PROFESSIONALS MENTOR YOUNG ADULTS IN FOSTER CARE

As a part of their Leadership Lynchburg class, Foster Fuels Vice President of Marketing Chelsea Harrison and her team members were assigned a very wide-ranging topic for their group project: youth.

“It was broad,” Harrison said. “But we wanted to design something that had a sustainable impact on
the community.”

The group decided to partner with Impact Living Services to help the organization lead its monthly training sessions for young adults enrolled in the organization’s independent living program. This program helps foster children ages 17 to 21 achieve educational, vocational, and financial goals. Together, the nonprofit and Harrison’s Leadership Lynchburg group created Impact Circles, a mentorship program that partners people in the community with young adults in Impact’s programs.

Young adults who enrolled in the Impact Living Services’ independent living program are required to attend monthly trainings, but Harrison and her group wanted to bring in Lynchburg professionals and experts to focus on specific topics such as real estate, fire and internet safety, and budgeting to help these individuals grow their skills. In some cases, it can be a first-time introduction to certain subjects.

“We had professionals commit to one hour a year,” Harrison explained. “It was awesome to connect with multiple community leaders who wanted to be involved. We have sessions scheduled through [2022].”

Impact Living Services’ Mission Advancement Officer Maria Rolf said seeing the community reach out to partner with them was “a blessing.”

“We had been working as an organization to start a program like this,” Rolf said. “But the fact that they came to us was an unexpected gift.”

According to Rolf, many of the young adults in their program have never had anyone come alongside them and introduce them to certain life skills.

“It’s providing new opportunities that they’ve never had before,” she said. “We had someone come and speak from Centra’s marketing department and for some of our kids who are creative, they realized that they don’t have to be a starving artist. They can apply those skills to something like marketing.”

Rolf and Harrison said the response from those in the program has been positive. The young adults are also sharing stories of how they are applying in their own lives what they have learned.

“Beacon Credit Union had a really nice training,” said 18-year-old Shanna Coleman. “They taught us what credit is, how to use it, and what the different types of bank accounts are.”

As a current student at Central Virginia Community College, Coleman said her first priority is college, but Impact’s training classes have helped take the pressure off.

“Adulting can be overwhelming,” she said. “It’s touching to know that there are people who care about you and care about your progression.”

Coleman is also part of Impact Circles. Mentors meet a few times a month with their mentees to talk about life, school, or any other issues they’d like to address.

“I’ve been meeting with my mentor for a few weeks now and there’s a lot we have in common,” Coleman said. “I’m not used to having a mentor to this extent. It’s a lot more personal and hands-on.”

Harrison said hearing testimonies like this only strengthens their mission as a group.

“Many of these kids are in relational poverty,” Harrison said. “I know if I was going through a hard time, I know I have friends or family members who can help me. But they don’t have that. They need someone to come around them and have a positive impact.”

Rolf said that Coleman’s story shows that anyone can overcome their circumstances and succeed with the right community.

It’s also proof that volunteers from the community truly can change lives.

“We’re looking for people who want to come around these [young adults] to help them grow relationally,” she said. “While they have case workers who are paid to be their support, we want people who volunteer their time and stick with them beyond what’s required.”

WANT TO VOLUNTEER?
Email Maria Rolf at maria.rolf@impactlivingservices.org.

Southern Charm Painting

Photo by Ashlee Glen

When Brittany Williams started the Huddleston-based Southern Charm Painting in 2017, her main goal was to focus on quality over quantity. Now, four years into owning her own painting business, she feels confident that is exactly what she delivers—not to mention her business won Gold for Best Paint Company in our Best Of Lynchburg Awards. Writer Ellowyn Steele spoke with Williams to learn more about her business and why she chose this industry.

Ellowyn Steele: First off, how did Southern Charm Painting come to be?
Brittany Williams: It took me several weeks to pick that name. It was very much a ground up process. My brother actually bought me my first spray pump as a gift to help me kick off my business. I had a lot of support from friends and family to help get it going, but it was definitely me on my own at first. For the first six months, I would work my property management job Monday through Friday. Then in the nights and evenings, I would paint. On the weekends, I would paint. I literally didn’t take a day off for months to get it going.

ES: Do you have more help now?
BW: I do. I have two to three people that work with me throughout the year.

ES: What specific services does Southern Charm Painting offer?
BW: People laugh when I say this. If it can be painted, we’ll paint it. That’s pretty much my motto. There’s not much I can’t paint or won’t paint if the price is right, and the time is there. We mostly do residential work. I like residential because that’s where our quality shows.

ES: On your website, it says that you do work that your customers are proud of. What measures and methods do you take to ensure that happens?
BW: We go the extra mile to make sure that the customer understands what it is they’re asking for, which is what I think sets us apart from other businesses. We take the extra time to ask questions to make sure that they are getting what they really wanted.

ES: Have you faced any challenges while running your business?
BW: There’s been a lot of hard work. A lot of hours of having to prove myself, especially since the construction industry is a predominantly male field. You have to be able to not wear your emotions on your sleeve and you have to be able to brush shoulders with mostly men in this line of work. You have to have tough, thick skin.

ES: What is your favorite part about what you do?
BW: The end result. I always challenge myself with everything I do to make this one better than the last if at all possible, in some way. Seeing the end result and then seeing the customer happy with what we’ve done makes it worth it.

NEW STORES, GALLERIES POINT TO AN UP-AND-COMING MARKET FOR LOCAL ARTISTS

Anyone on the hunt for a new piece of local, original artwork is no longer limited to attending a festival or stumbling across something they like hanging in a restaurant. New niche fine art galleries are opening and thriving in Central Virginia, showing that the art industry is worth the investment.

Findings Art opened in the Boonsboro Shopping Center in March.

“We had [a full lineup of] artists before we even had a space for them to look at,” said owner Amy Calandra Davis. “So that tells you that people were craving this.”

While Davis says there have been small pockets in the region for artists to display their work, those stores sell other items.

“This is the first time we’ve had an actual retail gallery space solely dedicated to the display and selling of original artwork,” she said, adding that she hopes to offer an even wider variety of artists and artwork as time goes on.

Davis said there is actually a large artist community in Lynchburg, which people may or may not know about.

“We do have a very thriving, active art community,” she said. “And on the flip side, we don’t have enough outlets for artists to routinely display and sell their pieces.”

Artists would normally have to wait until they could get into a show at a gallery such as the Academy Center of the Arts or hang their work somewhere like a local restaurant.

“Being an artist myself, you want to get out there and create, but where are you going to put them once you’re done?” she said.

Findings won’t prevent artists from showing anywhere else; Davis said she wants her gallery to be a place where they can routinely count on having wall space for as long as it’s working for them.

The selections from Findings range from local to national, large to small, with various techniques, styles, mediums, and price points.

“It’s a one-stop shop for all your art needs,” Davis said. “So you don’t have to look online anymore. You don’t have to wait for a show or a festival.”

In Wyndhurst, above Montana Plains Bakery on Tradewynd Drive, Steven Coates has recently reopened his art gallery, Steven Francis Fine Art. He first opened the business in the fall of 2019 but closed it in March 2020 when the pandemic shuttered many businesses.

Coates says his gallery is more of an “art project” that he hopes will naturally evolve into a destination visit from travelers near and far.

He had the chance to hold one show in November 2019 and plans to hold two more this coming fall.

The fine art gallery has 50 percent local artists; the other half is national and international artists, some coming as far as Argentina and California.

Art can be found downstairs in the bakery, which Coates used to own, as well as upstairs in the gallery.

He says it’s new for Lynchburg to have these kinds of fine art stores.

“There was really no niche or specialty galleries, but the market is good for art galleries right now,” he said. “Especially with the pandemic, people want art on their walls. People connect with art and people who have had art for a while, it’s part of the family, it’s how they breathe. Art is like that.”

Coates said he isn’t so much worried about sales but wants to expose the community to art.

“I look for things that I like that I’m passionate about,” he said. “It’s a combination and so then the people come in here and they get excited about it too. I’m just trying to encourage people to get more involved with it.”

ElectricCoArt opened in Bedford this year and has a fine art gallery and bistro alongside a large store that features locally handcrafted items, such as pottery, metal sculptures and furniture. They have confirmed one artist, Felta of Floyd, Va., and are in talks with several more that they plan to announce in the coming months.

“The responses [from the artists] have been overwhelmingly positive,” said co-owner Wendy Witt. “Artists are happy to see us create this, so it is a win for both the artists and the art collectors.”

Witt believes the pandemic, with all of its challenges, really paved the way for a surge in the art market.

“Art is a release for emotions, regardless of what directions those emotions may be traveling in. The quarantining that has been happening for the last year and a half has elevated a lot of emotions—anger, confusion,” said Witt. “However, some people really enjoyed it! So, there needs to be an outlet to let those feelings go, whether you’re making [the art] or enjoying and interpreting the art for your needs.”

Announces New Generation of Popular Disinfecting Cabinet

Alittle over a year after releasing its revolutionary UV-C Disinfecting Cabinet, the Bedford County–based LiteSheet Solutions has come out with a second version that is even more powerful and effective.

LiteSheet is an LED lighting technology company with notable projects completed in New York City’s Woolworth Building and Virginia’s Monitor-Merrimac Tunnel,
among others.

As the COVID-19 pandemic gripped our world last spring, a door opened for LiteSheet to enhance its AC-Direct LED lighting products to include UV-C LED disinfection.

“At the outset of the pandemic, the federal government and Commonwealth of Virginia were making calls to all manufacturers saying, ‘How can you help?’ For the most part, they were looking for fabric manufacturers to produce masks, but I turned to our engineering and manufacturing departments and we developed the UV-C Disinfecting Cabinet,” said Roger Whyte, company president and CEO.

The UV-C Disinfecting Cabinets are manufactured at the company’s Forest facility, which is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency. They are also in full compliance with the Food and Drug Administration as well.

The cabinet uses UV-C LEDs to kill pathogens—including viruses, bacteria, mold and spores—specifically targeting viruses and bacteria that are commonly found in schools, offices and healthcare settings. UV-C wavelengths differ from UV-A and UV-B rays in that they are blocked by the ozone layer so they must be created here on Earth.

However, all three damage cells in a similar way.

“Pathogens are susceptible to UV-C wavelengths,” Whyte explains. “When UV-C strikes a pathogen, it actually permeates the cell of the pathogen, damages its strand of DNA or RNA and kills it.”

Using UV-C as a disinfecting tool has been around for a while and is well researched, Whyte says. But it had traditionally been generated with mercury-vapor lamps, which don’t last long and aren’t easily transported. There are also some environmental concerns if they aren’t disposed of properly.

LiteSheet’s UV-C Disinfecting Cabinet is a much safer option that works similar to a microwave: open up the door, place items inside, shut the door, press start and wait 60 seconds. When the cycle is complete, the items inside have been surface disinfected of common pathogens. There also are safety features on the cabinet, including a digital timer and lock, that ensure the modules will not power on unless the door is securely closed.

In the fall of 2020, LiteSheet’s Gen-1 cabinet was tested by Virginia Tech’s Class 3 Virology lab. Researchers tested the capacity of the SARS-Cov-2 virus to infect cells after spending 15 minutes in the cabinet versus outside the cabinet.

“We found that the level of infectious SARS-Cov-2 on a surface was reduced by 99.97% after 15 minutes in the cabinet,” says Dr. Nisha Duggal, assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology.

“The validation from an independent lab is essential,” Whyte adds. “It’s an extra step we took to ensure the cabinet works.”

Now, over a year later, LiteSheet is unveiling the second generation of the UV-C Disinfecting Cabinet that is higher powered and more efficient to kill surface pathogens in under 60 seconds. Shorter cycle times can help facilities disinfect items or equipment even more quickly than before.

“We kill 95 percent of common pathogens in less than a minute now,” Whyte says.

According to Whyte, the cabinets can play a role in overall patient outcomes in hospitals by mitigating the transmission of healthcare-acquired illnesses. They can also be used by schools to disinfect shared items such as tablets and books.

The cabinet is also finding use in other fields as well, such as broadcasting agencies and departments of transportation, he says.

LiteSheet Solutions is now looking at other ways they can expand this technology in the future.

“We’ve been asked to look at quite a few applications, such as air purification; we’re also looking at conveyor system scenarios where items are continuously fed, like at an airport, for example,” he says. “We think the product line will definitely be expanding.”

Lynchburg’s Rotarians uphold rich practice of ‘service over self’

On a cold February evening in downtown Chicago in 1905, four business associates gathered for what would be known as the inaugural Rotary club meeting.

Founder Paul Harris wanted a networking club where businessmen could connect with members of his Chicago community. What was intended as a just a local hub, then named the National Association of Rotary Clubs, quickly sprouted into something much greater—far greater than any charter member imagined.

In just a few short years, Rotary evolved into a national networking and community service force, with hundreds of clubs throughout America. And in 1917, with just under 300 established nationwide, Rotary skidded its way to the small city of Lynchburg, Va.

Rotary International now boasts tens of thousands of clubs worldwide. The Rotary Club of Lynchburg and the Rotary Club of Lynchburg-Morning, Lynchburg’s two distinct clubs, have played a transformative role in the fruition of the community, serving in multiple facets of humanitarian aid, street cleanup, and other city improvement projects.

The Rotary Club of Lynchburg is in its 105th year, and the Rotary Club of Lynchburg-Morning was founded in 1987, just two years before women were permitted as members.
More than simply a club for friends to mingle, both clubs are dedicated to community service. Rotary International’s slogan is “Service above Self.”

The Rotary Club of Lynchburg and the Rotary Club of Lynchburg-Morning are responsible for many local delights, one of them being the Skatepark in downtown Lynchburg, which was funded by both clubs and is now maintained and operated by Lynchburg Parks and Recreation. Peaks View Park’s disc golf course is also a product of the clubs’ efforts, with assistance from district matching for funding projects and grants.

The clubs’ humanitarian aid projects cover a wide range of services, all of which can be described on its website. Recently, the Rotary Club of Lynchburg sponsored a Margaritaville Night at the Hillcats baseball game. A percentage of the proceeds went to Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust.

Both clubs have a history of supporting humanitarian aid locally and internationally, such fighting the poliovirus, securing medical equipment access for care facilities in Africa, and raising money to fund the Lynchburg Salvation Army in 1921.

“I love all the clubs in our area,” said Tom Illingworth, an Area Governor, and the Immediate Past President of Rotary Club of Lynchburg. “They do great work in their communities. And having a connection with Rotary can really be beneficial with your career or your personal goals whether it’s within your community or globally.”
Area 5 is home to seven unique Rotary Clubs: Altavista, Amherst, Bedford, Forest, Smith Mountain Lake, Lynchburg, and Lynchburg-Morning.

Both Lynchburg clubs each have more than 40 members and have maintained a strong membership commitment throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Rotarians from all career backgrounds and age demographics participate.

“It really is uplifting to be a part of this club as well as meet with people each week who are like-minded,” Harrison said.

The Rotary Club of Lynchburg meets the second and fourth Thursday of each month at Oakwood Country Club. The Rotary Club of Lynchburg-Morning meets every Thursday morning at the Virginian Hotel. Weekly club meetings typically feature a meal and guest speaker from the community.

Recently, members from both clubs worked in conjunction to create Rotaract, a branch of Rotary International that provides opportunities for college students and young professionals to take part in serving their community. Rotaract officially was recognized in June 2021.

“We are looking for people who want to serve their community,” Harrison said. “This organization has done so much worldwide and to alleviate human suffering, and that’s the bigger picture. It really is an interesting, well-run organization full of very motivated people. So, anyone who wants to get involved, we are happy to bring you in and put you right to work.”

To get involved, members of the Lynchburg community are welcome to contact membership chair Tracey Dixon at director@lynchburgdailybread.com to inquire about the Rotary Club of Lynchburg, or Bethany Harrison at bethanyrotaryharrison@gmail.com to explore the Rotary Club of Lynchburg-Morning.

For more information about the clubs’ histories, visit lynchburgrotary.org.

Home Designer Purchases This Piece of Bedford County History

The iconic antebellum-style white building that overlooks the Forest area is now operating under new ownership and a new name. But most everything else people love about the White Brick House and antique shop will remain the same.

New store owner Sarah Krycinski purchased the building on the three-acre property in early September and has renamed it Ashwood Manor Designs.

“I’m moving my store and design business there. I have teamed up with a few incredible designers as well so we can offer our design services and styling for women,” Krycinski said.

Other than one vendor leaving, all 20 women-owned businesses will stay on at the property and will continue selling items including jewelry, key chains, signs, shabby-chic furniture as well as architectural salvage, vintage furniture, and farmhouse-style items such as kitchen and baking tools.

“I thought, ‘Well I’m probably going to have to start fresh with zero vendors and I’m going to have to fill this up’ and that was a little overwhelming,” she said. “And when I met with everybody, and shared my vision and the new name and all the things that are going to be in store for us, they all decided to stay. And the best part was Peg did too.”

Peg Breiholz, owner of the White Brick House, will stay on as a vendor (as well as selling her items online) but will no longer run the 231-year-old home.
“I’m very excited about Sarah coming in and taking over,” Breiholz said. “I’ve known the property was going to be up for sale for about a year and a half so I’ve just been waiting on God’s perfect timing for this to happen.”

Breiholz added she is happy to see that the business will continue running and that all vendors—minus one—are staying. She is also excited that new vendors and commercial products are a part of Krycinski’s vision.

“The fact that I won’t have to be there all the time is a huge blessing,” she said. “It’s all going to be pretty much the same except there’s just going to be more. We hope the community continues to support Sarah and the new business. And I think they’re going to love it.”

Krycinski said her biggest goal, for now, is to get people in the door so they can experience what the shop has to offer.

“Nobody knows where it is,” she said. “A million people in Forest had no clue there was a whole retail store in a huge mansion behind Sheetz. And they wouldn’t have driven to TJ Maxx or Target or wherever because we need stores like this where we live. From little gifts for your home or for somebody moving into a home, you’re going to find that here.”

She has set up a new Instagram account for the store (@ashwoodmanordesigns) and is promoting a new designer every day on that account.

“A place like this needs social media,” she said. “There’s a ton of [new construction] happening in the Forest area. If you actually go to the top of the house and go up to the cupola, all you see is red clay, which for me is exciting because that means people are moving here and they’re escaping big cities.”

Smaller changes include painting the front door and putting up new signage. Most importantly, Krycinski is working to take the new business online.

“I have to be creative,” she said. “If we go through another shutdown, I need to be able to sell to the world because I’m not just at stake for my business failing, I’m at stake now for 20 women. I’m in charge of a lot of love and support and I have 20 families that are relying on me to make it. I’m not doing this just for myself, I’m doing this for a team of people that decided they would stay with me and believe in this.”

Krycinski said she hopes to eventually do some quarterly pop-up events and will be holding a flower giveaway twice a month from local florist, Mimosa Farms, until the end of October. She also hopes to team up with a bakery to offer baked goods.

“Come and support us,” she said. “Shop local, the world needs it.” Learn more at www.ashwoodmanordesigns.com.

By Olivia Carter | Photos by Brett Hartley

Gary’s Garden Center Returns After a Five-Year Break

When a private buyer inquired about purchasing Gary’s Garden Center, a family business spanning three generations, in 2016, owner Gary “Nelson” Garner Jr. hesitated.

He had not advertised to sell, so the offer took him by surprise. Plant material, and agriculture in general, had been a major hobby for as long as he could remember, a love he shared with his father and son, both co-owners.

“My first instinct was ‘no, I don’t want to sell’,” said Nelson, who first launched the center in 1979 with his father, Gary Garner Sr., as a mowing maintenance company.

That lawncare service business slowly evolved into a garden center, which sold a wide assortment of shrubs, trees, vegetables, flowers, and other itemized gardening goods, mulches, and soils. But in 2016, after assessing the value of the family business and considering the offer—as well as the fact that Gary III was away for college—the decision seemed clear.

“Everything was lined up, and it seemed like it was meant to be,” said Gary III, who was preoccupied at Gardner-Webb University and exploring other career options.

In 2016, after nearly four decades, the family sold their beloved garden center.

As years passed, and as rich planting seasons ebbed and flowed, old customers would constantly probe the three Garys—particularly Nelson—on when the garden center would blossom back to life. Throughout its history, Gary’s Garden Center had built strong bonds with members of the Lynchburg community—from homeowners to professional landscapers. The center was even voted Best Lawn and Garden Supply business by Lynchburg Living readers in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2016.

“So many of our former customers were basically begging us to get back into it,” said Gary III, who is currently using his business administration degree at two businesses: the garden center and Baughman and Associates Insurance.

After a five-year hiatus, the three Garys decided to reopen the business. Nelson signed the lease, sought the proper permits, and reconnected with his supply haulers.

“It was all done very quickly,” said Nelson. “Once we knew we had the property leased, I started lining everything else up, and it all fell into shape very well. … For the most part, we got everything we needed to be opened the first of March. And it has gone very well. I’m very thankful to the public and to our old and new customers who have all come in and supported us.”

Gary’s Garden Center reopened March 1, 2021, on a two-acre lot nestled at the corner of Greenview Drive and Leesville Road. The center is complete with a large greenhouse, stocked with a wide collection of vegetables, flowers, and other seasonal products, and open outdoor spaces for trees, shrubs, and additional perennial items.

Lawn care products include premium grass seeds, mulches, and fertilizers by the bag. Additionally, they carry flower pots, small hand tools, animal repellants, and a basic lineup of chemical insecticides, fungicides, and miticides. The center carries a variety of hollies, nandinas, monkey grass, leyland cypress, and hydrangea. Items are sold by the pot size and start at $24.99.

Trees include maples, willow oaks, and other ornamentals. Vegetables vary from tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, peppers, eggplant, watermelon, cantaloupe, and more. Gary’s Garden Center is also home to one of the largest selection of herbs in the Lynchburg area.

While they strive to offer any and all products you could need for your lawn and garden, the family also loves meeting new customers and providing gardening and landscaping installation advice.

“That’s what sets us apart from the bigger stores,” said Gary III. “We know a lot of those little bits and pieces that help our customers be more successful.”

“It’s made us feel very good that our customers are confident and trusting in us to lead them and recommend the right direction for them,” Nelson added.

While Gary’s Garden Center operates through November and December, selling seasonal goods such as pumpkins, Christmas trees, and pansies, the center is closed January and February.

In the future, the Garys would love to expand their family business. Gary Sr., 86, has taken a behind-the-scenes role, writing content for the center’s monthly newsletter, which releases the first Thursday of every month.

“So many people just get enjoyment out of fixing a pot of flowers or having some kind of shrub or vegetable garden, even if they don’t have a lot of space,” said Gary III. “There are loads of studies about how plants improve peoples’ minds; even if they’re not digging in the ground, plants help filter the air.”

“Since we’ve opened back up, it’s made me realize I am a lot more appreciated in the business and industry,” Nelson added. “It has really humbled me. … We really appreciate the community and the area supporting us.”

Longtime pediatric office rebrands, relocates

Photography by Daryl Calfee

In the early 1970s, Dr. John A. Stephenson and his partner and friend Dr. Robert Milanovich teamed up with Drs. Brad Malcom and Dick Morris to start a small pediatric care facility located on Langhorne Road across from E.C. Glass High School. Their goal was to build a pediatric care facility in Lynchburg focused on strong patient-doctor relationships.

Known as Stephenson and Milanovich Pediatrics at the time, the small practice expanded quickly, moving its facilities to a house off of Old Forest Road in the mid-70s. Eventually, in the early ’80s, the practice relocated to its home of nearly 30 years, a two-story building on Richeson Drive, the road for which it would derive its name, Richeson Drive Pediatrics.

Now, nearly 50 years since its humble beginnings, the practice is marking another milestone by expanding to a new, much larger, location and changing its name as well. Under the leadership of Drs. Melody Ailsworth, Michael Padilla, Loan Kline, Kendra Simpson and nurse practitioner Tiffany Kidd, the newly renamed Lynchburg Pediatrics recently opened its brand-new 7,000-square-foot facilities on Gristmill Road and is preparing for the next season of growth and expansion.

“We are so excited to be moving into a space where we can grow, expand our services, provide educational sessions and better serve the pediatric community,” an update on Lynchburg Pediatrics’ website said. “We will continue to learn, evolve and always do what is best for our patients.”

Drawing from the strong foundations of the practice’s history, while forging forward with a new building and new ideas, the leadership of Lynchburg Pediatrics hopes to sustain its position as a stalwart in the pediatric medical community within the greater Lynchburg area.

“The move and rebranding is exciting for us because when we joined Richeson Drive Pediatrics, we knew they have such a great reputation and legacy,” Kline said. “Now, here’s our chance to ask, ‘How do we continue that legacy?’”

For several years, the physicians and staff began realizing that the practice’s former home on Richeson Drive was hindering growth more than helping. While the overall size of the building was adequate, the facilities were beginning to feel outdated and the space proved ineffective, Ailsworth, Kline and Simpson concurred.

Moving patients in and out also became difficult, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, when extra safety measures were put in place to ensure social distancing and the separation of sick patients and those coming in for a regular visit.

“For a while we felt like we needed a bigger space,” Kline said. “The building we were in was [built in] 1980, so it was a little on the older side and we were kind of restricted because I think it was zoned for residential at first. We really needed a space to grow.”

According to Ailsworth, Kline and Simpson, the practice desired a building that not only expanded the patient capacity, but also allowed for the staff to offer other services such as family education classes and an expansion of the literacy program that was launched at the previous location.

Simpson, a Sweet Briar College graduate and the newest doctor on staff, joined the practice in 2019. For her, the staff’s willingness to listen to new ideas and pursue evidence-based care drew her to Richeson Drive Pediatrics.

“I wanted some input,” Simpson said. “I wanted a practice where I felt like they were interested in hearing my ideas. Somewhere where I was part of a team.”

In addition to designing the new acorn logo for Lynchburg Pediatrics’ rebranding, Simpson also came up with an exciting idea to create a welcoming atmosphere for every patient that walks through the doors of the new building.

In tandem with local artist Christina Davis, Simpson worked with every person on staff to design, draw and paint fun and unique artwork on the walls and ceilings of each examination room in the new building. Joy beamed from Simpson’s face as she walked through the freshly painted hallways, pointing out each room—featuring designs of everything from Star Wars and anime to superheroes and a galaxy—which she hopes will bring smiles to the faces of Lynchburg Pediatrics’ patients, both young and old.

“We wanted a place that was comfortable for babies through college-age kids,” Simpson said. “So, we want this to be a place where even if you are 18, you can walk in and not go, ‘Oh gosh, I’m at the baby doctor.’”

The header image on Lynchburg Pediatrics’ new Facebook page reads, “Same great care with a new name and new home!”

For Ailsworth, Kline, Simpson, Padilla and the entire staff of Lynchburg Pediatrics, the move and name change is both the opening of a new chapter and the continuation of a legacy that began with Stephenson and Milanovich’s commitment to patient-first care—a commitment that remains the central mission of the practice today.

“I think most of our patients know that we do more than just medical care,” Ailsworth said. “We are here as a resource, we are available 24/7 and we are partnering to grow healthy families.”

Grand Opening Celebration
August 28, 2021 • 12 p.m.
Carnival-themed food and games. Open to the public.

Every year in our sister publication Lynchburg Business, we feature 20 young professionals who are making big strides in their careers and the community. Be sure to check out our July 2021 issue of Lynchburg Business to learn more about each of these incredible individuals.

New Championship Disc Golf Course Sure to Be Huge Boon to Bedford

With five highly-rated courses currently in operation, Bedford County is already a standout spot for disc golf in the U.S.; with its sixth course now open, it is likely to garner attention worldwide.

The New London Tech Disc Golf course, which boasts a finalized design by five-time disc golf world champion Paul McBeth, is slated to open at the New London Business and Technology Center (NLBTC) this spring. Bedford County Parks & Recreation Operations Coordinator Kenny Palmer first saw potential for the course in 2014.

“In 2014, I became aware of the disc golf course potential at the NLBTC due to the utility easements and clearing on the property,” Palmer recalls. “I filed it away in the back of my mind because developing the trail system was the focus at that time. This past summer, I presented the Bedford County Economic Development Board and the Bedford Regional Water Authority with a plan for the course.” After some slight modifications and a finalized design by McBeth, work on the course began late last fall.

McBeth’s involvement in the course stemmed from an unlikely source: the pandemic.

Last spring, Palmer offered McBeth the opportunity to play a new course at Independence Park that was not yet completed. The Professional Disc Golf Assocation was encouraging its professionals not to play on public courses, and McBeth took the opportunity and played the then-private course. McBeth was so impressed by the course that he designed a pro layout for it, and he decided to do the same at NLBTC after Palmer took him on a tour of the property.

“Paul immediately recognized the potential for a top tier professional style course [at NLBTC] and was on board from there,” Palmer says. “It’s been a great experience working with Paul. He has disc golf insight well beyond anyone I’ve met.” According to Palmer, McBeth believes that the New London Tech Disc Golf Course “could be one of the top courses in the world.”

Several things set the new championship course apart from others in the area. “The long and relatively wide fairways through the woods with very little elevation change is unique and gives the course a European course–feel, according to Paul,” notes Palmer.

Additionally, this 18-hole course is more than 11,500 feet long with three par 5s, eight par 4s, and seven par 3s, whereas most Virginia courses are between 4,000 and 8,000 feet with mostly par 3s and 4s. The course also features an abundance of out-of-bounds, so, as Palmer says, “players must focus on both accuracy and distance.”

The course officially opened on Friday, April 9 after a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony. Members of the general public are able to play, but it is important to note that this is a professional level course. Luckily, an amateur level course option is in the works.

Palmer expects that Bedford County tourism, which is already on the rise, will skyrocket with the opening of this new course. People from around the state and country are already traveling to Bedford County just to play our courses, and this course is like “the cherry on top,” he says. “A Paul McBeth–designed championship course is going to cause an influx of professional players as well as fans from everywhere.

We already see it at Independence Park.”

“The most remarkable thing about the new disc golf course is that it checks three important boxes: it provides recreation, it boosts tourism, and it promotes quality of life,” says Bedford County EDA Chairman Jim Messier.

Business recruitment at NLBTC is also likely to surge due to not only an influx of outside visitors, but also to an increased focus on quality of life for employees.
“We believe it’s easier for businesses to attract great employees when quality of life in an area is present,” says Palmer.

“A business park with miles of multi-use trails and a world class disc golf course certainly offers prospective employees and employers ample opportunity to improve their quality of living. Playing a round of disc golf at lunch or after work is an opportunity to get outside, exercise, and have fun.”

Simplimatic Automation CFO Sara Orange agrees. Her company moved to NLBTC in 2015, and she says that she and other employees make use of the trails often and look forward to trying out the course as well. “The trails are great for walking, jogging or biking,” she notes. “Many employees—and their families—enjoy them during their lunch break, after work or on the weekends. We are very excited about this addition to the park and think it will provide another option for people to get outdoors and enjoy what the park has to offer.”

Palmer has high hopes for the New London Tech Disc Golf Course, and the community response to the project thus far has given him every reason to do so.

“The community support for the project has been incredible,” he says. “So many people have contacted me expressing thanks and support. I’d like to think that this course will be regarded as one of the best in the world and that that reputation will bring people from around the world to Bedford County. We’ll see.”

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Photos by Jenna Burling