Welcome to the 2024 Giving Back Awards! These awards are designed to recognize and honor outstanding non-profit organizations in our region who go above and beyond for the greater Lynchburg area. If you are involved or know of non-profit organization that deserves to be recognized, nominate them below! We will be accepting submissions from June 10 – July 29, 2024. 

Note: We are looking for one quality detailed submission per organization that accurately depict the non-profits’ efforts and results in the local community. 

NOMINATE HERE

If you’d like to nominate a business or company in the Community Impact Appreciation Awards, you may do so here.

Dig into local flavors!

Mark your Calendar for June 17-24, 2023!

Lynchburg Living magazine’s Lynchburg Restaurant Week is a delicious way for locals and visitors alike to connect with the local flavors that make our community unique. From mouthwatering barbecue and soul-nourishing fried chicken to tantalizing spiced dishes and indulgently sweet desserts, this year’s Lynchburg Restaurant Week may just be our best yet.

From June 17 to June 24, a full roster of restaurants will be opening their doors and serving up fixed price menus with three-course meal options specially created for this culinary week. During Lynchburg Restaurant Week, you’ll have the chance to sample inventive appetizers, delectable entrees, rich desserts—and maybe even a beverage or two. But, don’t worry, if you have dietary restrictions that aren’t covered under a Lynchburg Restaurant Week menu or you’re simply craving something specific, you can order off-menu too.

If you found a dish that you can’t stop dreaming about or Lynchburg Restaurant Week led you to your new favorite restaurant, now is your time to share the love! All during Lynchburg Restaurant Week, you’ll have the opportunity to vote for your favorite participating restaurant. If they happen to be the lucky winner, they’ll receive some goodies from the Lynchburg Living team that’ll help support their business even further—a win win for everybody.

Click here to view the 2023 Participating Restaurants and then Vote for your Favorite Restaurant!

Presented by Lynchburg Living, this event is unlike any other in our area, featuring only local, home-grown eateries and benefiting the important work of local, nonprofit organizations, we’ve found a way to provide the public with great food at unbeatable prices all while helping a great cause.

Lynchburg Restaurant Week brings fabulous food to the greater Lynchburg region. Don’t miss a thing and follow us on Facebook; you may even catch some giveaway opportunities!

Take us along with you! Tag @LynchburgLiving on Instagram or Facebook and use #LRW2023 to show us the delicious meals you’re having.3

Vote for your favorite restaurant!

The Lynchburg Living Best Of Awards are the result of an online nomination and voting process at lynchburgliving.com, held in July-September 2022.

Winners were first nominated in their categories; these nominees were then moved forward to the voting round. Readers could vote in as many or as few categories that they preferred and could only vote one time per email address.

The winners inside this section are the ones that received the most votes.

What makes a great lawyer? 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.

Read on to see who lawyers themselves recommend in 23 specialties.

Summary.  To create the list, Lynchburg Living contracted DataJoe Research to facilitate an online peer-voting process and Internet research process.  DataJoe Research is a software and research company specializing in data collection and verification, and conducts various nominations across the United States on behalf of publishers.  To create the list, DataJoe Research facilitated an online peer-voting process. We paired this with an Internet research process to identify success characteristics. DataJoe checked and confirmed that each published winner had, at time of review, a current, active license status with the appropriate state regulatory board. If we were not able to find evidence of a lawyer’s current, active registration with the state regulatory board, that lawyer was excluded from the list.  In addition, we checked available public sources to identify lawyers disciplined for an infraction by the state regulatory board. These entities were excluded from the list.  Finally, DataJoe presented the tallied result to Lynchburg Living for its final review and adjustments.  

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

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

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

Finding connection at any age can be a challenge, but it can be particularly challenging in our later years. For seniors who don’t already have a community that they’re plugged into—a place of worship, hobby group, or friend circle—finding a group in a post-pandemic world can take a considerable amount of time and energy.

“With the pandemic lasting over several years, unhealthy patterns of isolation have become the new normal for many,” explained Laura Hunter, Marketing Director at Westminster Canterbury. “I believe there is a direct correlation between a senior’s overall health and well-being and their level of social interaction. I have talked with many seniors who have discussed how difficult social isolation can be and the effect it has had on their mental health. They have expressed their need to ‘get out around people and have interaction’ because they feel they are mentally suffering from lack of contact with others.”

But despite the challenges, there are still many great ways for seniors to connect with their community.

Plan Visits With Family

If seniors have family living close by, one of the easiest ways to stay connected is by planning routine visits. This can be as simple as an hour-long visit once a week, or something a bit more intentional such as a monthly dinner or game night.

Family members should take a bit of time to take their senior loved ones to community events or plan special meals at home together. Especially for seniors who have mobility issues or no longer drive, these routine visits can make a huge impact on their well-being.

“There is no magic answer, but the key is to do something,” said Becky Tweedy, Communications Director for Meals on Wheels in Lynchburg. “Send a card or a little package—everyone loves to receive mail! Of course, if possible, FaceTime or Zoom to include them in holiday get-togethers. If that doesn’t work, just pick up the phone and call. To know that you’re thinking about them and missing them in the midst of a gathering is heartwarming. And visit whenever you possibly can! Ask them about their favorite memories from years past. Share their stories with others.”

Join Social Activities

Whether a senior is living at home or in a retirement community, it’s important for them to remain social. Meeting and getting to know their neighbors is a great place to start. Encourage seniors to bake up a batch of their favorite cookies and safely drop them off at a neighbor’s doorstep with a note encouraging a visit. Or, if they are in a retirement community, seniors can connect with a health, wellness, or activity director to get plugged into any ongoing events.

“There is an intentional focus at Westminster Canterbury to provide as many occasions for enrichment as possible,” said Hunter. “Providing many different opportunities to learn, help others and become involved in the community brings a sense of well-being and fulfillment for those who participate. Our team members explore the activities our city has to offer so we can include as many as possible in our schedule.”

“It’s incredible to watch as people’s lives transform when they move to a community, across all levels of care,” said Brenda Dixon, Marketing Director at The Summit. “Whether engaging over meals, social events or simply connecting with neighbors passing in the corridors. The difference in assisted living—just having the reassurance that assistance is there when you need it has proven benefits to overall health and happiness. People are social creatures with diverse personalities, we are meant to be around each other and meant to have purpose.”

Enrich the Community

With age comes wisdom—wisdom that many organizations and community leaders would love to learn from. Regardless of mobility or transportation, there are plenty of ways that seniors can get involved with community enrichment and activism.

Seniors can make a list of activities that they enjoy and determine how they could benefit local organizations with those passions. If they love to garden, they could volunteer for a local gardening club. If they love to read, they could volunteer to read to kids at the library. Or, if they have career experience to share, they can mentor a young professional or offer pro bono professional consulting to a nonprofit organization. If a senior is homebound or can’t get up and about, even volunteering with a phone tree for a political or philanthropic cause could be incredibly rewarding.

Learn Something New

Education is a lifelong pursuit. In fact, research shows that continued education can help prevent cognitive decline and helps decrease the risk of dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Whether a senior wants to expand on a topic or skill that they already know, or learn something new entirely, there are plenty of local classes for them to choose from. From art and pottery classes at the Academy Center of the Arts and Jackson Heights Art Studio to sewing and woodworking workshops at Vector Space, lifelong students of all ages will enjoy honing their craft and connecting with others.

A power of attorney is a document that can make both your life and the lives of your family members much easier. A power of attorney allows your agent to act on your behalf. How and when your agent, or attorney-in-fact, can act depends on the type of power of attorney.

A general, durable power of attorney is the broadest type. It allows your agent to do almost anything you could do on your behalf, with the exception of making a will. It goes into effect immediately upon signing, and it remains in effect if you become incapacitated.

Executing a power of attorney does not mean you are relinquishing your right to conduct your own affairs. If you are competent, your power of attorney should only be acting at your direction. Occasionally, people worry about giving such broad power to another person, but Virginia law requires that an agent acting under a power of attorney must act in your best interest.

There is the option to add language to a power of attorney that makes it go into effect at a certain time or under certain conditions, called a springing power of attorney. For instance, someone may only want a power of attorney in effect if they are hospitalized or unable to make decisions for themselves. One problem with using a springing power of attorney is that it can be difficult for an agent to act easily and quickly.

There are times when a limited power of attorney can be helpful. This power of attorney only allows the agent to act for a specific purpose. For example, you may be out of town for a real estate closing and you want your spouse to be able to sign loan documents for you.

An advanced medical directive is similar to a power of attorney, but it names a healthcare agent. The healthcare agent can easily talk to medical providers and make decisions for your care if you are unable. It can also state what type of care you would like to receive in the event of a terminal illness.

“It is not legally required for the individual holding financial powers to also have the medical powers of decision-making,” explained Lisa Sprinkel, Vice President of Home Health and Hospice at Carilion Clinic. “The important thing is that the individual holding the medical powers knows the values and wishes of the individual for whom they are making decisions. It is likewise important for the medical providers to know WHO those medical proxies are and get that documented in the medical record.”

Who should you name as your agent in your power of attorney?

Often people name their spouse as power of attorney first, and then an adult child if their spouse is unable or unwilling to act as the agent. Others will ask a close friend or other relative. The main requirement for choosing your agent is that the person is someone you trust.

It is important to ask the person you intend to name if they are willing to take on this role. You should make sure they know where the power attorney is kept. It is best kept in a place where the agent can quickly and easily access it. If it is kept in a safety deposit box, your agent may have trouble retrieving it. The agent may even keep a copy of the power of attorney if you are comfortable with that. The agent should keep records of what they have done on your behalf and those records should be made available if you ever have a question about what your agent has done for you.

Finally, a power of attorney can be revoked, but it must be done so formally, while you still have capacity, and the agent must be given notice.

When should you consider getting a power of attorney?

You should determine a power of attorney before you need it. You must be able to understand the power and effect of the document you are signing. Having a power of attorney in place in case you are incapacitated can save you and your family money and time. If there are no legal documents in place to allow family members to act on your behalf, and you are in a position where you are unable to take care of your own personal or business needs, your loved ones would have to file to have a guardian and conservator appointed for you. This requires many steps, including a hearing in court. It will also require the person acting on your behalf to file regular reports with the commissioner of accounts and with social services. If a power of attorney has been executed, the person named as the agent may start acting without delay, and they won’t have the same reporting requirements.

If you wait until you need it, it may be too late. A power of attorney is a helpful tool, and it is often drafted alongside wills. It is best to have an attorney draft your power of attorney so that you end up with a document that will be valid if you are ever incapacitated.

About the Author: Sarah W. Houck is a Family and Domestic Law attorney in Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black’s Lynchburg office, where she advocates for clients in custody, divorce, and support cases throughout Virginia.

No matter your age or economic status, planning a will is one of the most important estate planning steps you can take. If you pass away without having a will in place, your estate—your money, home, and assets—will be divided up according to state law. If you have particular wishes or recipients for each of those assets, a will can ensure they go to the right person.

“It will never hurt to have a will that states your wishes,” explained Sam Patel of Patel & Dalrymple, PLLC. “More practically, people often make a will after a major life event—marriage, buying a house, having a child. These are just a few examples of things that might make your wishes change, and it can help to update your estate plan accordingly.”

Determine Your Executor

One of the first steps toward creating a will is determining who the executor of your will and estate will be. This executor will act as your personal representative and will be in charge of handling the details of your will. This person should be someone you implicitly trust. You should talk with this person ahead of time to ensure they are up to the task, and then let them know where to find all important documents, such as your will, insurance policies, and passwords for important financial accounts.

“Consider discussing your estate plan with your family after you’ve put it in place,” said Keith Orgera of the Law Offices of Ron Feinman. “Generally, it is far better for your loved ones to know what is going to happen when you die rather than to get surprises after it happens. Talking to everyone in advance, while not a fun conversation, can avoid a lot of hurt feelings and squabbling after you’re gone.”

Ask the Important Questions

“I would suggest one decision and one question,” said Orgera. “It’s important to decide what you want to accomplish with your will. They are powerful instruments and can do many things. Knowing what you want the will to make happen is more important than who exactly will be your executor or who gets the Buick. Related to that is the question: ‘Is a will the best way to achieve what I want?’ Once you know what you’re trying to do, you can talk with your estate planner about the best way to accomplish it and how.”

Once you have your will in place, it’s important to make sure it continues to reflect your current wishes. Consider updating your will once a year, making sure to update it after marriages, divorces, births, deaths, and other life events.

Look at the Bigger Picture

“A will is just one component of an estate plan,” explained Peter Davies of Davies & Davies Law Firm. “An estate plan should address powers of attorney, advance medical directives, wills, beneficiary designations, tax planning, and possibly trusts, among other things. An estate plan should be in place for someone when they have kids, get married or divorced, have a blended family, have tax concerns, have health issues, and so on. A good estate plan addresses many aspects, not death alone.”

While a will is a powerful document that can enact your final wishes, it doesn’t necessarily accomplish everything. A legal professional can help you evaluate the details that fall outside of a will and help you put together a more comprehensive estate plan that covers the entirety of what you’ve worked hard to save or build.

Hire a Professional

Some things are too important to leave up to chance. A poorly drafted will can be worse than no will at all. Often, self-prepared wills aren’t signed and finalized correctly. For example, a self-prepared will could have an executor or family members who are listed as beneficiaries, who also signed on as witnesses. That could either invalidate the witness to your will or prevent the witness from receiving any benefit under the will.

“This isn’t a time to DIY,” furthered Davies. “A comprehensive estate plan assembled by an attorney specializing in estate planning can go a long way to prevent a mess.”

An attorney will help you sort through the maze of estate planning so you can feel confident that your final wishes will be fully enacted.

“A lot of things can pass outside of a will; sometimes the entirety of a person’s property,” said Patel. “This can be beneficial in some circumstances, to avoid probate taxes and costs, or to avoid public scrutiny of a probated will. This is something to discuss with your beneficiaries, and with your attorney. There are lots of ways to pass on your belongings, and it’s always good to know your options.”

Not sure where to start with that holiday shopping list? You’ve come to the right place! Our annual Holiday Gift Guide is an overview of unique gift ideas, all found in local stores.

How do you define a top level attorney?

While a substantial number of wins or taking on high-profile cases can earn you recognition, it’s a lawyer’s reputation—both inside and outside of the courtroom—that really sets them apart.

For the sixth year in a row, Lynchburg Living has partnered with DataJoe Research Company to bring you Top Lawyers of Greater Lynchburg. This is a peer-to-peer survey—the lawyers included on this list were nominated by fellow lawyers, which speaks volumes about their integrity and professionalism.

NOMINATE HERE