Needle Ninja adds color and tactile arts to downtown Lynchburg

By: Olivia Carter  |  Photos By: Ashlee Glen

When customers step through the doors of Needle Ninja, they are immediately welcomed by color.

The entryway, painted in alternating lavender and lilac stripes, is intentionally playful and is the first clue that this is not a traditional fabric store. Inside, sunlight pours through tall windows onto tables filled with vintage buttons sold by the ounce, bolts of linen and denim, sewing machines waiting for their next makers, and carefully curated cross-stitch kits featuring literary icons such as Jane Eyre, Mary Poppins, and Anne of Green Gables. 

It’s a space owner Lynne Forth says people often describe the same way: “happy, light-filled, airy.”

That atmosphere is exactly what Forth hoped to create when she opened Needle Ninja in downtown Lynchburg—a place where creativity feels approachable and sewing feels less like a niche hobby and more like an invitation.

“I’ve always had entrepreneurial goals and dreamed of having my own shop,” Forth said. “This really combines a few different passions and loves for me.”

For Forth, sewing is much more than a business model. It’s a language.

This began about 15 years ago, when she took her first sewing class while earning a degree in fashion merchandising. Though she had grown up watching her mother sew, she wasn’t sure at first whether the craft was for her.

That changed after making a simple pillowcase.

“I just thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I made a pillowcase with my own two hands, with just some thread and some fabric. This is incredible,’” she said. “And it just kind of took off from there.”

Her passion deepened while working at Liberty University, where she designed and created costumes for theater productions. There, she learned that fabric could tell stories before an actor ever spoke a line.

“I fell in love with color theory and what color can convey on stage,” she said. “What can I tell the audience without using words just by using fabric or shape or pattern?”

That fascination eventually shaped her graduate work in strategic communication, where she studied how clothing communicates identity and emotion. It also helped define the mission behind Needle Ninja: not just selling fabric, but teaching people how to make something meaningful.

“As a way of showing other people, this is something you can do, something you can be passionate about, use to make an income, or use to empower yourself,” Forth said. “If you are sewing something and it turns out well and you’re proud of it, it’s a beautiful way to gain confidence.”

Needle Ninja arrives at a time when handmade skills are experiencing renewed interest. In an age dominated by online shopping and fast fashion, Forth believes many people are craving something slower and more tactile.

“People want to make something with their own two hands,” she said. “They want to do something in person. They’re tired of trying to look things up on YouTube and not having someone next to them who can say, ‘That’s right, but if you do it this way, it’ll be even better.’”

She believes people are looking for even more than just sewing. They’re looking
for connection.

“People are craving community,” Forth said. “A lot of arts can feel isolating because you’re often doing them alone. Here, you get the creative world and community together.”

Some of the vintage fabrics displayed throughout the store belonged to Forth’s late grandmother, an avid collector and sewer.

“The fact that we’re getting to use that again is really, really special,” she said. “It kind of makes it so that she’s all over the store with us.”

Her mother’s influence is even more visible.

Forth describes her mother as both a lifelong maker and one of her biggest inspirations. A master of Norwegian Hardanger embroidery, or Hardangersøm, her mother now spends part of the year in Lynchburg helping teach at Needle Ninja.

“She’s one of my best friends,” Forth said. “To be able to do this with her, to give her a space where she can teach people and meet people, is just so special.”

That family legacy helps explain why Needle Ninja feels less like a store and more like a gathering place. Customers wander in for different reasons. Some are experienced sewists thrilled to have a dedicated downtown creative space. Others are complete beginners who saw the shop’s bright windows and simply got curious.

“We’ve had people walk in and say, ‘I saw the word needle and wondered what that meant,’” Forth said with a laugh. “And then we get people who say, ‘My grandmother sewed all our clothes growing up, and I’d love to carry that on for my children.’”

Needle Ninja is built for both groups.

Its large communal cutting table, a feature many home sewists don’t have space for, invites customers to spread out and work. Rows of sewing machines sit ready for classes and open studio sessions. The goal, Forth says, is not just to teach people to sew, but to create a place where they want to stay.

That mission also has an environmental edge. Forth is outspoken about the waste generated by fast fashion and hopes sewing can offer an alternative.

“There’s this steady pipeline of cheaply made garments that’s taking up landfills,” she said. “For me, it’s not always about making something cheaper than buying it. It’s about having something unique to you.”

That uniqueness, she believes, especially resonates with younger generations.

“Gen Z and millennials are looking for something personalized,” she said. “What’s more personalized than making your own clothes?”

Forth’s ambitions extend beyond retail. She hopes to launch a sponsorship program that would allow local middle school, high school, and college-age students to take sewing classes for free, funded by businesses and community donors.

“I would love to see local companies and philanthropists invest in kids who want to learn this skill,” she said. “It could become a career, a side hustle, or just something that gives them confidence and purpose.”

She also envisions future summer camps, after-school programs, and an expanded roster of instructors so students can learn a wider range of textile arts.

“My goal is not to always be the one teaching every class,” she said. “I’m always learning, myself. There’s always someone who knows something different, and I want our students to benefit from that.”

For now, though, Forth is focused on what’s directly in front of her, opening the doors each day and watching people discover, sometimes for the first time, the joy of making something by hand.  

Unsalted Water Co. celebrates the best of lake life

By: Jeremy Angione / Photos Courtesy: Unsalted Water Co.

Although many Central Virginia residents have to drive a few hours for a relaxing day at the beach, local apparel brand Unsalted Water Co. celebrates the lake day activities just within reach. Founder Michelle Novak started Unsalted Water Co. earlier this year with a hope of curating all the feelings the lake gives her into fun and fashionable designs.

“Unsalted Water Co. isn’t just apparel to me,” Novak said. “It’s a lifestyle rooted in memories, tranquility, freedom, and the feeling you get every time you step out on a dock or look out at the water. That is the emotional heartbeat behind everything I create.”

Despite its recent launch, Novak insists that Unsalted Water Co. was brewing as an idea for years. Fun and formative lake experiences throughout her life helped shape the future of the company in her mind.

“From learning to ski on Lake Lanier, vacations spent on Lake Cumberland, houseboating on Lake Havasu, time spent on Lake Erie and Norris Lake, and now building my brand around Smith Mountain Lake, I realized that there were many brands that celebrated the ocean lifestyle,
but not a national brand that celebrates lake life for everyone,” Novak said.

For Novak, starting her brand was not meant to simply highlight logos or designs. Unsalted Water Co. means to encapsulate the feelings of being on the lake and making memories however you and your loved ones choose to.

“Our core demographic is really anyone who feels emotionally connected to lake life, but especially adults who see the lake as part of their identity and lifestyle,” Novak said.

Unsalted Water Co. has several unique collections to highlight specific lake staples and Activities.

“Every collection has a personality behind it,” Novak said. “Wags on Water celebrates the time with our furry family members in and around the lake or Sips Ahoy is for those who indulge in their favorite beverage around the water.”

Unsalted Water Co. will also be launching a new collection called Wake Warrior. This newest collection will celebrate the more athletic lake-goers seeking a thrill by wakeboarding.

Currently, Unsalted Water Co. apparel is only available online. According to Novak, the brand has already seen success from local support and nationwide. Despite originating with Smith Mountain Lake, Novak assured that Unsalted Water Co. is for anyone who enjoys lake life anywhere.

“We have customers from the West Coast to the East Coast that include: Arizona, Texas, Minnesota, Ohio, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Virginia, to name just a few,” Novak said.

While the majority of Unsalted Water Co.’s offerings are shirts, sweatshirts, and hats, Novak wants to expand the brand to feature more accessories, experiential marketing, and ways to give back to the community.

“We also plan to become more involved locally through lake events, festivals, pop-up opportunities, collaborations, and future lake conservation initiatives,” Novak said.

Despite the Unsalted Water Co.’s youth, Novak believes expansion beyond Smith Mountain Lake is a distinct possibility.

“One of my biggest goals is to continue to expand Unsalted Water Co. into a full national lake lifestyle brand, not just apparel,” Novak said.

A small but important step to that larger nationwide goal is continuing to earn spots in retail spaces and boutiques that specialize in lake lifestyle products.

Although the ambition seems fast-paced, Novak has been intentional about every step of the business. She says that she’s worn many hats to propel the business forward, including creative director, customer service, marketing, and social media.

The products themselves are especially curated to be both quality and affordable.

“I also wanted the apparel itself to feel boutique quality—soft fabrics, premium blanks, and designs that people genuinely want to wear on and off the water,” Novak said. “I’m very intentional about the fit, feel, colors, and overall aesthetic because I want people to feel the difference when they put it on.”

Aside from curated collections which highlight different aspects of lake life, Unsalted Water Co. also plans to roll out customization options. Customers will be able to create custom apparel with the lake names of their choice.

“Since lake life is such a personal experience tied to specific memories and traditions, I wanted our customers to feel even more connected to the places that they love most,” Novak said.

While Unsalted Water Co. continues to grow, the most evident constant is Novak’s love for Smith Mountain Lake.

“The Smith Mountain Lake community has been extremely supportive, and that means so much to me because living on the lake for the past five years has profoundly shaped the heart, lifestyle, and identity of Unsalted Water Co.,” Novak said.  

To check out Unsalted Water Co.’s apparel collections, go to unsaltedwaterco.com.

Hill City native shares his passion for bringing the community together through biking.

By: Megan L. Horst  |  Photos By: Ashlee Glen

For Jeremy Ramsey, owner of The Bike Porch, opening the shop was a part of a larger dream. A dream to provide people with a way to connect through enjoying nature and bikes. He hopes the shop gives people an opportunity and a place to come together to ride bikes and learn about bikes. Before he opened the shop, he enjoyed riding bikes himself and started several community ride events that have brought riders together over the past five years.  

“It’s definitely a passion to share what I love,” Ramsey said. 

The shop, located on Burnbridge Road in Forest, also sponsors several rides from the store throughout the week. Although the shop is less than a year old, Ramsey said bikes are not new to him or his team. 

“I have one guy [on staff] who was at a previous bike shop for 49 years, and we worked together,” Ramsey said. “I used to manage another bike shop for nine years.” 

They have two other mechanics who are also knowledgeable about bikes and have 20 years of experience. 

“When you walk in our shop, you’re talking to a rider,” Ramsey said. “We all ride bikes—we’re all in love with bicycles.” 

Their shop offers a variety of services, including bike repair and the sale of new and used bikes. 

“Bikes have gotten expensive, just like everything else,” he said. “We want people to have quality bikes. So if you can have a bike that’s 10 years old, that’s way more quality than what you can pick up in a box store; we feel like you’ll have a better experience.” 

He hopes everyone who wants to ride will have that opportunity. Whether you buy a new, used, or consigned bike from them, he explained that they not only sell you a bike, but they also offer their expertise.

They sell a variety of bike styles from kids’ bikes to mountain bikes, road bikes, hybrid bikes, and electric bikes.

“In the last three years, the market has flipped with recreational bikes,” he said. “I would say seven out of 10 recreational bikes we sell are e-bikes.” He attributes this growing trend to the older population, largely due to retirees wanting to get back into riding bikes.

He explained that this is a great area with so many trails, perfect for biking, including Blackwater Creek, Percival’s Island in Lynchburg, and others in Roanoke and Farmville.

“A lot of folks are buying these e-bikes and going to check out these trails, and instead of being able to ride five miles now, they are having the same workout, but they’re being able to see the whole trail,” Ramsey said. An e-bike is equipped with an electric motor to assist the rider with pedaling.

“E-bikes are cool because you can get whatever you want,” Ramsey said. “There are different assist modes in them, so you can have zero assist and ride it normally…up to a turbo on them.” Ramsey is confident in the bikes the shop sells, even the used ones, and they offer a 90-day guarantee.
In addition to a wide selection of adult bikes, the shop also offers bikes for children.

“One of our number one goals is to get kids on bikes, and quality bikes,” Ramsey said. His concern with bikes purchased from major box stores is not only the quality of the materials used, but they are often not put together correctly.

“Bikes can be a lot of fun, but they can also be dangerous,” he said. “I always recommend, if you buy a bike from a box store, bring it in, let us check it out.” Most of the kids’ bikes he sells are used, since kids outgrow their bikes so quickly.

“A lot of times I provide a bike that is more affordable than a box store bike, and higher quality,” Ramsey said. Driven by a passion for making bikes accessible to everyone, they created a Kids Bike Fund.

“In the past seven months, we’ve averaged giving away one bike per month,” he said. The giveaways are not always exclusively children’s bikes.

“During Christmas, we gave away two bikes,” he said. One bike was donated by a customer, and the other by Ramsey, allowing them to give bikes to two families for Christmas.

“It makes my day when we can put people on bikes,” Ramsey said. He believes that everyone needs to take a break from technology for at least an hour a day to “unplug” and enjoy exercise and
the outdoors.

“We want to create community,” he said. “We want people to want to ride bikes and hang out.”  

The Bike Store is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Four women took control of their health and happiness by getting a gastric sleeve or bypass surgery. These surgeries kickstarted lifestyle adjustments that have enabled each woman to live her best life. 

Written by Stacey Manganelli / Photos courtesy of Adriana Sorenson

Opting for Surgery

Elizabeth Kiefer, Kristen Guthrie, Katie Kelley, and Adriana Sorensen struggled with their weight for multiple reasons: pregnancies that came close together, food addiction, or an inability to incorporate exercise into daily life.

After trying tons of weight loss programs and pharmaceutical-strength pills and shots, they pursued weight loss surgery at between 300 and 350 pounds. They were nervous for surgery, but also excited and hopeful that it would be the thing that finally worked. 

The Myth of the Quick Fix

Weight loss surgery requires profound lifestyle changes. Even when surgery goes optimally, it takes a physical and psychological toll on surgical patients. Recovery and adapting to the new body present myriad challenges. 

Elizabeth Kiefer has consequently felt frustrated over the years that people view weight loss surgery as an “easy way out.” After surgery, she struggled with transitioning from eating a regular-sized meal to one the size of an egg. She also had to learn how to incorporate exercise into her daily life. 

Katie Kelley got so sick in post-op that she spent three additional nights in the hospital. Even once she was discharged and finally went home, she couldn’t pick her three small children up or do daily activities, and she didn’t have a support network. 

Both she and Sorensen also struggled with feeling overweight even when they weren’t anymore, a condition known as dysmorphia. 

Guthrie drank mostly protein shakes and water for six weeks before and after her surgery and had to train herself to stop eating before she felt full. She also experienced temporary but intense changes in hormones caused by rapid weight loss. 

No one had it easy. However, after surviving a period of disillusionment, and in Kelley’s case even “immediate regret,” they have made it through to the other side. 

Health and Career Benefits

Prior to surgery, Kiefer was unable to get herself up off the floor independently. After losing 200 pounds, she started incorporating more movement into her daily routine than she ever thought she’d be capable of. 

To get into shape, she started Zumba and was immediately hooked, transported by the music and movement. After honing her skills for a few years, she got certified to teach. She eventually took over teaching the very same class in which she started as a student. She said, “I never thought I’d be able to enjoy exercising, let alone become a fitness instructor. Now I can’t go a day without working out!”

Kelley said that her health would be worse if not for the surgery. It has healed her heart condition, prediabetes, and Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome.

For Sorensen, the changes after surgery felt like a “complete 180.” She learned how important protein is in losing weight, started looking more closely at what is actually in food, and cut out processed foods over time. 

She will likely need a knee replacement at some point, but losing 150 pounds has greatly reduced her knee strain. Her doctor believes she’ll be able to push the surgery off for several more years as a result. 

Guthrie once “despised” her body, but after her weight loss, she wore a bikini for the first time since she was a teenager and had boudoir pictures taken. 

Her newfound confidence even helped her launch a new career. She said, “I landed an amazing job in medical device sales that I never would have had the confidence to even apply for before surgery.” 

Helping Others

These women have turned their transformations into a tool that supports not just them, but also others.

Dozens of people escape the daily grind for an hour each week when taking Kiefer’s Zumba classes. In a cortisol-fueled world, gym patrons forget their troubles and become immersed in the same music and movement that made Kiefer fall in love with this type of dance. They described Kiefer’s classes as “pure fun,” and Kiefer as “pouring her heart and soul” into her role as an instructor. 

Kelley and Sorensen are grateful that they’re able to more fully participate in their kids’ lives since losing weight. Kelley coaches her kids’ sports and provides better food options for them since she started eating healthier herself. 

Sorensen has a nonverbal 15-year-old autistic son. Because he will never live independently, Sorensen plans to be his caretaker for many more years. She needed to be healthier to care for him, and now she is. 

Sorensen’s daughter is also benefitting from her mom’s increased fitness level. She and Sorensen bonded by running a 4K together two years after her surgery—something Sorensen never thought would be possible.

In her job in medical device sales, Guthrie experiences the satisfaction of educating surgeons, doctors and hospital staff on new medical technologies. Thanks to her work, these technologies can get into the hands of those who need them and will benefit from them. 

Despite encountering different health challenges as a result of the surgery, the gastric bypass and gastric sleeve have opened up life possibilities far beyond what they once hoped for. 

Knowing how hard recovery was and how many challenges they would face, would they do it again?

“Absolutely,” they agreed.

We’re excited to present this year’s Top Doctors, recognized by the colleagues who know their work best.

Through peer voting, this list highlights outstanding physicians across our region, reflecting the strength, depth, and collaboration of our local healthcare community. These professionals play a vital role in supporting the health and well-being of patients right here at home, and we’re proud to spotlight the incredible practitioners and partners who make high-quality care accessible in our area.

This list is meant as a guide and a starting point in your search for a physician. There are many reasons excellent doctors may not appear here, including hospital affiliations, recent moves, or specialties not captured in the survey. These results do not suggest you should change from a doctor with whom you have a positive relationship. When choosing a physician, consider all available resources, including recommendations from family and friends.

Methodology & Disclaimers

Summary.
DataJoe Research is a software and research company specializing in data collection and verification, and conducts various nominations across the United States on behalf of publishers. To create the “top doctors” list, DataJoe Research facilitated an online peer-nomination process, also referencing government sources. In addition, DataJoe often conducts media analysis through Internet research to factor in public perception. DataJoe then tallied the nominations per category for each doctor to isolate the top nominees in each category. After collecting nominations and factoring additional information from the media analysis, DataJoe checked and confirmed that each published winner had a current, active license status with the state regulatory board. If we were not able to find evidence of a doctor’s current, active registration with the state regulatory board, that doctor was excluded from the list. In addition, any doctor who has been disciplined, up to the time-frame of our review process for an infraction by the state regulatory board, was excluded from the list. Finally, DataJoe presented the tallied result to the magazine staff for final review and adjustments.  

Final note.
We recognize that there are many good doctors who are not shown in this representative list. This is only a sampling of the huge array of talented professionals within the region. Inclusion in the list is based on the opinions of responding doctors in the region and the results of our research campaign. We take time and energy to ensure fair voting, although we understand that the results of this survey nomination are not an objective metric. We certainly do not discount the fact that many, many good and effective doctors may not appear on the list.

Disclaimers.
DataJoe uses best practices and exercises great care in assembling content for this list. DataJoe does not warrant that the data contained within the list are complete or accurate. DataJoe does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions herein whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. All rights reserved. No commercial use of the information in this list may be made without written permission from DataJoe.

Questions?
For research/methodology questions, contact the research team at surveys@datajoe.com.

This special section features local medical practices and providers who are helping shape the delivery of care across our region.

SPONSORED CONTENT

Representing a range of specialties, these professionals are part of a broader network committed to access, innovation, and patient-focused care close to home. Through their work, these practices contribute to the strength of our local healthcare landscape—offering services, expertise, and resources that support individuals and families throughout every stage of care.

One Local Author’s Tale

By: Charlotte Farley  |  Photos By: Ashlee Glen

On a cozy afternoon, Eliana Lessa Marcilio curls up with her youngest granddaughter to read chapter 11 of Drops of Joy. Somewhere in the middle of a particularly tender passage, the little girl reaches over and laces her fingers through Eliana’s, giving her hand an extra squeeze just as the words on the page swell with emotion. For Eliana, it’s the perfect picture of what she hopes her book will do in the world.

“I like to say, ‘Let’s make it rain joy,’” she explained. It’s a phrase her grandchildren know by heart. In fact, that’s exactly how Drops of Joy began: as a simple, made‑up bedtime story that turned into a treasured family ritual.

Long ago, Brazilian‑born Eliana was a little girl with ink in her veins. She comes from four generations of writers; one relative even held a chair at the prestigious Brazilian Academy of Letters. When she was 10 years old, her grandfather gave her what she still calls a cherished gift: He invited her to “write with the pen of your heart.” Those words shaped her understanding of writing not as performance, but as honest expression.

As an adult, Eliana carried that love of language into a career in education. Regardless of age, she saw again and again how powerful it is when a child is invited to find and use his or her own voice.

While visiting her grandchildren several years ago, Eliana began spinning a very simple story at bedtime, and the kids loved it. When the visit ended and they didn’t want to let the story go, Eliana started recording voice memos they could play when they weren’t together. The story, and the practice around it, became their “family treasure.”

In Drops of Joy, readers meet Lila, a young girl whose rainy‑night dream of mysterious raindrops bringing sudden joy refuses to fade when she wakes. Determined to brighten her family’s routine, she and her best friend Olivia slowly draw others into the adventure, from a kind art teacher and her speedy puppy to a grumpy park regular and a cheerful grocer. As Olivia’s brilliant idea finally brings Lila’s dream to life, joy begins to spread from one heart to another, until it feels as if “drops of joy” are raining over the whole town. The story, Eliana notes, “doesn’t really have an end.” Every time someone notices and shares a new drop of joy, the story continues.

Before long, Eliana’s story escaped the confines of bedtime as her grandchildren started doing what the story suggested in real life, such as leaving small notes, gestures, and “drops” of kindness and encouragement in their homes. Their parents saw just how real and powerful this little practice could be. 

That was when Eliana began to sense that what started as a family tradition might be something to bring to a bigger audience. She spent all of 2025 tweaking, editing, and guiding Drops of Joy through production before its release in February 2026.

As a publisher myself, I know bringing a book to life is no small task, but Eliana is quick to point out she didn’t do it alone. “During the editing phases, my grandchildren helped me!” she said with a laugh. They were collaborators, offering ideas for the story, weighing in on the cover, and making sure the language sounded the way kids actually talk. Her grandchildren are now ages 7 to 13, but they still see Drops of Joy as their story, not only their grandmother’s.

Eliana is quick to point out that this is far more than a children’s story, since it can speak to just about anyone. Then there are the literal “drops” tucked within the pages: shapes kids can trace, cut out, and pass along to someone they love. Over time, those little tokens have taken on a life of their own. Adults who have read the book tell Eliana that they, too, are leaving drops for each other, handing them to friends who need encouragement.

Eliana also created an educator’s guide to accompany Drops of Joy, offering teachers ideas for weaving joy‑spotting, reflective questions, and expressive writing into classroom routines. It’s all an extension of her belief in helping children learn to articulate what’s inside them. She talks about the power of giving kids tools and permission to express whatever is in their hearts—whether light or heavy—and connecting those feelings to words on a page.

If you spend any time with Eliana, the book’s focus becomes easier to understand. She is brimming with warmth and hospitality, and joy just seems to radiate from her. She describes herself as “a woman of deep faith,” and that faith feels rooted and real. You sit with her, and her happiness feels contagious.

When she looks at her grandchildren, Eliana sees not just co‑authors, but gifts.

“First of all, I simply love them,” she said. “It is clear to me that each one has their own delightful personality. I treasure that. I treasure them, each the way that they are.” Being a grandmother, she added, “is a gift of joy. They bring life to us. Grandchildren are one of the best things in the world.”

Eliana hopes the effect lingers long after readers close the book. 

“Not just a day,” she said, “but the days ahead—if they become more aware of joy and choose to share it, it will last.” 

There’s already talk, at least in her imagination, that this could someday become a series. But for now, the choice to focus on joy was spontaneous and deeply personal. 

“Joy is something to share,” she said. “The more we have, the more we can give away. Sometimes one drop makes a difference.”  

Nestled just outside of Lynchburg’s urban sprawl in Concord, a 22-acre farm offers sanctuary and second chances for farm animals in need of a home.

By: Shannon Kelly / Photos By: Makers Workshop

When Kimberly Clark moved to the Lynchburg area from West Virginia in 2011, she rented the farm property so her horse and miniature horse could have a home with her. Looking at the barn, Clark said she knew she wanted to fill it. The farm family quickly expanded to include two special-needs goats who had nowhere else to go, then a blind cow. Thus, the mission and reputation of a farm animal sanctuary sprouted.  

“Before I knew it, I kind of had a barn full of special-needs critters,” she said.

Clark’s love for animals was innate; she grew up around them.

“My maternal aunt had horses always, and my paternal aunt lived on a ranch, so it was something I grew up with,” she said. “I think I probably rode a horse before I could walk.” 

When the landlord eventually informed her the property would be sold, Clark offered to buy it. \

Officially, Virginia Farm Animal Sanctuary was founded as a nonprofit in 2025, but the mission had really been operating for more than a decade prior. What started with two special-needs goats turned into a farm of diverse mammals and barnfowl. 

After the first special-needs animals came in, a little baby donkey set Clark in a new direction. 

At 4 or 5 weeks old, the donkey was undernourished when Clark found him.

“He was kind of all rolled in a little ball, tucked up, and he had really long hair,” she said. “I sat down next to him, and he got down, and he curled up in my lap and threw his head over my shoulder, and that was it.”

There was not much public information on bottle-feeding baby donkeys at the time, Clark said, but an organization called Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue kept coming up in her searches. When she reached out to the organization, they responded within hours and helped support her education in donkey care.

With the intake of donkeys came awareness of the global donkey hide trade. The situation spurred Clark into more focused action, and in 2014, VFAS became an adoption center helping place rescued donkeys into forever homes. By the time 10 rescue donkeys came to land with Clark and her team, and as calls steadily continued coming in, Clark founded Virginia Donkey Rescue, creating a dedicated donkey rescue and rehoming program in the commonwealth.   

VFAS is a sanctuary, Clark explained—not a rescue. And there are more than just donkeys there.

The donkeys often came with companion animals, from barn cats, to goats and sheep, to dogs, ducks, llamas, and other barn fowl, Clark said. VFAS encompassed the inclusivity and scope of work. Fifteen years after her move to Virginia and propulsion into mission, Clark leads VFAS, and provides a home to more than 200 animals—about half of them goats, donkeys, and pigs, and the other half various types of barnyard birds.

At VFAS, Clark said the focus is on animals’ present and future, not their pasts.

“We don’t focus on their past,” she said. “It’s just…that would kill you as a rescuer, and I think it kills a lot of rescuers. I think they burn out on the whole thing, because they do focus on all the bad parts, and I just prefer to focus on their present, and their future.”

Most of Clark’s current animals came from owner surrenders, and she has focused on taking in older or sick animals who would not have a good chance of being successfully rehomed. They get to live out the remainder of their lives in sanctuary, cared for by Clark and her team of dedicated volunteers. 

Clark wants others to view the sanctuary as something like an extension of the local humane society.

“They can’t take a pig, or a donkey, or a goat, but we can,” she said.

A typical day on the farm starts early with a walk-around of the property, checking on animals’ health, monitoring enclosures, and the like. Breakfast is next, a more time-consuming activity given the large herd. After morning feed, Clark said there are a couple of hours for “special projects”: cleaning stalls, trimming hooves as needed, knocking down cobwebs, and other tasks. Volunteers groom donkeys and otherwise spend time loving on the animals, providing them enrichment. Then, the time comes to prepare for evening feed. 

Clark goes to bed exhausted physically but satisfied mentally.

“There’s that saying that when you find your passion, it doesn’t feel like work,”
Clark said. “Once I met my baby donkey, none of what I’ve done for the animals has ever felt like work. So, I go to bed tired in an exhausted kind of way, but not in a mentally exhausted kind of way.”

Over the years, Clark has also developed a different perspective on owner surrenders.

“One thing that this life has done for me is, I used to be very judgmental of people that surrendered animals, and I was young and foolish thinking this, but I was like, ‘If you’re going to make that commitment to them, you need to make that commitment for life,’” Clark said. “But what picking up all these donkeys and other animals throughout the years now has taught me is that, life can blow you some really significant blows, and it’s most often out of your control, so the best thing I can do is not be judgmental about the people, and be helpful, especially with the older, sick animals that would be almost impossible to place elsewhere.”

Some owners who had to give up their animals due to various circumstances still come visit the farm, or even volunteer there, Clark added. In other cases, she has been able to help owners keep their animals by providing various kinds of support. 

Bonnie Swanson, a volunteer at the sanctuary, has experienced nearly every aspect of the stories these animals come with: Swanson had to surrender some animals when life threw new circumstances at her. Then she became a volunteer at the same sanctuary where her donkeys came to live, and she is also a regular donor to the organization.

Swanson owned and operated a tourism farm for many years, but about two years ago, as she settled further into retirement, the time came to downsize and slow down. Then came the difficult decision: Swanson had to find a new home for the three donkeys she’d had for about 15 years, as well as two goats. 

“That was a difficult time,” she said. “I tried to find homes for them with people that I knew and then saw Kimberly again, and she said, ‘Oh, we’ll take your donkeys!’”

Swanson never saw herself leaving her farm, or parting with the animals she’d loved for so long. 

“Life changes,” Swanson said. “I always felt that we’d be at the farm till we’re no longer on this earth, and then I’d will the donkeys to my children. I always threatened them with that. But, you know, life changes, and we decided we were just going to go to a smaller piece of property. It’s an acre, and in a neighborhood, to boot.”

Swanson knew Clark from a time they did fundraising work together after being introduced through a mutual friend, and with this personal foundation, Swanson was relieved to place her animals where she knew they would be cared for—and where she could still spend time with them. She described working with animals at the sanctuary as a symbiotic relationship, and a respite. Plus, it provides a chance to disconnect and reconnect: to put down the phone and enjoy the company of other volunteers as well as the animals. 

Clark seeks more volunteers to help support VFAS and its mission. The roles that need filling are not just picking up manure, she said; for example, Clark could use help maintaining the farm’s website, a job that would not even require someone to be on-site. 

Volunteers who could focus on fundraising efforts are also needed, Clark added.

This summer, a capital campaign is ongoing, focused on raising $199,000 to fully pay off the property, solidifying it as fully owned by Clark, and VFAS, providing a greater level of security for the animals who call it home.  

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A simple kitchen update evolved into a full-home transformation at Smith Mountain Lake, where thoughtful design, family antiques, and lakefront views create a space built for entertaining.

By: Megan Williams / Photos By: Ashlee Glen

It all started with a conversation homeowners will recognize all too quickly. Jeff Allen and his daughter, Daphne, realized there was one small improvement that could be made to their kitchen space to allow for easier entertaining.

“Then it all snowballed from there,” Allen laughed.

One small shift to make space for a double trashcan led to myriad “what if” conversations. What if we open up this space? What if we had more light in the kitchen? What if this space didn’t just allow for family gatherings, but entertaining the way we want to entertain? 

So Daphne called her longtime friend Mady Perillo, co-owner of Greer Design Co.

“Mady really started with a blank slate,” Allen explained. “A lot of what you see here was Mady and her vision.”

Allen’s lakefront home was originally built in the 1990s and it was largely established as a summer home—a quiet retreat that a young family could escape to. As the family grew, got older, and needs shifted, Allen and his brother worked together to add on to the home—adding a large basement den and primary bedroom and bathroom. Then, it became a full-time home for the first time.

When Allen reached out to Greer Design, he was largely still in the Lynchburg area but also traveling back and forth between Smith Mountain Lake and St. Pete, Florida, where he and his wife, Lynette, have another residence.

“From the beginning, our focus was on creating a home that felt bright, welcoming, and comfortable as the home previously was quite dark,” Perillo explained. “Our clients are wonderful entertainers, so making guests feel special was a top priority. Their love of coastal-inspired colors, paired with our passion for creating distinctive and memorable spaces, led us to design each room with its own personality while keeping the overall feel bright, relaxed, and cohesive.”

“Some things were still dated from the 90s and from the addition,” continued Allen. “So we tasked Mady with doing a makeover to who we are today, not when our kids were little.”

And indeed, the home is instantly warm, bright, and welcoming—with conversational nooks and space strategically placed to welcome conversation or to allow large groups of people to spread out. As you walk through the front door, you’re immediately met with an open kitchen. A large island—perfect for many elbows and drink glasses to gather—rests as the focal point of the space before the eye wanders to the dining area and the custom wine wall the Greer Design Co. team had installed. As you walk through the space, you’ll notice that the eye naturally knows which area to focus on next. The wine wall gives way to the screened in porch, where the oversized furniture all but beckons visitors to stretch out and stay a while. From there, a welcome wander to the opposite wall, where large prints of priceless family photos are framed in a grid invite you back inside where the air is cool and the drinks are being poured. Family or visitors need only turn around, however, to be greeted with an unbelievable sight: Floor-to-ceiling windows that give the viewer a full view of Smith Mountain Lake below. Situated on the second to last cove just before the Smith Mountain Lake dam, the water is deep and is rendered a stunning and surprising blue. A seating area invites you to take it all in, from the tiered landscaping that ushers you toward the boathouse and dock to the calm and quiet water itself.

“The homeowners were drawn to a neutral and cozy, coastal-inspired color palette, which became our starting point for the design,” said Perillo. “At the same time, the home included spaces with a very strong Virginia Tech influence, most notably the basement, which featured maroon and orange walls in addition to the mural when we began! Our goal was to honor both of those inspirations without allowing either theme to dominate the overall design. We focused on translating those influences into a more refined and timeless aesthetic.

We incorporated a cozy color palette and sense of ease often associated with coastal interiors, then added antiques, some unique pieces, and varied textures to add depth and character. That collected, layered approach is central to our design philosophy and was especially fitting for this project, given Jeff’s family background in antiques.”

No stranger to Smith Mountain Lake, Allen grew up just across the water at his parents’ lakefront home. His father owned Lawrence Allen Antiques on Old Boonesboro Road (where Meriwether Godsey is today). His father specialized in antiques, some of which reside in Allen’s lakefront home today.

“In our [primary] bedroom, there are two Henkel Harris nightstands,” Allen explained. “They’re called Allen Nightstands, and they are actually reproductions of nightstands that my dad sold. The originals are still in his house today.”

The corner cupboard in the hallway seating area is also one of Allen’s family heirlooms, which Allen recalls his grandmother painstakingly scraping off eight coats of paint by hand to refinish it.

“It’s a nice mix of antique and modern that flows with the house,” Lynette continued.

Throughout the home, the Greer Design Co. team incorporated custom elements that added character and a sense of intention to each space that worked alongside Allen’s staple, family heirloom pieces.

“In the guest bedroom, the unique and budget-friendly paint treatment created depth and visual interest by adding color but keeping the room still light and bright,” Perillo said. “While custom elements in the kitchen—such as the brass range hood—serve as a focal point, mixing cabinet hardware finishes creates visual interest and enlarging the kitchen window adds another focal point while filling the space with more light.”

Layered lighting was another important design element throughout the home. The Greer Design Co. team combined fixtures to create warmth and dimension, including a double layer of sconces framing a family gallery wall that transforms a pass-by wall into a memorable feature. In the downstairs den, they combined three TV consoles to achieve the look of a custom built-in while still being affordable and attainable.

“This home really has evolved over my lifetime,” Allen said, as he looked into the open concept dining room and kitchen from the screened in porch. “It now has everything we need for the family we are today.”