. They married in October 2015, and she started See GWALTNEY, 2B
Jeanette Holland: ‘We want to be unique’ BY HENRY LUZZATTO CORRESPONDENT
The restaurant business runs through Jeanette Holland’s family. Her parents opened Holland Country Gourmet in downtown Suffolk in the 1960s. Holland continues the family tradition by
running it today. “We grew up in the business,” she said. “I knew from when I was young that this was what I wanted to do.” Holland Country Gourmet is known for its from-scratch Southern cooking and catering. However, the restaurant
‘I knew from when I was young that this was what I wanted to do.’ was not always what it is now. The restaurant started out as Holland Produce, Inc., and it offered fresh vegetables and meat. “It wasn’t a restaurant,”
Holland said. “It used to be more like a deli or a country store.” Over time, the family business went from being a store to a restaurant. Holland said the restaurant
has changed further since she took over, becoming more focused on catering. Though the business has changed over the years, Holland said the restaurant still focuses on tradition. She said they serve traditional recipes and dishes, and even make their own hams in the back of the
restaurant, like they did back in the 1960s. “We want to bring the old to the new,” she said. Holland said she decided to change the restaurant to more of a catering business because of the way lifestyles have changed. See HOLLAND, 6B
Carletta Perry: ‘I want to change lives’ BY HENRY LUZZATTO CORRESPONDENT
Dr. Carletta Perry may be the hardest-working woman in psychology. Between her television show, newspaper column, counseling center and her duties as a fulltime assistant professor at Saint Leo University, Perry
seems to always stay busy. Perry’s most recent venture is a practice in Chesapeake called the Center for Peace, which opened in January. The center offers what Perry calls “transformational life coaching,” a form of therapy that Perry says is more client-focused.
‘I want people to think of multiple options for help.’
“It’s different from traditional therapy in setup and structure,” she said. “With coaching, the client is in charge.” Perry and her husband, Troy Perry, co-own the cen-
ter, which offers a variety of services for personal and relationship-based therapy. “We have something called ‘couples’ college,’” Perry said. “It’s a class to teach couples about healthy
relationships.” The Center for Peace offers a variety of other services, including support groups, counseling, and seminars on a variety of topics. “We want to find solutions for people through a number of means,” Perry said. “I want people to
think of multiple options for help.” On top of running a counseling center, Perry is also an assistant professor of psychology at Saint Leo University. At the university’s campus in Chesapeake, she often works with adults See PERRY, 6B
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Dr. Carletta N. Perry offers Executive Coaching for Business and Spiritual Leaders, Therapeutic Life Coaching for Personal Concerns, Workplace Lectures for Businesses, Trauma Informed Trainings, and is a Dynamic and Motivational Speaker for any event!
Schedule a Phone or Face-to-Face Appointment today at 757-773-1396 or Schedule Online at www.drcarlettaperry.com CMYK
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