Country Zest

of NOTE

BE ON THE LOOKOUT through this issue of Country ZEST & Style for the hummingbird.

He appears in two ads and the first twoto find him (one each) will receive a gift from that advertiser. Send your reply to badgerlen@aol.com.

GOOD WORKS, AND GREAT PEOPLE

February remains my favorite month of the year. My birthday is Feb. 2, Ground Hog Day. I was married on a Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14. My oldest daughter was born on a Feb. 15th, and my second youngest grandchild came into this world on a Feb. 6th.

As for Country ZEST, it’s our first issue of 2020, with another February connection— Black History Month. We offer several stories to commemorate the occasion, including a piece on a historic black school in Rectortown, and another story on an iconic local bandleader who made Upperville’s Buchanan Hall jump to the beat of his magical music.

Speaking of music, we’re profiling anotherlocal treasure—our cover subject, Tom Sweitzer. He’s become something of what one friend recently called “a rock star” in music therapy as founder of A Place to Be. The Middleburg nonprofit, celebrating its 10th anniversary, has performed medical/musical miracles on many levels.

Many more local folks are doing good works in this area, and we have stories on Habitat for Humanity, an ever-expanding Community Foundation and miniprofiles of several other area non-profits that feed the hungry, provide lowincome housing and help countless residents pay their bills.

I’d also be remiss not to mention a recent touch of sadness all around the Middleburg area. In January, Middleburg’s Town Council passed a resolution honoring the late Sam Coleman, who died in December from a virulent form of cancer. Sam was the area’s 25-year FedEx deliveryman, as delightful a fellow who ever came into so many of our lives.

“Sam Coleman was far more than an anonymous fellow who delivered packages to your house, your store, your office, your farm,” I wrote. “He was a man with a smile that seemingly never left his face…Even at the busiest times of the year…he never seemed rushed or in a hurry. He knew everyone by name, knew their kids names and often their kids kids names, as well. There was always time to ask how you were doing, what was going on, how’s your sore back or your golf game?”

Lately, countless people tell me every time they see a FedEx truck in town, they think about Sam. Me, as well, and oh how he’ll be missed.

As for the magazine, we’ve got another jam-packed issue. And it’s February, so add a little more Sam Coleman-like ZEST to my favorite month of the year.

Leonard Shapiro Editor Badgerlen@aol.com

Photo © Leonard Shapiro

Marshiell Fox Clark and Lorraine Tucker Stewart were former students at Rectortown No. 12.