images danville-pittsylvania county, va: 2007

Restore the CoreDowntown improvements attract new businesses

TANKS A LOT Childhood collectionleads to military museum

WRITE ONHigh schoolers produceaward-winning magazine

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2007 | DANVILLEPITTSYLVANIACO.COM | VIDEO TOUR ONLINE

OF DANVILLE AND PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY, VIRGINIA

SPONSORED BY THE DANVILLE PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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2007 EDITION | VOLUME 1

OF DANVILLE & PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY, VA

BUSINESS 28 Coming to America

Government and community leaders are working together to recruit international business to the area.

30 Biz Briefs

33 Chamber Report

34 Economic Profi le

DEPARTMENTS

6 Almanac: a colorful sampling of Danville and Pittsylvania County culture

19 Portfolio: people, places and events that defi ne Danville and Pittsylvania County

24 Image Gallery

41 Sports & Recreation

43 Health & Wellness

47 Community Profi le: facts, stats and important numbers to know

CONTENTS

FEATURES

10 RESTORE THE CORECultural activities, new specialty businesses and fresh takes on residential spaces are recharging local downtown areas.

14 19TH CENTURY, MEET THE 21ST CENTURYRespect for preservation is evident in an evolving business trend in Danville and Pittsylvania County.

19 TANKS A LOTOne man’s childhood collection has evolved into a military museum housing more than 15,000 artifacts.

36 WRITE ONGeorge Washington High School’s award-winning literary arts magazine is eagerly anticipated each June.

39 RETURN TO GLORYFor those who recall the fl icker of old fi lm reels on the screen, the North and Gretna Theatres bring back memories.

ON THE COVER Crossing at the Dan Photo by Ian Curcio

DANVILLE DANVILLEPITTSYLVANIACO.COM 3

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“Find the good – and praise it.”– Alex Haley (1921-1992), Journal Communications co-founder

jnlcom.com

DANVILLEPITTSYLVANIACO.COM

ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE

Images of Danville and Pittsylvania County is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is sponsored by the Danville Pittsylvania Chamber of Commerce. In print and online, Images gives readers a taste of what makes Danville tick – from business and education to sports, health care and the arts.

OF DANVILLE AND PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY

SENIOR EDITOR LISA BATTLES

COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS

ASSOCIATE EDITORS KIM MADLOM, SUSAN CHAPPELL, ANITA WADHWANI

ASSISTANT EDITOR REBECCA DENTON

STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN, JESSICA MOZO

DIRECTORIES EDITORS AMANDA KING, KRISTY WISE

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DEANA DECK, ANNE GILLEM, STACEY HARTMANN, JOE MORRIS,

VALERIE PASCOE, PIPER REILLY

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER TODD POTTER

AD PROJECT MANAGER RUTH MARTINEAU

SALES/MARKETING COORDINATOR SARA SARTIN

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS WES ALDRIDGE,ANTONY BOSHIER, MICHAEL W. BUNCH,

IAN CURCIO, BRIAN MCCORD

PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT JESSY YANCEY

CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS

WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR SHAWN DANIEL

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS

ASST. PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN

PRE-PRESS COORDINATOR HAZEL RISNER

SENIOR PRODUCTION PROJECT MGR. TADARA SMITH

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS BRITTANY SCHLEICHER, KRIS SEXTON, LAURA TAYLOR, VIKKI WILLAMS

LEAD DESIGNER CANDICE HULSEY

GRAPHIC DESIGN JESSICA BRAGONIER, LINDA MOREIRAS, AMY NELSON

WEB DESIGN RYAN DUNLAP

WEB PRODUCTION JILL TOWNSEND

DIGITAL ASSET MANAGER ALISON HUNTER

AD TRAFFIC SARAH MILLER, PATRICIA MOISAN,RAVEN PETTY, JILL WYATT

CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN

SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER

SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN

SR. V.P./PRODUCTION & OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER

V.P./SALES HERB HARPER

V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER

V.P./TRAVEL PUBLISHING SYBIL STEWART

EXECUTIVE EDITOR TEREE CARUTHERS

MANAGING EDITOR/BUSINESS MAURICE FLIESS

PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO

CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY

ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA MCFARLAND, LISA OWENS, JACKIE YATES

RECRUITING DIRECTOR SUZY WALDRIP

DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH

IT SYSTEMS DIRECTOR MATT LOCKE

IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR

NICOLE WILLIAMS

CLIENT & SALES SERVICES MANAGER/

CUSTOM MAGAZINES PATTI CORNELIUS

Images of Danville and Pittsylvania County is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is

distributed through the Danville Pittsylvania Chamber of Commerce and its member businesses. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at

(615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at [email protected].

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce

8653 U.S. Highway 29 P.O. Box 99 • Blairs, VA 24527(434) 836-6990 • Fax: (434) 836-6955

E-mail: [email protected]

VISIT IMAGES OF DANVILLE AND PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY ONLINE AT

DANVILLEPITTSYLVANIACO.COM

©Copyright 2007 Journal Communications Inc.,361 Mallory Station Road, Ste. 102, Franklin, TN 37067,

(615) 771-0080. All rights reserved.No portion of this magazine may be reproduced

in whole or in part without written consent.

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More lists, links and tips for newcomersONLINE CONTENTS More lists, links and tips for newcomers

MOVING PICTURES Take a video tour of Danville and Pittsylvania County at danvillepittsylvaniaco.com.

GET SMART ABOUT LOCAL SCHOOLS Find listings and links to schools, colleges and universities.

SEE HOW THE GARDENS GROW Get the dirt on growing seasons, soils and common challenges.

WHAT DO THE LOCALS EAT? Discover what makes cuisine in this region so deliciously different.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME Search for a new home, plus get moving tips and more at www.realtor.com.


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How RefreshingFresh air enthusiasts, rejoice.

Smith Mountain Lake and Leesville Lake are major recreation

destinations for outdoor lovers throughout the region. Smith Mountain

Lake boasts 500 miles of shoreline, with a portion of it situated in

Pittsylvania County. The man-made lake was created in the mid-1960s

to generate electricity and help manage the flow of the Roanoke River.

Leesville Lake is a southern reservoir of Smith Mountain Lake and is

developing rapidly. In fact, ESPN racing announcer and Pittsylvania

County native Stacy Compton is backing a development and marina

on the lake.

Rough, Tough SportIf you ever hear words like ruck, maul and grubber, you must

be at a Dan River Silverbacks rugby match.The Silverbacks were formed in 1975 by North Carolina State

University grads who returned home to Danville and didn’t want to stop playing rugby. By 1980, the club had 90 members.

The team disbanded in 1989 as players retired from the game, but new members resurrected the club in 2003. Today the Silverbacks play on rugby fields at Angler’s Park and host an annual tournament with a Ruggerroast afterward. The tournament draws teams from throughout the region.

Head Over to Ballou

Danville knows how to

celebrate spring’s arrival.

A Festival in the Park takes

place in late May, and a Pigs in

the Park barbecue competition

occurs that same weekend. Both

events are held at Ballou Park,

with the 2008 dates tentatively

set for May 16-18.

The original intention of Festival

in the Park in 1974 was to celebrate

spring’s arrival with a community

picnic, and today a huge crafts

and artist’s show highlights the

weekend. Meanwhile, the Pigs in

the Park barbecue competition

features 40 contestants vying

for $20,000 in prize money.

Almanac

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29

58

PITTSYLVANIA

Smith Mountain Lake

Callands

Ingram

Penhook

Chatham

Blairs

Altavista

Gretna

Danville

40

360

43

Capital City of DanvilleTrivia fact: Danville served as the last capital

of the Confederacy.

It was at Sutherlin Mansion, located today on

Millionaires Row in Danville, that Confederate

President Jefferson Davis made his final

proclamation prior to the Confederacy’s fall in

April 1865. Maj. William Sutherlin welcomed Davis

to the home, and today the mansion serves as

headquarters for the Danville Museum of Fine Arts.

The building has been designated a Virginia

Historic Landmark and is on the National Register

of Historic Places.

At A GlancePOPULATION (2005 estimate)

Danville: 46,143

Pittsylvania County: 61,501

LOCATION

Danville is in south-central Virginia

on the Virginia-North Carolina border.

BEGINNINGS

The first white settlement occurred in

1792 and was named Wynne’s Falls,

after the first settler. The village was

renamed Danville by act of the Virginia

Legislature in 1793, and a charter was

enacted in 1833.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Danville Pittsylvania County

Chamber of Commerce

8653 U.S. Highway 29 P.O. Box 99

Blairs, VA 24527

(434) 836-6990 Fax: (434) 836-6955

www.dpchamber.org

Booked SolidMore than 2,500 people a month buy books at

Goodwill Industries on Westover Drive in Danville.

“Any book store would love those sales numbers,”

says Dick Pretty, vice president of public relations for

Goodwill Industries Danville. “We sell about 9,000

books monthly and feature 75 different categories

of books on our shelves.”

Pretty says about 4,000 books a week are

donated to the Danville Goodwill, with 40 percent

of them being usable to resell to the public.

“The oldest book we’ve sold was written in French

and titled History of France Volume II, which had a

copyright date of 1581,” he says. “It took a while to

sell, but we finally moved it for $500.”

Danville


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Fast Facts Danville has been

nicknamed “the city

of churches” because

it has more churches

per square mile

than any other city

in Virginia.

Wendell Scott, the

first African-American

stock car driver to

compete in NASCAR,

was born in Danville.

Danville was

founded as a tobacco

market, and industrial

growth began to

flourish once a yarn

mill opened in 1881.

The Pittsylvania

County Clerk’s Office

in Chatham is a

popular spot for

genealogy research,

with some records

that date as far back

as 1737.

The Amtrak train

in Danville can take

passengers to

New York City,

Philadelphia,

Baltimore,

Washington D.C.,

Charlotte, Atlanta,

Birmingham and

New Orleans.

Fishing the DanIf you can’t catch a fish in the Dan River, change your bait.

Fish are plentiful in the city portion of the river, with an abundant supply of bass,

sunfish and catfish. There are also catches of striped bass along the Dan River just

east of the city.

Fishing is so popular in the region that city officials hosted the first Kids Fishing Derby

in 2006 at Angler’s Park, with more than 120 people in attendance. The free event is now

being held each year on the first Saturday of June, with the event aimed toward children

up to age 16 who are accompanied by an adult.

O Chrismon TreeMove over, Santa. It was at Ascension

Lutheran Church in Danville where

Chrismon ornaments were first made.

Congregation member Frances Kipps

Spencer began making the religious-

themed ornaments in 1957 in order

to produce decorations that seemed

appropriate for a church Christmas

tree. She even made a pattern book

for ornament ideas, and that book is

still in the possession of the church

to this day.

The symbols Spencer used for her

ornaments were interdenominational, and

as a result her Chrismon tree decorating

ideas have grown in popularity. Ascension

Lutheran draws many visitors each holiday

season to see their tree, in the place

where the ornaments originated.

SEE MORE ONLINE | For more Fast Facts about the region, visit danvillepit tsylvaniaco.com.


Almanac

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Matching grants enable restoration to façades in downtown Danville,

with 34 complete so far.

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CoreC ultural activities, new specialty businesses and

fresh takes on residential spaces are recharging the downtown areas of Danville, Chatham and Gretna, and the resulting benefit is more than

what meets the eye. Revitalization efforts are not only beautifying these areas,

but also increasing tourism by emphasizing each town’s historical assets, and strengthening business infrastructure by attracting new companies to the area.

Danville’s downtown transformation in recent years has been the most dramatic. Improvements include facelifts to dozens of buildings, a historic mural program, continuing development of a 7.5-mile Riverwalk Trail and niche retail

shops such as In Good Taste Chocolate Café, specializing in made-to-order caramel apples, and Dixie Bags & More, offering custom-made tapestry handbags.

“Now we’ve come to a point where people are starting to gather again,” says Liz Sater, the city’s redevelopment projects assistant and former executive director of Downtown Danville Association. “The nostalgia and the character of the downtown district are once again appealing.”

To counteract the decline of the textile and tobacco industries, Danville stepped up revitalization efforts four years ago with the Downtown Façade Program, which gives matching grants of up to $30,000 per project. Many property owners have taken advantage of the program, resulting in

IMPROVEMENTS TO CITIES’ DOWNTOWNS ATTRACT NEW BUSINESSES

Restoring

STORY BY STACEY HARTMANN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN CURCIO

the



façade renovation and restoration projects for scores of buildings downtown.

“It’s been a snowball effect, and it’s been a wonderful, wonderful time here in Danville, truly a renaissance,” says Anne Moore, the city’s redevelopment coordinator. “I think that’s evident in that we’ve announced six new businesses within the last two months to downtown.”

While Danville City Beautiful keeps up the appearance of downtown, the area’s past is shared through the Historic Murals of Danville Program. So far, two murals are complete, one at the downtown gateway depicting the Wreck of the Old 97, and the other in central downtown showing 1920s-era transportation. A third, planned for the area’s Tobacco Warehouse District, will showcase the area’s rich tobacco history. Ultimately, ten murals are envisioned by 2010.

“If you would have gone up our Main Street four years ago as compared to today, it’s drastically different,” Moore says.

That’s especially true in the aforementioned Tobacco Warehouse District, where 160 new housing units are bolstering downtown’s residential component and supporting its mix of about 140 specialty retailers, service businesses,

professional offices and eateries. Residents of the new apartments and condominiums can

take advantage of fresh produce from the Danville Community Market, concerts at Carrington Pavilion amphitheater and hands-on exhibits at the Danville Science Center, Moore says.

They can even check their e-mail along Danville’s Main Street corridor, a wireless Internet hot zone supported by Southside Wireless.

Chatham and Gretna boast the same technological advan-tage in their downtowns.

Known as “The Prettiest Little Town in Southside Virginia,” Chatham is Pittsylvania County’s seat.

“I think we’re a very different town,” says Mary Lee Black, a longtime resident involved in Chatham First and chair of the Chatham Planning Commission. “We’re very community- minded and very cultured.”

Chatham is anticipating the 2008 opening of a new community center, an invigorating addition to the town’s vibrant and historic quilt of Victorian houses, county offices, business, restaurants, antique stores and specialty shops.

In addition, the Pittsylvania Historical Society is working

Several residents purchased portraits within Danville’s transportation mural, with proceeds defraying the project cost.



Downtown DedicationA CENTURY LATER, RIPPE’S

REMAINS A FIXTURE IN

DANVILLE’S URBAN CENTER

Downtown Danville department store

Rippe’s has specialized in women’s

apparel since the early 20th century,

incidentally, at the same time illustrator

Charles Gibson was influencing American

fashion with his “Gibson Girl” sketches of his

wife, Danville native Irene Langhorne Gibson.

To commemorate its centennial in October

2006, Rippe’s opened another business in

the downtown district.

Rippe’s busy shoe department – Rippe’s

Shoes – now occupies a separate shop next

door to the principal store on Main Street.

And since the new shop opened, business

has tripled, says owner Ben Rippe.

Rippe is the third-generation proprietor

of this family business and the namesake of

his grandfather, Benjamin, who founded

Rippe’s in 1907.

The main store carries select lines

of women’s separates, dresses, suits

and outerwear, including furs. The fur

department’s wide selection of quality

pieces attracts customers from all over the

East Coast and offers cold vault storage as

well as fur restyling, cleaning and repair.

Rippe says the key to the store’s longevity

is its commitment to quality. “We offer quality

for value, and people know that,” Rippe says.

“Our success also has to do with the services

and personal attention we offer customers.”

In addition, the Rippe family has long

supported education, charitable causes and

downtown interests.

Besides opening the shoe shop,

Rippe’s marked 100 years in business with

a major charitable gift. Ben Rippe carried

on the family tradition by donating $10,000

to the Community Foundation of the Dan

River Region. The Danville Pittsylvania

County Chamber of Commerce in turn

honored Rippe’s with the Small Business

of the Year Award.

Despite invitations to open Rippe’s stores

in other, more “modern” markets, Ben Rippe

has so far chosen to stay put in his

downtown Danville niche.

“We stay downtown and just keep minding

the store,” Rippe says.

– Carol Cowan

to restore Chatham’s historic railway station. The society’s home, the 1813 Clerk’s Office, is itself a historic landmark. As a museum of more than 100 county artifacts, it is “one of the best kept secrets in Pittsylvania County,” says Langhorne Jones Jr., a retiree and local history buff.

Gretna’s downtown, likewise, is on the move with improvements. Revitalization for a Greater Gretna, formed in 2005 by a group of

concerned citizens, raises funds through its Gretna Food Land 5K Race, an annual May event supporting a town wish list that includes new entrance signs, streetscape improvements and hiking/biking trails, among others.

Local businesses are stepping up to support the effort, says Gretchen Clark, president of the engineering consulting firm Reynolds-Clark in downtown Gretna. This united effort between the business community and its residents to support the vitality of the downtown business district is an attractive lure to new businesses as well. This community interest only adds to existing elements that make downtown Gretna so attractive, Clark says.

“The character is 1930s Main Street,” she says. “I enjoy it because it’s close to home, it’s small, and we don’t have a lot of traffic. We can walk to the bank and the post office and to get something to eat.”

Chatham is the center of Pittsylvania County government.



V irginia is where George Washington was born and where Patrick Henry called home. It is where Jamestown

was settled 400 years ago and Thomas Jefferson’s beloved Monticello still stands today.

So it stands to reason that history is dear to the hearts of people here, and that respect for preservation is evident in an evolving business trend in Danville and Pittsylvania County.

Termed “adaptive reuse” by architects, investors are renovating old buildings and homes with their focus delicately balanced between preserving history

and incorporating modern conveniences and amenities.

“In 2004, I came across an old home that was more than 100 years old and in great need of repair – so I repaired it,” says Nami Kim Addis, owner of Yene Fusion Café & Sushi Bar on Main Street. “I was attracted to the Victorian architecture of the homes in this part of Danville, and I wanted to open a restau-rant where my customers could enjoy this beautiful atmosphere.”

Addis says Yene is an Ethiopian word meaning “mine and yours,” and much of her customer base consists of students from nearby Averett University.

“I wanted an interesting business for college students and professionals to hang out and relax in a home-like setting,” Addis says. “They can enjoy gourmet coffee and gourmet sand-wiches, access wireless Internet and eat some excellent sushi – all in one of the most scenic areas of Danville.”

Susan Stilwell also believes that his-toric preservation can lead to economic gain in Danville. The Century 21 real estate broker is involved with the Burton Condominiums project, which features residential units in the city’s former tobacco warehouse district.

“A Richmond-based company is

REVERENT REINVENTION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS DIVERSIFIES ECONOMY

STORY BY KEVIN LITWIN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN CURCIO

21stCenturyMeet the

19thCentury,


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Historic buildings in Danville’s Tobacco Warehouse District now serve as chic dwellings and offices.



constructing 28 exquisite condos in an old 1880s tobacco factory building along the Dan River, with several of the units outfitted with granite countertops, hardwood floors and glass tile in the bathrooms,” Stilwell says. “Historic neighborhoods make a community more attractive, and Danville’s old tobacco warehouse district is really coming to life once again.”

Yet another downtown Danville con-dominium development is in the works called Lindsay Lofts that will feature 21 dwellings above an old building that once housed a hardware store.

“Burton Condominiums is a $5 million restoration project, Lindsay Lofts is a $4 million project, and many other investors are looking at Danville

for historic preservation endeavors,” Stilwell says. “I, myself, have become so enamored with historic properties that I bought a 1915 former wholesale grocery warehouse, put a loft on the third floor and am now using it as my residence.”

A like-minded investor is Luna nanoWorks, a division of Luna Innovations that specializes in nanomaterial research and manufacturing. Instead of simply building a new facility in an industrial setting, the company opted to restore one of the old tobacco warehouses in the heart of the city. A historic district may be an unorthodox home for a company focused on tomorrow’s technology, but it stands as a shining example of how economic development can work hand-in-hand with cultural preservation (see

page 31 for more information on Luna nanoWorks).

But it’s not just Danville that is exhibiting a f lair for bringing historic landmarks back to life. In Chatham, An Inn for All Seasons is a mansion built in 1884 now being utilized as a popular bed and breakfast.

“Visitors love the look of this gorgeous 19th-century mansion, but they also enjoy modern conveniences whenever they stay here overnight,” says innkeeper Gayle Hudert. “I mean, it’s inspiring to look at the luxurious architecture associated with An Inn of All Seasons, but our guests also appreciate a whirlpool in the bathroom when they retire to their bedroom for the night.”

Nami Kim Addis (left) owner of Yene Fusion Café and Sushi Bar, welcomes patrons to her restaurant to enjoy historic Victorian architecture, a free wireless Internet connection and delicious treats such as sushi (below). Opposite: An Inn for all Seasons is one of several historic homes housing successful bed & breakfasts in Chatham, thanks in part to parents booking lodging when visiting students at nearby boarding schools.



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Tanks a LotGASSER’S CHILDHOOD COLLECTION EVOLVES INTO FULL-SCALE MILITARY MUSEUM

I f you ask William Gasser, co-owner of the American Armoured Foundation

Tank Museum, how he started his career as a collector of military memorabilia, he responds with a question of his own: “Did you ever have a really silly idea when you were young and nobody tried to talk you out of it? That’s what happened to me.”

It started innocently enough. Like many little boys, Gasser was intrigued with toy soldiers and weaponry as a child. Soon, though, his interest outpaced that of his peers.

“Eventually, I had over 1,500 toy soldiers, and my father had to build an extension onto my room,” he says.

When Gasser was growing up in Long Island, N.Y., there was a lot of cheap army surplus available.

“Every week with my little dollar allowance, I’d go out and buy a helmet or a model, and next thing I knew I had an arsenal.”

Gasser’s collection not only outgrew the family home, it eventually outgrew a 10,000 square foot building and began to overflow into rented store-fronts. Because of space limitations, large artillery pieces and tanks were rusting outdoors.

“Like most collectors, we outgrew the toy box,” he says, “but Mother Nature wins, you lose.”

So the search for a larger, permanent, indoor home for the collection began. He found it in Danville. Between Gasser and wife Karen, his steadfast business partner, it took three years to move the collection into its current 333,000-square-foot facility.

Gasser has a word of caution for other would-be collectors: “Know what you’re buying. The Department of Defense has teams that will confis cate entire collections that aren’t properly documented. These are weapons, serious firearms. I’ve spent a quarter of a million dollars in legal fees just keeping up with the proper paperwork.”

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Tank museum co-owner William Gasser shows one of the more than 15,000 tank and cavalry artifacts in his collection.


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Staying the Course

Fifty years ago, when the roads were busy with MGs and Austin-Healeys

and fans were making pilgrimages to Sports Car Club of America events, VIRginia International Raceway was a prime destination.

Actor Paul Newman, who raced in both amateur and professional com-petition, once said: “If there’s a heaven on Earth, it’s VIR.”

Yet in 1974, the track closed and lay dormant for 25 years. That would have been the end of the story if it weren’t for partners Harvey Siegel and Connie Nyholm.

“He’s (Siegel) the visionary,” Nyholm says. “I’m the implementer.”

In 2000, the partners managed to bring back what Nyholm refers to as the “grand dame of American road racing.”

“We’ve restored the original 3.72-mile race course and divided it into two courses that can be run simultaneously or combined,” she says.

Among six distinct configurations that can be run at VIR, the 4.2-mile Grand Course is one of the longest road racing circuits in the country. VIR currently offers from 12 to 14 publicly promoted spectator events each year.

Nyholm and Siegel also have founded the unique VIR Motorsport Country Club, a world-class vacation destination for drivers and their families.

VIR boasts another innovation with its RacePlex Motorsports Industrial Park, home to both the Virginia Institute of Performance Engineering and Research and the Joint Unmanned Systems Experimentation and Research Center. Companies such as race teams and producers of commercial and military vehicles use VIPER’s cutting-edge technology to develop the next generation of their machines. JOUSTER is dedicated to development of unmanned ground vehicle systems. Both entities, developed with state, federal government and university support, are bringing jobs and capital investment to the area.

A Porsche zips around VIRginia International Raceway during testing.

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Cultural ComplexA t Danville’s Crossing at the Dan,

you can still catch the “Midnight Train to Georgia” from the old railroad station, but make note that it leaves at 11:55 p.m., says Bill Sgrinia, director of Danville Parks, Recreation and Tourism.

Two renovated Southern Railway buildings house the train station as well as portions of the Danville Science Center. The two buildings are part of a cultural complex that has become a new focal point in the Danville community.

“The Crossing is such a hub to the revitalization of downtown,” Sgrinia says. “It isn’t a large area, but it houses the Carrington Pavilion, which is our outdoor venue for concerts and enter-tainment. We book acts like The Beach Boys that draw people from all over. It used to be called Auctioneers’ Park, back when the tobacco capital of the world was right here in Danville, so there’s a lot of rich history there.”

In 1979 the land, part of the old Richmond & Danville rail yard, was acquired for a public park and amphi-theater. The revitalization continued with the opening of the Danville Science Center, which offers families hands-on exhibits and special programs that include the Butterf ly Station and Garden – one of only a few butterfly greenhouses in Virginia.

The Crossing at the Dan also includes a renovated bottling plant that was first used in 1885 by the Continental Brewing Co. and later housed the Celery Cola Bottling Works. The building is now known as the Pepsi Building and is used for public and private meetings and events.

Another popular attraction in the area is the Riverwalk Trail, which utilizes a converted 1898 iron railway bridge.

“The Crossing is one of the major trailheads for the greenway that makes its way through the city,” Sgrinia says. “The whole trail is about 7.5 miles long and runs along the river for a good distance. It’s a big draw for the whole region.”

Historic facilities at the Crossing at the Dan lend a nostalgic feel to events.


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Group Hits the Right Note

The Danville Symphony Orchestra started in 1992 with only a few

band and string instruments, but it had a community that loved music, sponsors willing to lend support, and a country-side filled with trained musicians itching to play.

In 2000, Charles G. Ellis joined the organization as conductor and director of the symphony. A trumpet player with a director’s degree in music performance, Ellis served as band director for the county school system before entering the field of public relations and financial marketing.

“First we started to build the orchestra in terms of size and players – not an easy task for a totally volunteer organization. Our regular musicians play for the love of it,” Ellis says.

As it turned out, there was no shortage of musicians willing to perform.

“Some players attend the local community college, which has no instru mental music program, “he says.

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Founded in 1992, the Danville Symphony Orchestra consists of volunteer musicians. In 2007, the orchestra marks 15 years of delighting area audiences.

“Some had played in high school or in the all-state orchestra.”

Drawing from the community for volunteer musicians leads to a wide range of professions represented in the group, which includes a plant manager and an assistant principal.

“Our principal trombonist is an assistant state’s attorney, with degrees in music and law. The concert master/first violinist earned a music degree but was working at Goodyear before

joining us,” Ellis says. “The principal clarinetist played for 23 years in the U.S. Army Field Band in Washington, D.C., before signing on as band director at nearby Hargrave Military Academy.”

The orchestra has outstanding local support, Ellis says.

“The community pours money into the symphony and gives the musicians the opportunity to perform and hone their skills. The orchestra gives it back in the form of performance. It’s a mutual admiration society between the community and the orchestra,” Ellis says.


Portfolio


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A Senator’s Powerful Brushstrokes

Sen. Charles Hawkins shows one of six of his paintings on display at the chamber of commerce office.

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Six large paintings line the boardroom walls in the Danville Pittsylvania

County Chamber of Commercwe’s new office, each canvas showcasing area landscapes through broad, colorful brushstrokes. Each is signed “Hawkins.”

Most people know Chatham, Va., Sen. Charles Hawkins for his more than 26 years of service in the Virginia Assembly, but not as many know of his artistic talent. Yet, it should come as no surprise, as he has used equally pow-erful brushstrokes to help paint a bright portrait for the future of Pittsylvania County for nearly three decades.

When Hawkins began his career, tobacco was the primary cash crop in the region, which was also home to locally based manufacturers like Dan River Mills and Lane Furniture. Employees could shop at locally owned businesses for everyday essentials, and wealth generated in the community

stayed in the community. It’s a type of economy Hawkins feels is essential not just to the future of rural America, but the stability of civilization.

“Historically, the strength of all communities has come out of the Main Street ownership of small businesses.” Hawkins says. “Even big companies that were headquartered here invested in schools, United Way and community activities. They brought a certain amount of stability.”

When that stability appeared to be threatened by the decline of the tobacco and textile industries, Hawkins emerged with a strong vision, voice and pro-active plan.

Hawkins has served on the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission since its inception in 1999 and was key in the development of the strik-ingly modern Institute for Advanced

Learning & Research, as well as securing funding to bring broadband Internet capabilities to the area.

Hawkins says such initiatives to lure big business are only part of the equation.

“You’ve also got to build another dynamic,” he says, “one that will let people open new businesses with a different approach in order to start developing that family wealth structure.Since World War II, we’ve raised some of the brightest people in this nation, but we’ve shipped them off to work in other areas. We need to be able to offer them some reason to come back home.”

Hawkins announced in March 2007 that he would not seek re-election to the Assembly. While this may allow him more time to paint actual canvases, residents will enjoy this artist’s touch in the development of the community for years to come.

– Stories by Deana Deck



First Baptist Church on Main Street in downtown Danville


Image Gallery

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The Pepsi building at Danville’s Crossing at the Dan


PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN CURCIO

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Image Gallery

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A mural in downtown Danville


PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN CURCIO

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W hen the first sleek piece of IKEA fur-niture comes off the assembly line at

Swedwood North America’s new plant in Danville, cheers will go up across the globe. The company’s executives and leaders from the city of Danville, Pittsylvania County and the Common-wealth of Virginia have been working nonstop since 2006 to make the high-tech plant a reality.

“We are very excited about this move. The community has been extremely coop erative, and we have been very happy with the support we’ve received,” says Bengt Danielsson, president of Swedwood North America, an Ängelholm, Sweden-based, wholly

Coming toCOHESIVE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

HELPS LURE NEW GLOBAL BUSINESS

STORY BY VALERIE PASCOEPHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN CURCIO

Dr. Pradeep Pradhan is head of Danville’s Americans By Choice organization, a group that helps recruit international businesses to the area.

America


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Several international flags fly over the historic Tobacco Warehouse District of Danville, a display of the community’s diverse cultural composition. In 2007, the Festival in the Park at Ballou Park included the first Windows to the World event, a festival honoring international heritages. This global view is opening minds and stimulating the economy.

owned subsidiary of The IKEA Group. Swedwood North America currently has more than 30 facilities, located mainly in Eastern Europe, and its primary function is to manufacture and distribute furniture for the popular Scandinavian home furnishings corporation.

Located on more than 210 acres of prime industrial real estate in Cane Creek Centre, Swedwood North America begins its foray into the American manufacturing market with a 930,000-square-foot facility. Danielsson says the company plans to develop at least three more factories on the same site and expects to employ up to 740 people in Danville and Pittsylvania County.

It’s a prediction that has business

and government leaders – including Virginia Gov. Timothy Kaine – smiling.

According to Kaine, Swedwood North America’s commitment represents the second-largest investment ever in Southside Virginia. When the company made the announcement in October 2006, Kaine credited Cane Creek Centre’s prime site and the area’s skilled workers with winning the operation.

Danielsson says an additional factor that drew the company to Danville was the presence of a cohesive international community. Early on, Danielsson and other executives met with members of Danville’s Americans By Choice group, a local international society consisting of more than 40 members from more than 20 countries across the globe.

“We considered many different factors, and one very positive experience we had was with this group,” Danielsson says. “We have colleagues who will be relocating to Danville from overseas, and I think this will make a difference for them as they make the transition.”

Dr. Pradeep Pradhan, the group’s leader, says the society provides support, guidance, leadership and a “home away from home” for international newcomers to the area.

“For a company as big as Swedwood, it is important to have a multicultural society with international f lavor, and that’s what you find in Danville,” says Pradhan, an internal medicine physi-cian from India who moved to the area in 1995.


727Business.indd 29 7/19/07 8:50:07 AM

READ A BOOK UNDER THE SHADETREE

After years of traveling the globe chasing stories, Henry Hurt now lets the world come to him.

Hurt, a former editor-at-large for Reader’s Digest, is the proprietor of Shade tree Rare Books in Chatham. The store, which also does brisk business on line at www.shadetreerarebooks.com, is the realization of both a dream and a need, Hurt says.

“I’ve always loved books, and I love to keep books,” he says. “In one sense, the origins of the book business came from a spillover in our house; I just had

to do something with them. But I will admit that there are some, in my heart of hearts, that I really don’t want to sell, so I price them pretty high.”

Much of Shadetree’s inventory focuses on American and Virginia history, with additional emphasis on children’s liter-ature, architecture and design, cooking, travel and classic paperbacks. The store also has many signed first editions.

For Hurt, author of the 1985 book Reasonable Doubt: An Investigation into the Assassination of John F. Kennedy and 1983’s Shadrin: The Spy Who Never Came Back, part of the fun is just dis-covering from where his buyers come.

“One of our biggest sales we ever had was several books and sets of books to a buyer in Romania. Another thing that is so fascinating is that American lit-erature, such as sets of James Fenimore Cooper, will sell in Germany with great ease,” he says. “And Japan seems to have a fixation on early American history. I once asked a customer what this was all about, and they told me that since we wrote their constitution after World War II, they were interested in the origins of our own constitution.”

THE MATRIX ENTERS DANVILLE

Giving Danville and Pittsylvania County “an 11 out of 10,” Matrix Technologies is building a new, $20 million plant that eventually will employ 500 people at the 100-acre site.

The Durham, N.C., manufacturer chose Danville for its new facility after city and county officials won over president Jim Ladd on every front.

“Danville fit the profile for where we think one of our central technology centers will work the best,” Ladd says. “I was really impressed with the people. We’ve got as many places after us as we want to go, and the officials here were just so helpful. They’ve been incredibly supportive throughout the process.”

Matrix uses green technology to manufacture a concrete replacement made from cement and natural material including soybean hulls, cornstalks and newspapers. The substance cracks less easily than regular cement and can be used to build homes and other struc-tures at lower costs. The company also converts waste such as old tires and medical materials into energy to run specialized greenhouses that will be used to produce plants for the European pharmaceutical industry.

Matrix hopes to draw former textile and tobacco industry workers as it recruits staff. The company will be up and running within 2007 and will continue expanding and hiring for an estimated five years, Ladd says.

GOOD ATMOSPHERE, GREAT FOOD

When Mary Williams opened her one-room diner in 1951, she had one goal: serve good, home-cooked meals in a Christian atmosphere. A couple of relocations and several expansions later,

Author Henry Hunt thumbs through an old volume of bound newspapers at his bookstore, Shadetree Rare Books, in historic downtown Chatham.

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the second and third generations of her family are carrying on that tradition.

“She started out in a humble little place, and she always said that you give the customers the best food you can give them,” says Elene Farlow, Mrs. Williams’ daughter. “They know when they come here to eat, they’re always getting the same; there’s no changing everything from one month to the next.”

Mary’s quickly outgrew its original location, which only seated 25 people. The family moved the business to another location and, in 1956, constructed a new building where its cafeteria-style serving system was instituted.

“I remember thinking that it wasn’t going to work,” Farlow says. “I figured when people went out to eat, they wanted to sit at a table and have someone wait on them. I didn’t think people would like it, but Mother had a vision. Little did I know.”

Customers have so enjoyed Mary’s over the years since that the kitchen has been upgraded completely three times in this location. But regardless of the kitchen or building, the food and its preparation stay the same.

“Every time we get a new cook, they have to learn to cook our way,” Farlow says. “That’s one of the things we attrib-ute our success to.”

ONE-STOP SHOPPINGA collection of more than 75 retailers

within Danville’s bustling Piedmont Mall provides a diverse mix of shopping oppor-tunities for residents and visitors alike.

The mall’s newest anchor tenant is Boscov’s department store, the first in Virginia, which in 2005 joined current retailers such as Belk, J.C. Penney, Sears, American Eagle, Aeropostale, Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works and Pacific Sunwear. Other new businesses at the Piedmont Mall include Ruffino’s Pizza, Kay Jewelers and Hat Shack.

In addition to regularly drawing consumers from Danville and Pittsylvania County, motor sports fans visiting nearby Martinsville Speedway, VIRginia International Raceway and South Boston Speedway contribute greatly to the mall’s success, says Natalie Skelley, Piedmont Mall marketing manager.

“Piedmont Mall is situated in the hub of new retail development in the Danville area, with more than 24,000

cars passing the mall each day on Piedmont Drive,” Skelley says. “Also, more than 700,000 people visit the race tracks annually and spend nearly $70 million in the region.”

In addition to its strong and varied merchant mix, the mall constantly enhances its facilities for the approx-imately 6 million customers it welcomes annually, Skelley says. Among the most recent improvements are soft seating areas for shoppers.

MICROSCOPIC TECHNOLOGY MAKES BIG IMPACT

A converted tobacco factory might not seem the logical spot for a high-tech nanotechnology facility, but Luna nanoWorks has shown that the old can be made new again, very successfully.

“We moved into this building in January 2005 and had been in the incubator here prior to that,” says Bob Lenk, president of Luna nanoWorks, a division of Luna Innovations. “This is an 1870s tobacco factory, and now we’re doing state-of-the-art nanomaterials

research and manufacturing in it. We bring a lot of collaborators here for business, and when they see the building they’re just stunned. It’s an incredible space.”

As it launched and grew, Luna began recruiting more highly trained scientists. Lenk says attracting them to Danville has been anything but difficult.

“We’ve brought 15 PhD’s here so far, most of who were unaware of Danville before coming and are now delighted to be here,” he says. “We just hired a woman from Los Angeles who was so excited after she saw what rush hour was like in Danville!”

Luna nanoWorks has between 30 and 40 employees and plans for con-tinued growth, both internally and as a community presence.

“We’re very proud of what we’re doing here, and we want the general community to understand that exciting things are happening down here,” Lenk says. “We have a strong sense of responsibility to the community, and we think we’re good for Danville and the rest of the area.” – Joe Morris


727Business.indd 31 7/19/07 8:50:17 AM

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They’re Building Bridges WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS UNITE BUSINESS AND CIVIC COMMUNITIES

W hen community leaders Laurie Moran and Larry Campbell first met during

a session of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at Virginia Tech two years ago, their discussion about workforce development led to a plan that ultimately connected more 2,500 job seekers with a long list of local employers.

Moran, who is president of the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce, and Campbell, an elder and associate pastor at Danville’s Bible Way Cathedral, wanted to bridge the gap between the business community and urban residents. In 2006, they organized an employment summit to benefit both groups. The event also attracted Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine.

“We touched quite a few people that day, and we’re hosting another summit where we’ll do more with developing individuals for jobs that are already here or coming to the area,” Campbell says. “The chamber is a great institution and is doing a good job of reaching out and connecting with the community for

workforce development.”Preparing local residents for the

growing number of jobs coming to the region is a priority for the chamber, Moran says. The organization works closely with new and existing companies as well as with the area’s economic development offices and area schools to foster a smooth transition for workers between jobs of the past and highly skilled positions of the future.

“Based on the information we’re get-ting from our partners in the business community, we’re able to identify challenges in the market and develop ways to help fill the skills gap with the local workforce. The system we’re putting together will not only benefit employers but the region as a whole,” Moran says.

Ron Bunch is the former director of the office of economic development for the city of Danville. In his six years with the office, he helped recruit several new industries to the area and says the chamber’s efforts in workforce development are critical to building a successful economy.

“There are so many more diverse options for employment in the Danville area today. We have positions in everything from nanotechnology and making circuit boards to food processing and cabinet making. The chamber is critical in bringing together private- sector employers and ensuring they get what they need in the way of training for their employees to succeed in these new positions,” Bunch says.

For companies like Yorktowne Cabinetry, which in 2006 opened a 256,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Danville, help from the chamber and other local agencies has been key to the hiring and training of hundreds of employees during the company’s first year of business.

The chamber is also working with Danville Community College to prompt the development of an advanced wood manufacturing curriculum at the school. The specialized courses will benefit Yorktowne Cabinetry, Swedwood North America and other wood manufacturing companies in the area.

– Valerie Pascoe

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The Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber staffers, consisting of (from left) President Laurie S. Moran, CCE, Office Manager/Executive Assistant Donna W. Ashworth, Membership Account Executive Judy P. Keesee, Program Manager H. Lynnette Lawson Lackey and Accounting Technician Barbara Barksdale, are a solid team advocating area business.


Business | Chamber Report

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DANVILLE AND PITTSYLVANIA CO.

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

Danville $26,900

Pittsylvania County $46,600

HOUSING COSTS

Median Home Value

(Owner-occupied)

Danville $71,900

Pittsylvania County $80,300

MEDIAN RENT

Danville $404

Pittsylvania County $398

DANVILLE MSA LABOR FORCE

May 2007Civilian Labor Force 51,596

Employed 48,560

Unemployed 3,036

Unemployment Rate 5.9%

TRANSPORTATION

Airport

Danville Regional

Airport, 799-5110

Highways

An excellent highway system

coupled with easy access to

Interstates 40 and 85 make

Danville extremely well

suited to reach mid-Atlantic

markets and international

shipping facilities.

BUSINESS RESOURCES

Better Business Bureau

(540) 342-3455

Community Foundation of the

Dan River Region, 793-0884

Dan River Small Business

Development Center

793-9100

Danville Community

Market, 797-8961

Danville Economic

Development Office, 793-1753


Chamber of Commerce

836-6990

Danville Welcome

Center, 793-4636

Downtown Danville

Association, 791-4470

Longwood University SBDC:

Dan River, 793-9100

Pittsylvania County Economic

Development, 432-1669

Social Security Administration

(800) 772-1213

BUSINESS CLIMATEDanville and Pittsylvania County have some of the most innovative

incentives and business development programs in the nation. These

programs encourage growth and prosperity within the region’s

existing economy and bring new business investment to the area.

MAJOR INDUSTRIES

Industry Group Estab. Employees

Accommodation and Food Services 177 3,217

Admin., Support,Waste Mgmt, Remediation 109 2,812

Agriculture, Forestry,Fishing & Hunting 41 226

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 27 343

Construction 287 2,061

Education Services 32 4,539

Finance and Insurance 138 1,047

Health Care and Social Assistance 213 5,542

Information 30 375

Management ofCompanies and Enterprises 18 332

Manufacturing 102 6,783

Mining N/A N/A

Other Services (except Public Admin.) 244 981

Professional, Scientific & Technical Svc 138 625

Public Administration 69 1,490

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 79 405

Retail Trade 442 6,627

Transportation and Warehousing 77 749

Utilities 11 226

Wholesale Trade 108 1,354

TOTAL 2,344 39,735


Business | Economic Profile

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MAJOR EMPLOYERS

Company No. of Employees

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. 2,400

Danville Regional Medical Center 1,555

Pittsylvania County School System 1,506

Danville Public Schools 1,250

City of Danville 1,221

Telvista 580

Nestle USA Inc. 575

Wal-Mart 575

CIT 400

Danville Community College 373

Roman Eagle Memorial Home 350

Unique Industries 312

Dan River Inc. 300

Intertape Polymer Group 300

A.C. Furniture Inc. 275

Columbia Forest Products, Flooring Division 263

Yorktowne Cabinetry 260

Columbia Forest Products 248

LOCAL TAXES

Property Tax Rate $100Real Estate (Market Value)

City of Danville .77

Pittsylvania County .50

Town of Chatham .22

Town of Gretna .21

Town of Hurt .14

Machinery & Tools (Original Cost)

City of Danville at 80% $1.50

Pittsylvania County at 10% $4.50

Automobiles (Market Value)

City of Danville $3.00

Pittsylvania County at 30% $7.75

Town of Chatham $4.50

Town of Gretna $2.00

Town of Hurt $2.50


Pittsylvania County

Economic Development

34 N. Main St., P.O.Box 1122

Chatham, VA 24531

Phone: 432-1669

Fax: 432-1709

www.pced.com

City of Danville Office of

Economic Development

427 Patton St. P.O. Box 3300

Danville, VA 24543-3300

Phone: 793-1753

Fax: 797-9606

www.discoverdanville.com

E-mail: econdev@

DiscoverDanville.com


Chamber of Commerce

8653 U.S. Highway 29

P.O. Box 99

Blairs, VA 24527

Phone: (434) 836-6990

Fax: (434) 836-6955

www.dpchamber.org

E-mail: chamber@

dpchamber.org

Sources:www.discoverdanville.com www.dpchamber.orgwww.pittced.comhttp://velma.virtuallmi.com

DISTANCE TO MAJOR CITIES

Greensboro, N.C. 53 miles

Lynchburg 50 miles

Richmond 140 miles

Roanoke 68 miles

Washington, D.C. 279 miles


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With the publication each June of Euantes, George Washington High School’s award-winning literary arts magazine, the concept of summer

reading takes on a whole new meaning.The 80-page publication, the result of a year’s work

by a dedicated staff of 38 students in grades 10-12, show-cases fellow students’ creativity, including features, short

Great Summer Reading STUDENTS PRODUCE YEARLY LITERARY WORK WITH STRONG COMMUNITY SUPPORT

George Washington High School’s literary arts magazine, Euantes, carries on a tradition of more than 30 years.

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stories, poetry, art, photography, a play, cartoons and an original comic strip. The 2007 publication also included an original song.

“Euantes incorporates a lot of the different arts,” says Sharon Leigg, heading into her third year in 2007-08 as faculty adviser. “Every child who wants to find a way to express himself artistically can usually find a way to do it. It’s a lot of work and takes a lot of time – as much time as a sport would take. But the students are learning things they might not learn until later in life.”

The staff’s commitment and their fine product have not gone unnoticed.

During 2006-07, the magazine was one of nine high school publications among nearly 500 in the United States to receive the Highest Award from the National Council of Teachers of English. In addition, Euantes was named Most Outstanding High School Magazine for 2006 by the American Scholastic Press Association and won the Gold Medalist Award from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. For the 20th consecutive year, Euantes was awarded Trophy Class honors at the Virginia High School League’s Championship Journalism Competition.

The opportunity to work on the magazine is competitive as well. Students apply for positions on the staff, and participation consists of a five-day-a-week credit class, Leigg says.

“The first year they may focus on general requirements, learning how to use computer programs, for example. The next year, they may come back as editors,” she explains.

Responsibilities cover the gamut from working on student submissions and production tasks to raising funds to publish the book.

The spot- and process-color magazine, in publication for more than three decades, costs about $12,000 to produce, Leigg says. Subscriptions are $5, and students hold fundraisers and solicit pledges to help defray the production costs.

“It’s a lot of fun for the staff, but the magazine is something that makes them grow. Learning how to be a team player is something they’ll use for the rest of their lives,” Leigg says.

The Euantes staff offers another creative outlet for students with the introduction of its Coffeehouse Celebration at the North Theatre, produced for the first time in March 2007. The free event features music and displays of students’ artistic works.

“I’m surprised sometimes at how resilient the kids are. They have an ‘it can be done’ attitude at all times,” Leigg says. “It’s very invigorating for a teacher.”

– Anne Gillem


Education

727Education.indd 36 7/19/07 8:51:04 AM

In her classroom decorated with

a mirror, sconces, Victorian

curtains and artwork, Janet

Hullender shares her love of music

with her young students – along

with a little social studies, reading

and language skills.

Hullender, who in the fall of

2007 is entering her fourth year

as music teacher at Twin Springs

Elementary School and her 33rd

year in teaching, is passionate

about her work – a fact recognized

in the community.

The Danville Pittsylvania

Chamber of Commerce named

Hullender the 2006-07 Pittsylvania

County Elementary School

Educator of the Year.

Twin Springs has 850 students

in grades Pre-K through five, and

Hullender enjoys teaching kids

across a range of ages.

“I can teach anything and put

it to the [educational] level of a

child,” Hullender says. “You give

preschool or kindergarten a taste

of something – like xylophones, for

example. We looked at them and

saw what they were made of,

played them and matched them to

pictures in a book. By the time you

get to fifth grade, you give them

more information and question

them more.”

Hullender, a former

kindergarten teacher, strongly

believes in integrating all subjects

into her music instruction. Her

classroom is decorated in a

nontraditional way to give

students a taste of culture.

“I use any opportunity to help

them with their language, their

social studies,” she says. “I keep

a map in the room, and we talk

about every country a composer

or instrument comes from.

Because I’ve been in the regular

classroom, I know what the other

teachers must cover. I feel I’m a

real support with helping them.”

Hullender says she wants

children to respect all types of

music. The curriculum includes

learning about composers,

listening to music, dance,

choreography, making

instruments, a voluntary fifth-

grade chorus, and much more.

“I’ve been here three years,

and I’ve been on a honeymoon

for three years,” Hullender says.

“I know I’m in the exact spot I’m

supposed to be.”

– Anne Gillem

Teaching Music and So Much MoreEDUCATOR OF THE YEAR HULLENDER AIMS TO OPEN EARS AND MINDS

Music teacher Janet Hullender pulls from various subjects to convey to her kids the impact music has had on history.

IAN

CU

RC

IO


727Education.indd 37 7/19/07 8:51:09 AM

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727Arts.indd 38 7/19/07 10:23:48 AM

For those who recall the flicker of old film reels on the screen, the North and Gretna Theatres

bring back memories. For the kids lining up to see the latest Disney movie, it’s all about creating new ones.

The North Theatre in Danville and the Gretna Theatre 30 miles to the north both have been restored carefully, imbuing a sense of nostalgia as they serve new generations of audience members in the Danville-Pittsylvania County area.

Area residents are thrilled that the two historic theatres once again answer the call of those looking to experience live theatre, music performances and the latest Hollywood blockbusters, as well as classic and foreign films.

Gretna Theatre owners Donald and Marie Young spent eight months renovating the 1950s movie house and cut the ribbon on the refurbished facility in 2006.

Gretna Theatre is open mostly on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights and offers entertainment geared toward the whole family. In addition to presenting current box office hits, the theatre has hosted performances by Elvis impersonators, AC/DC tribute artists and other musical groups. The Youngs also lease the building for special events and meetings.

“We love music and seeing and being with people,” Marie Young says. “Everyone has enjoyed coming. We get all ages and we’ve had a good turnout.”

In Danville, community leaders halted plans to bulldoze several prop-erties by spearheading the renovation of the North Theatre in 2003. The group also remodeled two nearby buildings to house a restaurant, as well as an art gallery and accommodations for visiting performers.

Built in 1947, The North Theatre was intended to be a venue for vaudeville performances. However, this was the time when “new” television technology was beginning to draw families into their living rooms for entertainment. Therefore, the theatre never staged a vaudeville show, but featured other types

Making a Return to GloryRESTORED NORTH AND GRETNA THEATRES BRING BACK MEMORIES, CREATE NEW ONES

Restored from 2003 to 2005, the 60-year-old North Theatre now features two new 35 mm projectors, a digital projector and dual sound systems – one with Surround Sound for movies and a second for theatrical productions.

of live theatre performances and motion pictures until it closed in 1976. From that time until 2003, the building was home to an auction house, several churches and most recently, a flower shop.

Then, with the nurturing of Artistic/Managing Director Jerry Meadors and Board President Roy Gignac, the theatre underwent dramatic restoration over the course of two years.

“At the time it opened, The North Theatre was probably the most modern small stage in America,” Gignac says.

It was the mission of this duo to restore it to its former glory.

All 488 seats were filled – including 116 in the commodious balcony – when

noted jazz combo The Heath Brothers performed for the theatre’s opening in February 2005. Since then, the theater has featured performances by the Danville Concert Association and local school and dance studios as well as screenings of classic and foreign films.

It also anchors The Little Theatre of Danville, which has been entertaining audiences with dramas, comedies, and classics of the stage for more than half a century but had lacked a permanent home.

“Once people learn about the theater, once they come and hear the Surround Sound, they come back,” Gignac says.

– Piper Reilly


Arts & Culture

727Arts.indd 39 7/19/07 8:50:00 AM

The Scruggs Company LLC

Building communities with

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727Sports.indd 40 7/19/07 8:53:02 AM

C urrent Atlanta Braves baseball players Andruw Jones, Jeff Francoeur and Chuck James played here. So did major leaguers such as Jermaine Dye, Rafael Furcal,

Marcus Giles and Kevin Millwood.American Legion Post 325 Field at Dan Daniel Memorial

Park has served as the home stadium for the Danville Braves since 1993. That was the year when the franchise was established as a minor league affiliate of the Atlanta Braves.

“We compete in the Appalachian League, which is a rookie-advanced league primarily for players ages 18 to 20 who are just starting out in pro baseball,” says David Cross, general manager of the Danville Braves. “For example, outfielder Jeff Francoeur was drafted by Atlanta in 2002, and Danville was his first stop. We’ve had a lot of good players come through here over the years.”

Danville has produced a lot of good teams, too – especially in recent times.

“We won the Appalachian League championship for the

Digging In at the PlateTHE DANVILLE BRAVES CELEBRATE 15TH SEASON OF APPALACHIAN LEAGUE PLAY

PH

OT

O C

OU

RT

ES

Y O

F D

AV

ID C

RO

SS

American Legion Post 325 Field at Dan Daniel Memorial Park is the home of the 2006 Appalachian League champions, the Danville Braves. League officials consistently rank the field as one of its top facilities in the nation.

first time ever in 2006 and were also in the championship series in 2004 and 2005,” Cross says. “Fans are now expecting the team to fight for the title every year. Those fan expectations are especially high given the fact that we’re affiliated with the Atlanta Braves, a team that always seems to be in the hunt for the World Series every year.”

Danville fans have the luxury of watching home games in one of the nicest stadiums in all of minor league baseball.

“Even though American Legion Post 325 Field is 15 years old, it remains one of the top facilities in our league,” Cross says. “The city owns the stadium and does a great job maintaining it, and the field is always rated No. 1 or No. 2 by Appalachian League officials each year.”

The stadium seats 2,588, and recent improvements include a permanent roof that covers the reserved seating area and an expansion of the concession stands. The team also installed extra safety netting in certain areas to protect spectators from fast-traveling foul balls.

As for the season itself, Danville plays 68 games (34 home, 34 away) from mid-June to early September.

“We’ve had good attendance over the years, with nearly 40,000 fans out here during our 2006 championship season,” Cross says. “Our goal as a professional organization is to provide a fun family atmosphere while being a responsible corporate citizen that supports the area. The Danville Braves strive to have a winning team on the field and run a high-quality business away from the field.”

– Kevin Litwin


Sports & Recreation

727Sports.indd 41 7/19/07 8:53:10 AM

727Health.indd 42 7/19/07 8:52:15 AM

As a teenager, Danville Mayor Dr. Wayne Williams wanted to make a difference in his

community. At the age of 16, he began training for certification as an emergency medical technician and joined the Danville Lifesaving Crew, a volunteer organization that provides free emergency response when local residents call 911. Williams says his two-year experience with the crew led him to pursue a degree in medicine at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond.

“Being a member of the lifesaving crew had a profound inf luence on my life. I had the opportunity to see firsthand what it takes to help others in an emergency situation and help save lives. These are extremely dedicated and well trained individuals who provide an essential service to the community,” says Williams, an ear, nose and throat physician who has served as Danville’s mayor since 2006.

During his time with the lifesaving crew, Williams worked side-by-side with Jim Mullins, another volunteer who has been responding to emergency calls for more than 26 years. Mullins is one of 125 local residents who donate their time and skills to keep the lifesaving crew going strong.

“You’d be surprised how many people think we get a salary. But we’re not motivated by money. We’re motivated by the service we provide to the com-munity and the lives we save along the way,” says Mullins, a certified search-and-rescue diver whose 20-year-old daughter also is trained as an EMT.

Funded largely by corporate donations,

Not Just Everyday HeroesMANY RESIDENTS COUNT LIFESAVING TECHNIQUES AMONG THEIR PERSONAL SKILLS

Danville Mayor Wayne Williams credits his involvement with the

lifesaving crew for his decision to pursue a career in medicine. IA

N C

UR

CIO


Health & Wellness

727Health.indd 43 7/19/07 8:52:18 AM

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Peace of mind! Emeritus is a recognized leader in the senior living industry, setting the standard for excellence in assisted living. If the Emeritus name is on the door, you’ll find the best of everything inside. Come see for yourself. Visit us for lunch and a personal tour. Call Loyalton of Danville and let us know when you’d like to visit. We think you’ll like what you see and what you feel.

At Loyalton of Danville, we’ll help make life easier and more rewarding. With so much available right here, many of our residents never need a higher level of care:• Licensed professional nurses on staff• On-site physical therapy department• Leisure and recreational programs• Scheduled transportation• Housekeeping and laundry• Three meals a day

Assisted living at the Loyalton of Danville ...is the smart choice for seniors who could use a little help with the chores and challenges of everyday living, including keeping track of medications, getting dressed and getting around.

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727Health.indd 44 7/19/07 8:52:24 AM

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(434) 793-6222(800) 296-1049

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Danville • 549 Main St. • (434) 793-8200South Boston • 554 N. Main St. • (434) 575-8200

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Looking after our clients since 1936

LAW OFFICES

CLEMENT WHEATLEYA Professional Corporation

the Danville Lifesaving Crew was formed in 1944 and is headquartered on Christopher Lane, with an additional station on the north side of town. Each August, the lifesaving crew hosts a charity golf tournament to help cover its annual operating budget of $500,000.

The crew also offers a ride-along program for medical and fire and rescue professionals in the area as well as for citizens who have no emergency response training. The purpose of the program is twofold: to recruit new members and to educate members of the community about how the crew operates in responding to emergencies. Observers must be at least 16 years old and follow a strict set of guidelines to participate in the program. Once the various requirements are met, Mullins says, the experience is the best way to comprehend the real scope of the program and the true commitment of its volunteers.

“Until you’ve ridden along on a call, it’s hard to understand just how much these volunteers dedicate in the way of their time and themselves for the community,” says Mullins. “Whenever people see that white and orange truck speed by, what they might not realize is that the people inside may have jumped in from their home or office to respond to the call.”

Mullins’ employer, Goodyear, also has a program in place to ensure first responders are on the scene quickly in the event of an emergency. The company’s Emergency Response Brigade comprises more than 40 Goodyear employees who are certified as EMTs and cross-trained to fight fires.

According to Ronald Knight, former manager of safety and health for Goodyear’s Danville plant, the Emergency Response Brigade serves as its own non-transporting emergency management agency at the basic life-support level and is classified as a registered fire brigade in the state of Virginia.

“I always say the Goodyear plant is one of the safest places to be in the city. More than 80 percent of the calls the brigade takes are non-occupational in nature, such as respiratory or heart problems in employees,” Knight says.

– Valerie Pascoe


Health & Wellness

727Health.indd 45 7/19/07 8:52:26 AM

Thank you for your support five years in a row!

The Best“Real Estate Agency”

“Call us and let our team make you a homeowner.” ~ Linda Baldwin & Staff

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Independently owned and operated office.

111 Vicar Place • Danville, VA 24540(434) 835-0305 • Fax (434) 835-0322

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727CommPro.indd 46 7/19/07 8:50:27 AM

EDUCATION

Public Schools

Danville Public Schools

www.web.dps.k12.va.us

799-6400

Pittsylvania County Schools

www.pcs.k12.va.us/public/

793-1624, 432-2761, 656-6248

Private Schools

Abundant Life Academy

www.alwoc.org, 799-8542

Carlisle School

www.carlisleschool.org

(276) 632-7288

Chatham Hall

www.chathamhall.org

432-2941

Faith Christian Academy

www.fcavirginia.com

324-8276

Hargrave Military Academy

www.hargrave.edu

432-2481

New Horizon’s Christian

School, 793-1744

Sacred Heart School

www.sheartschool.com

793-2656

Seventh Day Adventist

Elementary, 822-0356

Sylvan Learning Center

www.educate.com/

centers/24540, 799-6900

Westover Christian Academy

www.westoverministries.org

822-0800

Woodlawn Academy

www.woodlawnacademy.net

432-9244

Higher Education

Averett University

www.averett.edu, 791-5600

Danville Community College

www.dcc.vccs.edu, 797-2222

DRMC School of Nursing

www.danvilleregional.org

799-4510

Institute for Advanced

Learning & Research

ww.ialr.org, 766-6700

National College

www.national-college.edu

793-6822

Old Dominion University

www.odu.edu, 791-5334

CLIMATE

Average January High

Temperature, 45.4 F

Average January Low

Temperature, 23.2 F

Average July High

Temperature, 89.2 F

Average July Low

Temperature, 65.7 F

Mean Annual

Temperature, 52.0 F

Average Annual

Rainfall, 34.7 inches

Average Annual

Snowfall, 3.30 inches

UTILITIES

Cable

Comcast, (888) 683-1000

Chatmoss Cablevision

685-1521

Electricity

American Electric Power

(800) 956-4237

City of Danville, 799-5155

Dominion Virginia Power

(888) 667-3000

Mecklenburg Electric

656-1288

Southside Electric

(800) 552-2118

Natural Gas


Columbia Gas of Virginia

(800) 543-8911

Telephone

EMBARQ, (276) 223-6291

Peoples Mutual Telephone

656-2291

SNAPSHOTDanville and Pittsylvania County offer a host of simple pleasures

and cultural opportunities. Danville is a place where the city’s

“past decorates its neighborhoods and whose Main Street

mansions are a display of Victorian architecture.”

DANVILLE AND PITTSYLVANIA CO.

Industry Week magazine named Danville one of its Top 25 World-Class Communities out of 310 U.S. metropolitan

statistical areas based on its recent manufacturing prowess.

The area code for Danvi l le i s 434 . DANVILLEPITTSYLVANIACO.COM 47

Community Profile

727CommPro.indd 47 7/19/07 8:50:30 AM

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enough.Why not let someone

else worry about those facts & fi gures?

Call today

HARRIS, HARVEY, NEAL

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Quality services for over 40 years

OFFICES LOCATED AT:2309 Riverside Dr.

Danville, VA 24540-3424(434) 792-3220

120 S. Main St.Chatham, VA 24531-0899

(434) 432-2441

554 N. Main St.South Boston, VA 24592-0754

(434) 575-7914

www.hhncpa.com

Audit and accounting services

Tax planning and compliance

Business advisory services

35,000 books

Approximately 75 categories of books with many, many

popular authors

Many authors alphabetized for your convenience

Free coffee

Refurbished computer systems with warranty, beginning at $99.00

Reading tables available

Rare & collectible books

Books on tape available

Find your treasure today at the Ye Olde Bookstore.

Debt Consolidation

100% Financing

Equity Lines

Purchases

“Helping People Finance Their Dreams”

(434) 799-6680

(800) 296-5751

Fax (434) 799-6685

First Greensboro Home Equity708 Mt. Cross Rd., Ste. C

Danville, VA 24540


727CommPro.indd 48 7/19/07 8:50:31 AM

Verizon, 954-6222

Water


Pittsylvania County Service

Authority, 836-7135

Town of Chatham, 432-9515

Town of Gretna, 656-6572

Town of Hurt, 324-4411

MEDICAL FACILITY

Danville Regional

Medical Center

www.danvilleregional.org

799-2100

LIBRARIES

Danville Public Library, 799-5195

Danville Law Library, 799-5118

Danville Library-Westover

799-5152

Pittsylvania County Library

432-3271

Pittsylvania Library – Gretna

656-2579

Pittsylvania Library –

Brosville-Cascade, 685-1285

MEDIA

Newspapers

Danville Register & Bee (daily)

www.registerbee.com 793-2311

The Star-Tribune (weekly)

www.chathamstartribune.com

432-2791

Television Stations

WDBJ 7, www.wdbj7.com

799-1700

WGSR – Star 39, 791-3440

WSET-TV Virginia’s 13, ABC

www.wset.com, 797-9713

WSLS 10, www.wsls.com

(540) 981-9126

Radio Stations

News Radio 1330 WBTM

www.wbtm1330.com, 793-4411

WAKG FM 103.3

www.wakg.com

797-4290

WILA Radio, 792-2133

WDVA – Great Gospel

797-1250

WKBY, 432-8108

WMNA, 432-4730

GOLF

Ringgold Golf Club

State Road 734 off

U. S. 58 East, 822-8728

Caswell Pines Golf Club

County Home Road off

U.S. 86 South in

Yanceyville, N.C.,

(910) 694-2255

Cedars Country Club

Anderson Mill Road, Chatham

656-9909, Open to the

public on weekends.

ATTRACTIONS

American Armoured

Foundation Tank Museum

836-5323

Carrington Pavilion, 773-8160

Cooper’s R/C Racecenter

724-4182

Danville Association of Arts

& Humanities, 792-6965

Community Profile


727CommPro.indd 49 7/19/07 8:50:35 AM

DANIEL,MEDLEY &KIRBY, P.C.ATTORNEYS AT LAW

A full-service law fi rm advising businesses and individuals in southside Virginia.

Business & Corporate LawGeneral & Corporate Litigation

Estate Planning & AdministrationResidential & Commercial Transactions

Insurance DefenseEmployment Law

Workers’ Compensation DefenseBankruptcy & Creditors’ Rights

Family LawSocial Security Disability

JAMES A. L. DANIEL

MARTHA WHITE MEDLEY

WILLIAM L. KIRBY, IIIJANINE M. JACOB

M. BRENT SAUNDERS

AMANDA M. MORGAN

BRIAN R. CHARVILLE

MARY SCOTT SWYERS

H. CLAY GRAVELY IV

MARTINSVILLE OFFICE: 106 E. Main St. • 2nd Floor

Martinsville, VA 24112(276) 666-1585

Fax: (276) 666-4046

DANVILLE OFFICE:110 N. Union St.

Danville, VA 24541(434) 792-3911

Fax: (434) 793-5724

www.dmklawfi rm.com

Residential • CommercialProperty Management • Auctions

New Construction • Relocation Services

(434) 432-3009Chatham Centre • USWY 29Chatham, VA 24531

(434) 797-4007428 Piney Forest Rd.

Danville, VA 24540

www.WilkinsAndCo.com


727CommPro.indd 50 7/19/07 8:50:37 AM

Danville Braves, 797-3792

Danville Concert Association,

432-3374

Danville Museum of Fine Arts

& History, 793-5644

Danville Parks, Recreation

& Tourism, 799-5200


Fair Association, 822-6850

Danville Science Center

799-5160

Danville Symphony

Orchestra, 799-0494

Estelle H. Womack Museum

of Natural History, 791-5160

Gretna Theatre, 656-3377

The North Theatre, 792-2700

South Boston

Speedway, 572-4947

Tomahawk Mill

Winery, 432-1063

Veteran’s Memorial Wall &

Walkway, 793-0884

VIRginia International

Raceway, (888) RACE-099

Virginia Museum of Natural

History, (276) 666-8600

NUMBERS TO KNOW


Pittsylvania Co., 432-7700

Town of Chatham, 432-9515

Town of Gretna, 656-6572

Town of Hurt, 324-4411

Animal Information

Animal Control – Pittsylvania

County, 432-7937

Dog Licenses – Danville

799-5140

Humane Society, 799-0843

Building Codes/Permits


Pittsylvania County, 432-7755

Garbage Collection


First Piedmont Corp.

432-0211

Police (Non-Emergencies)

Chatham Police Department

432-9515

Danville Police Department

799-5111

Danville Sheriff’s Office

799-5135

Gretna Police Department

656-6123

Hurt Police Department

324-8511

Pittsylvania County Sheriff

432-7800

Virginia State Police

(800) 553-3144

Voter Registration:

Danville, 799-6560

Pittsylvania County

432-7971

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

AUGUST

3, 17

FRIDAY AT THE CROSSINGCARRINGTON PAVILION AT THE CROSSING AT THE DAN

17, 18

RODEO AT DANVILLE-PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS822-6850

SEPTEMBER

5

SHRIMP FESTDANVILLE COMMUNITY MARKET836-6990

7

FRIDAY AT THE CROSSINGCARRINGTON PAVILION AT THE CROSSING AT THE DAN


Community Profile

727CommPro.indd 51 7/19/07 8:50:39 AM

Main – Piney Forest – Schoolfield – Westover – Chatham

STRATFORD COURTYARD & MT. HERMONCOURTYARD CONFERENCE CENTERS

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STRATFORD COURTYARD

149 OLD PINEY FOREST RD.DANVILLE, VA 24540

(434) 792-2672FAX (434) 791-3159

MT. HERMON COURTYARD

2725 FRANKLIN TURNPIKE

DANVILLE, VA(434) 836-5009

FAX (434) 836-4993

WWW.COURTYARDCONFERENCECENTERS.COM

ANGELA PERKINS, MANAGER

[email protected]

WEDDINGS • BANQUETS • SPECIAL EVENTS

We’ve Come A Long Way!

“A New State of Banking”

Visit us online at www.efirststatebank.com

Safe, solid and secure for more than 85 years!

Online banking & bill pay • ATM card • VISA check card • Direct Deposit • Free checkingIndividual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) • Safe deposit boxes • Christmas & vacation clubs

First State TeleBanc (877) 884-8526 • Combined checking & savings statements • Overdraft PrivilegeMoney market accounts • Certificates of deposit • Statement savings • Super NOW Account

We also offer 15-year and 30-year mortgages, first-time home buyer programs and other consumer and commercial loans.

445 Mt. Cross Rd. • (434) 797-3929201 N. Union St. • (434) 793-74471296 Piney Forest Rd. • (434) 793-4701

Choose from three convenient locations

Save Money. Smell the Flowers.

For tips and to compare cleaner, more effi cient vehicles, visit

www.epa.gov/greenvehicles.


727CommPro.indd 52 7/19/07 8:50:40 AM

21CORKS & FORKSDANVILLE SCIENCE CENTER STATION791-5160

29SORGHUM FESTIVAL AT CLIMAX432-9679

OCTOBER

6

CALLANDS AUTUMN POTPOURRI FESTIVAL

20

FALL CLASSICALDANVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRAGEORGE WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUMwww.danvillesymphony.net

20

GRETNA OLD TIMERS’ JUBILEE

NOVEMBER

3

AAF TANK MUSEUM CAR SHOW836-5323

DECEMBER

1RIVERVIEW ROTARY’S CHRISTMAS PARADE793-4636

9GRETNA CHRISTMAS PARADE

15CHRISTMAS CONCERTDANVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRAGEORGE WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUMwww.danvillesymphony.net

I spysomethinggreen.

Everyday moments can be learning moments with your kids. For more tips, visit bornlearning.org


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MARCH

15

SPRING CLASSICALDANVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRAGEORGE WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUMwww.danvillesymphony.net

MAY

17

SPRING POPS CONCERTDANVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRAGEORGE WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUMwww.danvillesymphony.net

Sources:www.dpchamber.orgwww.visitdanville.com


Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce

8653 U.S. Highway 29

P.O. Box 99

Blairs, VA 24527

Phone: (434) 836-6990

Fax: (434) 836-6955

[email protected]

©2002 American Cancer Society, Inc.

questions answers

8 0 0 . A C S . 2 3 4 5 / c a n c e r . o r g


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Abercrombie Oil Company www.abercrombieoil.com

American National Bank www.amnb.com

Ashbrook Audiology

Averett University www.averett.edu

Baldwin & Associates Realty www.lindabaldwinrealestate.com

Bankers Insurance

BB&T www.bbandt.com

Ben David Jewelers www.bendavidjewelers.com

Blair Construction www.blair-construction.com

Century 21 – Manasco Realty www.manasco.com

City of Danville Parks & Recreation www.discoverdanville.com

Clement & Wheatley www.clementwheatley.com

Coldwell Banker – Michael Scearce/Gaynelle Crowder

Courtyard Conference Centers www.courtyardconferencecenters.com

Daly Seven www.dalyseven.com

Daniel, Medley & Kirby, P.C. www.dmklawfi rm.com

Danville Community College www.dcc.vccs.edu

Danville Economic Development www.discoverdanville.com

Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber www.dpchamber.org

Danville Regional Medical Centerwww.danvilleregional.com

Danville – The Heart of Southern Virginia www.visitdanville.com

Dewberry www.dewberry.com

ERA Holley & Lewis Realty Co. www.eraholleyandlewis.com

First Citizens Bank

www.fi rstcitizens.com/personal_

services/cc_loans_mortgage

First Greensboro Home Equity

www.fghe.com

First State Bank

www.efi rststatebank.com

Goodwill Industries

www.goodwilldanville.com

Goodyear

Harris, Harvey, Neal & Co., LLP

www.hhncpa.com

Institute for Advanced

Learning and Research

www.ialr.org

Johnson CPA

www.cpa-johnson.com

Loyalton of Danville

www.emeritus.com

Nationwide Insurance – W.A.

Wells III & Associates

www.nwagent.com/w_a_wells.html

Offi ce Plus Business Centre

www.opbizz.com

Re/Max Professionals

www.remaxdanville.com

Rose Shields Interiors

www.rsinteriors.biz

Simpson Realty Company

www.simpsonrealty.com

Sleep Inn – Inn & Suites

www.choicehotels.com

State Farm – Terry Blakely

www.terryblakely.net

Suntrust Mortgage

www.suntrustmortgage.com/lshields

The Scruggs Company

www.sugartreemanor.com

URW Community Federal

Credit Union

www.urwfcu.org

Wilkins & Co. Realtors

www.wilkinsandco.com

Yorktowne Cabinetry

www.yorktownecabinetry.com

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Real Estate isn’t just about property. It’s about people.

Janet Holley836-1868

Laura Lewis203-0556

Danville’s Residential Specialist

Relocation and New Construction Specialist

Looking to buy?

For expert real estate advice, give me a call today!

339 Piney Forest Rd. • Danville, VA • (434) 791-2400

ERA HOLLEY & LEWIS REALTY CO. INC.

Independently Owned & Operated Office

www.eraholleyandlewis.com

(434) 728-5363

www.TeresaMoody.com

Teresa Edwards-Moody

727 C2 C3 C4.indd C3 7/19/07 8:49:25 AM

427 PATTON ST.

P.O. BOX 3300

DANVILLE, VA 24543-3300

(434) 793-1753

[email protected]

WWW.DISCOVERDANVILLE.COM

CITY OF DANVILLE

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

34 N. MAIN ST.

P.O. BOX 1122

CHATHAM, VA 24531

(434) 432-1669

(800) 491-2842

[email protected]

WWW.PITTCED.COM

PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

727 C2 C3 C4.indd C4 7/19/07 8:49:26 AM

images danville-pittsylvania county, va: 2007

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