Faith in Action Appoints New Executive Director

/in /by

Faith in Action (FIA), a volunteer-based nonprofit that takes people who need transportation to medical appointments, has appointed Rev. Dr. Charles Franks to the part-time executive director position.

Franks has eighteen years of experience as the Young Life Area Director in Williamsburg, Va. and Bermuda plus twelve years as Senior Pastor for First Baptist Church in Devonshire, Bermuda. He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from The College of William & Mary and a Doctorate of Divinity from the Master’s Graduate School of Divinity in Evansville, Indiana.

He has provided even leadership and organizational support to help youth participate in Young Life’s camping program while recruiting, equipping, and managing a large team of volunteer leaders to accomplish the ministry objectives. As a Senior Pastor in Bermuda, he supported the larger Bermuda community through facilitating social programs and providing opportunities for the community to act on their faith.

“Through these experiences I have developed skills in volunteer development, fundraising, community outreach, team leadership, and the provision of helping services,” he says. “I like to think that I have strong rapport building and communication skills and my experiences to date have given me opportunity to hone and practice those skills.” He feels that working for FIA allows him to follow his calling to “love my neighbor.”

Winchester is Franks’s hometown. He is a member of First Baptist Church, the Valley Interfaith Council, and serves as a volunteer with the Winchester Area Temporary Thermal Shelter (WATTS). He has two grown sons and recently married Susan Maddux.

Karen Shipp, board chair of FIA, is pleased to have selected someone with Franks’s diverse employment and educational experience. “One of Faith in Action’s primary responsibilities is to recruit, train, and retain a group of volunteers dedicated to providing life-saving transportation to medical appointments,” she says. “Charly’s extensive background in working with large groups of volunteers will be invaluable in this position.”

Shipp says the organization received 18 applications for the position. “We were very fortunate to have the assistance and direction of Sharon Gromling, director of Our Health, who has extensive human resources experience” in selecting Franks, she says. Faith in Action is a member of Our Health and is housed in the Our Health office.

Faith in Action is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with one paid staff member and around 50 volunteers. They transport people who are ambulatory and do not qualify for transportation help through Medicaid to medical appointments. They are able to fill 95 percent of qualifying requests and serve Winchester, Frederick and Clarke Counties, and the northern areas of Warren and Shenandoah Counties. Volunteers are credentialed through Valley Health, and thus receive Valley Health recognition and some discounts. Faith in Action seeks to reimburse volunteers up to 30 percent of fuel costs.

Franks is impressed with the health of the organization and its “active and committed” board of directors and excellent service to clients. He notes that the group receives strong administrative support from Mike and Kathy Garcia, who schedule the transports. Franks appreciates the generous community that supports the work of many nonprofits in the area, including FIA, as well as the strong support from Valley Health and Our Health.

His immediate goals are to get to know everyone involved in FIA and familiarize himself with the administrative and operational details of the organization. By the end of May 2016, he hopes to have completed a vision casting process with the FIA board, staff, and volunteers to set goals together. Over time, he will monitor the needs of the clients and adapt as necessary.

Shipp, who has been involved with the FIA board since its discussion phase in 2002, hopes to continue to promote the group’s services to a larger audience who could benefit from their services, as well as further increase the number of volunteer drivers and expand board membership.

Franks and Shipp are addressing their immediate attention to their annual fundraiser, TableScapes 2016. Held on April 10 from 2-5pm in the Ferrari Room of Shenandoah University’s Brandt Student Center, TableScapes showcases local talent. Fifteen decorators will decorate a table with the theme of their choice. There will be a floral arrangement demonstration and individual instruction in napkin folding. The event will also feature a crystal display accented with silver, an antique linen display, a raffle, door prizes, and refreshments. New this year is the addition of three decorated children’s tables. Attendees will help select the “People’s Choice Award.”

Tickets are $25.00 and can be purchased at Kimberly’s, located at 135 N. Braddock St. in Winchester; Sweet Tea at 15 E. Boscawen St. in Winchester; or Our Health at 329 N. Cameron St. in Winchester. Interested parties can call 540-667-7677 for information or to purchase tickets over the phone.

For more information on FIA or to connect with Franks as a potential FIA volunteer, contact him at 540-536-1006.

Support Your Local Sheriff

/in /by

Anthony Roper Appointed to Governor’s Administration

By Jess Clawson

Clarke County Sheriff Anthony “Tony” Roper is getting statewide attention for his dedication to Clarke County. On March 18, Governor Terry McAuliffe announced the new appointments to his administration, including asking Roper to serve on the Criminal Justice Services Board. The appointees, including Roper, will help the governor find common ground with members of both parties on issues that will build a new Virginia economy and create jobs.

The 28-member board, comprised of members of the criminal justice system, local government officials, representatives of the private security industry, the public at large, and General Assembly members, provides governance and guidance to the Department of Criminal Justice Services. According to the General Assembly, the CJS Board is responsible for “planning and coordinating the implementation and administration of criminal justice and delinquency prevention and control throughout the Commonwealth.” Board terms are two years.

Roper is happy to have been appointed to the board. “I have worked diligently in certain aspects of areas covered by the board, and I have ideas I would like to see considered,” he says. “Maybe my interest caught the Governor’s attention.”

Roper was born and raised in Clarke County. He entered law enforcement in 1978 and was elected Sheriff of Clarke County in 2003. His experience in the sheriff’s office has changed as he gained life experience. “I joined the sheriff’s office right out of high school looking for excitement and adventures,” he says. “I grew up watching cop shows on television and thought that was the career for me. And for many years, it was all about the running and gunning of catching the bad guys. I identified with capturing them and putting them away.”

Over time, however, that led him to examine the profession and what those invested in it were and are accomplishing. His work with drug enforcement in particular led him to think specifically about the use of law enforcement in dealing with the problem. “We seemed to be arresting addicts repeatedly for the same type of offenses, with no one leaving prison habilitated. While the addicts themselves need to take some ownership, I believe that we can’t do the same things over and over again and expect different results,” he says. Roper has taken this commitment to reevaluation seriously. He served as a founding member of the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug Task Force and was a member of the regional FBI Drugs and Violent Crime Task Force.

Additionally, he realized the importance of evaluation of practice in the office. For instance, he questioned whether the department was making the best use of technology. The office now uses video conferencing for some court appearances that do not necessarily require the inmate to appear personally. “This allows us to keep incarcerated folks behind bars, and we do not have to transport them from the jail,” Roper says. “The community stays safer, and we make a better use of our limited manpower resources.” In general, he sees the profession as one that “can be complacent and do things because we always did them that way,” but he believes “we must challenge everything.”

He decided to run for sheriff initially because he saw some things he believed he could change for the better, and wanted to leave his mark on the county. At the time he ran, he says he had a group of loyal followers in the department who were doing a great job, and he wanted to ensure that the new sheriff took care of those folks as well.

Roper gained the employees’ loyalty in part because he kept them on board. Sheriff’s employees serve at the will of the sheriff, so he could have “cleaned house,” as he says, when elected. But he wanted his employees to feel secure in their future. “I believe their loyalty is inspired by a great working environment here,” he says. “We cannot compete with some salaries offered, particularly with larger, more metropolitan offices to the east. But we do offer a chance to make a real difference here.”

Roper has been widely recognized as a valuable community member. He has been asked to serve on a great many boards, including the board of the Northwest Regional Adult Detention Center, serving as the Past President of the Virginia Sheriff’s Association and the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy, and joining several committees guiding the Virginia Sheriff’s Association and the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy.

The office itself has been exceptional, achieving reaccreditation from the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Commission in 2015 with a perfect score. This reflects many hours of assessment of their operations. Deputies have received a substantial increase in training hours, and the office plans to maintain that aggressive training schedule in 2016.

Roper can also point to many tangible achievements he is proud of, including “new facilities, the creation of a rank structure, and the adoption of standard operating procedures.”

These accomplishments, however, are not as important to Roper as the fundamental idea of responsibility to community safety. “Every decision we make in the Sheriff’s Office is made with our mission in mind,” he says. The mission of the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office is “to provide a safe community through customer service-based policing. We achieve this mission through professionalism, respect, and ethical service.”

“This outlook,” Roper says, “keeps us focused as we make decisions ranging from how we handle the dispatching of a fire, handling a mentally ill subject, or deciding how much money we need to ask for in purchasing equipment.” Roper has a reputation for serving the community well, which he believes is his mission. “I truly believe we are sworn to do a job,” he says. “And that calling to help people is a noble one, one that we are lucky to answer.”

Along these lines, Roper describes the most rewarding element of his job as “encompassed by all the services we are given the opportunity to deliver. When we issue a speeding ticket to someone, I truly believe we are taking steps to save a life.”

“The same goes for every time we answer a call for any service,” he says. “We are the protectors, and proud to serve as such.”

The office is offering community service in the form of online safety presentations geared towards protecting children online. According to the office site, presentations are available for a variety of age groups, including parents, teens, tweens, and small children. These one-hour presentations give statistics, online resources, videos, and expert tips to engage, educate, and empower children and adults to be safer on- and off-line.

The office has changed dramatically in recent years, in that many calls for service involve quality of life issues and neighbor disputes. “Not long ago I never would have dreamed that Clarke deputies would be answering calls of ‘my neighbor’s trash can is blowing on my property’ or ‘my neighbor’s sign is detracting from my property value,’ but we do now,” says Roper. He believes this comes from the expectation of service from the community. “We do our best to answer the call,” he says. The mission has broadened: “Our office handles calls ranging from shots fired to a dog running at large.”

He also sees his role to the citizens in Clarke County and the Commonwealth at large as important because “these are the people that establish the standards that we in law enforcement are held to.”

This leads him to the changes he would like to see while he is in office—closely examining the training standards. “In the climate we are working in today, we need to provide the brave men and women in the field with all of the tools we can,” he says. “I hope to afford this type of change.”

Specifically, he wants to examine the curriculum to ensure its continued relevance. For instance, use of force training “reflects ideas that are not based on science,” Roper says. “I want our people to be confident that we are sending them into the field with the best tools, not with a fear that they are ‘out manned.’” As such, Roper believes the office requires more training, which he thinks is too readily trimmed from the budget. “This is a very short sighted approach,” he says. “This time spent is an investment that we must make.”

Roper’s stance on taking the community’s needs seriously has earned him a local and statewide reputation for excellence. His appointment to the governor’s administration is one example of this recognition, but so is his success in re-election every term, and the general public’s appreciation of his service.

Remembering Val Van Meter

/in /by

By Maral S. Kalbian, Clarke County resident

Photo courtesy of Michael Hobert

On Thursday, March 31, Clarke County lost our well-loved and highly dedicated journalist, Val Van Meter. Even though she wasn’t from Clarke County and didn’t even reside here, Val’s service to this community was an important part of Clarke County history.

 

Val Van Meter was Clarke County’s reporter. Her death leaves a huge gap in the fabric of Clarke County life. Val clearly loved Clarke County as if it were her own.

I first met Val in the 1980s when she was a reporter with the Clarke Courier in Berryville. She eventually became its editor, one of the first women in the region to fill that role. No story was ever too insignificant for Val. She loved writing about history, people, local government, the school system, the environment, and of course, animals. Val was an invaluable resource for information as well as an advocate for all things Clarke County. With her, it didn’t matter who you were; she would listen, ask insightful questions, and come up with a well-written piece that demonstrated her deep understanding of the subject. How she was able to do that day-in and day-out on such a variety of topics was always a source of amazement for me. I once asked her if she ever experienced “writer’s block.” Chuckling and smiling, she responded over her shoulder as she headed back to her office, that no, she didn’t have the time to get writer’s block! Val epitomized the mild-mannered reporter, who listened, doing her job steadfastly and well. In her private life, she had another identity, as a well-respected master horse woman.

If you ever had a question about something in Clarke County, you could rely on Val to know the answer since she had probably written a story about it sometime during her more than 30-year career reporting on Clarke. Everyone who knew Val in Clarke County loved and respected her. This intelligent, modest, hard-working woman was recently recognized by Ender’s Volunteer Fire Department for raising the community’s awareness about the company’s activities. She did the same over and over for countless other non-profit organizations. Val was always upbeat and took things in stride. She routinely showed up to report on meetings, no matter what the time of day or evening.

Val had a magic touch. We were all privileged that she used it to report on us here in Clarke County. She could take the driest subject or smallest out-of-the-way thing and magically turn it into an engaging story. With her insightful and thoughtful way of reporting on our news, events, and people, Val Van Meter made Clarke County a better place for us all.

 

Here are a very few other tributes from some of those in the community who knew Val:

Val was a great lady. I will miss her and feel a personal loss at her passing; she was a professional colleague and friend. I admired her greatly. In brief, she was a character with character. She was well-read and a student of history. Val sought to report the news, not make it. Val was a great friend to Berryville and Clarke County. Her reporting always reflected a deep affection and admiration for this community and its people.

— Keith Dalton, Berryville Town Manager

Val really understood Clarke County and the people who have made it occasionally newsworthy. She didn’t just know, she understood, the background, the history, and the personal relationships that affected current events. If Val told you something, you could count on it. She was absolutely reliable and honest.

— Mary Daniel, Clarke County Board of Supervisors

 

Val did so much for this community. She wrote several stories about me and my family, for which I will always be grateful. Wherever one seemed to go in Clarke County, there Val would be. She will be greatly missed.

— Geneva Jackson, long-time Clarke resident

 

Val was my mentor at the Clarke Courier. She knew everyone in Clarke and loved her horses so we did a fair share of animal stories. She gave everyone that worked there a chance to improve. It was a local paper because of her.

— Bonnie Jacobs, who worked with Val at the Clarke Courier

 

Val and I worked together on the Retrospect articles when she was the editor of the Clarke Courier, and were friends from the moment we met. She was so down to earth and loved this little county. With Val what you saw was what you got. She will be greatly missed.

— Mary Thomason-Morris, Archivist, Clarke County Historical Association

 

I would say that in this day of media hyperbole, Val and her articles were always clear, concise, and factual. We in Clarke County government will really miss her. I will miss her personally as well. What a truly lovely person she was to be around.

— George L. Ohrstrom II, chair, Planning Commission

 

Val understood the values, hopes and desires of Clarke Country’s citizens. As a result she always knew which issues would be of the most interest to her readers and needed to be covered in the greatest depth. Her long-term knowledge and deep understanding of our County allowed her to bring a sense of perspective to each article she wrote. She worked hard to make sure she got each story right, often calling late at night to check her facts.

— John Staelin, former Chairman of the Board of

Supervisors

How Memories of Val Van Meter Can Change The World

/in /by

As we enter the final throws of the Presidential primary season, one in which televised debates and commercials lost the G-rating for family viewing long ago, we can’t help but observe how the breakdown in manners and civility now permeates public life and, sadly, sometimes interactions among neighbors that often take place entirely in the online world.

Politics always has been a rough-and-tumble pugilistic affair — without the minimal padding of gloves designed to protect the puncher’s hand, not the jaw on the receiving end. But over the last several years, being rude or snide has become not only acceptable, but something to be cheered.

Is this really what we want to teach our children? That when we disagree, our first impulse is to insult or accuse? Is this how we want to send them off into the world? It’s certainly not the world we inherited from our parents. And as a practical matter, can anyone claim to have persuaded another person on any issue by calling them names?

In these times, many of us are drawn to people who exemplify civility, civic curiosity, and a genuine love of neighbor — as the faithful are called to embrace. Val Van Meter was such a person. If the pen is, indeed, more powerful than the sword, it’s not just because it’s an instrument for argument. Rather, it’s a means to uplift us all, to remind us of the strength of community and the good that comes from practicing mutual respect.

Whether she was telling the story of a local family or reporting on the dry proceedings of government bodies, she was able to remind us that behind every event and every political controversy there were human beings with hopes and dreams and backgrounds. And she treated them all with respect.

Thinking of Val you can’t help but remember George Baily, the character portrayed by Jimmy Stewart in the classic film It’s a Wonderful Life. In the story, Baily’s guardian angel grants his wish to see what life would have been like had he never been born. He sees how many lives each of us can touch and influence. In this light, it’s hard to imagine Clarke County without the life of Val. And based on the remembrances compiled by Maral Kalbian, published on page 9 of this edition, it’s easy to see how lives and this community are fuller today because of her.

If we’re looking for people to emulate, people who serve a public role in community life, let’s not look to the angry, fear-mongers of politics flinging pseudo-facts and disinformation. We could do so much better for children, ourselves, and our community by taking Val Van Meter’s example of how to encourage conversation and celebrate all that’s wondrous about community life.

Learning Life Skills Through Horses

/in , /by

Pony Club teaches youth horsemanship, responsibility, teamwork

By Jess Clawson
Youth in Clarke County and the surrounding areas are working together to learn about good horsemanship and support Clarke County land conservation through the Blue Ridge Hunt Pony Club.
BRHPC is a branch of the United States Pony Club (USPC), a national organization for youth that teaches horseback riding, mounted sports, and the care of horses and ponies. Participants — from age six to 25 — learn horsemanship as well as responsibility, moral judgment, and self-confidence. Members participate in mounted and unmounted instruction, represent the club in regional and national competitions known as rallies, and learn to become well-rounded horse people. They achieve certifications along the way: those who attain A level are considered ready to become a professional horse trainer.
The local club is based in Clarke County, with members residing in surrounding counties, Northern Virginia, and Washington, D.C. BRHPC is historically important to the area and to the national organization: it was the first Pony Club chapter formed in the United States.
In 1953, a temporary advisory committee including local resident Alexander Mackay-Smith called a meeting of 22 interested people to propose establishing what became USPC. By the end of 1954, there were 22 member clubs in seven regions across the country. Currently, there are nearly 600 Pony Club and Pony Club Riding Centers serving over 10,000 members nationwide. Pony Clubs exist worldwide, with clubs in 30 countries.
USPC was modeled after the British Pony Clubs. “Many of the first Pony Clubs in America, such as BRHPC, were grown out of a [foxhunt club],” says BRPHC district commissioner Anne Williams. “Foxhunting, therefore, remains one of the disciplines of the USPC, and members are still educated about the sport.”
The focus of BRHPC, according to co-district commissioner Mary Schwentker, is horsemanship. “We provide opportunities to learn life skills through horses,” she says. “The certifications provide an opportunity for our members to set goals and work hard toward those goals. Our members learn to be independent and responsible to their horses and team members at rallies.”
Youth who are genuinely interested in horses can join Pony Club to build a solid foundation for horsemanship. Williams says, “I have worked in barns where children arrive, get on a pony, have their lesson, dismount, and go home without ever learning how to care for the pony. Pony Club is the whole package. It enhances the mounted instruction children already receive and introduces them to the complexities and importance of horse care. We are fortunate that local trainers and instructors recognize that aspect of Pony Club in our area and encourage their students to join so they will be well-rounded.”
Members seek out Pony Club because it’s fun, too. “BRHPC is like a family,” Schwentker says. “We have many activities throughout the year, both mounted and unmounted. Our members work hard but always have fun.”
Many BRHPC members ride competitively as well as participate in pony club. “The pony club program places a strong emphasis on horsemanship, knowledge of horse care, and management,” says Schwentker. “We are producing individuals who can be successful in the show ring and also have depth of knowledge in regard to horsemanship. They are self-reliant, they know the importance of volunteering and giving back to the sport, they know what it is to win and not win with grace. People coming from Pony Club are some of the most well-rounded horsemen in the sport.”
Local top riders with Pony Club roots include Schwentker herself — a USPC national examiner and eventing professional, as well as United States Dressage Federation silver medalist; David and Karen O’Connor, Cathy Frederickson (also a national examiner) Stephen Bradley, Sara Kozumplik, Phyllis Dawson, and top amateur Dr. Dorothy Eisenberg.
While Pony Club has traditionally built the curriculum around the sport of eventing, members can now choose to specialize in eventing, dressage, and show jumping. Further, there are also rallies in dressage, eventing, foxhunting, mounted games, polo, and others.
“Today, you could go through all of the [national level] certifications on a horse management track and never ride at all,” says Williams. “Or you could be on a dressage track and never jump, or a show jumping track and never ride cross country, and still reach your A certification.” It’s very different from when she and Schwentker were in Pony Club, she adds, but it furthers the goals of Pony Club to be accessible to everyone, no matter what their interest is.”
Rallies are a good experience for young riders. They compete on teams of three or four riders and a stable manager. “The opportunity to compete on a team in equestrian sports is often not seen until international competition,” Schwentker says. “No parents are allowed in the barns or the warm up. Members are judged on their stable management, turnout of the horses, and tack before and after their rides — in addition to their performances in the ring. They are responsible to get to the inspections and rings on time. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn responsibility and teamwork.”
At each of the regional rallies, up to four individuals will form a regional team and compete at the USPC National Championships. Pony Club members also have the opportunity for international exchange teams in games, polocross, eventing, and foxhunting.
The local chapter benefits the Clarke County area beyond producing well-rounded and knowledgeable horsemen. “Clarke County is a haven for horse people, especially fox hunters,” says Williams. “We are so very fortunate to live in an area where so much land is in conservation easements and protected from development. Our young people are hopefully going to be the next stewards of this amazing county, and that’s why Pony Club is important for them to be a part of.”
Every summer they have a weeklong camp at Long Branch to help prepare for rallies and certifications, where they focus in part on land conservation. “We are very fortunate to hold our camp at Long Branch. Last year we took advantage of learning about the recent improvements the organization has made to the actual Long Branch stream that runs through the property,” says Williams. Local member Lindy Davenport organized a lecture and tour of the waterway protection effort taking place at Long Branch. Members had the opportunity to learn about the fencing that had been installed to protect banks and how keeping a herd of horses out of the stream would benefit the water. “It made the kids look at how everything they do, even something as simple as turning a horse out, affects something else in the environment.”
Longtime supporter Iona Pillion often takes members on long trail rides so that members, especially those who do not participate in fox hunting, “can see how lucky they are to have landowners who support the sport and the land itself to enjoy,” says Williams. “She is always quick to remind the kids of these points.”
The national organization also emphasizes land conservation. “The USPC includes a land conservation requirement in each of the horse management certifications,” says Schwentker. At the lowest level, “Members are required to know three locations where the activities take place. As the members progress through the A horsemanship test, they need to be able to discuss the area’s land conservation concerns and initiatives.”
Pony Club prepared Schwentker for her career as a professional. “My experience in Pony Club has given me a strong foundation in horsemanship,” she says. “From here it has been easy to gain the knowledge needed to compete successfully at the upper levels of eventing. Even if I had chosen a career outside of horses, I am certain that the life lessons learned in Pony Club would help me to succeed in any field.”
Pony Club also encourages volunteerism. “Pony Club encourages members to give their time generously, whether that manifests itself by requiring older members to teach younger members, or seeing alumni who want to return to be club leaders, judges at rallies, and becoming involved with the Pony Club at the national level,” says Williams.
Anyone wishing for more information on joining the club or upcoming activities can contact Anne Williams at 540-303-3931 or annewilliams81@gmail.com.

Meeting an epidemic head on

/in /by

Community coalition to end drug deaths takes on tough challenges in the Valley

By Jess Clawson
The rise of substance abuse in the Shenandoah Valley has resulted in 30 opiate-overdose deaths and 55 opiate-overdose injuries reported in the area in 2015, up from only two reported opiate overdose deaths in 2012. Community members in Winchester and Frederick and Clarke counties have joined together to help prevent further injury and loss of life through the Northern Shenandoah Valley Substance Abuse Coalition (NSVSAC).
The genesis of the group was a meeting in April 2014 of more than 100 people who gathered for a heroin summit at Shenandoah University. After presentations, participants formed breakout groups to brainstorm solutions to the epidemic. Soon after, Winchester Police Chief Kevin Sanzenbacher hosted the initial meeting of the Heroin Task Force, which has evolved into the nonprofit NSVSAC.
The NSVSAC includes representatives from law enforcement, health care, substance abuse treatment, and youth advocacy organizations, as well as families affected by the disease of addiction.  “These efforts started after local law enforcement saw a significant increase in the number of heroin overdose deaths between 2012 and 2013, when the deaths increased from one to 21,” says NSVSAC executive director Lauren Cummings. “Law enforcement officials recognized that we were not going to be able to arrest our way out of this problem, it would take community support, buy-in, and treatment to address the public health crisis.”
Winchester Medical Center (WMC) was key to the group’s establishment. According to WMC vice president and founding NSVSAC member Nicholas Restrepo, M.D., the need to act was clear. In 2012, WMC initiated a hospital-wide “safety call,” which provided a daily snapshot of any patient safety issues that need special monitoring or action.
“We were struck by the growing frequency of patient care challenges due to substance abuse, from the emergency room to the newborn nursery,” Restrepo says.
The mother-baby unit and the neonatal intensive care unit leadership had developed protocols for these patients, but the need for more was clear throughout the hospital. “We welcomed the opportunity to shed light on the disease of addiction and join the broader discussion of how we might best address opioid abuse in our regional community.”
NSVSAC works to decrease the effects of heroin in several key areas: overdose deaths, infant drug exposure, children with addicted parents or caregivers requiring social services intervention, and incidence of addiction-related crime.
Community collaboration is critical to the success of this venture. The City of Winchester, Frederick County, and Valley Health donated $60,000 each to fund NSVSAC, and Clarke County contributed an additional $15,000. The executive committee is comprised of the Winchester Chief of Police, a public defender, a juvenile court judge, health care providers, and a concerned citizen.
“It’s not every day that you have the chief of police, the public defender, and a judge all agreeing on one topic,” Cummings says. “This is a unique situation in which these individuals, who recognized the severity of this problem, were willing to all sit down at one table and come up with solutions.”
The NSVSAC’s top priority is to establish a Drug Treatment Court Program for Clarke County, Frederick County, and the City of Winchester by July 1, 2016. They will seek grant opportunities to implement best practices. “One of the strongest messages we have heard over the past year and a half is our area lacks affordable, accessible treatment options, and we hope to find solutions to this challenge,” says Cummings.
According to Cummings, “The goal of the drug treatment court is to promote public safety by treating addiction and substance abuse among non-violent offenders involved in the judicial system.” The court will identify eligible participants from the criminal dockets in the circuit courts of Winchester and Frederick and Clarke counties. Accepted participants will be transferred to the drug treatment court docket, overseen by two circuit court judges.
“The program will offer comprehensive substance abuse treatment, as well as other counseling and services to help participants maintain sobriety and live productive lives without violating the law,” says Cummings. It will also offer “intensive supervision of participants, monitoring of progress through the phases of the program, and frequent, random drug screening. Participants will be held accountable for their conduct and any violations.” Ten to 15 participants will enroll in the first year.
“Without the program, offenders face incarceration. If incarcerated, upon their release, they are returned right back into the same environment that fostered their addictive behavior, except now they may have lost their job, and carry the stigma of being a convicted offender,” says Cummings.
NSVSAC is also working to reduce or eliminate the stigma of addiction, because, according to Cummings, this stigma prevents people from seeking treatment. “Our message is clear,” Cummings says. “Addiction is a disease, not a choice or moral failing and if you are suffering with an addiction, there is help.”
NSVSAC has initiated a number of outreach efforts aimed at reducing the stigma associated with addiction, including a website (www.roadtorecovery.info) launched in 2014 to educate the public on the disease of addiction. Further, a support group called Families on the Road to Recovery formed for families of loved ones struggling with addiction and for family members who have lost a loved one to addiction. The group meets twice monthly. Finally, NSVSAC hosted a screening of Heroin: The Hardest Hit, a documentary by the attorney general’s office on the heroin and prescription drug epidemic and its effects on Virginians. “We feel continued outreach efforts like the aforementioned initiatives will help reduce the stigma of addiction,” Cummings says.
Prescription drug abuse is a significant factor in the increase in opiate deaths. “Unfortunately, prescription drug abuse skyrocketed nationally as a result of a focus on pain management that didn’t adequately resource alternatives to narcotics,” says Restrepo. “This increase led to availability of a drug choice, and greatly contributed to our current crisis. One aspect of the coalition’s efforts has been to encourage using medications as prescribed, storing them in a secure location, and disposing of unused medications.”
According to the NSVSAC website, more than 60 percent of local overdose victims had a prior history of prescription drug abuse. They have set up drug collection units to reduce the amount of unnecessary medicine in peoples’ homes and decrease prescription drug abuse, especially among teenagers. A 2014 Partnership for Drug-Free Kids study shows that more than 70 percent of teenagers say it is easy to get prescription drugs from their parents’ medicine cabinets. Drug addiction can begin early — the average age of the first-time heroin user is 23 years old.
Drug collection units take medicine with no questions asked at several Winchester, Frederick, and Clarke locations. Affordable drug lock boxes can also be purchased at the Valley Health Pharmacy and at Valley Home Care for those who have prescription medications in their homes and want to ensure they don’t end up in the wrong hands.
Anyone seeking more information or help can call CONCERNS HOTLINE at 540-667-0145 to speak soemone. The NSVSAC website provides substantial resources as well. Community members who wish to help can educate themselves on the signs and symptoms of drug use, clean out their medicine cabinets, support local substance abuse education, and donate to the NSVSAC.

Around Clarke County March/April 2016

/in , /by

March

12

Blue Ridge Hunt

Point to Point Races. 490 Woodley Lane. Berryville. 67th running. Welcome in spring with the first race of the season at the lovely Woodley Farm. Gates open at 10:30am. Post time 12 Noon. 11 races. General Admission is $20/Car. For more information or to reserve front row parking call Jenny Irwin at (202) 664-4664.

16

Pruning Small Trees

Blandy Experimental Farm. The State Arboretum of Virginia. 400 Blandy Farm Lane.  Boyce. 1–3 pm. Scott Johnston, ISA Certified Arborist. This workshop begins with an introduction to proper pruning and tree care. We will then go outside for demonstrations and hands-on practice, with plenty of time for Q and A. Dress for the weather. FOSA members $10. nonmembers $12. For information call 540-837-1758 Ext. 226 or visit http://blandy.virginia.edu.

17

Trivia Night

with the Clarke County Historical Association. Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Court, Berryville. Doors open at 6pm. Event starts at 7. How smart do you think you are? Grab your thinking cap and a few friends and come join us the night of St. Patrick’s Day for the Clarke County Historical Association’s second-ever trivia tournament! Categories will once again include History, Literature, Virginia, Science, and Television. Prizes will go to the top three teams and there will be raffles between rounds. Funny team names are encouraged! $5 for CCHA and BORH members. $8 for non-members. For more information visit www.barnsofrosehill.org.

18

-20 CCHS Spring Musical

“Oh, the thinks you can think!” CCHS Auditorium. 627 Mosby Blvd, Berryville. 7:30pm Friday and Saturday and 2:30 Sunday. Mark your calendars for the 16th annual CCHS Spring Musical as we take a journey into the whimsical world of Dr. Seuss with Seussical the Musical! Make plans to come hang out with The Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant, Gertrude McPhuzz, JoJo, Mayzie Le Bird, and a host of crazy Seuss characters! Tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for students. Contact Andy Kiser, Artistic Director, at 540-955-6130 x.7446 for additional information.

18

Berryville Drum Circle

My Neighbor and Me. 15 E. Main Street. Berryville. 7–8:30pm. Free. Leader: Jona Masiya.  540-955-8124.  www.myneighborandme.com.

19

Summer Camp Fair

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. 181 Kernstown Commons Blvd. Winchester. 9am–12:30pm. Learn about a variety of camps and programs available at this integrated summer camp fair.  Participants will have several chances to win great prizes. Prize packs include complimentary admission to local pools and museums, movie tickets with popcorn, river tubing passes, discounts off camps and more valued over $400! Shenandoah Valley Kids Trail and Alamo Drafthouse Cinema will have their prize wheels to spin for more prizes and giveaways. Free admission and children’s activities. For more information call Tracey Pitcock at 540-955-5149 or email tpitcock@clarkecounty.gov.

19

Squirrels

Love’em or Leave’em. Blandy Experimental Farm. The State Arboretum of Virginia. 400 Blandy Farm Lane. Boyce. 2–4 pm. Love them or not, everyone has a squirrel story: their playful antics, or how they eat your bird seed or dig in your garden. This family event begins with a short illustrated talk that includes squirrel crafts, games, and activities and ends with observation of Blandy’s squirrels. For the whole family, but no dogs please. FOSA members $10. nonmembers $12. Member family $20. Nonmember family $25. For information call 540-837-1758 Ext. 226 or visit http://blandy.virginia.edu.

19

Soup and Sandwich Luncheon

Boyce Volunteer Fire Company. 7 S. Greenway Ave. Boyce. 11am–1:30pm. Free will offering to benefit Relay for Life of Clarke County. Sponsored by Stepping Stones Community Action Team.

19

Watercolor Workshop

with Julie Read. Fire House Gallery. 23 E. Main Street. Berryville.  9am–12pm. Back by Popular Demand! Learn from a master. Each of Julie’s watercolors tells a story with their tone, perspective, and subject matter. Her paintings include incredible scenes of flowers grown in her garden, pigs, whimsical chickens, cows, lovely local landscapes, and trees. $40 includes materials, but 2 brushes needed, and feel free to bring your own paints! To sign up and get more info, please email info@firehousegalleryva.com or call 540 955 4001. Spaces are limited!

19

Prize Bingo            Fundraiser

John H. Enders Fire Hall, 9 S. Buckmarsh St, Berryville. Doors open at 1pm and Bingo starts at 2. Event benefits the non-profit Blue Ridge Center for Therapeutic Horsemanship.  $20 in advance. $25 at the door. 14 prize-filled games. Raffles for very special Thirty-One prize, 50/50, and themed baskets.  Chili, snacks and beverages available. Proceeds will provide scholarships for students with special needs and funds to help care for our therapy horses and ponies. Tickets can be purchased online at marchbingofundraiser.bpt.me or by contacting us at 540-533-2777 or brcthinc@hotmail.com.

 

20

Guild of Fabric     Artists

Clarke County Parks and Recreation. 225 Al Smith Circle. Berryville. 2–4pm. Designed to support and facilitate the creation and exhibition of members’ fabric art. A different study, will be explored each month. Everyone will be asked to show & tell about works in progress and completed work.  $1. Ages 18 and up. Leader: Joyce Badanes. For information call 540-955-5140.

20

Corda Nova Baroque

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Court, Berryville. Doors open at 3pm. Show starts at 4. Corda Nova Baroque is an early music ensemble that focuses on bringing lesser known Baroque works to wider audiences in a historically informed manner. Corda Nova Baroque‘s successful first season included programs of German Stylus Fantasticus works and Italian sonatas in Washington DC, Middleburg, VA and  Philadelphia. The ensemble’s second season included performances with soprano Rebecca Mariman and French Baroque selections performed in Washington DC, Princeton NJ, and the group’s New York City debut on the GEMS Midtown Concert Series. $20 in advance. $25 at the door. For more information visit  www.barnsofrosehill.org.

22

Why Poverty?

Documentary night at My Neighbor and Me. 15 E. Main Street. Berryville. Film “Stealing Africa”. One hour film followed by group discussion. 7–9pm. Free. Leader: Christina Kraybill. 540-955-8124. www.myneighborandme.com.

23

Volunteer Training

for Therapeutic Riding. Blue Ridge Center for Therapeutic Horsemanship. 644 Lime Marl Lane. Millwood.  BRCTH invites enthusiastic and caring individuals to become lesson volunteers for 8-week spring session which begins the week of April 11.  Must be at least 14 years of age.  Equine experience required for the position of horse leader, and is preferred, but not required for side-walkers.  Trainees attend Orientation at 6pm on Weds, March 23, and then one of several hands-on trainings being offered over next several days. Contact Margie Youngs at brcthinc@hotmail.com or at 540-533-2777.

23

Full Moon Walk

Blandy Experimental Farm. The State Arboretum of Virginia. 400 Blandy Farm Lane. Boyce. 7:30–9 pm. Explore the Arboretum under the full moon. Wear comfortable shoes, bring a flashlight, and explore the natural world at dusk and after dark. FOSA members $10. nonmembers $12. Member family $20. Nonmember family $25. Reservations Required. For information call 540-837-1758 Ext. 226 or visit http://blandy.virginia.edu.

26

Community Health Forum

Living and Dying with Our Choices: Community Impact of Risk Behaviors and Narcotics. The presentation will take place at 10:30am and will be followed by a question and answer period with our panelists.

26

Easter Shop and Hop

Participating Retail Stores. Downtown Berryville. Join Berryville Main Street and participating Berryville merchants for our first Easter Shop and Hop! 11am–4pm. Mom can shop and kids can look for  hidden eggs with special letters in them. When all the letters collected spell EASTER, the kids can come down to the Firehouse Gallery to receive their prize! Participating merchants are The Firehouse Gallery, Modern Mercantile, My Neighbor and Me, Sweetpea’s, Berryville Treasures, Blue Ridge Hospice Thrift Store, and Berryville Auto Parts. For info call Berryville Main Street, 955-4001.

27

Pancake Breakfast

John H. Enders Fire and Rescue. 9 South Buckmarsh Street, Berryville. 7am–12 noon. Come Support your fire and rescue squad and enjoy the finest Pancake Breakfast in the area! Pancakes, Sausage, Eggs, Sausage Gravy, Baked Apples, Coffee, Milk, Hot Tea, Apple & Orange Juice. Adults $8. Children $4. Children under six eat for FREE. For Information Call 540-955-1110 or visit www.endersfire.com.

28

Food Drive

Through April 8. Clarke County High School. 627 Mosby Boulevard, Berryville. Join the Clarke County High School Student School Climate Committee in a Fill the Bus Food Drive to benefit FISH. Bring donations to the main office at Clarke County High School to help fill the bus! The bus will be packed on April 8. Contact Joanne Wolfe at wolfejo@clarke.k12.va.us or 540.955.6130.

April

2

Mark and Maggie O’Connor-American Classics

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Court, Berryville. Doors open at 7pm. Show starts at 8. Don’t miss Grammy-winner Mark O’Connor and his wife, Maggie, as they perform a broad and interconnecting collection of American music through violin solos and duos. American Classics identifies the cornerstones of repertoire, style and wonderful diversity of A New American School of String Playing. $20 in advance. $25 at the door. For more information visit www.barnsofrosehill.org.

5

Why Poverty?

Documentary night at My Neighbor and Me. 15 E. Main Street. Berryville. Film “Education, Education”. One hour film followed by group discussion.  7p-9p. Free. Leader: Christina Kraybill. 540-955-8124. www.myneighborandme.com.

6

Arboretum Walking Tour

Blandy Experimental Farm. The State Arboretum of Virginia. 400 Blandy Farm Lane. Boyce. 2–3:30pm. Come enjoy flowering trees, shrubs, and wildflowers in all their spring glory! Dress for the weather. Free, but Reservations Required—Space is Limited. For information call 540-837-1758 Ext. 226 or visit http://blandy.virginia.edu.

7

BuzzWords Trivia Night

Handley High School’s  Patsy Cline Theater. Hosted by Literacy Volunteers of the Winchester Area. 6:30pm. LVWA offers ESL, computer and basic literacy classes for adults in the Clarke/Frederick area. For more information please visit LVWA.org.

9

Berryville Yard Sales

Downtown Berryville. Rain Date is Saturday, April 16.

 

9

/10 Estate Sale

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Court, Berryville. Second annual “Estate Sale Fundraising event– Fine Art and Home Furnishings” at the Barns. People may consign their artwork, antiques, furniture and home furnishings, or they may want simply to donate a good item to help the Barns raise funds. Items must be clean and in good repair. Suitable items include antiques, fine textiles, silver, china, original works of art, furniture in good repair, lamps, statuary and jewelry.  All items must be delivered to the Barns. Barns staff will be accepting items beginning Saturday, April 2.  Complete information is available at barnsofrosehill.org, or by calling 540-955-2004 between noon and 3PM, Tuesday through Saturday.

9

Kathy’s Art and Spring Dinner

Crums United Methodist Church. 2832 Crum’s Church Rd. Berryville. Join us in support of Kathy Hopson. A very courageous woman battling a mix Oglioastrocytoma, who discovered painting as an outlet for recovery. Presented by the Crum’s United Methodist Women. Free Will Offering Dinner 5–6:30pm with Silent Auction and Sale ending at 7:30pm. Cash or good check. Donations or questions please contact Shawn Nicholson at forothers@rocketmail.com.

9

Book Talk

with the Clarke County Historical Association by Historian John R. Maass: The Road to Yorktown.

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Court, Berryville. 2pm. Join us as military historian John R. Maass discusses his recent book – The Road to Yorktown: Jefferson, Lafayette and the British Invasion of Virginia – which explores the 1781 British invasion of central Virginia in the campaign leading up to the Siege of Yorktown in October 1781. $3 for BORH and CCHA members. $5 for non-members. For more information visit www.barnsofrosehill.org.

9

Joan and Joni

A tribute to Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell. Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Court. Berryville. Doors open at 7pm. Show starts at 8. Joan & Joni is a tribute to Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell performed by singer/songwriters Allison Shapira and Kipyn Martin. Allison and Kipyn are both classically trained musicians from the DC-area folk music scene. In Joan & Joni, Allison and Kipyn bring to the stage many of Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell’s well-known originals and folk songs, as well as a few hidden gems. They also highlight the impact these legendary women have had on their own songwriting and performance. $15 in advance, $20 at the door. For more information visit www.barnsofrosehill.org.

14

Benefit Fashion Show

What Goes Around, Comes Around! Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Court, Berryville. 6:30pm. This fashion show will take you back in time through current fashions with a comparison of what we’re wearing now with possibly what your mother or grandmother wore many years ago as their own current fashion. The memories of the slideshow will take you down memory lane while the models on the runway bring you back to the 21st century with a feeling of nostalgia. “Fashion has always been a repetition of ideas, but what makes it new is the way you put it together” Carolina Herrera, designer. Fashions will be provided by Chico’s of Creekside. There will be a Silent Auction, cash and checks only, to benefit The Clarke County Humane Foundation. Donation of items to the Animal Shelter are also welcome. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door, $10 for students. For more information or tickets please call 540-955-2004, or visit www.barnsofrosehill.org.

15

Rhythm Future Quartet

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Court. Berryville. Doors open at 7pm. Show starts at 8. The acoustic jazz ensemble, Rhythm Future Quartet, has a straightforward agenda: to keep the spirit of Gypsy jazz alive and expanding in today’s musical universe. The virtuosic foursome, named for a Django Reinhardt tune, offers up a newly minted sound, influenced by the classic Hot Club of France, yet wholly contemporary. Led by violinist Jason Anick and guitarist Olli Soikkeli, the quartet performs dynamic and lyrical arrangements of both Gypsy jazz standards and original compositions that draw upon diverse international rhythms and musical idioms. With Max O’Rourke on second guitar and Greg Loughman on bass, Rhythm Future is dedicated to expanding the boundaries of a vital musical genre. $15 in advance, $20 at the door. For more information visit www.barnsofrosehill.org.

15

Mindfulness in Nature

Guided Walking Meditation. Blandy Experimental Farm. The State Arboretum of Virginia. 400 Blandy Farm Lane. Boyce. 6:30–8:30pm. Shell Fischer, Insight Meditation Instructor. Learn to slow down and draw on nature through guided meditation, silent walking, and reflection. Dress for the weather. Ages 16 and older. FOSA members $10. Nonmembers $12. Reservations Required. For information call 540-837-1758 Ext. 226 or visit http://blandy.virginia.edu.

16

Cash Party

John Enders Fire Hall. 9 South Buckmarsh St., Berryville. Doors open at 5:30. Crazy Cash Party and BBQ Dinner. Grand Prize $1500. Only 275 tickests. Call 540-955-1110 or email secretary@endersfire.com.

In Memory: JoAnna Williams Schulz

/in /by

This is the day the lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. — Psalm 118:24

On Sunday, January 3, family and friends gathered to share the life of JoAnna Williams Schulz. If it wasn’t clear before, it couldn’t be missed after … JoAnna loved fiercely and was fiercely loved.

“Beginnings are scary, endings are very sad; it’s everything in between that makes it all worth living.” — Sandra Bullock, Hope Floats

JoAnna didn’t have an easy life, but she had a lot to live for. Her brothers shared of a family divided, but bound by a deep unspoken love. For JoAnna, she found her emotional voice with the love of her life, JD. Their union created two precious children, Alecia and Ted.

“This is one of the miracles of love: It gives a power of seeing through its

own enchantments and yet not being disenchanted.” — C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

JD’s too soon departure left a great void in their small woven tapestry. With determination and without complaint, JoAnna raised her children to fly on their own, never missing a chance to encourage, prod, redirect, cheer on…or laugh. JoAnna knit together a family, not just by blood, but in community. Her laughter, her joy in friendship and family, her faith will be missed…but it lives on in those who shared her life. Everything in between is what makes life worth living and meant everything to JoAnna! She was loved deeply and will be missed fiercely. Through JoAnna we found it is okay to say “I Love You”!

“What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose, For all that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” — Helen Keller

 

Around Clarke County

/in , /by

February

13 Self-Defense Basics

Clarke County Recreation Center, 255 Al Smith Circle, Berryville; 6:45–8:45pm. Learn awareness of one’s surroundings, how to create escape routes, hit & run tactics, releases from holds, fighting strategies and use of common objects as self-defense tools. Ages 16 and up. 1 class. Instructor: Steven LaForce. $13 For information call 540-955-5140.

 

15

Red Cross Babysitter Training

Clarke County Recreation Center, 255 Al Smith Circle, Berryville; 9am–3:30pm. This course can help participants care for children and infants, be a good leader and role model, make good decisions and solve problems, keep the children you baby-sit and yourself safe, handle emergencies such as injuries, illnesses and household accidents, and more. Bring a packed lunch. Successful completion of final tests is required for certification. Ages 11–15. $70. 1 class. For more information call 540-955-5140.

 

20

Furnace Mountain

w/ Julie Miles Art Exhibit Opening. Barns of Rose Hill, 95 Chalmers Ct., Berryville. A special evening of music by Furnace Mountain and artwork by Julie Miles. Furnace Mountain is Aimee Curl on bass and vocals, Danny Knicely on mandolin and fiddle, Dave Van Deventer on fiddle, and Morgan Morrison on guitar, bouzouki, and vocals. The band creates music that is at times lively and raucous, with spirited fiddle melodies weaving in and around the powerful rhythms of the bass and bouzouki, and other times poignant and poetic. Exhibit opens at 7. Music starts at 8. $15 in advance $20 at the door. For information visit www.barnsofrosehill.org.

 

20

4-H Spaghetti Dinner & Auction

Clarke County Ruritan Building. Dinner is from 5–7pm (including silent auction). Live auction starts at 6:30. Auction items typically include homemade cakes, wine tastings, Rubbermaid products, home & garden items, sporting goods, restaurant gift certificates, collectibles, toys, gift baskets, live trees and much more! The funds raised will help the Clarke County 4-H Volunteer Leaders’ Association (VLA) improve and enhance opportunities available to 4-H members. VLA directly supports the 4-H youth and its educational programs such as 4-H camp scholarship assistance, regional, state and national educational competitions, and higher education scholarships. The mission of 4-H is to empower youth to reach their full potential, working and learning in partnership with caring adults.

21

Terra Voce

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct., Berryville. Terra Voce is a flute and cello duo known for lively and creative programs combining the diverse and the unexpected. Cellist Andrew Gabbert and flutist Elizabeth Brightbill thrill audiences with their virtuosity, engaging, conversational style of presentation, and their genre-expanding programs that explore musical styles ranging from Baroque to Brazilian choro, contemporary tango, Irish traditional, and beyond. Concert starts at 4pm. doors open at 3:30. $20 in advance. $25 at the door. For information visit www.barnsofrosehill.org.

 

26

Salam Neighbor

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct., Berryville. Salam (Hello) Neighbor is a film and campaign to connect the world to refugees. Immerse yourself into the life of a Syrian refugee through the journey of Chris and Zach as the first filmmakers allowed to be registered and given a tent inside of a refugee camp. In Syria alone, more than 4 million people have fled the country to escape the atrocities of war. Movie starts at 7. Doors open at 6:30. There is a suggested donation of $10; 70% of proceeds go to Save the Children www.savethechildren.org. For information visit www.barnsofrosehill.org.

 

28 Winter Film Series

Mistress America, at the Barns of Rose Hill, 95 Chalmers Ct., Berryville. College freshman Tracy Fishko (Lola Kirke) is having trouble adjusting to college life at Barnard. On her mother’s advice she contacts her soon-to-be stepsister, who also lives in New York, Brooke (Greta Gerwig). Tracy is immediately entranced by Brooke and her life-style, and becomes wrapped up in Brooke’s dream to open a restaurant. The Winter Film Series is presented by Barns of Rose Hill and Magic Lantern Theater. Film starts at 4. Doors open at 3:30. $5 for BORH and Magic Lantern members. $8 for non-members. For information visit www.barnsofrosehill.org.

 

March

 

2

Russian Duo

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct., Berryville. Russian Duo is an international project, born out of a love of traditional music and classical elegance. Oleg Kruglyakov, balalaika virtuoso, and Terry Boyarsky, masterful pianist, have teamed up for exuberant performances of soulful, passionate music. Music starts at 8. Doors open at 7:30. $20 in advance $25 at the door. For information visit www.barnsofrosehill.org; see article on page 16.

4

The Plank Stompers

Barns of Rose Hill, 95 Chalmers Ct., Berryville. Plank Stompers do not like to think of themselves as a group; but rather, as a movement. Before knowing Plank Stompers, you must first know the Preamble to the Stompstitution: “We, the Stompers of the United Planks, in order to form a more funky union, establish ruckus, insure intergalactic stank-quility, and provide listening pleasure to whoever we may encounter along the way, do hereby proclaim: If sound was butter, and the last 250 years were a biscuit, then Plank Stompers would be the hypothetical knife that smears, scrapes, and swirls all of the sounds from the past together. Pickaxes and pianos, war whoops and woodwinds, fiddles sawin’ and crows cawin’, bass drones and mobile phones, all getting pushed into a greasy noise anthology.” Music starts at 8. Doors open at 7:30. $15 in advance $20 at the door. For information visit www.barnsofrosehill.org.

 

4

/5 Trunk Art Show

by Cosmic Harvest! Fire House Gallery. 23 E. Main Street. Berryville. 5–7pm Friday. 11am–4pm Saturday. Local artists Keith and Kelli Patterson will share not only their art, but their philosophy in our first Trunk Art Show. They believe in supporting sustainable agriculture and will be donating part of their proceeds to a local organization (as yet undecided). Keith works with acrylics, using his own “drip and splatter” technique and bold color palettes that blend to create a unique vibrancy on his paintings. Kelli works in mixed media collages and incorporates vintage and repurposed items into her pieces. For more information visit Firehousegalleryva.com or call 540-955-4001.

 

5

Book Signing

Best selling local author Forrest Pritchard at the Fire House Gallery, 23 E. Main Street. Berryville; 1-3 pm. the author of Growing Tomorrow and Gaining Ground will be at the Gallery to sign books and answer questions about sustainable farming and life as a farmer/writer from Clarke County. Refreshments will include nitrate-free beef sticks and other delicious foods from the author’s Smith Meadows Farm. For information visit Firehousegalleryva.com or call 540-955-4001.

10

Sketch This!

A Drawing Workshop with Tia Maggio, Fire House Gallery. 23 E. Main Street. Berryville; 7pm. Learn how to draw what you see, not what you know, with artist and teacher Tia Maggio. Tia is an artist based in Millwood with 15 years experience as an art educator. With creative exercises in a relaxed environment, master the basics of drawing. Supplies included. $40/session. More classes coming in April. No prior experience necessary—artists of all levels are welcome. For information visit Firehousegalleryva.com or call 540-955-4001.

 

13

Madeline MacNeil Concert

Barns of Rose Hill, 95 Chalmers Ct., Berryville. Join Madeline MacNeil for an evening of tunes and songs. Since 1972, when she began performing in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park, MacNeil has brought listeners into the song. Her interest in stories first brought the mountain and hammered dulcimers to her attention, for they are part of this country’s musical history. She’s been honored by folk organizations and festivals across the country. Music starts at 6:30pm. Doors open at 6. $15 in advance. $20 at the door. For information visit www.barnsofrosehill.org.