Photography by Tera Janelle Auch

While driving down Thomas Jefferson Road in Forest, there are two vistas sure to catch your eye at any time of year: the Peaks of Otter and a sprawling brick Georgian Colonial. When it comes to Christmastime, however, the brick manor steals the show.

Rachel and Wayne Beeler don’t just deck the halls—they garnish the gazebo, embellish the fountain, and make sure that every view indoors and out points to the Christmas season. “I just love being happy, and I love to help other people feel happy—that’s one of the reasons that I do all of this every year,” Rachel explains.

She has always loved Christmas, but she didn’t start decorating for the holiday room by room until the Beelers moved to Poplar Forest and began adding several small Christmas trees in other rooms here and there over the years. That was more than 20 years and 20 trees ago, before the Beelers began looking for a home “with a little land.” Their current home is not only gracious in acreage, but also comes with more square footage, and more rooms means more Christmas trees.

While the rest of us are busy decorating with pumpkins and scarecrows, Rachel starts thinking about Christmas. “The children love to come trick-or-treating here, and not only because I give out the best candy!” she smiles. Kids in costumes are delighted to see a 12-foot tree in the foyer when they stop by. Preparations for the season commence at the beginning of October, starting by bringing all of the accoutrements out of storage. Rachel used to manage all of the decorations herself and didn’t necessarily want help: “I was raised to work,” she explains, starting with her job at Chapstick on the conveyor lines and then spending 16 years working for GE. Rachel remains diligent and has not forgotten her roots, but she has discovered that her energy levels have changed after having had—and beaten—thyroid cancer several years ago. “Now I have a team of 15 to 20 elves that come in over the course of the fall who help me set it all up,” she explains.

From the St. Nick in the fountain and near life-sized nutcrackers, all the hard work pays off. It’s impossible to feel that you haven’t entered a branch of Santa’s workshop or a North Pole satellite location when you pull up the driveway. You might see Kris Kringle and the missus themselves setting up shop in the gazebo, or small elves in the nooks and crannies of bookcases. Chandeliers, headboards, mirrors, even the bath—all receive the special Beeler treatment.

Like most of us, Rachel likes to change up her décor each year, finding new places for treasured adornments, and adding a few updates to her collection. She enjoys shopping everywhere for interesting decorations, but her favorite place to find decorations is Hobby Lobby. She shares that for years she had kept hearing about Hobby Lobby on the radio, but she’d never been in one. So when she and Wayne (owners of Sterling Oil) were out making deliveries one day and they passed by a Hobby Lobby, she just had to get out of the car and check it out. “I thought it was going to be a hobby store—and it is—but I had no idea that they carried home goods, too. I thought I had died and gone to heaven; it was Christmas everywhere in there!” Even though the Beelers arrived at the store with a pick-up truck packed with AC units to deliver to customers, Rachel had the sales clerk package up all of her goods and strap them down to the truck.

“Wayne likes to joke that [stopping at Hobby Lobby] was the ‘worst mistake’ of his life,” Rachel laughs.

A native of Bedford County’s Nicopolis community, Rachel met local Lynchburger Wayne Beeler in the early ’60s when she and her gal pals would have fun cruising Wards Road between checking out Lindy’s Big Boy and The Southern in her cousin Esther’s 1964 Chevrolet. It was on one of those nights that Rachel spotted Wayne driving his red 1963 Chevrolet. “I looked at the girls and said, ‘I’m going to marry that man.’” She was right—the Beelers just celebrated 51 years of marriage this past May. They have a reminder of that Chevy in the form of a figurine they keep in the downstairs TV room, where they like to relax.

Wayne and Rachel, who wed during her senior year of high school, found themselves heading out to Oregon when Wayne was in the Air Force. That’s where they celebrated their first Christmas. While she isn’t sure if she still has any mementos from that first year, Rachel certainly has a fond memory of being a new wife at Christmas.

“I set a small tree on a table, took a picture of it, and sent it home to show my family a bit of our Christmas out West. Well, would you believe that we started getting gifts from my family in the mail? They sent us gifts because they felt sorry for us that we didn’t have much of anything under the tree—they thought it was so pitiful,” she laughs, “but the truth was that we were as happy as could be with our little tree and just being together.”

The Beelers came back to Lynchburg soon after and bought a home off Timberlake Road, which they own to this day. “We loved that house,” she reminisces of the house where they raised their two children, Donna and Mike. All of the family, including the Beelers’ grandchildren, live nearby and enjoy spending time at Rachel’s home, especially during the holidays.

People come from all over the area to see the Beelers’ tasteful and traditional displays. After Thanksgiving, Rachel begins hosting tours of her holiday home for different groups (e.g. church groups and women’s clubs).

“I love seeing everyone’s reactions and the expressions on their faces. People feel happy when they come through; I love seeing that.”

Tours conclude with refreshments in her year-round party room, a former garage that the Beelers converted into a banquet area. Eight round tables and Chivari chairs accommodate 32 guests. This room, of course, receives the special Beeler Christmas treatment, and she keeps it ready for year-round entertaining, switching décor seasonally (they also host Easter and an annual barbecue). This is where the family hosts relatives, close family friends, and her “elves” for a country-style Christmas breakfast.

Her current take on getting her home holiday-ready is very different from her first December as a newlywed; still, she has always remembered that very first Christmas season. Just like the Christmases from her childhood, it served as a celebration of hope, joy and love. All of her decorating stems from this deeply nostalgic and spiritually personal place of bringing joy to others. “We had so much love at Christmas. I mean,
we had a lot of love all year round, but we felt it so strongly at Christmas. Our celebrations were meaningful,” says Rachel.

“Love—that’s what we had at Christmas,” Rachel recalls, and that is what she strives to bring to her home and to her guests every year.

How to Add Color to your home for the holidays

Every year, Rachel Beeler evaluates each room’s purpose and colors to determine its seasonal treatment. For most of us, red and green forms a twosome synonymous with Christmas, but those aren’t the only hues available for holiday decorating. Take a cue from Rachel and add Christmas décor beyond the living room: consider the prevalent palette of each room to find which Christmas color combo will work best for that space. Here are a few to try:

1. White and metallics such as gold or silver (or a mix of the two) offer plenty of shine and glimmer.

2. Gold and purple, the colors of royalty, seem right for this season of heralding a newborn king.

3. White, silver, and forest green evoke the palette of wintry landscape and play well with neutrals.

4. Jewel tones, such as the kind Rachel uses in her holiday dining room, look refined when paired with metallics, but they also provide a dose of whimsy when used with lime green.

5. Sage green and ivory always look elegant and give a nod to nature.

Look What I Found!

Have you bought Dad a tie more times than you can count? Or do your kids’ presents always seem to be the same cheap plastic year after year? Whatever Christmas shopping dilemma you’re facing, the 12th annual “Look What I Found!” Holiday Gift Guide is a place to get ideas and inspiration. On the next few pages, check out some items we hand-picked from local stores—a little something for everyone on your list!

Enjoy our Virtual Gift Guide below! You can zoom in to read all the details!

“Best Of Lynchburg” Contest
The people of Lynchburg once again came out in force to vote for all of the nominees in the “Best Of Lynchburg” contest. We counted 115,000 votes on the Lynchburg Living website this year! Look for the winners in the January/February issue. Thank you for logging on!

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AT THE D-DAY MEMORIAL IN BEDFORD
Photos by Titus Pettman

Thousands of luminaries will shine at the National D-Day Memorial December 8-10 in recognition of the 4,413 men killed on June 6, 1944. Luminaries can be purchased in honor or memory of anyone, D-Day veteran or not. Visit www.dday.org to learn more.

Do you think you have a good perspective on the Lynchburg area?
If so, send us a photo of what you feel is special to this area and it just may end up in the next issue of Lynchburg Living! Send all images (shot in high resolution, of course) to shelley@lynchburgmag.com.

Mark Your Calendars November/December

Holiday Candlelight Tour at Thomas Jefferson’s
Poplar Forest December 1-2, 7-9, 14-16
History and the holidays collide at Mr. Jefferson’s retreat. Experience Christmas 19th-century style as you tour the home and see how he and his family spent their evenings.

Deck the Hills in Downtown Lynchburg
December 2
The Downtown Lynchburg Association is launching this new, family-friendly celebration on the Bluffwalk. Celebrate the season with a tree contest, food, craft vendors and more.

A Christmas Carol at Renaissance Theatre
December 1-2, 8-10, 14-16
Renew and recharge your giving spirit as Charles Dickens’ classic holiday story comes to life on this well-known community theater stage.

Children’s Holiday Festival at Amazement Square
December 9
A little celebration to help the kids pass the time as they countdown to December 25. Enjoy a pancake breakfast, photos with Santa and holiday crafts.

Wreaths Across America at Old City Cemetery
December 16
Step away from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season to remember those who have served our country. Following a brief ceremony, attendees will lay evergreen wreaths on veterans’ graves.

Local Openings & Closings

Hello! to 5th Street Grind, a new coffee shop on 5th Street.

Hello! to indoor shooting range SafeSide Tactical on Mayflower Drive.

Hello! to BurittOh! in the Forest Square Shopping Center.

Goodbye to the Blue Orchid on Lakeside Drive (catering will continue).

Hello! to Imagination Station Studio in the Forest Square Shopping Center.

Goodbye to the Cheesy Rider food truck.

Hello! to Urbavore, featuring vegan recipes on Church Street.

Hello! to My Dog Duke’s Diner, opening soon on Commerce Street.

Celebrates 10 Years
of Mischief, Merriment,
and Breaking the Mold

“Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers by night / May become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright.”
—Curt Siodmak, screenwriter of the 1941 horror film The Wolf Man

In 2008, a group of friends in Appomattox was determined to find a venue for their production of Bat Boy: The Musical. After reading the musical, director and actor Dustin Williams wanted to bring it to life, and he and several of his friends happened to comprise the perfect cast. Finding a venue, however, was not quite so easy. “I went from theatre to theatre, asking if they would be willing to host our production,” Williams says. “Bat Boy is a bit risqué and not-quite-your-standard theatre, so we were met with a lot of hesitation.”

After a long and fruitless search, Williams decided to break the bad news to his fellow actors. He intended to call his friend Larry first, but instead he accidentally called Larry Hart, Heritage High School’s theatre teacher, who had already passed on hosting the production. “When I realized I had reached the wrong guy, I floundered a bit and made up some excuse for the random call,” Williams recalls. “Just before I hung up, he stopped me and said that he’d been thinking a lot about my request to do Bat Boy and it was a show he really wanted to see, so since we hadn’t found any other space, he went ahead and gave me a green light. We had a space!”

Hart’s one caveat was that Williams come up with a name for his company so people wouldn’t think that Heritage High School students were involved in what Williams calls a “bloody, insane show.” Williams decided on Wolfbane, taken from a quote from the 1941 horror film The Wolf Man, because it speaks not only to the theme of Bat Boy, but also to his personal philosophy about the transformative power of theatre. “The theme of Bat Boy was ‘don’t deny your beast inside’ and we loved the idea of theatre transforming folks into a wilder, freer version of themselves and fighting against the stuffy stereotype,” Williams says. “So we became Wolfbane.”

Nearly ten years later, Wolfbane continues to push the envelope and deliver unconventional, high-caliber shows to unconventional, delighted audiences. “We work hard to pick shows that are not focused at a traditional theatre audience,” Williams says. “We are on a mission to re-brand theatre and let the general public know that it is not only for the wealthy or the stuffy or the elite. Wolfbane shows are first and foremost immersive and experience-based. We have a base that is not your typical theatre group. In fact, we try to avoid using the word ‘theatre’ in our branding. This way we reach a lot of folks who would typically shy away from seeing live theatre.”

In addition to putting on inherently offbeat productions like Evil Dead: The Musical!, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Bubble Boy: The Musical, Wolfbane has also created and produced original adaptations of several Shakespeare classics. “Probably the most fulfilling productions have been our original adaptations of the Shakespeare classics,” Williams says. “We’ve done a reimagined Tempest that was set on a fantasy Celtic island and a Macbeth staged outside in the middle of the Blue Ridge, where we built a massive castle set and had full battles that stretched across the countryside. We produced a 90’s pop musical version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the forest at the Devils Backbone Brewing Company in Roseland, and this past year we produced our Civil War adaptation of Romeo and Juliet at Appomattox Court House Historical National Park. All of these are tailored towards Wolfbane’s unique brand of theatre and it’s wonderful to see audiences fall in love with them.”

Williams, who divides his time between New York City and Appomattox, was casting for a Wolfbane production in NYC in 2012 when he met actor Ken Arpino. “I met Wolfbane’s founder Dustin Williams five years ago in New York,” Arpino recalls. “He was casting Bare: A Pop Opera at the time and wanted me to consider one of the roles. I said no. He was persistent and eventually talked me into it.” Arpino quickly felt at home at Wolfbane and is now its Director of Development. “Wolfbane was unlike any other theatre I had worked for,” he says. “The company members have such a genuine passion for the work, an energetic, creative drive, and true sense of family. I felt so welcome—and challenged—and knew I wanted to be a part of it.” Arpino and Williams agree that Appomattox is the ideal home
for Wolfbane.

“Wolfbane is comprised of a bunch of self-described nerds—history nerds included—and Appomattox’s rich history is a huge draw for us,” Arpino says. “The Civil War ended here. Slavery ended here. The stories we could create about this area are unending. Also, the landscapes in this area are gorgeous. As an outdoor theatre, it is important that we feel connected to the natural environments we work in. We feel very at home here.”

Williams adds that “the community has absolutely embraced Wolfbane and we are beyond excited about the future of Wolfbane in our Appomattox home.”

That future looks bright indeed. After becoming a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and increasing their season from 10 weeks to 23 weeks in 2015 and bringing their entire season to the outdoor amphitheater Wolf P.A.C. (Performing Arts Center) last year, Wolfbane has cemented itself as a major Appomattox attraction. As the vice-chair of the Experience Appomattox campaign, Arpino hopes that this initiative will generate even more interest in Wolfbane and other area attractions and thus bolster the community. “The Experience Appomattox campaign was created by a group of Appomattox entities with a vested interest in tourism growth,” he says. “We love our community and want to see our visitor numbers and spending increase. Tourism is a huge revenue generator, job creator, and opportunity provider. As a committee, we hope to attract a diverse array of visitors from all over the world to our little corner of Central Virginia.”

Despite an increasingly demanding schedule, Williams, Arpino, and Resident Designer Christine Yepsen also make time to promote arts education. In addition to offering master classes for both high school and college students, Wolfbane has established an annual theatre exchange for high school students at Heritage High School after a hugely successful inaugural exchange this year.

“The theatre exchange gives students the chance to show off their talents and meet other creatives from the area,” Arpino says.

“It is a great way for students to work with industry professionals, ask questions, and work on new material. The Theatre Exchange is valuable to students looking to work on the stage or behind the scenes, and it’s a great chance for Wolfbane to meet local talent.

We have offered internship and acting opportunities to students who have participated.” He adds that arts education is important for everyone in that “the arts build confidence, sharpen public speaking skills, enhance team building, promote strict discipline, and challenge critical thinking daily. These are traits that are pivotal to potential employers, college interviews, and leadership roles in general.”

As Wolfbane forges ahead into its second—and likely even more exciting—decade of operation, its staff hopes to continue to entertain audiences from both near and far, boost tourism in Appomattox, share their expertise and enthusiasm with students, and perhaps even to break into a little thing called Broadway. “Eventually, we would love to see one of our pieces produced on Broadway,” says Arpino, who has acted in the Broadway touring companies of Mamma Mia!, Legally Blonde: the Musical!, and Hairspray. No matter what audience Wolfbane reaches, its ultimate goal is to create a fun and unique experience that particular audience will never forget. “Not only do I get to play in the woods, work with some of the best people you’ll ever meet, and lose myself in the most awesome shows; I also get to watch audiences go on the ride we’ve set up for them,” Williams says. “Their reactions and enjoyment are everything.”

Title: Architectural Renderer, Owner of Point Of View, LLC | Age: 68

How long have you been doing this and what led you down this career path?
As I was growing up I was constantly drawing and loved art projects. But when I entered college I floundered with general art courses. A wise professor recognized this and suggested I look into some design-oriented paths. I switched over to Architectural Design and was surprised to learn that most assignments included doing renderings in perspective and color to show the instructor we could visualize the final design. While most of the class groaned at the notion of drawing, I was ecstatic. As a professional Interior Designer, I would get requests from my colleagues to produce some for their presentations. I made the decision to turn renderings into a business, and now I’m in my 36th year.

You have created a business around what can be considered a “lost art” in the architecture world. How did computers change the demand for hand-drawn architectural renderings?
I graduated in 1978 B.C. (Before Computers) so for me personally it was many years before Computer Aided Design (CAD) started to encroach on the hand-drawn market. As personal computers got more sophisticated with 3D capabilities, it seemed like everyone was getting into the act. This took some of my business away, but not enough to lure me away from the pencil. I also realized that even though the demand for hand-drawn images diminished somewhat, the recognition of the benefits and importance of renderings increased throughout the design industry.

And as you can attest, a lot of businesses and organizations still want that hand-drawn “look.” Why?
CAD generates an almost too photo-realistic representation for the design concept. As a significant part of design presentations, clients get more excited looking at a visual that has an artistic look. Another advantage to the hand-drawn method comes when the design is still in the conceptual stage. Computers can only convey specifics where art has imagination and can fill in the blanks.

Do you still love it just as much as when you started?
Absolutely. I consider what I do as providing a service to the architecture community. The ultimate satisfaction comes when the client regards my drawings as an essential part of their design process. I have a photograph of a CEO giving the press corps a tour of a new hotel during construction and carrying a stack of my renderings to show what each space will ultimately look like. That’s pretty rewarding.

What types of renderings have you drawn for clients over the years?
There are quite a few renderers who specialize in exterior building art, but few concentrate on interiors as I do. But that doesn’t limit the subjects that I’m asked to produce, especially in the commercial field. Hotel jobs usually include lobbies, restaurants, bars, guestrooms, pool areas, etc. Museum exhibits and custom trade show booths are always a treat because there’s usually a lot of fantasy involved. Of course, I always look forward to the house drawings for homeowners who want their dream home in art. Some realtors even give them as appreciation gifts to clients for choosing them to list their home.

Which ones are your favorite to do? Any drawing in particular you are the most proud of?
A real sense of pride comes from doing local projects, like when I saw my rendering of the Lynchburg College Drysdale Student Center on a couple of billboards. I’m especially proud of how the exterior of the new Lynchburg Humane Society building turned out, not to mention several views of the Randolph College Student Center and several financial institutions. My favorite ones happen when I can look at the design elements I’m given to render and instantly know if I feel a connection to the space and would like to visit it after it’s built.

Tell us how the process goes when you work with a client, from start to finish.
It all begins when a designer or architect gives me their design package that includes blueprints of the room or building, photos of furnishings and material samples. They indicate the viewpoint they’d like to show, and I visualize what all these pieces of the puzzle will look like as a final design. I email the drawing in stages for their input just to make sure they don’t have any second thoughts about their design. Perspective drawings have a way of revealing surprises even to the designer.

And computers can make things a lot easier at times, right?
Before computers I was creating renderings directly on illustration boards big enough for presentations, making changes and design revisions nearly impossible. Being able to scan the original to digital format, I can render a change if necessary in a separate drawing then cut and paste it onto the original. I consider this a supplement to my mixed media creation. And of course, emailing drawings saves me from delivery issues and connects me with clients all over the country I’ve never met—and they receive them instantly. In addition, as a digital image the client has the ability of sending the art conveniently to printing services to reproduce them in sizes from a billboard to a brochure.

What types of mediums do you use when creating a rendering?
Markers are my primary tool, and accents are made with colored pencils. In school, they teach the mechanics of creating perspective, but not how to render. I got my hand on every rendering book I could and studied different techniques and styles and marker seemed to be a good fit for me. Marker manufacturers have come a long way since the “Magic Marker” days, and now offer hundreds of colors and tones that give me more realism and flexibility. I’ve been able to develop a wash effect that many clients mistakenly identify as watercolor. And that’s all right with me!

What advice would you have for someone wanting to enter this field?
Expect to put any artistic ego aside. Realize not all design projects to be rendered are award winners, but treat them as though they are. My job is to convey the vision of the designer in the most aesthetically effective means and in the least amount of time possible. Having a design background helps in understanding the designer’s development process, but that also means accepting the constant revisions that occur throughout the drawing creation with grace.
How can readers get in touch with you?

My website: povrenderings.com or Facebook: facebook.com/povrenderings

Before you start that New Year’s Resolution, check out these 4 locally-made desserts that we’re sweet on

Tis the season for overindulging, pouring another one, excessive eating—and definitely ordering dessert. These days almost everywhere you turn there is a bakery, pastry shop or food truck ready to supply whatever your sweet tooth desires. Check out these top local treats—just don’t ask us to pick a favorite!

Holiday Macarons
at Mrs. Joy’s Absolutely
Fabulous Treats

Mrs. Joy’s Absolutely Fabulous Treats has gained national attention due to the lovely owner Mrs. Joy, who won Food Network’s Christmas Cookie Challenge in 2015. Her cookies are certainly tops, but they’re just a tiny sampling of all that she has to offer at the cozy Commerce Street business.

I was most interested in hearing about the treat Mrs. Joy has a love/hate relationship with—the delicate macaron. Even if every intricate step is followed the exact same way each time the macaron is prepared, outside factors such as the weather can prove disastrous to the final product. “They are the most finicky treat that I make and every time they go into the oven I pray they grow feet and look like they are supposed to,” she explained.

The good news is Mrs. Joy has perfected her macaron-making technique. The peppermint flavor macarons (made in the shape of an actual peppermint) are perfect for a hostess gift this holiday season. Or scoop up a few Christmas ornament macarons to take to a family dinner. Call ahead to make your order today.

Key Lime Bites
at Simply Irresistible Bakery

Sometimes the best treats are inspired by a “need” in the kitchen. Loretta Toulon, owner of Simply Irresistible Bakery on Jefferson Street, can make just about anything. But people swoon over her Key Lime bites.

“When I worked at Depot Grille, one of the managers was obsessed with my Key Lime pie. He asked if there was a bite-sized version he could just pop in his mouth whenever he wanted and this recipe was what I came up with,” she explained.

Her Key Lime bites have a lime sugar cookie crust with a Key Lime pie filling; we are sure you won’t be able to just have one.

The Jefferson
at Ice Cream Dream

Years ago, Bobby Walker used to dream of having an ice cream shop. Now, his ice cream dream is a reality on Jefferson Street, where he runs a hip, well designed, and unique sweet shop.

You’ll find all of your favorites on the menu, plus something you may not expect—Belgian waffles.

“I like the waffle idea because you can have so much fun creating different options using waffles, ice cream, and various toppings,” said Bobby. “Our ‘Classic Waffle’—a house favorite—comes with a golden brown Belgian-style waffle topped with fresh strawberries, whipped cream, a dash of powdered sugar, and a honey drizzle. It’s kinda like cake and ice cream. How can you resist?”

Oh Bobby, we can’t.

The waffles are scratch made in house each day and seem to be most popular for weekend brunch or even a late-night snack. The top seller waffle (and my personal favorite) is “The Jefferson,” which is topped with strawberries, bananas, whipped cream and Nutella, and a honey drizzle.

PSL
at Rookie’s

Rookie’s in Forest, previously known as Mookie’s, is the genius brain child of Jordan Nickerson and his wife Holly. They opened their “windows” in March and have been cranking out handcrafted ice cream sandwiches from their charming food trailer ever since. Jordan says for him, baking is therapeutic and gives him the freedom to do something he enjoys. But it’s also challenging and he’s constantly learning.

While the best seller for the husband wife duo is the Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie with Vanilla Ice Cream, there are plenty of seasonal treats to enjoy this time of year. Pumpkin Spice lovers can rejoice over the PSL, which is a Snickerdoodle Cookie with Pumpkin Ice Cream. They make the cookie from scratch and the ice cream comes from local favorite, Homestead Creamery.

When asked how he comes up with new flavors, Jordan tells me, “We just test and try until we find something that is awesome!”

While there’s no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, following a brain health checklist could help reduce your risk

Leon Hill’s dad has Alzheimer’s disease. It’s been six years now. As he puts it, he and his family are “trying to manage it the best we can. My mom is providing some care with the help of the Alzheimer’s Association. We’ve had some people come in during the day, so Mom can have respite. It’s probably as good a situation as you can have in a bad situation.”

Hill spends many of his autumn Friday nights at Lynchburg City Stadium calling E.C. Glass football games from the press box. He also is the father of two young children. Developing Alzheimer’s, which has been shown to have genetic links, is “one of my great fears,” he said. “To be frank, it is to lose my mind and not know who [my children] are.”

Hill also is on the board of the Central and Western Virginia Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, which bills itself as “the brains behind saving yours.” Alzheimer’s is a brain disease, after all.

While physicians use words like “beta-amyloid,” “tau protein” and “tangles” to explain what’s going on in the brain with Alzheimer’s, the Association simply defines it as “a progressive brain disorder that damages and eventually destroys brain cells, leading to memory loss and changes in thinking and other brain functions.”

As described by Dr. Peter Betz, geriatric psychiatrist at Centra Piedmont Psychiatric Center, the “cardinal features” of the disease are “memory loss or amnesia, difficulty with language and coordination, naming and understanding what objects are and executive function.”

Betz explained executive function as things like, “organizing, planning, sequencing” and “being able to understand complex ideas.”

It’s likely everybody knows someone who has Alzheimer’s disease or has died of Alzheimer’s or is one of the estimated 15 million family members who are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or other dementias.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, it affects millions of Americans in one way or another. Recent stats from the organization are frightening and include the following, among others:

“Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.”

“More than five million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s. By 2050, that number could rise as high as 16 million.”

“In 2017, Alzheimer’s and other dementias will cost the nation $259 billion. By 2050, these costs could rise as high as $1.1 trillion.”

Naturally, people might wonder how to avoid getting this devastating and incurable disease. Luckily, there are things that might reduce your risk.

No smoking. According to the Alzheimer’s Association studies have shown that smoking “increases the risk of cognitive decline” and “quitting smoking can reduce that risk to levels comparable to those who have not smoked.”

Protect your head. Repeated concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, are thought to increase the risk of dementia. Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia. The Alzheimer’s Association also recommends seatbelt use and wearing helmets during contact sports or while bike riding.

Speaking of your head, the Association also recommends taking care of mental health as “some studies link a history of depression with increased risk of cognitive decline.”

Vigorous exercise. “Mine might be different than yours, but it’s got to be vigorous,” Betz said. “Get your heart rate up, sweat, pores open, moving constantly for 20 or more minutes. … It’s got to be consistent and persistent.”

Get enough sleep. Betz recommends getting eight hours of sleep each night, and he recommends getting that sleep during the same time period each night, seven days a week. It’s all part of what he calls “sleep hygiene,” training your body to sleep well.

There are other rules, too: “There are only two things that happen in the bed: sleeping or having sex,” he said. “Not reading in the bed. Not eating or watching TV. No talking about the day, planning vacation, thinking about house colors. Bed is for sleep and sex and you can’t sleep anywhere outside of the bed.”

And taking a sleeping pill doesn’t cut it. Betz said he has “great concerns about anything that we think outsmarts nature.”

Get out among the people. “Staying socially engaged may support brain health,” says the Alzheimer’s Association, which recommends volunteering, joining choirs or clubs, spending time with friends and family and “pursuing social activities that are meaningful to you.”

Hill interacts with lots of people at football games. “Football games allow me to gather significant amounts of data, look at what I’m saying and express it to people in the stands in a way they can understand,” he said, adding that while people are rooting for their kids on the field, “I try to engage them on a level that allows them to feel comfortable.”

Be heart healthy and eat well. “The Mediterranean diet is the healthiest management diet that we can possibly find on this planet,” Betz said. “Others purport that they’re even better, but they’re troublesome and difficult.

“It’s a diabetic diet, of fresh fish, fruits and nuts rather than processed food. Eat a diabetic diet, even if you’re not diabetic and you’re going to get 80 to 90 percent of the Mediterranean diet.”

On that line, there is thought to be a link between diabetes and Alzheimer’s. Among the risk factors for developing Alzheimer’s, Dr. Charles Joseph, a neurologist with the Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine, listed “diabetes mellitus of 10 to 20 years duration before the development of dementia.”

He added that diabetes often develops in middle age and people who want to reduce their risk of Alzheimer’s should “make sure they’re controlling diabetes.”

Keep learning and challenge yourself. “That doesn’t mean just mental activity,” Betz said. “Lots of people say, ‘I do word searches.’ That doesn’t count. Mental exercise needs to be just as hard as the physical exercise. … I’m not denying that word searches can be fun. Something that really causes a lot of brain cells to come into play, in order to problem solve.

“Reading a romance novel or thriller might be great fun [and it’s] better than watching TV, but that’s not what I’m talking about. Like playing chess, concentrating on moves and counter strategies. Learning a new philosophy, understanding ways to think about the world that you’ve never explored before. Learning a new language. It can’t be casual. It’s got to be work.”

As Joseph puts it, “The more you use your brain, the more connections you have. The more you have the more you have to lose.”

Hill, a lifelong athlete, said, “Your mind is a muscle. Anything that you exercise and work out has a better likelihood of being stronger and lasting longer. … The healthier we are the better off we are going to be. Silly as it sounds, you rarely see healthy people keeling over.”

“Most healthy people do relatively well. Even if they have some kind of medical emergency, they recover faster. Pay attention to your mind, heart and body. We believe right now, the healthier you are, the healthier your mind is. The more engaged you are, the better you’re going to be long term.”