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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Discussing truths and misconceptions about the needs and struggles of foster care

From the ashes of trauma comes an opportunity to transform a life forever. As it relates to our community’s children, this second chance comes at a high price, but nearly any willing party—even those who may not realize it—has the means to set the foundation. It all starts with a home, and all the stability, warmth and care associated with that word.

Before they even started dating, Adam and Sarah Mullins had each decided they wanted to foster one day. They knew the need, plus they each personally took to heart what they felt was a clear call from God. As their chemistry kindled and a romance blossomed, this drew them even closer together.

Things got serious, however, when as a young married couple they decided, “Why wait?,” even before having children of their own.

“Honestly,” Adam recalled, “there was no reason not to do it. We knew there was a need, a kid with emotional and physical needs who was not being loved on, cared for.”

NEED
Within Lynchburg’s community, the number of children requiring foster care fluctuates day-to-day as new cases arise and others are settled. Recently, it was around 150.

“We believe that every single child deserves a home,” said April Watson, Foster Care/Adoption Supervisor for the City of Lynchburg’s Department of Human Services. “Our goal is to find the least restrictive, most family-like setting possible.”

Where that home is varies. Sometimes a relative, neighbor or someone who has developed a relationship with the child or children offers to take them in. And while Lynchburg is fortunate in having over 90 foster homes, they fill up fast.

“I’d like more of an accessible pool at any moment,” Watson said. “We need people who are willing to take children of any age, with all kinds of needs. We need people who can take medically fragile children. We need people who can take children with behavioral concerns. We really need people who can take sibling groups. One of our biggest needs is people who will consider taking a teenager.”

Demographically, there is a need for more black foster families.

“We like the diversity,” Watson said. “Sometimes the kids are more comfortable selecting a family that looks more like them.”

At HumanKind, a nonprofit with services that include therapeutic foster care, there is a bit of a joke that they work themselves out of a job.

“We recruit foster parents,” said Ashley Freeman, Therapeutic Foster Care Caseworker for HumanKind. “Once the house fills up or they decide to adopt, we are having to find new parents. We are always looking for parents who are looking to help out the community with these children.”

Foster care is limited to a 12-month process (with some exceptions), after which the goal is a permanent, stable placement, with family if possible.

“Our primary goal is always for them to return back home,” Watson said. “And if they can’t return back home then we want to place them with family. If they can’t go back home or they can’t go back to family, then adoption becomes the goal.”

If the ideal situation (living with family) is not realistic, finding them a “forever family” becomes a priority, so that they do not become lost in the system.

Like a number of foster parents, the Mullins ended up adopting. The circumstances, however, were remarkable. The couple found out Sarah was pregnant while still training to become foster parents. Still, they soon opened their home to a pair of sibling foster children—whom they adopted a year later.

According to Virginia Performs, Virginia is the nation’s leader for lowest foster care rate (2.5 per 1,000 children). Watson has seen this firsthand; the caseload has dropped dramatically from when she started about a decade ago.

“One of our strengths is placement stability here in Lynchburg,” Watson said. “I think we do a really good job in Lynchburg of keeping kids in that one foster home and not having that revolving door.”

Even with favorable statistics, the need for more foster families remains. Not every home is a match for a given child and the goal is for not one child to be without a home.

AGING OUT
From infants to 17 year olds there are literally children of every age in foster care. Often the most difficult to place are older—though, statistically they may be at the greatest risk. According to a University of Chicago study, youth who age out of the foster care system are more likely to end up in jail, homeless or with an unplanned child.

“A lot of people want the babies or those with zero behavioral [issues],” Freeman said, emphasizing the need for families willing to take in teenagers. Though bringing an older child into one’s home might feel more uncontrollable or scary, doing so could be the impact they need at a critical time.

“The teenagers you see who come in are usually the ones who need the most support, because they are about to enter the adult world,” Freeman explained. “They need support in the home to see what a family is but also support in the school and out in the community [influencing] how they should be socially.”

Many teens in foster care struggle with low motivation. Oftentimes this comes from a need for an advocate. Freeman recalls one teen with a poor academic record drastically improve after a previously unnoticed autism diagnosis was uncovered. With the help of an individualized education plan (IEP) the child began improving in school. It is situations like that, “where a parent can just really advocate for them and support them and help them to prepare for the real world … so this does not become a vicious cycle of them following behind the tracks of what happened to them,” that Freeman said a foster parent can make a difference in the life of a teen.

Human Services does offer resources—such as help with living and school expenses—to those who choose independent living once they turn 18, or age out of foster care, until they are 21.

After adopting two foster children, and having two biological children as well, the Mullins family was not looking to foster again anytime soon. But after discovering a need (and making sure it was a good fit), they welcomed a 17-year-old into their home last year, even as they were adjusting to a newborn. At 18, that child has now become a part of their family and defied statistics by choosing to remain with the foster family.

MISCONCEPTIONS
The first step might be the most daunting, but the barriers before it are not as great as they seem. For one, many do not realize that they can foster.

“They can be single, married, divorced, cohabitating,” Freeman said. “They can be renting [their home].”

Anyone who is willing, has the extra space and can pass extensive background checks and a home study can participate. One does not need a partner to foster and one is not too old to foster.

“We have older parents and some who are single who are amazing,” Freeman said.

Another barrier Freeman often encounters is the fear of having to say goodbye.

“When a child returns back to their parent, that is a win,” Freeman said, noting those who helped along the way realize the “amazing feeling is that they helped this child.”

“Sometimes people come into this thinking, ‘I want to adopt a child,’” Watson added. While that can happen, that is not the goal of foster care. “You have to go into it being willing to work with the birth family, knowing that this may not be your child forever. … One misconception is that there are children standing here waiting. We have some that need adoptive homes but there are not tons and they are not babies; they are typically older kids or sibling groups or kids with special needs.”

People have to understand going in that it will be difficult.

“Foster care is loss; it is trauma; it is grief,” Watson said. “The trauma that the child has gone through, having to walk them through that, is hard. But it is worthwhile.”

That is not to say that all kids in foster care are “bad.” Freeman said that those with unmanageable behavioral challenges are a “slim percentage of children” and that in a structured environment behavior can improve in many cases.

Sarah Mullins tells new foster parents to expect a lot of running around.

“There are a million appointments you are responsible for, especially when you first get your kids into foster care,” she said. “Doctor visits and therapy; so many reviews and appointments that keep you on the road. Especially those first few months.”

One misconception is that once you agree to foster you will have to take a child. Families know what they can handle, Watson explained, and the system trusts them to “say ‘no’ and ‘yes’ when they can.”

“Social Services does not just drop a kid off and see you later,” Adam Mullins said. “[Even] if it doesn’t work out, they can find a home that works better, an environment that fits their needs more.”

SUPPORT
It was a tough transition for Sarah coming off of a pregnancy while finalizing the adoption of two children. Out of the blue, she received a call from a lady with Social Services.

“She spent two hours on the phone with me, talking about my fears and concerns,” Sarah Mullins recalled. “They were just incredibly supportive.”

Watson said that many of the daycare, transportation, medical/counseling services and other expenses are covered to help alleviate the burden on foster parents.

“Having children is expensive,” she said. “It is important to know that upfront we will cover most of those expenses. We will take care of those things so that you can just parent. We try to take away the barriers; we want people from all over the community, from every neighborhood, to foster.”

Freeman emphasized the commitment that caseworkers make in offering support, even when circumstances are tough.

“As caseworkers we are here to support the families any time, any day,” she said.

In that regard, the Mullins’ expectations were exceeded.

“I feel like we were more supported than I thought we would have been,” Adam Mullins said. “I kind of pictured it as you go through this class and then you just get a kid and they are like, ‘good luck.’ [But] we were just surrounded by support. The social workers, the City, they were all there emotionally, they were there for physical needs, they made sure we had everything we needed for the kids.”

There are also a number of churches and charity groups that work to help foster parents. Brentwood Church (the Mullins’ home church), for example, has a program, Mosaic, specifically focused on serving foster and adoptive families, whether or not they are affiliated with the (or a) church. This includes bringing warm meals to families, helping them stock up on frozen meals and offering special nights with free childcare for parents to go out. Mosaic also delivers backpacks—filled with clothes and other necessities that they might not have had time to collect before being moved—to each foster child for their first night in the new home, offering a ray of warmth in an uncertain time.

“For those people who may not have the greatest support systems, there are groups out there that support them and love them if they reach out to them,” Sarah Mullins said.

Fostering is not for everyone. Still, there are ways for anyone to get involved—from donating money, gift cards, toiletries or other necessities to volunteering some time, just getting to know and support families. Watson encourages people to be active in their neighborhoods, to help mentor at-risk children, because we are all better for it if we build up our community.

“I’d like to see the community step up and take care of these kids,” Watson said.

To foster, offer support or for more information, contact Human Services at (434) 455-5718 or online at LynchburgVA.gov/Department-Human-Services.

While surfing the net… I came across this song about Lynchburg, VA. Many of you have probably already heard it, but to me it has the sound of “Virginia’s Red Dirt Roots”. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! The song is titled, “Goin’ Down to Lynchburg Town”, by Randy Thompson. Below is a little bit of history about Randy and his music stylings.

Virginia has history nestled among its rolling hills and verdant valleys. The Piedmont region has witnessed turbulent and formative events that have in turn produced an uncommonly rich variety of compelling musical styles and voices. From Blues to Country to Bluegrass and beyond, it is a heritage that Virginia-based singer/songwriter Randy Thompson intuitively understands and brings vividly to life. His music lovingly embraces the past even as it blazes kicking, picking, singing and rocking into the 21st Century.

Randy Thompson can trace a Virginia bloodline back to the early 1700s. Thompson, who now resides in the small town of Clifton, gives true meaning to the term “roots music.” Like his musical antecedents, Randy draws inspiration directly from his own experience, creating starkly drawn musical and lyrical pictures.

Randy’s 1998 debut, ‘Wearin’ Blue,’ garnered widespread critical acclaim, while his 2004 sophomore release, ‘That’s Not Me’, expanded on achievements and generated significant airplay on both a national and international level, debuting at No. 1 on the International Hotdisc chart and reaching Top 40 on national Americana, Country, and Roots Rock charts. AboutCountry.com was among a number of sites and magazines that listed ‘That’s Not Me’ as one of the top 10 albums of 2004.

The release of ‘Further On’ in 2008 took Randy Thompson to a whole new level, receiving positive reviews from radio and industry worldwide. Brian Ahern from Country Music UK said, “for me, this is the very essence of what country music is all about…. Through Randy Thompson and Further On country music has done it again”. It was instantly picked up by Sirius XM and hundreds of radio stations, both Americana and Country, all over the US, Europe and Australia and spawned three more Top 5 Hotdisc chart singles. The album opened many new doors for the artist including, European tours, national television, a movie soundtrack appearance, and an NPR radio special.

‘Collected’ stands ready to raise the bar once again for Randy Thompson. The album will be simultaneously released in the US and Europe on Jan 24th 2012. ‘Collected’ is a compilation of fifteen tracks recorded over the last thirteen years, including three newly released tracks, a 2011 single, and eleven songs taken from Randy’s previous releases. The album includes eight Top 10 International Hotdisc singles and a Top 40 American country single, ‘Sound Of The Rain’. For Thompson, the new CD is a humble offering to the fans who, he says, “Chose the songs themselves. These are the tunes that my fans ask for again and again at my shows. I wanted this to be the album that you’d play in the car when you’re driving down Route 66 with the windows wide open.” There are a few ballads here, but the bulk of the material is more mid to up-tempo Americana country rockers. Regardless of tempo, Thompson’s distinctive voice captures the listener, while his unerring guitar work and compelling pen continue to justify his ever-expanding fan base.

The Randy Thompson Band is a touring powerhouse. The Washington Post said of a recent performance, ‘He can really put it across in a live setting with undeniable confidence….a compelling performer”. The Randy Thompson Band hits the road in 2012 to fulfill on the unstoppable momentum they have built and forged on the road, the path carved from hard-lived experience. Randy Thompson’s music, like the man, cannot be stuck in one place and expected to stay put. Call it country, call it roots music, call it Americana; but if you want to call an artist who knows where he comes from, where he stands and how to make the most out of both……call Randy Thompson. It’s the sound of the Virginia hills, of war and peace and love and fear. Randy Thompson’s music is the sometimes sad, often simple and always beautiful sound of the truth.

To read more about Randy, visit his Facebook page.

A “Who’s Who” of Local Cemeteries

There are lots of famous folks buried in Lynchburg’s cemeteries, some of whom are outright famous and others who probably should be.

Maria Wilson (1861-1878), buried at Old City Cemetery, made newspapers all over the country when she leapt to her death from a window at Court Street Baptist Church.

On Oct. 16, 1878, the church was packed with more than 2,000 people for a wedding, an “immense throng,” a Kansas newspaper reported. When someone heard plaster falling or glass breaking—reports varied—people started running and at least 14 people were killed.

A Michigan newspaper said, “Many leaped from windows, and a few who were in the gallery jumped from the third-story windows. Three women who made that venture were killed outright.”

The Lynchburg News pondered Wilson’s final moments: “The view from the window through which Maria Wilson jumped to an instant death is simply fearful. Whether her neck was broken by concussion against the fence or pavement is not known, but certainly ninety-nine in a hundred would never know afterwards that they had attempted the leap.”

It’s been said that Ota Benga (1883-1916), a Congolese Pygmy once exhibited with primates at the Bronx Zoo, was buried at Old City Cemetery. Benga lived in Lynchburg for several years, but homesick for Africa, he committed suicide.

White Rock Cemetery also claims Benga. According to FindAGrave.com, he “was reportedly buried in an unmarked grave in Lynchburg’s Old City Cemetery before being moved to the city’s White Rock Cemetery.”

The entry goes on to say that “his actual burial site (White Rock Cemetery) was deliberately kept secret for many years as it was feared that officials from his homeland … would attempt to retrieve his body and ship it back to Africa.”

A plaque memorializing Benga at White Rock, perhaps in response to his time at the zoo, states, “I am a man. I am a man.”

Poet and activist Anne Bethel Spencer (1882-1975) and husband Edward (1876-1964) are buried at Forest Hill Burial Park, located on Lakeside Drive across from the Moose Lodge. The Spencer plot is about 100 yards from the entrance, on the left side of a traffic circle. Sharing the plot are the Spencer’s daughters, Bethel and Alroy, and son Chauncey.

Spencer, longtime librarian at Dunbar High School, co-founded Lynchburg’s chapter of the NAACP. She also was the second African-American poet to be included in the Norton Anthology of Modern Poetry.

She and Edward hosted many notable African-American intellectuals in their Pierce Street home, among them W.E.B. DuBois.

Chauncey Spencer (1906-2002) was a pioneering aviator and educator who pushed for racial integration of the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. At the time, Air Corps leaders believed African Americans were not suited to be pilots.

Spencer and another pilot set out to prove them wrong, renting a small plane, embarking on a multi-city tour and taking their cause to Missouri Sen. Harry Truman. After World War II, President Truman desegregated the military.

As stated in the Richmond Times-Dispatch in 2004, “without Spencer … the Tuskegee Airmen might never have existed to help pave the way for integration of the nation’s armed forces.”

Also at Forest Hill is blues pioneer Luke Jordan (1892-1952). According to a historic marker, Jordan was one of the black musicians credited with “creating a syncopated and upbeat style” of blues “called Piedmont or East Coast Blues.”

Sgt. Charles L. Scott (1930-1950) died during the Korean Conflict but wasn’t buried in Fort Hill Memorial Park until 2013. Scott graduated from Boonsboro High School in 1948, joined the Army and was sent to Korea. He was reported missing in action in 1950.

For decades, Scott’s unidentified remains were buried in Hawaii at the National Cemetery of the Pacific. Thanks to DNA testing, his remains were identified and moved to Lynchburg in 2013. He was buried with full military honors.

Fort Hill Memorial Park manager Kevin Schley said that on the day of the funeral the road into the cemetery was lined with people who had come to pay their respects.

City founder John Lynch (1740-1820) is buried at the South River Meeting House Graveyard. In the late 1700s, Lynch operated a ferry service across the James River. In 1786, he founded Lynchburg.

The church, known today as Quaker Memorial Presbyterian, served area Quakers until 1839. By then, most had moved away because they opposed slavery. Resting not too far from Lynch is Revolutionary War soldier John Preston (1750-1820).

Local businessman and philanthropist Samuel Miller (1792-1869) is buried at Spring Hill Cemetery. In “Campbell Chronicles and Family Sketches,” R.H. Early writes that Miller was the “son of a poor widow and had few advantages.”

After moving to Lynchburg at 18, he prospered in business, becoming a multi-millionaire. Among other things, he donated land for Miller Park and the Lynchburg Female Orphan Asylum, also known as Miller Home.

Lt. Gen. Jubal Anderson Early (1816-1894), Gen. Robert E. Lee’s “Bad Old Man,” is buried at Spring Hill.

Early reportedly had a nasty temper but was brilliant on the battlefield. When the Civil War ended, he refused to swear allegiance to the Union. Instead, he fled to Mexico and later Canada. Eventually, he settled in Lynchburg.

Early’s death, reported in newspapers all over the country, was preceded by a fall. A California newspaper reported he was “ascending the stairs at the post-office when he fell heavily, the ice on the steps rendering them slippery. He struck on his head and the concussion was so severe as to render him unconscious.”

Artist Georgia Morgan (1869-1951) is buried at Spring Hill, her tombstone decorated with a painter’s pallet and brushes. Morgan, known for her still life and landscape paintings, was chair of Lynchburg College’s art department for 30 years.

According to a historic marker, Morgan’s work was “exhibited at the Paris Salon and in galleries from Maine to Florida.”
Locally, original examples of Morgan’s work can be found at Jones Memorial Library, the Lynchburg Museum and other places. The Georgia Morgan Civic Art Show is held each February.

Don Reno (1927-1984), “King of the Flat Picking Guitarists,” is buried at Spring Hill. Reno is credited with co-writing “Dueling Banjos,” the song made famous by the 1972 thriller, Deliverance. Reno was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.

Edwin “Ned” Emerson (1839-1922) is buried at Presbyterian Cemetery. He was an actor, performing at Ford’s Theatre when President Abraham Lincoln was shot on April 14, 1865.

Some reports say Emerson was delivering a line from “Our American Cousin” when John Wilkes Booth, a friend of Emerson’s, killed Lincoln. After Lincoln’s assassination, Emerson quit acting and moved to Lynchburg. According to census records, he married, had children and worked in the stationery and book business.

Folk artist Emma Serena “Queena” Dillard Stovall (1887-1980) is buried at Presbyterian. A self-taught artist, she is sometimes called the “Grandma Moses of Virginia.” Her scenes of country life—farm auctions, funerals, hog killings, etc.—are in museums as well as private collections.

If you want to visit these and other famous folks from Lynchburg’s past, Old City Cemetery and Presbyterian Cemetery sometimes host tours, and all of the cemeteries mentioned are open to visitors from dawn until dusk.

Aspiring Librarian
Age: 7

Why did you decide you want to be a librarian when you grow up?
Because you get to look at books!

Where did you get the idea to create the Little Mimosa Library at your house?
I said that I wanted to be a librarian, then my daddy showed me a little library once downtown.

You had a lot of help from your family, especially your grandfather. How did he help?
My Dan Dan built the library for me.

Have people been using the library so far?
Yes! Pinocchio was the first book checked out.

Why do you think reading is important?
Because it helps you learn about stuff. I love when my daddy and mommy read to me. I love a lot of books like Fancy Nancy, The Hobbit, and books about Narnia.

Check out the newest Little Free Library
in Bedford County, located at the Goode Rescue Squad. Usually using scrap wood and donated materials, the Bedford Rotary Club has helped create five of these across the county over the past two years. The libraries further their goal to support education and a love of reading.

Notes From Behind the Wheel: Lynchburg’s NightLife Through the Eyes of a Rideshare Driver

It’s Friday night and I’m ready to head out for the evening. I’m off to meet new people, visit the local hot spots, and likely not leave the driver’s seat of my car for six hours. I’m not partying—I’m working.

I drive for a ridesharing service, taking people where they want to be. I experience Lynchburg’s nightlife, but one step removed, through the windows of my car. Most riders are friendly and want to talk, and I feel like I’m included in their conversations, at least for a few minutes.

The thing about ridesharing is; at the beginning I don’t know where the end will be. I know where the rider is when they request a pickup, but I only find out the destination when they climb aboard. The mystery keeps things interesting.

Any ride could be a three-minute hop over to Wal-Mart or a half hour trek to a residential neighborhood out in Appomattox. For some reason, those long drives always seem to come after I’ve decided “one more fare, then I’m going home.”

Tonight you will be included in my night’s roving to find out how much is happening in Lynchburg. I know I won’t see everything that’s going on, but it should be an exciting ride. Tipping is not required, but always appreciated.

At 8:25 p.m. I cruise past Cook Out on Wards Road. The parking lot is full, and the drive-through line stretches back to Wards. I want to stop for a burger and shake, but the wait is too long.

It’s nearly 9 p.m. and I’m on my way out to Wyndhurst to take a couple to Neighbors Place. This restaurant/bar is popular with college students, couples and families. On my way through, I see there are some more eateries open along Enterprise Drive. I’m sure I’ll be back around to them before long.

Just before 9:30 p.m. I’m cruising along Route 29 heading towards the Kemper Street station. I glance over as I pass Big Lick Tropical Grill and Phase 2. Fantastic—both parking lots are full. Must be an event or concert going on tonight. I’ll be sure to swing back around closer to midnight. New Year’s Eve and Halloween were big nights for me.

Heading in the opposite direction with two riders aboard, my destination is Buffalo Wild Wings, off Wards Road. “B-Dubs” is one of those places that always has a crowd. Whether it’s football, basketball or soccer, the big screens draw a lot of sports fans. Or it might be the wings.

At 9:43 p.m. I pass Cook Out again, and it looks like the line hasn’t gotten any shorter.

It’s 10 p.m. and I’ve just picked up a couple from El Jefe on Commerce Street. We chat about the town; the husband has lived here all his life. He tells me that Lynchburg is the largest city in the U.S. that does not have an interstate highway. Now I share that factoid with all of my out-of-town riders.

Rolling along Fort Avenue, I pass by City Stadium. The Hillcats are playing tonight! There’s a good crowd, and sure enough I get
a ride request. Four large fellows squeeze into my car. I get to hear about the game, and how the ’Cats are doing this year. Oh, and there’s going to be a music festival held at the stadium in a few weeks. Got to remember that, so I can be around when it closes. I pay much more attention to local events since I started driving.

Later, at 10:20 p.m. I’m finally taking a rider to Cook Out. We sit in the drive-through line for 20 minutes and I take him back home again, where I help him unload the four orders he picked up for his friends. Then it occurs to me that I should have ordered something for myself at the same time. Sigh. On at least two other occasions I have provided a rider with a round trip to a fast-food place for takeout.

It’s past 10:50 p.m. Shoemakers at the Craddock Terry Hotel is the next stop. I’ve only eaten there once myself, but it was a great dining experience. I’ve picked up several passengers from the restaurant, mostly taking them back to local hotels. It seems that’s the place for vendors and sales types to take clients out to dinner. Great place, all except for the cobblestone parking lot. I am not a fan of cobblestones. When I go by, I always scan the parking lot, though. I’m looking for that Lamborghini I saw once.

Now it’s after 11 p.m. and I’m pulling into the Holiday Inn on Main Street. There’s a group here in town for a wedding. It reminds me of a fellow I picked up a while ago and took to the Aviary at Miller Park. He was going there to play guitar at a wedding reception for a friend. Two couples I know held their receptions at the Aviary too—it is a splendid location.

At 11:19 p.m. I’m waiting to pull out onto Timberlake Road. I almost get my front end torn off by a car that burned through the red light. I see a lot of that.

Just on the other side of midnight, people are beginning to look homeward. I’m pulling up beside Kegney Brothers Irish Pub on Main Street. Turns out my fare is a group of Lynchburg College girls. On the way back to campus, they talk about the karaoke that evening; the good, the bad, and the badly off-key.

Returning downtown, I know just where to go—Jefferson Street. Not only is there Riverfront Park, where they held Lynchstock, but there’s also the Glass House event space. If there’s a party going on there tonight, I’ll be sure to have lots of business. Across the street is The Water Dog, another very popular spot. I don’t know what it is, but whenever I have a lull in activity, I drive down to Jefferson and park by The Water Dog. I get a ride request within 10 minutes. Sometimes I barely have enough time to stretch my legs.

Jefferson Street is bracketed with nightspots. Near Ninth Street is the Emerald Stone Grille, which I only realized was there a few weeks ago. At the Washington Street end up on a hill is Bootleggers. I wonder why most folks have me drop them off at the back entrance, an alley off Commerce Street. Could it be all those stairs?

It is almost 1:30 a.m., and I finally get a call to pick up someone from Rivermont Pizza, next to Randolph College. It’s not a weekend without stopping here. I can hear the music coming from inside and as always there’s a crowd of folks just relaxing on the sidewalk outside.

2 a.m. has come and gone, and most places are closed. It’s late, or early, depending on your view of it, but it’s time for me to head home. Sorry if I didn’t get around to pick you up,
but I’m sure I’ll be out again next weekend.

See you then!

By “Bob”

Title/Occupation: Wildlife, Nature, & Adventure Photographer/ Biology Major at Lynchburg College
Age: 20

When did you first become interested in photography?
Well, it just happened. Last March (so it has only been about a year) I was messing around with my phone camera and little Sony digital camera when I went outside or on hikes and posted some photos to Instagram. I received positive feedback, which is what spurred me to continue. That summer (2016) I created an Instagram account (@tylerstephens_photography) and then received my Canon camera for my birthday. I was published in Suffolk Living not long after.

Are you self-taught or have you received any formal training?
I’m mostly self-taught. I did take a photography class to hone my skills when I came back from summer break.

Why nature? What inspires you to focus on the outdoors?
There is this feeling (I cannot explain) about being outside, being able to explore, experiencing wildlife, and being adventurous. I would like to hike everyday if I could.

Describe one of the craziest things you have ever done to get that “perfect” shot.
I believe it is a tie between getting within 20 feet of a skunk and other animals or running along the edge of a cliff to then pose before my camera timer released.

What’s next for you in your photography journey?
Hopefully I can save up for a trip to Colorado that I am planning for the summer of 2018. But for now, there is a whole lot of Virginia I haven’t seen.

Occupation: Adjunct Faculty, Central Virginia Community College

A little more than two years ago, you were 125 pounds heavier. What was happening in your life that pushed you to make a change and stick with it?
I looked in the mirror (and photos) and didn’t like what I saw. I was 45, had two small children, and I was so uncomfortable in my body that I didn’t want to go out in public, couldn’t get out and play with my kids, or even find clothes. (I am a diva at heart.) My blood pressure was high, and I ran the risk of developing diabetes.

And your job at the time was making you feel even more guilty—right?
Absolutely! Here I was teaching my students nutrition and wellness, but I was morbidly obese. I was the teacher that the kids always came to talk to about their problems, and yet I wasn’t practicing what I was preaching. I taught them about healthy relationships, etc.—how could I expect them to listen to me talk about being healthy if I was so overweight?

You chose the Atkins diet to help you shed the weight. Why?
I always joke that I am a fat kid at heart. I love to cook, and I love to eat! Atkins allowed me to continue these passions and lose lots of weight. It was easy for me to remove things from my diet (especially after seeing the results and how I felt). Instead of focusing on what I couldn’t eat, I began to eat healthier—vegetables, real food, healthy snacks.

Describe what life is like for you now.
I am a new person—not just physically, but mentally. I challenge myself to try new things (i.e. running a 5k). Because of my Atkins low-carb lifestyle, I take half the amount of blood pressure medicine, I haven’t had a bout of cystic acne in two years, I have energy,
I can play with my kids, I have confidence, and I can shop in any store! There are no words to describe how life is so much better without all that extra weight.

And you’ve noticed your behavior is rubbing off on your family too.
I have lowered their sugar intake and incorporated more clean foods into their diet. But the greatest thing was how this affected my daughter. She, like most people, thought there was no way she could live without carbs. She was an athlete in high school and had gained weight in college. Eventually she tried it, loved how she physically felt and starting losing weight. A little later she had some health issues and found that eliminating sugar in her diet would help prevent complications.

What’s next for you? Do you have any more personal health goals?
My trainer wants me to compete in a Spartan Race, but I would be happy with another 5k or 10k race! I would like to lose another 20 to 25 pounds, but ultimately I would like to share my story with those who have struggled like myself—let them know it is possible and it’s worth the effort because you will feel better physically and mentally!

Love it or hate it, people recognize the new Hillcats branding. But under new management, Lynchburg’s Advanced A Minor League Baseball Club (a Cleveland Indians Affiliate) received more than a radical logo upgrade and paint job altering the team colors from hunter green and yellow to navy, lime green and teal; the organization has been reinvigorated across the board.

This should come as good news to Hill City baseball fans.

For years rumors circulated that the ’Cats were going to be sold and moved out of town.

Elmore Sports Group, however, purchased the team last year with the intent on keeping “Lynchburg” in the name.

“Other people wanted to buy the team and move it because they didn’t see the potential here,” said Hillcats President Chris Jones. “We actually do see the potential in Lynchburg. We want baseball in Lynchburg; we know it will succeed. That is our ultimate goal—to keep baseball here.”

For that commitment to work all aspects of the operation had to be evaluated.

“We had to look at everything from the ground to the top,” Jones, who has worked in baseball since 1998, said. “We had to look at all aspects of what a team is, all revenue streams from ticket sales to merchandise sales to concession sales to sponsorship sales.

“We knew that something needed to change. We needed to get our exposure in the community up; we needed to improve on attendance, merchandise sales, everything.”

In regard to merchandise sales, the team was in the lowest sales in all of Minor League Baseball, not just at its level.

“You have to ask, ‘Why?’” Jones said. “Something wasn’t working.”

The idea to change the name came up from a respected marketing firm Jones has worked with in the past. One of his former clubs regularly tops Minor League Baseball in merchandise sales. Knowing that Lynchburg’s baseball team has had a number of nicknames (including the Hill Climbers, Shoemakers, Grays, and Senators) over its storied history (dating as far back as the 1800s), Jones wanted to make sure that the team had the right name for the community. So, he let the fans decide. A voting contest was held last summer with options including the Derechos, Doves, Lamb Chops, Love Apples and River Runners. (All were explained to have some sort of inspiration from the area.)

“We just wanted to see if there were better names out there,” said Jones, who has worked with elite clubs and has experience turning teams around. “Some name that the community could rally around. They rallied around the Hillcats, which we kind of expected.”

After the community affirmed its commitment to the team name with a landslide vote, Jones had the marketing firm work to freshen up the image. Replacing the cartoonish smirking cat logo were three new marks—a fiercer snarling cat logo with Lynchburg’s seven hills skyline incorporated into the design, a stylized “L” with a cat’s paw and a leaping cat secondary logo.

They chose a brighter color scheme to better evoke the beauty of the region. Jones said he personally likes hunter green, but for the Hillcats team what it had simply did not work.

So, a darker blue was chosen to evoke the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, lime green was selected because that hue stands out all around in the springtime as vegetation ripens and teal was the final touch, just as it accents Lynchburg’s sunsets.

“The sunsets over here are unreal,” Jones, a Houston, Texas native, said. “When it first starts turning, you see the teal. It’s really neat. We used some of the colors from the surroundings as our bases.”

Though some in the community had a hard time with the change—a “vocal minority” on social media, according to Jones—the new look seems to be largely well-received.

In just one week, online merchandise sales of the new look exceeded that of the entire offseason of the old.

“Right away, you had response,” Jones said. “A lot of positive, some negative.”

People now point out the new logo in restaurants and bars, and, more importantly, children are eager to gear up with the new look, one they deem significantly more fashionable.

Aesthetics are just one aspect of the organization’s efforts to excite the fan base. Jones wants the Hillcats to be a part of the community by giving back. The team has a fundraising program for nonprofits where they can sell tickets for $9 and keep $4. The team has reached out to all of the area children’s baseball groups to offer support and partnership opportunities.

In January, the organization announced a partnership with the Humane Society.

Shortly after announcing the partnership, the Hillcats revealed their new mascot, Southpaw 2.0, a warmer, brighter and friendlier version of its predecessor (who will still make appearances at games). Jones is friends with the original “Philly Phanatic” Dave Raymond (one of the most iconic sports mascots ever) who has consulted with him on characters.

The new Southpaw was unveiled as a “rescue” from the animal shelter, helping highlight the important work the society does and demonstrating the Hillcats’ commitment to a symbiotic relationship with the community.

Also, the new Southpaw has been making the rounds at as many local elementary schools as possible to help promote literacy and reinforce the core values that the schools teach. The baseball organization wrote a coloring book, “Southpaw Goes to School,” that is being given away at these rallies and is also available online to download. The book includes a bookmark that encourages children to read four books and receive two free tickets to a select game.

“It is our way of giving back and helping with literacy and supporting the schools and reinforcing what they are trying to teach in a fun way,” Jones said.

To open their gates to a wider fan base, regardless of income, the team slashed ticket prices—general admission dropped to $6, the lowest price in four years, and all chairbacks are now $9 (instead of varied price points). The goal is to allow more families to come in and enjoy the ballpark. Home games have theme night promotions for each day of the week (see graphic) including fireworks every Saturday the ’Cats are in town.

The ballpark is now dog-friendly every game, allowing guests to bring their pets along, provided they behave and remain in a certain section (so those who do not wish to be near dogs need not worry).

Upgrades to the stadium were made to elevate the fan experience. The souvenir shop was moved and its former space turned into a taphouse. An expanded kids area with new inflatables was created along the first base side. A picnic area with room for 300 was added along the opposite side. Four-top tables were added behind home plate, from dugout-to-dugout, offering a special seating area that gives fans the feeling that they are sitting right there on the field.

A state-of-the-art, sub-terrain drainage system was installed to reduce the number of rain cancellations. Even the parking lot was completely redone to remove the trip hazards. The team is considering adding a dog park as well.

If attracting more people to Hillcats games means Jones has to shrug off some flak, he’s fine with it. He will let his team’s game, on and off the field, speak for the club.

“The ultimate thing is that there is a loyalty to this brand,” he said. “Whatever it is; there are people who wanted everything to change and some people who wanted nothing to change. Unfortunately, the people who wanted nothing to change were not going to have a team for much longer. So, we had to do something. I hope that they understand that ultimately baseball is still here in Lynchburg. Young professionals are still running out on the field trying to get their Big League dreams, that hasn’t changed. What has changed is hopefully we are getting more involved in the community and giving back to the community and more visible in the community, making the fan experience better so that they want to continue coming.”

Learn more at Lynchburg-Hillcats.com

By Drew Menard

Lynchburg’s Legendary Barefoot Team Inspires New Film

On New Year’s Eve 1926, 600 people gathered at the Lynchburg fairgrounds to watch the Shoeless Wonders football team, made up of boys from the local Presbyterian Orphans’ Home, take on the Steam Rollers, a squad from the city’s Fort Hill neighborhood.

The well-publicized game, initiated by a challenge from the Steam Rollers, has been called “the most memorable game ever played by the Shoeless Wonders.”

According to one newspaper account, late in the third quarter, Shoeless Wonder James Dunnett—playing barefoot, as the team had since 1922 [see sidebar on page 45]—picked up a Steam Rollers fumble. He ran 97 yards, scoring the only touchdown of the game.

The Shoeless Wonders would go on to complete an eight-year winning streak, including six years of shutouts. Over the years, the team appeared on a Universal Pictures newsreel and in newspapers from as far away as Shanghai. They were featured by Ripley’s “Believe It or Not” and the New York Times.

The story of the Shoeless Wonders is a story of brotherhood, finding family, and—of course—football. It’s a story that, since its beginning, has been made for the movies. Soon, that story will be told in a feature film written, produced and shot in Lynchburg.

In the fall of 2017, Lynchburg-based production company Life Out Loud Films plans to start filming Shoeless Wonders, a movie based on the Presbyterian Home’s legendary football team.

In particular, it will tell of that storied New Year’s Eve game and the months leading up to it.

Led by producer and creative director Sara Elizabeth Timmins, Life Out Loud also is the company behind Lake Effects, Wish You Well, and the just-released Coming Through The Rye, starring Chris Cooper as J.D. Salinger.

The story for Shoeless Wonders was written by Timmins and Charlottesville-based casting director Erica Arvold, who cast Big Stone Gap and other films. Award-winning screenwriter and Lynchburg resident Rebecca Rogers Nelson wrote the screenplay.

The movie will be filmed at various Lynchburg locations, including the Presbyterian Home campus, now known as HumanKind. According to Timmins, there will be opportunities for area residents to fund, work on and appear in the film.

“Those are aspects that make it unique,” Timmins said, “and when this movie is made it’s only being made because of Lynchburg and the community coming together, and that’s a big part of the story, in my opinion.”

Timmins, who grew up in Ohio, first heard about the Shoeless Wonders three years ago, shortly after she moved to Lynchburg from Los Angeles. An executive from HumanKind called her with an idea for a movie.

“They had a story they thought would make a great film,” Timmins said, admitting that while she hears that from a lot of people in her business, something told her not to pass this up. “I met with them, heard the story, and immediately my gut and my heart said, ‘You have to tell this story.’”

Originally, Timmins said, HumanKind was looking for advice about how to pitch Shoeless Wonders to a larger studio, like ESPN or Disney. It took Timmins a couple more months to convince them to let her take the reins.

Using an independent company would not only give the movie a better chance of being made, Timmins said, but it also would “make sure the story was authentic” and “keep the impact local, not just through the message of the story, but through the production.”

Timmins describes Shoeless Wonders as “inspired by real events,” saying that like a lot of movies based on true stories, there are composite and fictitious characters, and storylines that originate with more than one person.

“For me, the biggest challenge in telling a story that’s inspired by real events is you hope that at the end of the day you’re able to tell a story everybody involved is proud of,” Timmins said, adding that the goal is “authenticity of the real story while providing a film that audiences will be driven to watch and be inspired by.”

While the movie will be set in the 1920s, for example, many stories incorporated into the screenplay came from Shoeless Wonders who played in the 1940s and 50s.

“Hearing the stories of these actual Shoeless Wonders from the later time period is what we based a lot of our personalities and storylines on,” Nelson said, adding that while some still struggled with memories of being sent to the Presbyterian Home as children, “they’d light up when they talked about football and sports.”

One of the real-life stories that found its way into the screenplay is that of Cliff and Shirley Thomas, who both grew up at the Presbyterian Home. Cliff, there with two older brothers and a sister, played for the Shoeless Wonders in the 1950s.

He remembers the first game he took the field for the team. As he describes it, he was 8 or 9 years old and “knee-high to a grasshopper.”
After the kickoff, Cliff said, he “took off down the field,” running toward the opposing team’s receiver. To his surprise, no one blocked him, but he soon found himself facing the boy with the ball and thinking, “Uh oh.”

“I wrestled him to the ground one way or the other,” Cliff, now 74, said. “My head was sort of spinning once I got up. I went back to the huddle and [Coach Joe] Blackburn said, ‘Who got that tackle?’ I said, ‘I got it.’

He couldn’t believe I got the tackle.”

For boys at the Presbyterian Home, playing for the Shoeless Wonders was a rite of passage. Cliff’s older brothers, Glen and Jimmy, played, too. “I wanted to play, because if you were at the Presbyterian Home you played Shoeless Wonders football,” Cliff said, “and I always looked up to both of them.”

Both Cliff and Shirley were sent to the Presbyterian Home after their respective parents divorced and could no longer take care of them and their siblings. “They told us we were going on a two-week vacation,” Shirley said of her and her younger brother. “It ended up being 11 years, but it was the best decision that they made.”

Cliff, who like Shirley had grown up in poverty and without indoor plumbing, agreed. “We hit pay dirt,” he said.

Without giving away too much, Cliff and Shirley’s sweet story of young love inspired a subplot in the movie. Despite the fact that boys and girls were separated, except at the dining hall and swimming pool, the pair fell in love.

As Cliff puts it, “She was a pretty girl in a bathing suit.”

This past Thanksgiving, they celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary.

“I got a turkey for Thanksgiving Day,” Shirley said jokingly of the man she calls “Sugar.”

Asked what he thinks about the Shoeless Wonders story being made into a movie, Cliff said, “It think it’s wonderful. It’s a good story, and you can’t tell the story without telling the story of the home, too, which was a really great place to grow up.”

By Suzanne Ramsey