On November 8, 2022, Lynchburg Living magazine had the honor and privilege of recognizing area businesses and non-profit organizations who are working tirelessly to support our city and its community.

Taking place at the Academy Center of the Arts, it was a night of fun and celebration, with two unique groups coming together to recognize the spirit of generosity and community that is so prevalent in our area. Those who were presented with awards brought a crowd of supporters, mentors, and colleagues to cheer them on, which made for an even more festive occasion. While attendees and honorees mingled and connected with one another, they indulged in a delicious spread of food provided by Friends Catering.

Awards were presented by Lynchburg Lynchburg editor, Megan Williams.

View a full list of Giving Back and Community Impact Appreciation recipients here and here.

A special thanks to our partners and sponsors, including the Academy Center of the Arts, Member One Federal Credit Union, Lynchburg Dental Center, Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation, SHARE Greater Lynchburg and Successful Innovations. And a special thank you to Friends Catering for the delicious Mexican food.

Visual Artist

Editor Shelley Basinger: Meg, have you always called Central Virginia home?
Meg Davies: I was born and raised in Lynchburg. I studied art at James Madison University and then lived back and forth between Hawaii and Uganda for several years before coming back home.

SB: When did you first become interested in art?
MD: Since childhood. I would fall asleep with crayons and markers in my bed and ask my mom “Can I draw now?” the minute I woke up. That passion for art has only gotten stronger each year and to be a professional artist is definitely living out my dream.

SB: What types of training have you received?
MD: I did receive formal training through the art program at James Madison University. But my grandmother, Pat Dougherty, is an artist and she always had room for me in her studio when I was growing up. She gave me a wonderful foundation early on and JMU helped me find direction.

SB: What inspires your art?
MD: It’s a broad answer, but life! Life is so full of places to find inspiration. I have a series of bug art, which all started by collecting cicada shells with my son.

SB: What are some of your favorite pieces you have created so far?
MD: My sketchbooks are by far my favorite works of art. However, being fairly private,
I rarely let people see them. As far as what’s out in the world, I’m most proud of work that opens people up to sharing their stories with me. The bug series did that. I quickly learned that countless people have a connection to bugs whether through nicknames, memories, or funny experiences.

SB: What types of challenges have you faced as an artist?
MD: Learning to be flexible enough to embrace change can be a challenge for me in life as well as art. When I find myself in a creative rut, it is usually because I need to change my technique for a while, the structure of my schedule, or how I let the outside world impact my art. Making changes, large or small, can open the floodgates of creativity.

SB: What are you currently working on?
MD: I am completing commissions and mapping out what I want 2022 to look like. It’ll start with another series of botanical work, which is represented with Liza Pruitt, an art representative in Richmond, and a fresh set of landscapes for Findings Art Store in the Boonsboro Shopping Center.

SB: What’s next for you?
MD: Experimenting with new techniques is something that excites me. I’ve worked the same style for years—which is great—but I’m eager to see how I can continue to grow through controlling less, playing more, and pushing my style in new directions.

SB: What advice do you have for future artists?
MD: Some of the best advice ever given to me was to simply draw, draw, draw. It is so relaxing and also provides endless inspiration for future work. Something I’ve also learned over time is to separate yourself from your artwork. Creatives put themselves out there on a continual basis, which of course comes with judgment and sometimes rejection. As much as our art is a part of us, it is freeing to realize that our worth isn’t wrapped up in the external validation. Lastly, meet with other artists on a regular basis to support each other. It’ll be good for your soul and for the art community as a whole.

STAY IN TOUCH
Follow Meg on Instagram, @meg_davies_design or visit her website, www.megdaviesdesign.com.

NEW CITY CAMPAIGN FOCUSES ON TELLING THE STORIES OF LYNCHBURG’S DIVERSE BUSINESSES

Lynchburg is open for business and is here for you.

This is the message of a new brand campaign that the Office of Economic Development & Tourism (OEDT) is hoping will reach residents, visitors and those looking to relocate.

The new “LYH Loves You” website focuses on living, visiting and working in Lynchburg. It connects to content on the city’s tourism site and economic development site, integrating the two under one brand, look and feel, said Anna Bentson, assistant director for the OEDT.

The campaign is designed to create awareness about the city and all it offers, instill pride and help people feel like they belong, all while leveraging the state’s iconic “Virginia is for Lovers” messaging.

“The concept behind LYH Loves You revolves around the citizens, businesses and organizations of Lynchburg—and their stories,” she said. “From print to social media to organic promotion, the campaign will be a central rallying cry, one platform with spokes that reach residents, talent, businesses and visitors alike.”

During the pandemic, Bentson’s department looked to stakeholders to find out what were the most important things the business community needed. The key takeaways from those conversations were that the business wanted better communication from the city.

Over the past year, the OEDT worked with a steering committee, held workshops and focus groups, sent out stakeholder surveys and chose the brand campaign, which has been in development since last summer.

While the four key audiences of the campaign are residents, businesses, talent and visitors, Bentson said they hope to especially target transplants as well as those who grew up in the area, moved away and are looking to return to the city after seeing all of its positive changes and growth.

Another priority is using the campaign to shift some perceptions about a lack of attractive jobs in the city. Area businesses have wanted help in selling the city to new talent as well as to retain their workers, Bentson said.

Brand ambassadors for LYH Loves You will help with this sales pitch.

“The campaign will showcase Lynchburg’s brightest, kindest and most creative and hardworking communities through ambassadors—featuring the business owners and citizens who are doing this work every day, revealing the character of the city, the inclusive nature of our people and our outsized ambitions,” Bentson said.

Family-operated and local downtown business The Water Dog is a brand ambassador for the campaign.

“Those of us that live and work in Lynchburg know how wonderful we are as a city but I think the message has had a hard time getting out to other parts of Virginia,” owner Dave Henderson said. “And I think the way that this campaign has been strategically organized, it does a really great job of shining a light on the fact that Lynchburg is open for business and Lynchburg loves you.”

Lynchburg holds a very diverse community of people, he said, and the city celebrates
that diversity.

“That’s one of the aspects of this campaign that I really like,” he said. “It’s not just particularly aimed at one sector or one type of business but it’s aimed at a myriad of businesses and business owners as well as women, people of color, LGBTQ+, all of these different communities of people.”

Another brand ambassador is Amy Corbett, owner of All Belong Co., an Airbnb design, consultant and management company. She said locals ask her if people really come to visit Lynchburg very often.

“And I smile because I know what a gem of a place we have,” she said. “As we welcome guests from all over the world to Lynchburg year-round, we have the privilege of showing off the very best our city has to offer in lodging, dining, and activities.”

She said she is excited to partner with the city in spreading a message of inclusivity and belonging as that is already at the core of her family’s small business.

“LYH Loves You feels like a natural extension to what we already do and who we already are,” she said. “Hopefully this campaign will help Lynchburg be known for the things, people, and places that truly make it great.”

For more information visit www.opportunitylynchburg.com/lyh-loves-you/

Lynchburg Salsa Returns to the Dance Floor

Photos by Ashlee glen

Salsa dancing is much more than a series of steps, it is a conversation between two partners built on mutual coordination, trust, and passion. It also takes fortitude and patience to master salsa, and as Abram and Genette Dahlby know firsthand, all of these things are invaluable when it comes to running a salsa dance studio as well. The Dahlbys have owned Lynchburg Salsa since January 2017, and they have navigated several challenges with the same deftness that characterizes the style of dance they teach.

Chief among these challenges is the COVID-19 pandemic. “The pandemic hit us hard,” says Abram. “We had to close our doors in March 2020 when the mandate for gyms and other things fell under the workout classification and only reopened in August 2021. It was almost 18 months in total and we are ready to build up our numbers and get people back to dancing.”

Changes in locations and times over the past several years have also affected participation. Lynchburg Salsa was originally founded by Elizabeth Pfister in 2009 and took place on Friday nights in the former Dance Theatre of Lynchburg on Commerce Street. The studio subsequently moved to The Glass House and then to Riverviews Artspace before coming back to the original Commerce Street building—now the home of Mission House Coffee—in October 2019. Classes and events now occur primarily on Thursday nights.

“Over the last couple years, we have seen Lynchburg Salsa ebb and sway with our weekly numbers due to having to change to multiple locations and different days and times,” Genette notes. “Regardless of the hardship of having to communicate new locations, times, or days, we have always had a great community that looks forward to dancing and we have seen a lot more interest in dancing since COVID has lightened up. We hope to get to the point of the fire code being the big issue each week.”

The Dahlbys fondly remember the days when participants came out in full force to dance. “When I started dancing about seven years ago, it felt like every Friday was the hottest the room could get,” Abram says. “People were always ready to dance and came out religiously.”

“The early days were so much fun,” Genette recalls. “It was the thing to do on a Friday night in Downtown Lynchburg. We always had a packed house, with a minimum of 75 students for the beginner class.
I’ve seen as many as 150 in my beginner classes before; that seems like a chaotic number, but it’s amazing to teach so many people at one time.”

According to the Dahlbys, the majority of participants are college students. Luckily, the fact that many of these students move away after graduating hasn’t proven to be much of an issue. “Since most of our population of dancers is the students in the area, we have seen them graduate and move away, but more students have come in,” Genette says.

“Lynchburg has a lot of young students constantly looking for a place to dance and get energy out,” adds Abram. “We have locals who love coming out and students who have graduated and stayed in the area and have become regulars. We have multiple colleges and an ever-revolving door of new students and people who might just want to try out salsa.”

Of course, Lynchburg Salsa isn’t just for students; it’s for everyone, including those who have no dance experience at all.

“We have some dancers who are able to pick up on the steps quickly and others who need a bit more time,” notes Genette. “We want people to come to our beginner class as many times as they want to understand the steps. We also make sure to help those who are having a harder time, typically during social dancing. Since we have a group lesson, it’s not always easy to give one-on-one help during class, but we make sure everyone knows we are here to help.”

Although mastery takes a great deal of time and effort, beginning is as easy as walking and counting to eight.

“When we walk, we transfer our weight to each foot and it’s the same in salsa,” says Abram. “We transfer our weight to different feet while counting and communicating with our body what we are doing. The count lets you and your partner move on the same timing, so the moves start and complete on the same timing. The music is the base structure and gives the dancers the same starting point and then the footwork follows the timing.”

Lynchburg Salsa’s Thursday Night Salsa events run from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.; the first hour is a beginner salsa lesson, and the remaining two hours are allotted for social dancing. Additionally, the studio occasionally offers intermediate salsa lessons for those who are interested in more advanced instruction.

“The beginners usually are taught the basic eight count with a fun turn and cross body lead,” Abram says. “After a couple weeks and classes, participants are usually confident in leading those moves as well as maybe picking up one or two more from other dancers or instructors. The basics are the most important, but if you want to learn more intermediate moves and combinations, we offer intermediate classes when we have those who show interest.”

Special outdoor and themed events are also back on the docket. In September, Lynchburg Salsa partnered with The Lot on Jefferson to offer an outdoor salsa event, and in October, the studio held their “Salsaween” Costume Dance Party. The Dahlbys are hoping to bring back their popular Valentine’s Day Masquerade event in February.

The couple also hopes to ultimately expand their instruction offerings and be involved in more extensive salsa workshops.

Photo courtesy: Lynchburg Salsa

“We want to see over 100 people every time our doors are open—beginner, intermediate, and advanced dancers on the dance floor,” Genette says. “We also want to be able to provide more instruction beyond the basics of the class. We would even love to see weekend-long salsa fests so that more people can learn from other instructors and improve their dance skills.”

Above all else, the Dahlbys hope that Lynchburg Salsa can provide a fun and comfortable atmosphere that facilitates friendship—and perhaps even romance.

“Abe and I met at Lynchburg Salsa on the dance floor; that’s where he asked me out for the first time,” recalls Genette. “Lynchburg Salsa is a part of our love story and we hope that it is a part of others’ stories too where they have met friends and maybe, one day, their forever dance partner.”

Photo By Ashlee Glen

Year after year, Old City Cemetery claims the number one spot in our annual Best Of Awards in the category of Lynchburg’s Best Kept Secret—and for good reason. Although the cemetery is widely known as a local historic destination, it’s likely considered a “best kept secret” due to how photogenic the grounds are—and not only in the spring. Old City Cemetery has become a popular wedding venue as well.

Here, photographer Ashlee Glen captured a unique winter perspective of the cemetery. This statue,
known as “Lady”, was donated to Old City Cemetery by Nancy Shank. Lady presides over the Early Memorial Shrub Garden, which is across from the chapel. Prior to being moved to the cemetery, her home was in one of the gardens off Rivermont Avenue, according to Old City Cemetery staff.

Bottom line—you don’t have to wait until spring to enjoy Lynchburg’s Best Kept Secret. Old City Cemetery is open from dawn to
dusk every day of the year.

Learn more about Lynchburg’s Best Kept Secret at gravegarden.org.

Never was there a more perfect storm for nonprofits than in the past two years. When the pandemic gripped our world, needs skyrocketed at a rate that no one could have predicted, pushing these steadfast organizations to their limits.

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 2022 issue of Lynchburg Living Magazine. Thank you to all who nominated!

The contest has concluded. Be on the lookout for results in our March/April 2022 issue of Lynchburg Living Magazine.

Longtime pediatric office rebrands, relocates

Photography by Daryl Calfee

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Community Impact Awards honor Lynchburg for-profit businesses that are making a tangible, measurable impact on their communities. That impact might be the result of any number of activities including job creation, workforce development programs, volunteer efforts, or innovative business models that promote a healthy work environment. The 2019 Community Impact Appreciation honors local businesses for their work in the community.