Our annual Top Teacher Awards are a way to honor deserving educators who have not only answered this call for public service, but they also go above and beyond to make sure their students are thriving.
This list—made up of various school districts, grade levels and subjects—is only a snapshot of the incredible teacher talent we have in our region.
While impeccable communication skills and high intelligence are a part of the equation, truly great lawyers also earn a respect that follows them out of the courtroom and into the community.
Top Lawyers of Greater Lynchburg is the result of a comprehensive peer-to-peer survey, facilitated by DataJoe Research Company. (See methodology and disclaimers on page 142.)
Read on to see who lawyers themselves recommend in 26 specialties.
The Lynchburg Living Best Of Awards are the result of an online voting contest at lynchburgliving.com, held from July-September 2023.
Voting took place for the entire duration of the contest with write-in nominations accepted for the first few weeks. Readers could vote one time per email address in as many or as few categories that they preferred.
The winners listed inside this section are the ones that received the most votes.
Join us at the Central Virginia Weddings Showcase and consult with the region’s top wedding industry professionals. Gather everything you need for your big day – from venue, entertainment and planning to decor, honeymooning and so much more. See what’s trending, enjoy live entertainment and have the chance to win BIG giveaways at the region’s best bridal show. We look forward to having you join us!
2024 Central Virginia Weddings Showcase
When: February 18, 2024 | 1-4 p.m.
Where: Bella Vista Hotel (2900 Candlers Mountain Rd, Lynchburg, VA 24502)
Lynchburg is filled to the brim with generous, mission-driven, philanthropic people, and the hundreds of nonprofit organizations in our area are a result of that. Across the Lynchburg region, organizations are holding the hands of those in our community who are vulnerable, hurting, or in need of extra support.
We are so honored to tell the story of just a few of them.
The Giving Back Awards are an opportunity for the community to give back to the nonprofits by nominating them a designation. This award signifies the impact the organization has made in the community and validates even further the incredible work that the organization has done throughout the year.
Flip through these pages, read the profiles of the award recipients, and consider supporting them in their number one needs and upcoming goals.
What does it mean to give back? For some, giving back means supporting one of the hundreds of nonprofits and faith organizations in our area who are the boots on the ground, serving our community day after day. For others, giving back means rolling up their sleeves and doing the work themselves. Each year, we have the privilege of honoring the latter—the businesses making a big impact outside of their day-to-day responsibilities and giving back to our community in tangible and sometimes unexpected ways.
Dawson Ford Garbee & Co., Realtors®
Founded: 1905
Number of Employees: 40
How has your business recently impacted the community?
Most recently, our company has started a podcast to provide a platform for nonprofits and those alike. We provide, weekly, a media space for these groups to engage with the community, and to let people know all about their mission and needs. The podcast is called “Community Love”. People are excited and we are booked six months out.
Why does your business prioritize giving back?
Our company is over 118 years old. It is because of our community and the people who live here, we have been allowed to service folks in their real estate needs for over a century in south-central Virginia. It only makes sense to give back to those who have allowed us to make that happen, and to invest in this community that we hold so dear.
Founded: 2013
Number of Employees: 3 with 1 full-time and 2 part-time
How has your business recently impacted the community?
We help local charities and Volunteer Fire Departments raise funds through numerous raffles each year. The raffles are an excellent way for the groups to raise much-needed funds to carry on their charitable and life-saving work. A few examples include college scholarships, youth sports gear, and First-Responder gear and equipment.
Why does your business prioritize giving back?
When you are in a position to help someone, it isn’t just a nice thing to do, it’s the right thing to do. We strive to give back to the community by helping others including many charities and Volunteer Fire Departments.
Founded: 2014
Number of Employees: 310
How has your business recently impacted the community?
Our VTO (volunteer time off) Program allows for employees to volunteer up to 4 hours per calendar year on company time at a charity of their choice. We also highlight one non-profit per month to educate our teams on our local resources, as well as to make them aware of opportunities where their VTO can be used. Isaiah House 117, Parkview Community Mission, The Center of Excellence for Polytrauma, YWCA’s Domestic Violence Program, and the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center have all benefited from our team members’ generosity and/or time this year.
Why does your business prioritize giving back?
Excellence, Professionalism, Integrity, Compassion, and Teamwork are the values we live by inside and outside the walls of our organization. Our business takes pride in contributing to the well-being of our patients and our community. By engaging directly with local residents and charities, we better understand the needs and concerns of the communities we serve. We’re here to help people…attain better health for a better life!
Family Entertainment Center
Founded: Skateland was founded in 1969 it became FunQuest in 1991
Number of Employees: 25
How has your business recently impacted the community?
Our business has been here in our community for 55 years. Jim and Cindy Anderson who owned this facility previously poured into the kids, the schools and the businesses in this community. When Mason Drew started running the business, we kept that same focus. Every year we donate over 15,000 free passes to our local schools, we have given grants for schools through the Roller Skating Foundation to experience our STEM program for free. We donate to nonprofits and sponsor sports teams in our area.
Why does your business prioritize giving back?
Our mark in the community speaks to who we are as a business. We truly aim to provide good family fun to the people in Lynchburg and surrounding counties. Our hope is that our small locally owned business would be missed if we were gone, mostly because of the way we have poured into and loved on our community to make it better.
Founded: Patrick Henry’s National Memorial Foundation was founded in 1944.
Number of Employees: 14 employees (6 part-time and 8 full-time).
How has your business recently impacted the community?
There are many ways Red Hill has impacted the community. One being our recent addition of Red Hill Rediscovered. It is a hybrid virtual and in-person lecture series geared towards an older audience. It is aimed to tell the history of Patrick Henry, Red Hill and his connection through people and places you know through history.
Why does your business prioritize giving back?
Red Hill prioritizes giving back through education, culture and providing a park like setting for people to enjoy. It’s our mission to reach the younger and older audience who have a passion for history and Patrick Henry. Red Hill aims to provide accurate information by telling the whole truth about its history, Patrick Henry, and the enslaved. Red Hill outreach efforts are on a national and local level to include Appomattox, Campbell, Charlotte, Danville, Halifax, Lynchburg city and Pittsylvania counties.
Founded: 1963
Number of Employees: 14
How has your business recently impacted the community?
We foster cats at our clinic for the Bedford Humane Society and Harmony Rescue. We also sponsor multiple schools and businesses in the area (JF, Brookville, Timberlake Christian, the Jamerson YMCA, local rescues and shelters, and multiple others). Dr. Pearson has gone into elementary and secondary schools to talk about veterinary medicine to students. We have had over 15 high school and college student volunteers come and shadow regularly at our clinic to learn more about veterinary medicine, as well as veterinary students on rotation from Virginia Tech.
Why does your business prioritize giving back?
As a locally owned and operated clinic, we strongly believe in supporting our local community. We believe it is crucial to pour into our community because when Lynchburg is strong, we are all strong. Our clinic is one of the oldest in the area and we are proud of its history as it has remained locally owned and operated while other clinics have begun being owned by corporate companies located elsewhere. We also believe in investing in the future of veterinary medicine by encouraging the public to learn about its importance and educating the next generation of veterinarians
as well!
🐾 “A true friend leaves paw prints on your heart.” – George Eliot
Terry Subaru, Lynchburg Living Magazine and Dog-Eared Photos have teamed up to bring you our inaugural Faces Of Dogs photo contest!
Residents from the greater Lynchburg area joined us at Terry Subaru for two weekends in October to get their photogenetic fur babies photographed by Owner of Dog-Eared Photos, Katie Miller. All proceeds from doggie photos also benefited the Lynchburg Humane Society!
But now, it’s time for us to rely on YOU! Vote for the dog that you feel is the pick of the litter! The pets will be featured across four issues of Lynchburg Living Magazine, starting off with the ones with the highest number of votes.
Voting will conclude on November 30, 2023.
If your pet is in the contest, feel free to use this complimentary toolkit to help encourage your friends and family to vote!
CONTEST PARTNERS:
Lynchburg Living is recognizing and honoring the amazing, inspiring educators in our area with the Lynchburg Living Top Teachers Awards. Readers submitted entries for their favorite, current and local teacher who, if chosen, will be honored in our upcoming March/April 2024 issue of Lynchburg Living Magazine. To nominate an outstanding teacher, fill out the easy form below.
The deadline to nominate is December 1, 2023.
For many newly engaged couples, wedding planning seems like a dream—until you are faced with dozens of choices all at once. From the venue to the dress (and all of those little details in between), it’s hard to know where to start!
We are here to help. Our Best Of Bridal Picks list tells you who recent brides and members of their wedding parties recommend in 27 categories. Read below to see who made the list!
Dear Best of Lynchburg Best of Participant,
Congratulations on being nominated as one of the BEST OF THE BEST in Lynchburg! In order to help you have as much exposure as possible, we’ve designed a marketing toolkit available for your use. We have created separate campaigns below. Please feel free to use these marketing materials in any way you see fit. If you have social media channels and you will be posting about your Best Of nomination, please consider using the hashtag #LynchburgBestOf. We hope these materials aid in spreading the word of your Best Of participation!
