Is there a busier time of the year than the holidays? Family get-togethers, office parties, Secret Santa swaps—and let’s not forget the rushing around to decorate, shop for gifts, and meal plan.

Despite the busy season, there’s nothing I love more than cold winter evenings huddled around a table with those I love the most. There’s an energy in the air that isn’t always present the rest of the year. It’s a spirit of gratitude and cheerfulness that I can’t help but join in on.

This issue is all about helping you get the most out of this season. We have all of the tips you need to create the perfect wine and cheese pairings for your holiday table, thanks to Everyday Sommelier. Flip to page 125 to read how wine experts create a delectable cheese board at any price point. On page 31, you’ll learn how to navigate any holiday stress so you can truly remain present throughout the season. And on page 35, you can learn or rediscover the Kwanzaa holiday traditions of family and unity.

We have some topics to share to keep the conversation around the table lively, too. On page 58, you’ll read the story of Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, a local artist residency program that was the birthplace of Dopesick, the book that has been turned into a wildly popular Hulu series. On page 102, you can find the story of Dr. David Horton and his Hellgate ultramarathon. Read about the 66.6 mile race through the cold Virginia mountains, and maybe get inspired to start training for next year’s race. Or learn how to tap local trees for syrup on page 129 and share your newfound knowledge with your friends and family.

As you’re prepping for the holiday season, we have your local gifts covered as well. Read the story of EmGe Naturals, a local, all-natural skin care business with an online and in-store presence, on 43. Their scrubs, lotions, and body butters are perfect gifts for anyone in your life. We have also compiled our annual Holiday Gift Guide full of local products for you to snag for your loved ones. Find the start of the Gift Guide on page 74.

There are so many holidays and celebrations across these next few months, and I hope it’s a season of joy and gratitude for you. However and wherever you are celebrating, I wish you moments of ease and comfort, gathered together with the people you love the most.

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Megan Williams, Managing Editor, megan@lynchburgmag.com

A Family of 5 Brings Urban Homesteading to a Historic Rivermont Home

Jennifer Woofter opened the door of her circa 1907 Rivermont Avenue home in Lynchburg wearing red lipstick and a wisteria-colored linen dress she sewed herself, looking every bit the chic urban homesteader she appears to be on Instagram (@weboughtamanor).

“I am living my best ‘Lady of the Manor’ life!” she said with a laugh, as she ushered us inside the impressively proportioned property she shares with her husband of 13 years, Bill Bohn, and their three children. The grand dame of the home, with its red brick and soaring white columns, cleverly conceals a large swatch of land out back that is host to a lush garden and a gaggle of pets, all living happily in the center of the city. It’s a place that invites life at every turn, and the story of how the family landed at such an address is just as surprising as the way they have chosen to live in it.

“The Manor House”
“We were living in Northern Virginia, and we had just adopted two of our kids and were suddenly going from a two-person household to a four-person household and paying outrageous fees for daycare and it was just really expensive and a fast pace of life,” Jennifer said as she began the story of their big life change in 2013.

One day Bill found the stately Georgian-style home on a website for old houses and sent it to Jennifer with a text jokingly saying, “We should buy this house.” But things quickly got serious at Christmastime when the family visited Bill’s parent’s home in Charlottesville and decided to drive down for a look.

“We left the kids with their grandparents, and came down to Lynchburg and spent the night. And we toured the house and we were like, ‘This is really cool, we should buy it’—so we did!” Jennifer exclaimed.

Within 60 days, the family had uprooted their old lives, sold their home in NoVA, and moved into their new-old home in Lynchburg.

“We didn’t know a single person, we had no connection to the community, but I think what we quickly found is that Lynchburg is a place where you can make a home and find your community. That was 8 years ago and we have been here ever since,” Jennifer recalled.

One of the aspects that attracted Bill and Jennifer to the home is its rich history. The 115-year-old property has had many chapters, beginning as a single family residence before transforming in the 1960s into part of a private girls school known as the Seven Hills School. Later, it became rooms and dormitories for the Virginia School of the Arts, then had a stint as a commercial office space before finally being converted back into a single family home.

“I think a lot about honoring the history of this house,” Jennifer said. “I think a lot about what was happening in this house when women got the right to vote. Who was living here and what did that feel like? What happened on Pearl Harbor? Throughout all of these momentous points in history, people were living here, living through it.”

The Kitchen
In a home this large and this old, there will always be projects. But Jennifer and Bill decided right after moving in that the only major renovation they wanted to undertake was the kitchen. What used to be two rooms—“a tiny little breakfast room and then a quite small kitchen”—soon joined to make space for an expansive kitchen the family could comfortably enjoy for years to come.

“We’ve got three kids and Bill loves to cook and while [the former kitchen] was beautifully done, it just wasn’t functional for the way that we live,” she said.

It took 11 months, but the result is a kitchen that remains aesthetically true to the home. Among the many thoughtful changes to the footprint is an expanded door frame with custom pocket doors made to match the originals that opens to the area they now use for dining. They also married in multiple modern amenities, including a few splurges. For Jennifer, that included two dishwashers and two sinks—one for cooking prep and one for washing produce.

“Bill is the cook of the family, so he definitely had a perspective of the kind of stove he wanted and the functionality of the ovens, and I just wanted it to be pretty,” she said.

Throughout the kitchen are reminders of the vibrant life happening just out the window, from leafy greens soaking in a sink and canning preserves in glass-front cabinets, to chicken and duck eggs resting on a custom egg holder made by Jennifer’s dad. A little bit country, a little bit glamour, the kitchen at the heart of the home now represents exactly the kind of life the family has worked to build there.

The Animals
To visit the manor is to run straight into animals of all varieties. Greeting you at the door is Lucy, the black rescue dog. Four black cats also flit throughout the home because “we are an only black pet household,” Jennifer said unapologetically.

Out back in an expansive gated area next to the even more impressive garden space are even more critters—three goats and about 14 chickens and ducks to be precise.

“Hello friends,” Jennifer greeted the goats, Jezebel, Charlemagne, and Scheherazade, as she walked past a teal chicken coop while the yardbirds scrambled around underfoot.

The coop’s bright color was at one point a topic of much debate, Jennifer said, but she loved it and won that round. Where she often concedes is the “how” of what Bill prefers when it comes to structures.

“Because Bill’s profession [as an engineer] is dealing with natural disasters, everything he builds is apocalypse-ready. Everything is sunk into concrete. If there’s a hurricane, we are coming out to the chicken coop,” she said.

With this many living creatures in one place, funny stories are never far behind. A memorable one took place right after the family first got the goats.

“When we first brought home the goats six years ago, they escaped and got on the roof of the house. People were calling us, like ‘There are goats on your roof!’ And I said, ‘Yeah, I know… I will get to that later!’” she laughed.

The Garden
“I don’t think I ever saw myself as a farmer,” Jennifer conceded as she walked under the kiwi-vined arched trellis into the family’s massive garden project.

The family has taken full advantage of their 1.7 acre lot, which now boasts 1800 square feet of garden area with 52 raised beds and a full drip irrigation system. An area is cleared for a future greenhouse build. The space is verdant with growth, and each season brings something new to do.

“Our process is, Bill grows and plants and I harvest and process in whatever format that looks like,” Jennifer said.

The backyard didn’t always look like this. It once held three tennis courts and, by the time Jennifer’s family moved in, the two remaining tennis courts were in bad shape. So they saved up and removed them and built the raised beds in their place.

Jennifer relayed that many lessons have been learned as she and Bill have dialed in what they wanted in the garden and how they wanted it to function for their daily life. Some of those lessons came down to marital compromise.

“Bill has the patience of a saint,” Jennifer said. “I decided I wanted all those raised beds painted white instead of natural wood, and heavens if he didn’t spend all summer painting those, along with the kids.”

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How Does Your Garden Grow?
In any one calendar year, about 75 different herbs, vegetables, and fruits grow in the family’s garden, including:
Peas, Lettuce, Bok Choy, Garlic, Shallots, Scallions, Asparagus, Soybeans, Strawberries, Blackberries, Kiwi, Peach, Pear & Apple Trees, Rhubarb, Jerusalem Artichoke, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Broccoli, Chives, Fennel, Oregano, Sage, Rosemary, Curry, Thyme & more!

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The Mission
Perhaps the most rewarding part about the work of their hands is that the family is able to benefit others from it as well. With so much shareable produce growing, they set up a self-serve stand on the porch for people to come year-round, with the goal of one day building a full farm stand. They also donate a lot of their bounty to the Lynchburg Daily Bread. The rest sustains them throughout the year.

While the historic home and its grounds have certainly been a major undertaking, the benefits of the lifestyle they created have also helped them to put down intentional roots in their adopted city.

“One of the most rewarding parts of having the animals and the garden is it has really connected us to our neighbors, people who stop by and say hi all the time, the neighbor kids come by. Moms walking their kids around in the afternoon stop by and feed the goats,” Jennifer said. “It’s just been fun.”

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Simple Chive Blossom Vinegar Recipe
Jennifer discovered that the chive blossoms from her garden “make a beautiful pink vinaigrette.” Using the guidance of The Spruce Eats website, she places the chive blossoms in a clean jar and pours white wine vinegar over them until they are completely covered. “Let it steep for a few days and voilà, so easy!” she said.

Crossing the Potomac River along I-395, a quintessential D.C. landscape fills the foreground. Drive by landmarks like the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the way to something new in a historic part of our nation’s capital.

Scenically and conveniently located near downtown Washington D.C. and Dupont Circle, the Kimpton Banneker Hotel offers relaxation and sophistication in the historic area. Rounding Scott Circle, the modern hotel that opened late June 2021, is situated along the charming tree-lined streets.

Before the Banneker, the location was the site of the former Kimpton-run Hotel Rouge. After a $20 million renovation, the accommodation was completely transformed into a 10-story boutique property. The Banneker embraces the spirit of D.C. through an appreciation for its history, art and culture.

Contrasting the Banneker’s contemporary, slate-colored exterior is a warm and comfortable vibe in the hotel’s lobby. Showcased on the wooden wall opposite the front desk is an abstract portrait by D.C.-based artist Rob Matthews that is not only a representation of the Banneker’s art collection but is a portrait of the hotel’s namesake.

The Banneker’s name is a nod to one of the country’s major Black innovators, Benjamin Banneker. Banneker made significant contributions to astronomy, mathematics, and civil rights. He also played a key role in surveying the land that would become Washington D.C. in 1791, specifically identifying the meridian line for D.C.—a line that is now 16th Street, where the hotel is located. To honor Banneker, the hotel has several constellation motifs and even provides guests a card that describes which constellations will be visible during their stay.

The Banneker portrait is just one of the many original works of art within the hotel. The Banneker has thoughtfully curated an art collection highlighting D.C. natives and international artists in a variety of mediums. From the lobby mural by D.C.-based Nigerian-American artist Victor Ekpuk to abstract paintings, photographs, and more throughout the hotel, the Banneker could also double as an art gallery.

Complementing the hotel’s collection of art is the refreshed interior design led by Toronto-based firm Mason Studio. Each of the 144 spacious guest rooms presents a blend of warm tones and cool minimalism, designed with lush materials like corduroy and velvet.

Once you settle in and decompress from the inevitable traffic on I-95, mosey back down to the lobby for a complimentary evening wine hour in the adjacent sitting area. The wine hour is a perfect precursor to dinner at the Banneker’s in-house restaurant, Le Sel.

You may forget when you first walk into Le Sel that you’re in Washington D.C. The restaurant’s wall-to-wall windows fill the dining room with light and open up to 16th Street NW, drawing inspiration from Paris bistros. The 750-square-foot outdoor patio attracts pedestrians to dine at the inviting restaurant.

Le Sel, with a name that translates to “the salt,” features a menu that blends contemporary French fare with elevated comfort food. Executive chef Laurent Hollaender, a native of France, conceived an upscale, yet approachable, menu that utilizes locally sourced, seasonal ingredients.

Tomatoes from a farm in Maryland are the star of the restaurant’s Heirloom Tomato Carpaccio, served with crushed pistachio, buttery sweet Castelvetrano olives and balsamic glaze. The mushrooms served with the Roquefort Crusted Filet Mignon are sourced from a farm in Pennsylvania, while the apples used in the Pork Belly entrée’s fennel and apple salad hail from neighboring Virginia.

Hollaender put a spin on French staples by adding a mid-Atlantic twist. Steak Tartare is made with smoked oyster mayo and topped with an oyster to add a briny flavor to the savory appetizer. Seafood entrees include Seared Diver Scallops, served with an “eggplant caviar,” and flounder wrapped in thin slices of prosciutto.

Hollaender explains that after spending years in Orlando, Florida, he was eager to move back north and take advantage of the regional offerings from the water. “There was a bounty of seafood to choose from,” he says.

Additionally, Le Sel indulges diners with classic French dishes—onion soup overflowing with Emmental cheese, escargot in bubbling garlic butter, niçoise salad, Moules Frites and crème brûlée.

The Banneker’s location makes it easy to tour D.C. by foot. Historic hotspots, along with the National Museum of African American History, the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the National Gallery of Art, are just a few miles away. The Banneker even offers complimentary bike rentals so you can pedal your way around the nation’s capital.

Follow the stars, much like Benjamin Banneker did more than 200 years ago, for a much-needed getaway.

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Kimpton Banneker Hotel is located in downtown D.C., a three- to five-hour drive depending on your starting point in Central Virginia. Learn more or make a reservation at TheBanneker.com.

Mushrooms are a strange, complex, and often delicious gift from nature. Fleeting and particular, foraging for them in the wild serves as a great way to get the family engaged in an outdoor treasure hunt. But there’s another way to access these tasty morsels—and help out an important cause along the way.

Here in Virginia, many delectable and highly prized mushroom varieties grow right under the forest canopy. There are over a thousand varieties of edible mushrooms out there. But, before we go any further, it is important to note that many mushrooms are not edible (most, even), and are in fact very dangerous. NEVER eat a wild mushroom unless you are absolutely certain that it is safe for consumption.

With that out of the way, let’s get down to business. When and where can you find these edible wild mushrooms?

In Virginia, certain varieties of mushrooms can be found all year, but there are a few that seem to be most highly prized among hunters and connoisseurs. Mushrooms are a fungus and they tend to grow on decaying organic matter, like logs and leaf-littered forest floor, in damp areas or just after a rain. And while the fungus that produces the mushrooms is usually very large, healthy and active underground, the fruiting bodies that we eat don’t last long, so it’s important to get out there as soon as the rain stops, but before the air/ground dries out!

It may be a little late in the season for morels, but if you’re looking for this coveted mushroom, here are a few tips:
• Hunt when the air and soil temps are not too cool, but not too warm: about 60 – 70 degrees during the day, 50 degrees overnight.
• Wait until after a good rain storm or two, and look for an area of recently disturbed or burned forest.
• Morels love decaying yellow poplar, ash, elm, a nd oak. They’re also known to pop up around spicebush.
• And a great tip for ALL mushroom foraging: find a friend (or make a new one) with experience hunting these and other mushrooms! They can help you find good hunting grounds, and help you identify true morels.

Chanterelles are a different character. Unlike the morel, they love to emerge in warmer weather, and can be found all through the summer. Their yellow/orange color makes them easier to spot on the forest floor, and, like most mushrooms, they can be found in moist, shaded areas with lots of healthy organic matter. Fallen logs and leaf litter are good signs for finding chanterelles. A great place to spot these delectable mushrooms would be along creek beds and places where ephemeral streams form after showers. They tend to grow individually, or in small clusters, but where there’s one, there’s usually more. Look closely, though, and have your identification guide handy. Chanterelles have a poisonous look-alike called the jack-o-lantern. The biggest difference between the two is the gills on the underside of the mushroom head. The chanterelle has pale-colored false gills, which look more like wrinkles, whereas the jack-o-lantern mushroom has true, deep gills similar to the color of the mushroom head. The jack-o-lantern also grows in heavier clusters, and has a deeper orange color all over, whereas the chanterelle has a paler stem. Not to mention, the jack-o-lantern glows in the dark!

When you find your prize, it’s best to snip the mushroom at the stem rather than pull it from the roots. This way, the fungal system underground can continue to grow and produce more mushrooms. You’ll want to bring along a basket for collection, or something in which you can place the mushrooms so they can breathe and not crush one another.

But wild foraging isn’t the only way to enjoy these colorful culinary treats. We caught up with Bethshan McLeod, who along with her husband, James, serves as the director of Providence Veterans Farm and Mission Mushrooms in Concord, VA. Their non-profit has found a unique way to finance their critically important cause: mushrooms!

That’s right, the McLeods oversee an operation employing veterans who grow and sell top-quality mushrooms and mushroom grow kits. Their mission is to serve the families of service members who have experienced trauma during service. Military trauma tends to affect the entire household, and leads to high rates of divorce, mental health struggles, unemployment, and other problems regularly faced by these incredibly important members of our community. Mission Mushroom seeks to strengthen these families, and stop the spread of generational trauma so that service can continue in a healthy way, one mushroom at a time.

Their 90-acre farm offers four transitional homes for those in need, as well as opportunities for engagement, trauma healing, and mentoring. Bethshan said that mushrooms and farming are a natural fit for trauma recovery because of the intrinsic healing and calming qualities of gardening and agriculture. They also have two highly specialized mushroom growing facilities designed to grow specific mushroom varieties, particularly oysters and lion’s mane.

If you’ve been reading this as someone who doesn’t particularly care for mushrooms on their plate, you’re in good company with Bethshan! But she likes the ones they grow at Mission Mushroom because unlike most commercially grown mushrooms that are grown in manure outdoors, theirs are grown on a non-manure, non-chemical substrate in an indoor, controlled environment. They are never chemically treated or sprayed, and don’t even need to be washed before they’re cooked!

Mission Mushroom can be found at both the Downtown Lynchburg and Bedford farmers markets. They also have an online store offering a monthly subscription box! Every month, you’ll get a few pounds of mushrooms delivered to your door, and you’re helping out a really important cause in the process.

Mission Mushroom also offers an at-home grow kit. Visit their online store, choose the type of mushroom you’d like to grow, and have the kit delivered to your home. It’s a tiny version of their operation at Providence Veterans Farm, and you can grow about a pound to a pound and a half of your very own mushrooms. After the mushrooms are all gobbled up, Bethshan says the mycelium left over in the substrate makes excellent fertilizer! Just break up the grow bag, toss it into your garden,
and it’s a gift that keeps on giving.

Who knew the mighty mushroom could be the vehicle for inspiring healthy bodies and minds for warriors and their families right here in our community?

No matter how you come by them, if you’re looking for a fun new way to spice up your dinner plate, mushrooms are a great place to start.

Dog-Friendly Restaurants and Breweries In and Around Lynchburg

It’s that time of year again, when the sun is warm, the rosé is cold, and the temperature is simply satisfying…that’s right, patio season is upon us. Lynchburg residents are lucky to have seen an increase in outdoor hanging and dining spaces in the last few years from downtown to several surrounding counties. An added bonus to some of these tasty spots? You get to bring your leashed, four-legged, furry friend so you never have to worry about dining (or drinking) alone.

My Dog Duke’s Diner
My Dog Duke’s Diner often fills up quickly inside but the covered patio is a cozy spot rain or shine to hang with your best friend. They close after lunch so go early to enjoy their Strawberry French Toast or Chicken and Waffles with a boozy adult milkshake or maybe a mimosa flight. Your pup may get lucky and snag a stray piece of bacon, but if not he will still enjoy the sights and smells of this delightful downtown spot.

El Jefe
Stretch your and Fido’s legs with a walk up the Bluffwalk to El Jefe, where your pet will be welcomed to hang on the patio of this fun and funky tequila and taco spot. Take in the stunning views, enjoy the excellent service, and kick back with a gourmet taco or some of their delicious nachos. The Spicy Cucumber Margarita pairs well with a nice cold cup of H2O on the rocks for your pet.

Bootleggers
Down a few steps, also on the Bluffwalk, is the patio at Bootleggers. Take your pooch for a Southern Belle Burger and parmesan truffle fries and live with no regrets. Enjoy a beer or bourbon with river views and people watching as an added bonus. Elevated bar food with excellent attention to detail and dogs? We’re in.

Three Roads Brewing
Bring your thirst to this spot as they serve up only icy cold brews and no food, but they do often have a food truck (such as local favorite Ferguson Family Provisions). Follow @3roadsbrewingco_burg on Instagram to catch them on a night where they have live, local music. Added bonus: your pet can come inside or hang outside, so rain or shine, this is your spot.

The Water Dog
What’s better on a balmy Sunday afternoon than heading down to The Water Dog on Jefferson Street to grab a dozen oysters and one of their 36 craft beers? Only the fact that not only can you bring your dog to relax with you at the large outdoor bar and seating area, owner Dave Henderson highly encourages it. As a lifelong dog owner and lover, Dave appreciates that his Labradors don’t know the difference between work and play and he wanted to build a place for people and pets to gather that embodied that spirit. Dave wants everyone, including your furry friends, to feel welcome and at home here. Don’t mind if we do.

Grey’s on Fifth
The ever-changing menu at Grey’s on Fifth and the inventive, delicious dishes are the reason most people constantly return to (and crave, and dream about…) this celebrated 5th Street spot. But when spring rolls around their lush, garden-like patio is a lovely spot to hang with your animal. With zero pretension, just fantastic, fresh food and some of the best staff around, you and your bestie are going to make this place a weekly tradition.

Beale’s Brewery
Don’t sleep on Bedford, y’all. If you haven’t cruised West to enjoy Beale’s Brewery yet, consider this your sign. While this quirky spot can be enjoyed all year long, it’s an exceptional place to hang with your entire family outside. Yes, it’s a brewery but they have a great spot for kids and a kids’ menu. Pro tip: Get the soft pretzel with beer cheese and the Brunch Stout, just don’t let your pup dig for the Beale’s Gold buried treasure that gave the brewery its namesake.

Apocalypse Ale Works
A local brewery with heating and air conditioning, an outdoor beer garden, plus a stage for live music? Let’s go! These Forest folks always welcome supervised children and leashed dogs so pack up the car and bring the whole family to this spot that has become a regular hangout for the young and young at heart. Rotating food trucks such as Carbon Catering Co, Hill City Smokehouse, Upper Crust Pizza, and Hill City Eats can regularly be found serving up delights to go with your craft beer that’s made on the premises.

Burg Burritos
One of the newer patios around town, Burg Burritos does one thing and they do it exceptionally well: Burritos. And what could possibly be better than a burrito? Sitting outside on a gorgeous day eating a burrito with your dog while sipping a soft serve margarita. Is this heaven? Wait, there’s more. These guys will actually MAKE A Grrr-ito for your pooch! Fido just needs to decide if he would prefer beef and cheese or chicken and cheese. Mind blown.

Yellow Submarine
Come for trivia night and the delicious subs, stay for the warm service and super dog-friendly accommodations. These people are pet lovers and invite you to bring your pet to dine outside on the patio or on the screened in porch. Parched pooch? Not to worry, the folks at Yellow Submarine already have dog bowls outside.

Hunter Thomas discovered disc golf the summer after he graduated high school. He was bored and looking for something to do, so his brother took him out on a disc golf course. Thomas never looked back.

Thomas now runs Foundation Disc Golf, a store for both beginner and expert disc golfers.

Founded in 2019, Foundation Disc Golf began as an online store and a place for disc golfers to buy discs, apparel, and accessories, and they quickly expanded to brick-and-mortar retail store located in Forest. A large part of the store’s growth was due to Foundation Disc Golf’s online content.

“Our focus was to create content to drive traffic at the online store to help people learn about disc golf or learn different ways to get better. The content side took off in a way we never expected it to, to where the business got a lot bigger than expected,” Thomas said.

Foundation Disc Golf has five podcasts and regularly posts videos on their two YouTube channels. Disc golfers of any skill level can learn from the videos and podcast episodes. The content ranges from discussing pro disc golfers to the Foundation Disc Golf team out on the course trying out discs.

There is more to Foundation Disc Golf than podcasts and selling discs. They want to see the disc golf community flourish through engagement with residents and clubs in the area.

“There are local clubs in Lynchburg and Bedford, and Liberty University has a club team. We’re involved in all three in different ways. We just try to help support what they’re doing locally as much as we can,” Thomas said.

In 2019, Foundation Disc Golf started a tournament in Bedford with the help of the local club and Bedford Parks and Recreation. It has become one of the biggest disc golf tournaments in Virginia. The tournament and the great courses in the area have caught the eye of many.

“Bedford Parks and Rec saw how much disc golf had taken off. They built one of the best courses in the country and several of the best courses in the state, which have also become a big tourist attraction for disc golfers all over the country,” Thomas explained.

The popularity of disc golf in the Lynchburg/Bedford region soared during COVID. With lockdowns in place, many people turned to parks and outdoor activities. As Thomas put it,
“What ended up happening was so many people were looking
for something to do to get out of the house. So many people found disc golf during that time and that happened here as well.”

Disc golf has maintained that momentum because of its accessibility and affordability. Like golf, the goal of disc golf is to get the disc from the tee pad to the basket in as few throws as possible. Unlike golf, disc golf does not require a lot of equipment or money. All that’s needed to start is one disc that costs around $10 and a park with a course.

Thomas suggests that people looking to get into disc golf go to Peaks View Park in Lynchburg. Most of the holes are under 200 feet, so it is an ideal beginner course. Starting out on the wrong course or using the wrong disc can make the sport more challenging than it should be.

“The best way to get started would be to come to Foundation Disc Golf, where we have a used section of discs. You can get a disc for as cheap as $5. We have staff that make sure you won’t buy a disc that is going to make the sport frustrating,” Thomas said.

Along with its accessibility and affordability, disc golf is a very inclusive sport. There is no age limit or specific physical requirements.

“If you can walk and you can move your arm, you can play disc golf essentially. Pretty much anyone can play. I’ve taken out people in their upper 60s and I’ve taken out 5-year-olds. And everyone has fun,” Thomas said.

Hiking or walking is a great activity, but disc golf takes it to a whole new level.

“It gives you something to focus on, and you don’t realize how much you just walked. It’s a good thing for cardio and just the benefits of being outside. For me personally, it’s been a huge stress relief.”

Through disc golf, Thomas has met some of his best friends. He’s met people from all different walks of life, but they all share one thing in common, the love of disc golf.

“People are just super excited to meet, talk with you, and teach you the game. It’s something that we all love, so we just want other people to love it too.”

Little Town Players Continues to Shine a Spotlight on Bedford with Topnotch Productions

Beloved community theatre nonprofit Little Town Players has been making a big impact in Bedford—and beyond—for nearly 50 years, and it will undoubtedly continue to do so in the future. With its rich and decorated history, generous and talented volunteers, and commitment to presenting dynamic and high-quality productions, LTP is a triumphant testament to the power of close-knit communities.

“Bedford is thought of as a tight-knit community, and Little Town Players is very much a tight-knit community as well,” says LTP Board President Lisa Butler.

Little Town Players’ story began in 1975 with a group of enthusiastic thespians, many of whom were members of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Bedford.

“At that time, there had not been any local theatre in Bedford for at least two decades,” Butler notes. “Roy and Karen Thorpe led a production of Our Town at St. John’s. Karen directed the play, and the majority of the cast was comprised of the church congregation. The show was a great success, so LTP officially began in 1976 with its first season of shows.”

Shortly thereafter, Little Town Players gained 501(c)(3) status and brought on its first Board of Directors. The Board originally had seven members, and now it has nine. The organization also found its permanent home at a former movie house.

“Somebody at the church found out that there was an old movie house that was not being utilized on the campus of the Elks National Home,” Butler recalls. “LTP has had a home in that space, which is called the Fred Harper Theatre, ever since. We have a great working relationship with The Elks: A Noble Senior Living Community.”

In 1983, a historic honor solidified Little Town Players’ status as a top-tier theatre organization: then-President Ronald Reagan awarded LTP a Volunteer Action Award for the Arts and Humanities. The Volunteer Action Awards were designed to honor outstanding volunteer achievements. In 1982, more than 2,000 groups were nominated nationally for 20 awards in 10 categories.

“In addition to having fantastic volunteers, I think that LTP was chosen for the award because of our ability to make the most of our fairly limited resources,” Butler says. “For instance, if we needed a stove for a production, we would get a cardboard box that a stove came in from a local electric company and paint it to look like the real thing. We’ve certainly come a long way!”

The Fred Harper Theatre specifically has come a long way thanks to many improvements over the years.

“We took the booth area from the former movie house and turned it into a booth for our sound and light controls,” notes Butler. “We’re working on getting all of our lights switched over to LED lighting, we’ve recovered our seats, and we’ve added lights above the stage. We’ve also built dressing rooms, installed heating and air conditioning, added bathrooms downstairs for the cast, and enclosed the lobby. We are able to use the space rent-free, so we do whatever we can to help the Elks continue to remain vibrant. It’s an ideal partnership.”

Since it was founded, Little Town Players has presented a wide variety of productions including Driving Miss Daisy, The Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, A Christmas Story: The Musical, Steel Magnolias, A Streetcar Named Desire, My Fair Lady, The Secret Garden: A Musical, and many more. Butler’s personal favorites are The Wizard of Oz, in which she portrayed Dorothy, and Always… Patsy Cline, in which she portrayed the titular character. See the sidebar for LTP’s upcoming lineup of productions.

Although LTP presents shows with apparent ease, a great deal of behind-the-scenes work goes into each production.

“We have a play-reading committee that consists of six to 10 people,” Butler says. “Each person brings suggestions of productions within three different categories: musicals, comedies, and dramas. We typically start out with 60 to 70 possibilities. The committee starts discussing pros and cons of each of the shows: the feasibility of building certain sets, whether or not patrons are likely to enjoy the production, how difficult the production would be to cast, etc. Once the committee limits the choices and votes on a slate, they present it to the Board for approval. The whole process generally takes five to six months.”

The members of that committee, Board members, actors, and a myriad of others involved in each production are volunteers. Directors, music directors, and choreographers receive small stipends.

“Without volunteers, LTP simply would not exist,” Butler remarks. “We are very lucky to have so many wonderful volunteers. Anyone can get involved by checking out our website and filling out our volunteer form. We can always use stage managers, light and sound workers, costumers, set designers, builders, painters, ushers, box office assistants, play-reading committee members, and more.”

According to Butler, LTP has a dual primary mission.

“Our mission is to both entertain and educate our audiences through theatre,” she says. “You may not think you’ll be entertained by a production that is laden with facts or educated by a comedy, but we aim to make those things happen. My mission as Board President is to ensure that all that is done within our theatre is done to uphold and support LTP’s mission and to ensure that LTP is around for generations to come.”

Little Town Players offers an annual scholarship to encourage involvement among young people in its and other organizations’ theatre programs.

“For over 20 years, we’ve offered a $1,000 scholarship each year to a Bedford County graduating high school senior,” notes Butler. “Preference is given to graduating seniors who have been involved with Little Town Players, but it is not a requirement. The student needs to be very involved with theatre, but they do not need to be pursuing a theatre degree.”

There is no doubt that community is the cornerstone of Little Town Players. Butler, who met her husband through the organization and was involved in LTP’s production of Little Women: The Musical with her husband and two of her children, believes that anyone who gets involved with LTP will find a home away from home.

“Little Town Players is truly like a family,” she says.

“For us, community theatre is all about getting together and having fun while making beautiful art that is representative of our community.”

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UPCOMING LITTLE TOWN PLAYERS SEASON
Shows are presented on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m.

The Mousetrap
Sept. 9-18, 2022

Blithe Spirit
Nov. 4-13, 2022

12 Angry Men
Feb. 24-March 5, 2023

Little Shop of Horrors
May 12-21, 2023

For a lot of people, their dogs are their children and when they leave for work for the day or have a laundry list of errands to run, they want their fur babies to have the best quality of life while they’re away.

That’s where K-9 Cloud 9 comes in.

Theresa Bryan was working in corporate sales and had two dogs that she wanted day care for. When she found nothing available in the city, she decided to take matters into her own hands and open her own facility.

“I was successful in my corporate career and thought I could be successful for myself instead of a corporate company,” she said.

She opened the business in March 2019 in The Plaza Shopping Center on Memorial Avenue. She wanted it to be a place where there would be exceptional customer service, care, and straightforward pricing.

The business provides boarding services, dog day care, nail trims, and WebCam viewing so owners can watch their dogs having fun playing with their furry friends.

Bryan believes there’s no place like home, but should you need to leave your dog overnight, the K-9 Cloud 9 team is trained to pamper your dog so time away from home is as comfortable as possible.

Bryan said she is also working on hiring a groomer in the future.

K-9 Cloud 9 is an indoor center, which Bryan said is great for dogs because it’s safer and cleaner.

“Our format is a little different than most daycares because the dogs do play out most of the day, versus being caged most of the day with short potty breaks,” she said. “That’s what most centers do and our dogs are just out the whole day and they really get the chance to make friends and be very rambunctious and get all their energy out.”

She said it’s ideal for owners who want their dogs to be more social with other dogs and can learn proper manners.

“Dogs have a lot of energy and unless you’re going to take your dog on a 45-minute run every day, you’re never going to exhaust your dog,” she said. “So dogs that have an opportunity to socialize and be in a structure-free environment are generally happier dogs.”

The business also offers early drop off and late pick up for those who are working 12 hour shifts like nurses and doctors, Bryan said.

“Their dogs can have just as much fun and they don’t have to worry about not being able to take their dog anywhere because their shift work doesn’t allow that,” she said.

Jordan Miller, a Lynchburg resident, has been taking his lively lab-mix, Ruby, to K-9’s daycare for four days a week since it opened.
Every morning, he says “You want to go play with friends?” and Ruby’s ears perk up because she knows that she’s about to go play all day with other doggos.

Miller said 5-year-old Ruby has a phenomenal personality and is the best dog he’s ever had, so just like most other owners who have full-time jobs, he wanted to make sure she was in a trusted and safe environment while he’s away from her.

“We wanted a safe, happy, and convenient place that we could take Ruby because you want to make sure they’re going to a very, very nice place,” he said.

“We wanted a safe, happy, and convenient place that we could take Ruby because you want to make sure they’re going to a very, very nice place,” he said.

As soon as Miller walked into K-9 Cloud 9 in 2019, Bryan offered a tour and informed Miller about the company’s practices.

“She made us feel extremely comfortable with leaving Ruby,” he said. “I trust them completely. They have a great team and when I drop off Ruby I know she’s going to be in a good place and I can just have that completely off my mind while I go to work.”

By Friday, Ruby sleeps all day because she’s gotten all of her energy out between Monday and Thursday, Miller said.

“If dogs don’t use up their energy at doggy daycare, they will use it in a disruptive way,” he said.

Miller has been so pleased with the services at the daycare, he has referred multiple people there because it’s been such an ideal place to drop his fur baby off each week.

“It’s been very integral to my family’s lifestyle,” he said.

Just like daycare for children, K-9 Cloud 9 does activities like nose prints for Mother’s Day and photo magnets for Christmas. In August, the dogs will pose for back-to-school photos.

Owning a business has taught Bryan to stay flexible, be willing to make changes, go with the flow, and listen to employees.

“We have such a fabulous team and being the owner of a business is so much easier when I have great employees and I have such a great team working there,” she said. “I’ve been really lucky in the fact that I’ve been able to hire people who have a lot of experience in veterinary and shelter work.”

She said her team loves the dogs like they are their own and she knows she can rely on them to know the best interest and safety of the animals.

“Our team is so dedicated to the dogs coming there, being safe, and having a great time, and I think the owners can really tell that when they pick up their dogs that their dogs love it.”

Patriotic Patisserie That is Sure to Impress
Photos by Ashlee Glen

Celebrations are often synonymous with some type of food. Consider the Thanksgiving Turkey, the Christmas Ham—or the spicy chicken wings folks like to eat on Superbowl Sunday.

But there are some special days that are often lacking in the food department. Some of our most beloved celebrations have yet to properly be associated with a special food. Yes, I am looking at you, Independence Day. The 4th of July was meant for so much more than watermelon and hot dogs!

I would like to see this fantastic Flag Cake recipe get a permanent place on America’s birthday table. It’s delicious, surprisingly easy to make, and its dramatic appearance will make your guests gasp when you bring it out. Also, if you don’t have time to decorate, let your guests help out. It’s fun!

I like to serve this cake with a sweet strawberry drink called Saft. Saft is a homemade, fruit flavored syrup with Swedish origins. Mix some of the syrup with water to make a refreshingly sweet, all-natural alternative to Kool-Aid.

AMERICAN FLAG CAKE
Serves: 18-20 People

Cake
2 1/4 sticks (255 grams) of unsalted butter, softened
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups (385 grams)
all-purpose flour
1/3 cup corn starch
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt (reduce to
1 tsp if using table salt)
1 tsp baking soda

Icing
4 cups heavy cream
1 tbsp sugar

Decoration
1 pint blueberries (for the number of rows you see in the photo,
you need 72 berries)
1 1/2 pint raspberries (for two long and two short double lines
you need 128 berries)

Directions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 18 x 12 x 1 1/2 inch sheet pan.

In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until it looks light and fluffy. Reduce the speed and mix in the eggs, one at a time. Add the sour cream and the vanilla and beat another minute until smooth.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, corn starch, salt and baking soda. You can sift the dry ingredients if you have the patience, but lightly beating with a hand whisk works, too.

Now, slowly mix the dry ingredients into your stand mixer bowl until just combined.

If you will be serving the cake directly in the pan, just pour the batter into the buttered pan. However, if you are planning to turn out the cake and serve on a board or tray, use a sheet of parchment paper in addition to greasing and flouring the pan.

The batter will be fairly thick, so spread it evenly into the pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the middle of the oven until a toothpick comes out clean, or about 25 minutes.

When the cake has cooled completely, whip the cold heavy cream along with the sugar on high speed until thick and spread over the cake.

Decorating with berries can be as simple or complicated as you make it. If you go for perfection you may want to set aside around 30 minutes and use a ruler to space the rows of blueberries and raspberries. If you prefer a quicker, more rustic approach, strawberries cut in half make a good alternative to raspberries and you will be done in
10 minutes.

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SWEDISH SAFT
Makes: About 1 Pint

Ingredients
1 lb. fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 lemon, juiced
1 1/2 cup water

Directions
Add strawberries, sugar, and water to a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the sugar has dissolved then turn off the heat. Add lemon juice. Let the mixture cool before straining it through cheesecloth to remove the strawberry solids. Store in a snap-top bottle in the refrigerator. Will keep for one month or longer.

To enjoy a glass of saft, mix 1/4 cup of the syrup with 1 cup water. Ice is optional!

Centra Looks to Rebuild Pet Therapy Program

Joyce Bailey wandered into the world of pet therapy quite by accident close to 20 years ago, when she took her young Bichon Frise, Amie, to a trainer.

“The trainer said, ‘You know, she would make a good therapy dog’ and told me the tester was coming into town in the next couple of weeks,” Joyce recalls. “Well, she passed with flying colors!”

Before long, Amie was a familiar face (or should we say, snout) in hospital rooms, nursing homes, and classrooms in the Lynchburg area. Bailey later added another Bichon Frise, Cece, to the family about seven years later, who quickly followed in the footsteps of her big sister.

Bailey rotated her therapy visits between the two dogs until Amy passed away four years ago. Now, Cece remains as one of the “old school” therapy dogs you’ll find roaming the halls of Centra Health’s two hospitals.

“It just pleases me so much to bring Cece in and see somebody smile and have a nurse say, ‘That’s the first time we’ve seen a smile from that patient.’ That warms my heart,” Bailey said.

According to Therapy Dogs International, therapy dogs are simply defined as dogs with outstanding temperaments. They tolerate other animals well, love children, and enjoy meeting new people.

Therapy dogs can often be confused with service dogs or emotional support animals, but therapy dogs do not provide a specific service for people with special emotional or physical needs. As further explained by the American Kennel Club, the purpose of therapy dogs is to lend comfort and affection to people in a facility or setting such as a hospital.

“There are sensory benefits. When you touch a dog, it’s warm and soft. Also, I think there is something about a dog’s eyes. When they look you in the face with those eyes and they are so accepting,” said Bailey.

While you may be thinking “my sweet pooch could be a therapy dog,” many organizations, such as Centra, require that therapy dogs be certified by a reputable organization such as Therapy Dogs International, which is who Bailey used to gain her dogs’ certifications.

“It’s not so much about being a trick dog but they have to walk on a leash without pulling, they have to sit when you tell them to sit, and stay when you tell them to stay,” she explained. “What I thought would be the hardest for my dogs was to leave them with someone they don’t know then leave the room for three minutes and not have them panic.”

Sylvia Beamer, director of volunteer services at Centra, explained that proof of certification is just the first step in the vetting process for their therapy dog program, which was officially formed in 2015. Dogs also have to go through Canine Good Citizen training from the American Kennel Club.

“We interview the handler as well as the pet to make sure both are a good fit for the organization and patient population. We onboard them just like any other volunteer and have an orientation. Then we will shadow the pet and make sure the pet is doing well and truly fits the therapy mode that we need,” Beamer explained. “After they are shadowed by another experienced handler, they are able to go out on their own.”

Unfortunately, there hasn’t been much paperwork to sift through or shadowing to oversee recently. According to Beamer, there are only two or three therapy dogs on Centra’s list right now. Ideally, they would have 20 to work with in both hospitals.

“During COVID we had pets that aged out of the program or handlers who were in bad health,” she said, adding that the pandemic likely affected certification testing schedules. “Now we are truly looking for more therapy animals and are trying to build our program back up.”

It’s worth the effort because the benefits for patients are clear. Beamer notes that in a hospital setting, oftentimes patients have a furry friend at home that they miss.

“Or it could be someone who doesn’t have any visitors because their family lives elsewhere. Or simply just someone that the nurses have identified is going through some depression. The nurses are great about making sure the therapy dogs are offered to the right rooms,” she said.

In one case, Bailey and Cece weren’t exactly welcome—at least not at first.

“I stopped by an open door and this patient said, ‘oh no, don’t bring that dog in here.’ I stood at the door and said that’s fine, I hope you feel better. I walked on and pretty soon the patient yelled out to me…. ‘you can come in with the dog.’ So I came in,” Bailey recalls. “A little bit later she said to me, ‘I think I would like to pet that dog.’ She petted her. Then after I left, she got out of her chair, walked into the hallway and called after me… ‘tell me what kind of dog that is, I think I might want to get one of those!’”

Therapy dogs have a knack for turning skeptical individuals into “dog people.” Just ask Beamer.

“To be honest I have always had a fear of dogs, until we had pet therapy. I had a couple of bad circumstances in the past,” she explained. “Not only have I witnessed what pet therapy does to calm a patient, they also have such a calming effect on me.”

She says the visits from dogs like Cece are also great for hospital staff, who work long hours in a high stress environment. They also encourage handlers to take the therapy dogs through waiting rooms.

“For a family who is waiting for news, that’s a stressful time. There is no simple surgery. When those pets go through the waiting room, that just brings the family some relief,” said Beamer.

If you are considering seeing if your pooch has what it takes to be a therapy dog, here are a couple requirements for certification, as listed on the website for the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, another well-known and reputable therapy dog organization:
∙ Dogs must be at least one year old.
∙ All breeds are accepted.
∙ Dogs must be current on all vaccines required by local laws, have a negative fecal test every 12 months and be clean and well-groomed for each visit.

The testing process depends on which therapy dog organization you are working with. Each organization has its own set of standards and checklists. It’s recommended that you work with a program that is recognized by the American Kennel Club (see sidebar).

And if your dog does pass the certification test, just a warning—you may end up on the receiving end of the therapy, too.

“There were days when I would pull into the hospital parking lot and think… I don’t know if I have the energy to do this. But when I left I felt 100 times better than when I went in,” said Bailey. “The hospital is a great leveler. You walk into a room and you don’t know whether you are talking to a CEO of a company or someone who lives under a bridge. Everybody is the same. I just felt exhilarated after talking to everybody and seeing my dog make everyone so happy.”

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Looking for a Therapy Dog Program?
The American Kennel Club has a full list of organizations they recognize at this link: www.akc.org/sports/title-recognition-program/therapy-dog-program/therapy-dog-organizations/