Being a teacher is more than just a job. It’s more than a just career. It’s a calling.

Our annual Top Teacher Awards are a way to honor deserving educators who have not only answered this call for public service, but they also go above and beyond to make sure their students are thriving.

After reviewing nominations submitted by parents, students, and colleagues, a panel of judges selected 10 deserving teachers to feature on the following pages.
This list—made up of various school districts, grade levels and subjects—is only a snapshot of the incredible teacher talent we have in our region.
Thank you to Chick-fil-A Wards Road/River Ridge for partnering with us again on this campaign and providing each teacher with a bag of gifts and coupons.

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Lakrisha Scott, Director of Human Resources, Lynchburg City Schools is the Recipient of 2021 Level Up Award from Young Professionals of Central Virginia

Lynchburg Living Editor Shelley Basinger:
Why did you choose to start a career in Human Resources?
Lakrisha Scott: I chose to focus on Human Resources because I believe that people are the most critical asset for every business.

HR is a fascinating field with many disciplines. Over the course of my career, I have come to enjoy focusing on benefits and recruiting. Human Resources plays a pivotal role in attracting, hiring, and maintaining talented employees, which is essential for companies to be successful.

SB: You were recently promoted at Lynchburg City Schools. How has your new job as Director of HR been going so far?
LS: This new role keeps me active for sure! I appreciate the confidence that LCS has shown in me as I have taken on these additional responsibilities. I am fortunate to have a team that really supports one another, and I enjoy every day here in the office working with them as we support the staff and students of LCS. Since the majority of my effort is focused on recruiting and hiring top candidates, I’m looking forward to having an influential role that can truly make a positive difference for students and families in our community.

SB: What goals do you have in your new position for the future?
LS: Ultimately, my goal here at LCS, like my colleagues, is to support our mission of “Every Child, By Name and By Need, to Graduation.” In Human Resources, we may not have direct contact with our students on a daily basis, but that doesn’t mean we don’t contribute to their success. It’s imperative that we build an extensive talent pipeline with diverse professionals who contribute to the success of all students and are committed to promoting educational excellence. Another important goal I have is to promote professional career growth so that we can always grow and get better as educators. Additionally, I want to remain engaged with staff and maintain connections so that we can remain knowledgeable about staff needs and concerns. I aim to reduce employee turnover by remaining engaged, communicative, and offering competitive salaries for all positions.

SB: What kinds of challenges have HR departments faced over the past couple of years during the pandemic and how have you all weathered those challenges?
LS: The HR department has faced challenges over the past couple of years: managing a flexible workforce, remote onboarding, shortage of staff being able to work due to COVID-19, and achieving diversity with inclusion. We have weathered these challenges by utilizing remote onboarding via Zoom, creating a teleworking program, and increasing our substitute candidate pool.

SB: What is life like for you outside of work?
LS: When not working, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends and volunteering in the community. I am an active member of Cross Road Baptist Church, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the YWCA board, the Junior League of Lynchburg, and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

The local founders of this landmark event share why they keep putting in the work, decades later

Raymond and Martha Stokes, of Lynchburg, along with their daughter Lesley Stokes, have always appreciated antiques. But a simple reverence for old stuff wasn’t enough—they also shared a strong desire to build community within the industry, leading to the creation of an event that has transformed the mid-Atlantic’s antiques scene for the better.

It all started in the early 1980s, when Raymond and Martha, eager to share their hobby with locals, coordinated an antiques show as part of Lynchburg’s two-week fall festival called Kaleidoscope, which met at the old city market in Downtown Lynchburg.

“It was well received by the community, and we built a good following of dealers,” said Raymond, now 80 years old. “It’s amazing how this event evolved and grew in support.”

To their surprise and gratitude, the small Kaleidoscope event slowly developed into one of the largest antiques expositions in the mid-Atlantic, now held in Fishersville, Va., right off Exit 91 on I-64 in the Shenandoah Valley. It has quickly become a hot spot for a wide range of antiques and has gathered hundreds of dealers and thousands of buyers semiannually from across the country.

More than 300 exhibitors and dealers participate on average each May and October. The Fishersville Antiques Expo features a wide range of merchandise of all price points, making it affordable for novices, and competitive for seasoned collectors.

“Loving antiques myself, I am just thrilled that we have been able to do this, and that people enjoy it, and that young people learn from it,” said Martha, also 80 years old. “I’m very proud of it.”

Items may include furniture, old tools, jewelry, craft boxes, old advertisements, travel posters, paintings, sculptures, and movie memorabilia. Shoppers can also expect to find an array of comic books, postcards, stamps, glasses, silver, linens, vintage toys, clothing, cast irons, action figures, and even select cars.

“You can come to Fishersville and spend $5 buying something, or you can spend $10,000 on something,” said Raymond. “The range of merchandise is so broad.”

“We want to have a great show, good dealers, and a great experience,” Lesley added.

The 200+ acre venue includes several buildings, a couple of livestock barns, and rows of outdoor space for dealers to set up tents and displays.

“Antique dealers are one of the most honest groups of people that you will ever meet,” Raymond said. “We have dealt with hundreds and hundreds of dealers. They are really kind and have a good set of values. And that is so refreshing. … Most of these dealers are also wonderful educators. They love to share the information that they have because of the passion for what they’re doing.”

Ron and Susan Derrow, owners of Shumake and Johnson Antiques located near the show’s vicinity, have participated as dealers in the expo since its fourth showing. Their business specializes in country furniture—farm tables, cupboards, food safes, and a touch of reproduction folk art.

“Lesley and her parents have just been great people, and they’re good promoters,” said Ron, who has arranged their display in the same spot in the sheep barn for 64 out of the 68 showings.

“That show, it has something for everybody,” Susan added. “It’s not all country.

It’s not all furniture. Most people who want antiques, they can usually find what they are looking for.”

Originally, the Stokes family partnered with fellow dealers Sam and Mary Ferguson to organize the show, but since the Fergusons’ retirement in 2019, the show has been fully operated by the Stokes family trio.

And the Stokes family considers the Fishersville Antiques Expo a labor of love that’s year-round. When they aren’t organizing the two-day event, they are recruiting antique dealers across the East Coast, answering questions, and selling advertisements.

“We get up every day, and it’s a workday,” Raymond said. “You have to have a purpose in life, and this keeps us connected to the world.”

Despite being one of the largest shows in the mid-Atlantic, its purpose has never been to be the biggest or fanciest. The Stokes’ primary goal is to foster community, educate young collectors, and provide the most enjoyable event for all parties involved.

The family said the biggest challenge facing the industry has been the age demographic, which consists of mostly the older generation.

“I’d like to be able to flip a switch and open the eyes of the younger collector and generation and encourage them to start collecting,” Raymond said. “It’s amazing what’s thrown away every day in this country that has real value, simply because the inheritor is totally unaware of what’s really valuable.”

To accommodate this shift, Lesley has taken a modern approach to the show’s marketing reach, utilizing multiple social media platforms to advertise and promote the event.

“We want to reach the younger age groups and let them know about this event,” Lesley added. “There isn’t anywhere else nearby that they can come, have a great experience, find things to make their houses more their home, and to have a good time doing it at a good price.”

“In buying an antique, you have something that is unique,” Martha said. “Not everyone else has it. It’s very special and one of a kind.”

The next show will be May 20 and 21, 2022.

The entry fee for Friday is $10, and Saturday is $5. For more information, visit Fishersville’s website heritagepromotions.net

Disclaimer: We assembled our Guide to Private Schools listing based on thorough internet searches and calls/emails to local private schools to confirm information. If there are questions about accuracy or omissions, please email feedback@lynchburgmag.com.

Appomattox Christian Academy
Located: 1916 Redfields Road,
Appomattox
Year Founded: 2003
Number of Students: 128
Grade Levels: PreK-12th Grade
Appomattox Christian Academy (ACA), a mission of St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, is dedicated to impacting students’ lives through the ministry of education. ACA strives to give families in the Central Virginia region a viable choice to provide quality, affordable, classical Christian education for their children.
www.appomattoxchristianacademy.com | (434) 352-7373

Blue Ridge Montessori School
Located: 1071 Woodberry Square Place,
Lynchburg
Year Founded: 1985
Number of Students: 101
Grade Levels: Infant-9th Grade
More than three decades ago, Tom Taylor opened the doors of Blue Ridge Montessori School in an old building in Forest, believing strongly in the long-term impact of Montessori education on our community and the future. The school later became a registered nonprofit in 1999 with a fully functioning Board of Directors made up of Montessorians, parent volunteers and local business leaders.
www.blueridgemontessori.com | (434) 525-0061

Cornerstone Christian Academy
Located: 169 Police Tower Road,
Appomattox
Year Founded: 2007
Number of Students: 100+
Grade Levels: PreK-12th Grade
Cornerstone Christian Academy is a Christian and Classical school located in Appomattox County. The academy serves over 100 students and their families offering a strong academic program in an encouraging and friendly environment. Cornerstone’s tuition is affordable, class sizes are small, and the teaching staff is well credentialed and experienced.
www.ccaofva.org | (434) 352-2345

Desmond T. Doss Christian Academy
Located: 19 George Street, Lynchburg
Year Founded: 1921
Number of Students: 79
Grade Levels: K-10th Grade
After Elder E.A. Manry became the pastor of the Lynchburg Seventh-day Church in 1921, a church school was founded. After a brief closure, the school has been in operation since 1944 and was renamed after Desmond T. Doss, a Lynchburg Seventh-day Church member and World War II Medal of Honor winner. The school offers small class sizes where students’ giftings and struggles are taken into account. They also provide regular opportunities for spiritual and character development.
desmondtdoss.org | (434) 237-1899

Faith Christian Academy
Located: 361 Main Street, Hurt
Year Founded: 1988
Number of Students: 126
Grade Levels: PreK-12th Grade
Faith Christian Academy was founded by parents who wanted alternative options for schooling for their children. They offer high-quality education with small class sizes and faith-based curriculum along with 100 percent accreditation.
www.fcavirginia.com | (434) 324-8276

Fellowship Christian Academy
Located: 131 Old Colony Road,
Madison Heights
Year Founded: 1997
Number of Students: 400
Grade Levels: K-12th Grade
Fellowship Christian Academy started out using Abeka Home School Curriculum and held classes inside Solid Rock Church. Eventually, the school transitioned from the classroom to students doing work right at home through a web-based home school curriculum.
fca.srcministry.org | (434) 230-0752

James River Day School
Located: 5039 Boonsboro Road, Lynchburg
Year Founded: 1967
Number of Students: 264
Grade Levels: K-8th Grade
Founded in 1971, James River Day School is an independent, non-sectarian, co-ed day school that serves academically qualified students regardless of race, color, national origin, ethnic, social or economic backgrounds. At James River Day School, students learn life-long habits of scholarship, leadership, and citizenship.
www.jrds.school | (434) 384-7385

Liberty Christian Academy
Located: 3701 Candlers Mountain Road,
Lynchburg
Year Founded: 1967
Number of Students: 1,956
Grade Levels: K-12th Grade
Founded by Dr. Jerry Falwell, the school is a fully accredited institution standing as a viable educational choice for parents who desired to have their children taught a Christian worldview from a Bible-based curriculum. Recognized as an accredited institution by the Commonwealth of Virginia, regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and internationally accredited by the Association of Christian Schools International, LCA has a recognized history of academic excellence.
lcabulldogs.org | (434) 832-2000

New Covenant Schools
Located: 122 Fleetwood Drive, Lynchburg
Year Founded: 1991
Number of Students: More than 400
Grade Levels: PreK-12th Grade
New Covenant Schools’ founders were motivated by a vital interest in classical, Christian education, and by a desire to develop a school that would be thoroughly Christian, academically challenging, and grounded in the liberal arts. The school enjoys stable governance, a fully developed curriculum, and carries out its mission with more than 70 professional faculty, adjunct instructors, and administrative staff.
newcovenantschools.org | (434) 847-8313

New Vistas School
Located: 520 Eldon Street, Lynchburg
Year Founded: 1986
Number of Students: 40
Grade Levels: 3rd-12th Grade
New Vistas School was founded by five Lynchburg-area women as a private, nonprofit day school dedicated to serving the needs of children and adolescents experiencing learning and attention difficulties. Their mission is to foster academic and personal growth by providing students with learning, attention, and emotional challenges so they can reach their full potential.
newvistasschol.org | (434) 846-0301

ONE Forest School
Located: Deerhead Nature Preserve, 4808 Smith Mountain Lake Pkwy, Huddleston
Year Founded: 2019
Number of Students: 15
Grade Levels: Pre-K-8th
ONE Forest School offers a primary grade school program, homeschool program and virtual learner program. Based in an outdoor setting, the school utilizes a traditional forest school philosophy, which focuses on emotional intelligence, as well as a project-based STREAM (Science, Technology, Robotics, Engineering, Arts, and Math) curriculum.
oneforestschool.org | (540) 682-6320

Onward Christian Academy
Located: 337 Lakeview Drive,
Madison Heights
Year Founded: 2016
Number of Students: 250
Grade Levels: K-12th Grade
Onward Christian Academy is a hybrid-model school that combines the best parts of homeschooling and private schooling. Students attend instruction at the Onward campus two days a week and homeschool with their parents the other days. More affordable than a traditional private school tuition, parents also feel supported in their homeschooling efforts through the guidance of professional educators.
www.onwardchristian.org | (434) 515-1495

Rivermont School
Lynchburg North & South
Located: 3024 Forest Hills Circle, Lynchburg
1011 Creekside Lane, Lynchburg
Year Founded: 1997
Number of Students: 71
Grade Levels: 1st-12th Grade
Rivermont School provides a therapeutic educational program for students, ages 5-22, with special needs, including students with autism who have difficulty learning in a traditional school setting. Rivermont’s mission is to help students learn to manage their behaviors so they can return to their home schools, graduate and become productive citizens. Classes are small, usually eight to 10 students, and are taught by special education instructors and counselors.
www.newstoryschools.com | (434) 947-4697

Smith Mountain Lake Christian Academy
Located: 1449 Hendricks Store Road,
Moneta
Year Founded: 2008
Number of Students: 420
Grade Levels: K-12th Grade
Smith Mountain Lake Christian Academy was formed as an independent Christian academy through the vision, prayer, and tireless efforts of a dedicated group of men and women. Their original vision and mission was to develop the heart, soul, mind, and strength of each student for the glory of God. SMLCA is providing state-of-the-art facilities, accredited and excellent academic learning opportunities, and continually expanding athletic and performing arts programs.
www.smlca.org | (540) 296-3292

Temple Christian School
Located: 4465 S Amherst Highway,
Madison Heights
Year Founded: 1973
Number of Students: 300
Grade Levels: K3-12th Grade
Temple Christian School began as a ministry of Temple Baptist Church and the funds for the school were donated by Archie and Lorine Kidd. While the Kidds had no school-age children, they had a tremendous passion for Christian education. The school offers a disciplined yet loving environment in which every child receives personal attention. They see each student as a unique person created by God to live the fullest and most significant life possible.
www.mytemplechristianschool.com | (434) 846-0024

Timberlake Christian Schools
Located: 202 Horizon Drive, Forest
Year Founded: 1966
Number of Students: 389
Grade Levels: PreK-12th Grade
Timberlake Christian Schools, founded in 1966, is one of the first private schools to exist in the Lynchburg area. The vision of Timberlake Christian Schools is to be a discipleship and educational institution for young people in order to develop in them a passion for glorifying God and train them for a life consistent with a biblical world-and-life view.
www.timberlakechristianschool.org | (434) 237-5943

Tree of Life Academy
Located: 2812 Greenview Drive, Lynchburg
Year Founded: 2004
Number of Students: 150
Grade Levels: Infant-3rd Grade
The mission of Tree of Life Academy is to provide an education based on God’s principles in a Christ-centered academic atmosphere, which enables students to establish a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as well as develop a respect for authority and be spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, socially, and physically prepared to meet each challenge life brings.
tolacademy.com | (434) 455-0294

Virginia Episcopal School
Located: 400 V.E.S. Road, Lynchburg
Year Founded: 1916
Number of Students: 260
Grade Levels: 9th-12th Grade
Virginia Episcopal School is an inclusive, welcoming community of boarding and day students who are curious, smart, funny, kind and innovative—the next generation of creators and producers with the power to change the world. The school is an intentionally small, globally diverse educational community dedicated to excellence in student engagement, innovative learning and faculty support and growth.
www.ves.org | (434) 385-3600

World Community Education Center
Located: 1329 Prosperity Drive, Bedford
Year Founded: 1971
Number of Students: 35
Grade Levels: PreK-12th Grade
World Community Education Center (WCEC) is an independent, nonprofit Montessori school located in Bedford, serving families in the Lynchburg/Roanoke/Bedford areas. WCEC offers a prepared environment for learning focused on academic excellence and universal spiritual values. Individual attention is key to helping each student find his or her genius.
worldcommunityedu.org | (540) 297-1662

Couple takes to Facebook after finding old items during a reno

Shanna and Toby Davies were in the middle of a renovation at their home on Stafford Street near University of Lynchburg when they started making some unique discoveries in the walls—a paring knife, stockings, old newspapers and receipts, a photo of a silent film actress, several medicine bottles and a mysterious love letter.

They took to the popular “Living in Lynchburg” Facebook page to get answers back in January.

“I enjoy genealogy and between home ownership and census forms, we discovered that the author was about 17 when she wrote this,” Shanna Davies said in the post. “Either we found a rough draft or she never sent the letter. We couldn’t find any lyrics matching the song/poem on the bottom.”

The letter was dated Oct. 14, 1924 and was addressed to a man named Tom.

“My dear Tom,
As it seems that you have forgotten me altogether. I guess you have forgot I was ever living. But I have never forgot you of never will as long as I live. I think of you night and day. But if you are tired of me I have nothing more to say. I guess I will close by asking you to always remember me as a true and faithful pal of your heart.
As ever yours,
Hazel Roberts.

Remember me when this you see
And take it to your heart
Let not the love of other girls
Cause you and I to part
Are you angry with me darling?
Are you sorry that we met?
Have you learned to love another?
Has she taught you to forget
Answer
I’m not angry with you darling
I’m not sorry that we met
I’ve never learned to love another
And I never will forget

Thanks to help from users on the Facebook page, the Davies now know the song was released by two different artists two years later in 1926—The Blue Ridge Highballers and Earnest Van Stoneman accompanied by Katie Kline, Fiddler Joe, and Henry Whitter.

The song was called “Are You Angry With Me Darling?”

Or sometimes “Are You Angry?”

Shanna Davies wonders if since The Blue Ridge Highballers were from Danville, perhaps Roberts played a role in helping to write the song.

She looked up the ownership history of the home and found that after the Campbell County annexation in 1926, the first owner was CT Roberts.

Through Family Search, an ancestry website, Shanna Davies found the family who lived in Lynchburg and matched them to her street.

“So from census forms, I could see how many kids they had and their names and I saw Hazel listed as one of them,” he said. “So I was fairly confident that I had the right family.”

Those on the Living in Lynchburg page were helpful in looking up those records as well, she said, which she thought was cool. Some shared pictures of Roberts’ headstones, other people shared the lyrics of the song and somebody shared the first artist who had released it.

“It’s cool that people have taken the same interest that we have,” Toby Davies said. “I find that with Facebook you can build a community of friends pretty quick if you have similar interests.”

Shanna Davies said other people pointed out Facebook groups that were dedicated to finding old photos at Goodwill, finding their ancestors and as a group, try to track down living relatives.

“Sometimes I feel so distant to history because it didn’t happen where I was or it wasn’t people I knew but when you find a scrap of paper in your house that somebody scribbled on almost 100 years ago, it makes it feel a little bit more personal,” she said.

Toby Davies has a theory as to how all these items have made their way into the holes and walls of the 1920 four-square craftsman house, pointing primarily to a busy packrat who once inhabited the space.

“The way these houses are built, there’s really no sections,” he said. “Everything’s kind of connected if you can get through the little cracks and crevices. Modern houses are built very compartmentalized where you can’t get from one space to another without burrowing a hole if you’re an animal.”

In the end, Hazel Roberts never ended up with the man she wrote that letter to. According to Shanna Davies and the genealogy research she conducted, she actually ended up with a man named Christopher Columbus Gunter.

Finding the letter has excited the couple and they say they look forward to future discoveries within their house.

“I’m anxious to be able to look in more parts of the house and find more things. Part of what I look forward to when I do a renovation here is, ‘What am I going to find?’ and I was not let down this time,” Toby Davies said.

Massage therapy uses suction to promote healing

“The best thing with which you can treat sickness is cupping.”
– The Prophet Muhammad

As a health and wellness hobbyist, I had been curious about cupping therapy and massage for years. During this alternative massage treatment, the practitioner uses varying sizes of suction cups to invigorate skin and muscle, usually on the back. The increased blood flow and circulation is thought to promote healing, reduce pain, relieve muscle tension, and remove toxins.

Until recently, the options to receive such a service in Lynchburg were either nonexistent or extremely hard to find. But I finally got to see what all of the hype was about when I booked a session with Liza Yowell at Telitha Apothecary in the Boonsboro Shopping Center. Yowell is an independent contractor who lives on the Outer Banks of North Carolina but is often in Lynchburg providing skincare and “MediCupping” at Telitha.

Yowell was introduced to cupping 12 years ago when she received the treatment from an acupuncturist on the Outer Banks. She says the practice of cupping stems from Traditional Chinese Medicine.

“Fire cups are typically used in Traditional Chinese Medicine where cotton is saturated in alcohol, lit on fire and inserted in glass cups with a hemostat in order to create a vacuum effect,” she explains. “The cups are then applied onto the patient’s skin in order to loosen the muscles, liquify the fascia, dispel blood and lymph stagnation and improve the flow of Qi energy (the body’s vital force).”

After mastering the art of firecupping, Yowell became certified in vacuum therapy MediCupping, using a machine that is safer, more subtle, and gentler than fire cups.

She describes the service she provides as “a combination of manual massage and MediCupping therapy. I rely on the cups to quickly and easily liquify the fascia and soft tissue so that I can access the deeper layers of the muscles.”

The service typically lasts about an hour.

Yowell is often amazed at how quickly the tissue softens with less effort than a conventional massage. She also has a personal story of how cupping helped her.

“Cupping is extremely effective at breaking down scar tissue,” she says. “I had breast cancer in 2016 and I felt such relief working with the machine to loosen up my mastectomy scars. It really helped release a lot of the tightness in my chest from the surgery.”

Former NFL football player Jake Grove of Forest was first introduced to cupping therapy in 2005 in San Francisco. He played center position in the league from 2004-2010 and had his share of injuries and soreness. Fellow teammates had suggested he try Chinese firecupping at an Eastern Medicine Clinic in order to improve his performance and decrease his pain.

At the time, Grove says he took all varieties of anti-inflammatories as well as narcotic pain medicine.

“Cupping helped me reduce the amount of medication I took on a daily basis,” he said. “I feel like it did help lower my pain and inflammation. Particularly later in my career and after multiple surgeries. The day after a game I could barely walk and cupping on my knees, back and shoulders helped me to recover quicker.”

Another place in Lynchburg to try cupping is The Spa in Wyndhurst, where massage therapist Denayha Cotton enhances her cupping massage with silicone cups.

She strongly encourages communication from the client as the process can actually be painful for some.

“Even though I use the softest cups possible, it can still be painful if a client has a large knot or tight ropey muscles that are causing them trouble. This is why feedback is an absolute must, that way you are not in any more pain than necessary,” says Cotton.

To prepare for your session, Cotton advises that clients drink lots of water and eat a clean diet before and after the treatment to help with the detoxing process. Clients should also avoid hot showers immediately after treatment.

There will most likely be markings or redness on the surface of the skin that can last up to two weeks on average.

The color will change and varies based on the amount of toxins and debris being released. These purplish circles are a side effect that indicates blood, lymph and Qi stagnation.

Grove attests that he always had the cupping marks on his skin wherever the cups were used after a service. Many people like to “see” the results left from the cups—and if they don’t, they are easy to cover up.

Whether you’re just curious like me, or want to relieve consistent pain like Grove, cupping therapy is definitely worth checking out.

“Most important to me, there is no downside to cupping,” says Grove.

“There are no chemicals, no needles.”

Couple continues their 110-year old Tudor’s story—with a modern eclectic twist

April marks one year since newlyweds Victoria Bartholomew and Jordan Reeves bought their Tudor on Rivermont Avenue. Bartholomew, a local REALTOR®, renovator and historic home lover, had been keeping her eye on the home for a while—25 years to be exact.

“I moved to Lynchburg when I was eight years old and the house we lived in was literally across the street,” she explained. “I looked at this house a lot when I was a little kid and I really liked it.”

The couple put in an offer on the 2,600-square-foot home without even seeing the inside yet, but it did not disappoint once they did—offering an abundance of natural light, unique woodwork and some untouched mid-century updates. It also helped that they knew the home’s architect was the famed Stanhope Johnson, who designed hundreds of houses and buildings in Lynchburg in the first half of the 20th century.

“All of the [Stanhope] houses are different. Stylistically, there are some similarities, there is a symmetrical look to his homes… but the details are all different,” Bartholomew said.

They were also drawn to the upkeep; although built in 1913, this home needed the least work of any other home they had considered. Most of the improvements they have made in the past year have been cosmetic—such as adding wallpaper, installing new light fixtures and reverting the fireplace’s original tile back to its former glory.

“We stripped years and years of paint off of the fireplace. It was peach. They painted the original tile peach,” Reeves laughed. “Which is extremely offensive if you like the original details of old houses.”

Reeves and Bartholomew not only like original details, they respect them—or, as I noticed as they excitedly showed me around their beloved home, they celebrate them.

“We think it’s those details that make the houses really unique and special,” Bartholomew explained.

That doesn’t mean the couple holds back on infusing the old home with their own unique style. Bartholomew and Reeves have found they often agree on interior design choices, with Bartholomew describing her style as leaning towards “maximalist”—making the most out of her spaces—and modern eclectic.

“But we are not stuck on a certain style. I’m always a believer that if you paint the walls, you have good rugs and you have art… it’s a beautiful space,” she said.

“We also really like saturated colors.”

This is particularly evident in the home’s living room, where a mustard yellow couch from Interior Define contrasts gorgeously with rich blue-gray walls (Inchyra Blue by Farrow & Ball) and a red Persian rug.

The couch is actually the only “new” piece of furniture they have in the home. Everything else was purchased secondhand, such as estate sales or on Facebook Marketplace.

“There are stories to every single piece of furniture in this house, which is a lot of fun,” Bartholomew said. “There is definitely something warm and nice about giving something new life.”

One example is the living room’s mid-century storage unit, part of a set, which holds records and other collectibles. Bartholomew purchased the furniture locally from a man whose grandparents had brought it over from Denmark.

Behind the living room is what the couple has lovingly dubbed “the grandpa room”—partly because of its iconic wood panel walls that give off that “gentleman’s library” vibe. The room was added to the home during a major renovation in the ’50s and hasn’t been changed since; Reeves describes it as a perfect “slice” of mid-century style.

The grandpa room is also the place where the couple proudly displays items from their grandparents. Bright green chairs were a gift from Bartholomew’s step-grandparents and a flag from Reeves’ grandparents’ house hangs on the wall.

“My grandfather was an architect so we have some of his books in here and framed some of his plans,” Bartholomew added.

A powder room off the grandpa room was also a later renovation to the home and was a practical addition, serving as the only bathroom on the lower level. Of course, this couple was curious to see what the original space looked like.

“We found the original house plans and this used to be a pass through and there was a door leading in to the kitchen,” she said.

In the foyer, floor-to-ceiling black wallpaper (by Hygge & West) with an eye-catching metallic floral design is more proof of the couple’s willingness to take bold risks.

“We love it because it looks different depending on the light or the angle,” said Reeves.

There is minimal artwork in the foyer, so as not to cover up the wallpaper, which is a work of art itself, they explained. But they did allow one of Bartholomew’s large eccentric cat paintings—one of three cat-focused paintings downstairs. The foyer’s gorgeous crystal chandelier light fixture was not changed, since it was original to the home.

In the dining room, warm yellow walls (India Yellow by Farrow & Ball) are covered in colorful artwork Bartholomew has accumulated over the years. Throughout our tour, she pointed out piece after piece, many of them created by family members, including her grandfather and mother.

Some pieces of furniture can be considered works of art as well. Bartholomew bought the side chairs in the dining room on Facebook Marketplace from a missionary who had just returned to the area.

“The wooden part of the chair was handmade by a builder in Kenya when they were there. The man who bought them did the leatherwork,” Reeves explained.

Plants are another décor essential in this home—and they play the most prominent role in the dining room.

“It’s a jungle in here. I’m a sucker for living things!” Bartholomew laughed. The couple has five “elderly” cats and two dogs—a pit bull, Otis, and Great Dane, Ida, who nudged her way into the photo shoot numerous times.

A unique half-door leading to the kitchen helps keep the pets separated at times. The kitchen was renovated in 2007 and while the couple would love to update the style at some point, they don’t feel like it’s a “need” right now.

“It’s hard to justify going into a full kitchen reno, since it’s perfectly functional,” said Reeves.

They did update the lighting over the island; it coordinates with the dining room fixture found along the same sight line. Red Persian runners in the kitchen break up some of the light wood in the floor and cabinets.

Moving into year two in their beloved home, Bartholomew and Reeves plan to stay busy with more home projects, such as new wallpaper in their bathrooms that were also last updated in the ’50s. But the colorful tile is staying, they say.

“A lot of people will buy these homes, and you can get them very cheap, and they will pull out everything and replace it,” said Reeves.

But as is proof by their dedication to saving fireplace tile and preserving wood-paneled nooks, Bartholomew and Reeves see themselves almost as long-term visitors in their historic home, characters in its evolving story.

“You are not the forever owner of a house,” Bartholomew explained. “You are just a piece in its history.”

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PHOTOS BY ASHLEE GLEN

In early January, the city’s newest Asian eatery opened on the newly revamped Main Street in downtown Lynchburg. Located under one roof is Japanese fusion restaurant Mizumi Japanese Bistro and local boba tea staple Moon Tea of Lynchburg, which debuted as a food truck in July 2021.

“As Moon Tea got famous, we needed a local location or building,” Manager David Kang said. “So, we decided to combine the two restaurants together.”

According Kang, they purchased the Main Street property in October 2021 and renovated the building over a two-month span. When deciding what to name the restaurant that would accompany Moon Tea, he says they were inspired by the nearby waterfall in Hollins Mill Park.

“‘Mizumi,’ in Japanese it means ‘waterfall’,” Kang said.

The restaurant is across the street from the Lynchburg Community Market and in walking distance from the city’s business hub, making it poised to benefit from the recent completion of the Main Street Renewal Project.

Since the grand opening on Jan. 8, Kang said Mizumi and Moon Tea have enjoyed a consistent stream of 300 to 400 customers each day. The busyness picked up even more when students from local universities returned to Lynchburg to start their spring semesters.

Many customers enjoy the 30-plus flavors of bubble and fruit teas Moon Tea offers, while others are drawn to the go-to Japanese cuisine—hibachi and ramen, among other dishes—served by Mizumi. What keeps them coming back is not only the clean, bright atmosphere of the restaurant, but also the quality and freshness of the fare.

“I know the other places do it well too, but I can say that [our] taste is different, our freshness is different,” Kang said. “Also, for bubble teas, we have our own recipes.”

What’s the secret? According to Kang, nearly every tea and food item on the menu—everything from Thai tea to teriyaki sauce—is made fresh daily from Mizumi and Moon Tea’s unique recipes.

“Every day we boil fresh milk teas, unsweet teas, unsweet milk teas and we make our own green teas and everything,” Kang said. “So, we don’t buy it from other places, we just make it our own.”

At a Glance:
Mizumi & Moon Tea
1125 Main Street, Lynchburg
mizumiva.com
Hours: Monday – Sunday
11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

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Photos Courtesy of Downtown Lynchburg Association

Highlighting the hardworking individuals who are providing a range of healthcare services in the greater Lynchburg region.

Outtasight Window Tinting and VEHICLE Wraps celebrates 20 years with a unique, large-scale project

Greg Harrison didn’t follow the traditional route to successfully owning his own business. He might not have a college degree hanging on his office wall, but what he does have is a passion for what he does and a team of hardworking employees working alongside him.

Over the last 20 years, Harrison’s passion and work ethic have allowed him to see his business—Outtasight Window Tinting and Vehicle Wraps—grow from a small mobile tinting business with a handful of customers to a window tint and vehicle wrap servicer that is trusted by individuals and corporations throughout Virginia.

Born and raised in Lynchburg, Harrison first learned window tinting when he was a senior in high school through a work program that allowed him to get outside the classroom and gain valuable hands-on experience.

In 2002, shortly after graduation, Harrison started his own tinting business from scratch.

“Basically what I did was a mobile tinting business out of the trunk of my car,” Harrison said. “Because that’s all I had—a couple boxes of window film, a car and all the tools I needed to do it with.”

In March 2004, Harrison began leasing the building on Graves Mill Road that became the first home for Outtasight, which also allowed him to hire a few employees and expand his customer pool. Harrison and his team continued doing automotive, residential and commercial tinting in the Graves Mill Road location for the next eight years, before purchasing land on Cottontown Road in 2012 and building a new facility for the thriving business.

“We built this building with options to grow,” Harrison said. “We knew that it was going to grow, we just didn’t know which direction we were going to go yet.”

Two years after opening the new facility on Cottontown Road, Outtasight began offering a new service—vehicle wraps.
Since that time, wraps have become a lucrative and rewarding component of Outtasight’s business model. According to Harrison, his business is split equally into three main services—automotive tinting, residential/commercial tinting and vehicle/commercial wraps.

One of Outtasight’s biggest vehicle wrap customers is Wooldridge Heating and Air. Since Outtasight initially wrapped three vans for the company, Wooldridge has grown to the point that Harrison has wrapped their entire fleet of more than 50 vehicles.

“Since we’ve started doing wraps, Outtasight has been able to help transform companies,” Harrison said. “We just sit back and watch them grow!”

Another project Harrison is especially proud of is the work Outtasight has done for Liberty University’s School of Aeronautics. In their building, Outtasight helped design a wall wrap the size of a tractor trailer that shows a timeline of aeronautics, among numerous other projects.

“…we’ve transformed this entire place,” Harrison said. “With floor wraps, wall wraps, tinting glass…we wrapped the flight simulators…that’s probably the most fun job I’ve had.”

It was also among the most complicated.

“When you walk in, the floor is a runway—to scale,” Harrison said.

“I actually took the amount of feet that a runway is and then did the math on it and got it all back to scale down to the size it should be for that room.”

Harrison said that a wrap project has three phases: design, production (printing) and installation. His 10 trained employees oversee all three phases.

“Outtasight wouldn’t be the success that it is without our team and our work ethic,” Harrison said.

Harrison is also grateful for every individual and business they have partnered with over the years.

“We value and appreciate each customer that comes into our door,” Harrison said. “All Outtasight employees treat customers the way we would want to be treated as customers, and we want them to keep coming back.”

With a wide variety of projects varying in complexity, Harrison admits that his line of work is not easy, but to him, nothing is more satisfying than a job well done.

“That is what gets me up in the morning,” Harrison said. “It’s knowing that what we do today—if we deliver—we have given someone immediate joy and satisfaction. We immediately please them the minute they see the product—and that is what it’s all about.”

On Feb. 2, Harrison celebrated the 20th anniversary of Outtasight. He has enjoyed the journey so far, but there is still more to be done.

“This is a very interesting and a very challenging business, but it is extremely rewarding,” Harrison said. “It is not easy to do this but once you get in and you learn it, it’s so much fun.”