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November 2011 1
VILLAGERVoice FR E E
ADVANCE • BERMUDA RUN • CLEMMONS • LEWISVILLE • MOCKSVILLE • W-S • YADKIN November 2011
“Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage
comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds.
~Theodore Roosevelt
2 VILLAGER VOICE
November 2011 3
Feature Articles... 8 Foxx Report16 Tips for Taking Great Family Photos 17 Manage Your Money Carefully30 The Forgotten Holiday36 Senior Musings on Comfort
PublisherPK Publishing
EditorBrenda Gough
Sales DirectorPat Dixon
Distribution points are at over 600 locations through-out Davie, Davidson, Forsyth, and Yadkin County.
To locate a spot, visit our website or give us a call.
Contact Information: Tele: 336.766.7877 Fax: 336.766.8904
villagervoice.comfacebook.com/villagervoicetwitter.com/villagervoice
PK Publishing2513 Neudorf Road Clemmons, NC 27012Copyright 2011 PK Publishing
Brenda
This year we celebrate Veterans Day on Friday, November 11. Historically, the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 an armistice between Germany and the Allied nations came into effect. In 1919, President Wilson proclaimed the day should be “filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory.” Let’s take time to honor all military personnel who served and continue to serve our country. If you cannot attend a parade or church service, honor our veterans - past and present - by observing a period of silence lasting two minutes at 11 a.m. on 11/11/11! Thanks for your service, courage and sacrifice. This issue is also filled with everything Thanksgiving; turkey roasting, time-saving tips for preparing that special dinner, “what” and “what not” to stuff, going green like the pilgrims, taking family photos, and recipes galore! Nancy Hall is officially proclaiming November “Comfort Month” because of the wonderful experience of Thanksgiving! Rev. Christopher Burcham also reminds us to take time to count our many blessings by not overlooking the importance of Thanksgiving.
Guest Columnist Tracy Myers may play outrageous roles on television to sell cars – but this best-selling author, nationally-recognized entrepreneur, and devoted family man is dead serious when it comes to building a business he, his family, and his city can be proud of. We will be attending the world premiere of “Car Men,” a documentary detailing the touching and occasionally hilarious story of how the Myers men created a car business that’s known all across America for its successful out-of-the-box thinking – not to mention its off-kilter TV commercials, featuring such quirky characters as Uncle Frank and Chainsaw Charlie. The film will premiere on Thursday, November 17 at the a/perture Cinema in Winston-Salem.
We are in the midst of preparing our gift packages for the 6th Annual Silver Stocking Project. We need your help to make Christmas brighter for our special elders who do not have family or regular visitors. Please see the flyer on page 9, and join us in spending time delivering gifts to our special friends in assisted living, nursing homes, and retirement homes in our community.
Thanks for supporting our advertisers and remember to shop locally for the Holidays!
Happy Birthday, Shady—The Legend Continues!
In Every Issue...12 Social Media Maven13 Going Green19 Church Directory 23 Restaurant Directory 26 What’s Happening?34 Carolina Survivalist
4 VILLAGER VOICE
All turkey roasting charts are basic approximations. Actual cooking time varies depending on a number of factors, including oven accuracy, temperature of the bird when it is placed in the oven, whether or not your bird is stuffed, oven temperature, the height and thickness of the roasting pan, and how frequently you open the oven door.
Most recipes for whole roasted turkeys will call for an oven temperature between 325° and 375°F. The large size of a whole turkey and the difference in breast and leg meat present a unique challenge to get everything to cook perfectly at once (even more so when the turkey is stuffed!). Using these moderate temperatures will ensure the most even cooking throughout the bird.
Also, since our birds are fresh, lean and contain no additives, your turkey may cook faster than a conventional turkey. Begin to check for doneness approximately 30 minutes before the end of suggested cooking time. Use a meat thermometer—there really
is no substitute for determining when your turkey is done. If you are cooking a stuffed turkey, add an additional 5–7 minutes per pound.
Check the temperature of the stuffing as well as the turkey to determine when it is fully cooked—160°F for the stuffing. When done, all parts of the turkey should register 165°F.
Weight Total Roasting Time
8-12 pounds 2 to 3.5 hours
12-16 pounds 3 to 4 hours
16-20 pounds 4 to 5 hours
20-25 pounds 5 to 6 hours
25-30 pounds 6+ hours
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If you concentrate on finding whatever is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with
gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul.Rabbi Harold Kushner
Turkey Roasting Chart
November 2011 5
Five hot fitness tips for cold weather
Finding time for exercise during the hectic holiday months can be challenging. For many people, a fitness regime gets tossed out with the wrapping paper. This makes getting back into a consistent exercise routine for the New Year an essential but difficult battle. And during dark winter months, few- er daylight hours and cooler temperatures can decrease motivation for even the most dedicated fitness buffs.
Despite discouraging factors during the winter, Ameri-cans should continue to strive to get back on track with moderate physical activity. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, most adults need at least 30 minutes of exercise five days each week to stay healthy. Here are five tips to help you get in gear and stay on the path to good health this winter.
Sneak in fitness activities Biking is a fun way to get a workout, without feeling like you are working out. Bicycle commuting burns an average of 540 calories per hour. “Half of all trips we make are three miles or less, so biking instead of driving for short trips is a great way to get your daily exercise,” says Tim Blumenthal, director of PeopleForBikes.org.
Find a partner Exercising with someone else will help keep you committed to physical activity. Studies show people who work out with a friend are more likely to exercise consistently. Walk with a neighbor or join a group bike ride organized by a bike store or local club.
Bundle up Investing in quality winter gear will keep you ready for many different weather conditions. Dress in layers and remove clothing as you warm up. Look for light, breathable fabric that isn’t too bulky. Also, don’t forget to adequately cover your hands and feet.
Add variety Mixing exercise activities will keep your body
and your brain from getting bored. If you normally run or walk, try alterna-tive cardio workouts. If you live
in an area with snow, cross-country skiing or snowshoe-ing can effectively burn
calories. In mild climates, try riding your bike up a steep
hill several times in a row: now that’s a workout.
Embrace nature Consider trading your indoor
treadmill for outdoor recreation. A study conducted by the Peninsula College of Medicine and Den-tistry found exercising in natural environments was associated with greater feelings of revitaliza-tion, increased energy and positive engagement. Although it can be hard to get motivated when it’s chilly outside, the fresh air will provide a better workout. Hiking is a great way to enjoy nature and get exercise at the same time. Tune up the bike and pedal around the neighborhood. Walk the dog for an extra 30 minutes each day.
These tips will help you jump common winter exer-cise barriers. Keeping off those extra pounds during the winter will prepare you well for spring and swimsuit season. And, even more important, staying active during the winter will help you feel your best all year round.
6 VILLAGER VOICE
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November 2011 7
Always check the specific recipe, but Thanksgiving recipes in general have plenty of make-ahead possibilities. Little steps taken ahead can really speed up putting a dish together for the big day.
1. Start with a plan. Sketch a countdown chart, noting how long each dish takes, what can be made ahead, and what has to be accomplished simultaneously.
2. Desserts components (such as sauce, crust, pie filling, or topping) can often be made at least a day ahead, if not more.
3. Bread for stuffing can be cut up the day ahead and stored in a paper bag (remember: dried out bread is good for dressings!).
4. Items for most dressings (onions, celery, mushrooms, etc.) can be cooked the day ahead and then tossed with the bread and baked on the big day.
5. Have turkey as prepped as possible (salted, even spiced and rubbed with butter, in its pan) and ready to go in the oven.
6. Most cranberry sauces can be made several days in advance.
7. Salad dressings can often be made a day ahead.
8. Wash, dry, and wrap lettuce in paper towels, and store in a plastic bag
in the fridge until ready to toss.
9. Vegetables can be chopped, cheese
grated, and spices or seasonings
measured out the day before.
10. The roux (fat and flour mixture) for gravy can be
done several hours ahead using butter. Just reheat and
add stock and pan drippings.
11. Most soups are better made a day before they’re eaten.
Thanksgiving Dinner Tips
Stuffing is a matter of preference. If you do stuff, we advise baking the stuffing and turkey separately and then placing cooked stuffing in the turkey cavity during the final 30 minutes of roasting time. Here are some additional stuffing tips:
Estimate about one cup of stuffing per pound of turkey.Stuffing your bird increases the cooking time, add about 5 to 7 minutes per pound. If you stuff your turkey, make sure you check the temperature of the stuffing and not
just the bird before serving. The stuffing must register at least 160°F before it is safe to eat.Never stuff the bird ahead of time. Stuff it just before putting in the oven.
If brining your turkey, we do not recommend stuffing it since the stuffing will absorb too much salt.If not stuffing, you can place some fresh herbs along with roughly chopped celery, onion and carrots in the cavity for added flavor.
To Stuff or Not To Stuff?
8 VILLAGER VOICE
“To be, rather than to seem.” – North Carolina State motto
In October President Obama announced a plan to give relief to people with federally backed student loans. Most of the news media reported that this new plan would save college students piles of cash.
Often not reported was the fact that the Obama administration’s ‘plan’ amounted to little more than a proposal to expedite provisions already in the law. The only truly new part of the proposal was an effort to consolidate many privately funded student loans into federally funded loans. The Atlantic magazine calculated this proposal will save the average college grad less than $10 a month.
For the average undergrad with $27,000 in student loan debt this is a far cry from relief. In fact, it masks the real problem: young people are being sold a bill of goods.
Too many young people were told that accumulating $27,000 in debt for a college degree was a good trade off for the high paying job thatwould await them upon graduation from college. Now many of grads find themselves jobless, drowning in government-backed debt and perhaps even ‘Occupying Wall Street’ in sub-freezing temperatures. Their frustration is palpable.
What gives?
High college debt is a problem, but it is a secondary problem, more of a symptom than the actual illness. The illness is two-fold. First, college
costs are out of control, and secondly, our economy is stuck in a tepid economic recovery that isn’t creating many new jobs.
Unfortunately, the Obama administration’s solution to high college debt is to address the symptom and not the illness. Consider this: federal subsidies for higher education like Pell grants have increased 475 percent in the past three decades. At the same time, college costs ballooned 439 percent. The federal government keeps throwing more money at subsidizing college for students. What happens is fairly predictable: college costs spiral out of control.
That’s why the idea of making college debt more affordable is so backwards. Easy money from the feds is driving up costs. Instead of asking the question that many conservatives are asking—“what is making college so expensive?”—many liberals in Congress too often ask, “how can we subsidize it even more?” As a result, college costs keep going up.
Theoretically, if college grads were able to find work, $27,000 in debt might not even seem so bad. But the stark fact is that many of them remain jobless. President Obama’s solution to this continued joblessness was his American Jobs Act proposal.
This proposal is a sad imitation of the 2009 stimulus bill that was supposed to keep unemployment
below 8%. Many have dubbed it “son of stimulus” although I prefer the less menacing “stimulus junior.”
It contains many of the same failed policies of the original stimulus and simply won’t do the trick to spur economic growth and private sector job creation. In fact, it languished for more than a month in the House before a single Democrat would even cosponsor it.
At the same time the House has taken a number of steps to spur economic growth and job creation, contrary to the President’s insistence that Congress hasn’t taken action. At this moment, 15 pieces of legislation that address job creation and economic growth are languishing in the Senate. Every last one passed the House with bipartisan support, many with the votes of dozens of Democrats. However, these bills remain stuck in the Senate, which is the do-nothing part of the Congress.
The truth is that young college grads with thousands in debt and the millions of Americans without work need more a new half trillion-dollar stimulus bill or a college debt plan that doesn’t begin to address the root problems facing young Americans. They need the kind of solutions like those awaiting a vote in the Senate that encourage private sector job creation.
The North Carolina state motto, “To be, rather than to seem,” has inspired the people of our great state for more than a century to confront the world and its problems with truth and action, rather than smoke and mirrors. For an administration
Results or Rhetoric?President Obama’s Words Don’t Always Match his ActionsBy Congresswoman Virginia Foxx
November 2011 9
that appears bound to governing by mirage, this motto is apt. At the end of the day most Americans know—whether they are college students, job creators or unemployed workers—results are more important than rhetoric.
Editor’s Note: U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx represents the Fifth Congressional District of North Carolina. She is chair of the House Higher Education subcommittee and also serves on the House Rules Committee. You may contact her office toll free at 1-866-677-8968 or e-mail her from her website, www.foxx.house.gov.
2011 Silver Stocking Project“Our Elders are our greatest resource.
They are the culture bearers of our community.”
Many elders in assisted living, nursing, and retirement homes are often forgotten during the holidays. Imagine being alone and without a gift or visit during the holiday season? The Silver Stocking Project is a grassroots, community-based program that delivers gifts to our elders who are without friends and family.
The Silver Stocking Project was started in 2005. With the help of volunteers, generous donors, and the Villager Voice Magazine, we have increased the number of residents and homes served every year. The number of elders served in Forsyth and Davie County increased from 138 the first year to over 600 in 2010.
Volunteers included church groups, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, civic organizations, local businesses, and individuals who adopted elders, bought them gifts from their “Wish Lists,” and spent quality time with the residents when delivering the gifts.
If you would like to help, please contact us:
TELEPHONE: (336) 766-1211email: [email protected] or [email protected]
web: honoringelders.wordpress.com andwww.villagervoice.com (Click “Honoring Our Elders”)
MOST REQUESTED GIFTS
Personal Care Items: Baby Powder, Lotion, Body Wash, Shampoo, Deodorant, Toothpaste, Kleenex, Razors, Shaving Cream, After Shave, etc.
Clothing: Socks, T-Shirts, Slippers, Gloves, Ball Caps, Lap Throws, Knit Scarves, etc.
Food: Candy (Regular & Diabetic), Fruit, Nutritional Drinks, Crackers
HELP US MAKE CHRISTMAS BRIGHTER FOR OUR SPECIAL ELDERS WHO DO NOT HAVE FAMILY OR REGULAR VISITORS!
10 VILLAGER VOICE
Too often the trend in our society is for people to be separated from either other, to be cut off from the great mass of humanity, and in doing so to be dehu-manized a little bit more with each step.
Cubicles have taken away a bit of the humanity in working, as have factories and even computers to some extent. Television has planted us firmly in our living rooms, instead of out with other people. Even movie theaters, where many people get together, cut us off from true conversation because we’re staring at a big screen.
And while I’m not railing against any of these inven-tions (except perhaps the cubicle), what we must guard against is the tendency of that individuality to have us focused on ourselves to the exclusion of our fellow human beings. The tendency towards selfish-ness rather than giving, on helping ourselves rather than helping our brothers and sisters in humanity.
I’m not saying we’re all like that, but it can happen, if we’re not careful.
So strike back against the selfishness and greed of our modern world, and help out a fellow human being today. Not next month, but today.
Helping a fellow human being, while it can be incon-venient, has a few humble advantages:
It makes you feel better about yourself. It connects you with another person, at least for a moment, if not for life. It improves the life of another, at least a little. It makes the world a better place, one little step at a time; And if that kindness is passed on, it can multiply, and multiply.
So take just a few minutes today, and do a kindness for another person. It can be something small, or the start of something big. Ask them to pay it forward. Put a smile on someone’s face.
Don’t know where to start? Here’s an extremely incom-plete list, just to get you thinking — I’m sure you can come up with thousands more if you think about it.
Smile and be friendly. Sometimes a simple little thing like this can put a smile and warm feeling in someone else’s heart, and make their day a little better. They might then do the same for others.
Call a charity to volunteer. You don’t have to go to a soup kitchen today. Just look up the number, make the call, and make an appointment to volunteer sometime in the next month. It can be whatever charity you like. Volunteering is one of the most amazing things you can do.
Donate something you don’t use. Or a whole box of somethings. Drop them off at a charity — others can put your clutter to good use.
21 Ways to Help a Fellow Human Being Today
November 2011 11
Redirect gifts. Instead of having people give you birthday or Christmas gifts, ask them to donate gifts or money to a certain charity.
Stop to help. The next time you see someone pulled over with a flat tire, or somehow in need of help, stop and ask how you can help. Sometimes all they need is a push, or the use of your cell phone.
Teach. Take the time to teach someone a skill you know. This could be teaching your grandma to use email, teaching your child to ride a bike, teaching your co-worker a valuable computer skill, teaching your spouse how to clean the darn toilet. OK, that last one doesn’t count.
Comfort someone in grief. Often a hug, a helpful hand, a kind word, a listening ear, will go a long way when someone has lost a loved one or suffered some similar loss or tragedy.
Help them take action. If someone in grief seems to be lost and doesn’t know what to do, help them do something. It could be making funeral arrangements, it could be making a doctor’s appointment, it could be making phone calls. Don’t do it all yourself — let them take action too, because it helps in the healing process.
Buy food for a homeless person. Cash is often a bad idea if it’s going to be used for drugs, but buying a sandwich and chips or something like that is a good gesture. Be respectful and friendly.
Lend your ear. Often someone who is sad, depressed, angry, or frustrated just needs someone who will lis-ten. Venting and talking through an issue is a huge help.
Help someone get active. A person in your life who wants to get healthy might need a helping hand — offer to go walking or running together, to join a gym together. Once they get started, it can have profound effects.
Do a chore. Something small or big, like cleaning up or washing a car or doing the dishes or cutting a lawn.
Show appreciation, publicly. Praising someone on a blog, in front of coworkers, in front of family, or in some other public way, is a great way to make them feel
better about themselves.
Donate food. Clean out your cup-board of canned goods, or buy a
couple bags of groceries, and donate them to a homeless shelter.
Just be there. When someone you know is in need, sometimes it’s
just good to be there. Sit with them. Talk. Help out if you can.
Be patient. Sometimes people can have difficulty understanding things, or learning to do something right. Learn to be patient with them.
Tutor a child. This might be difficult to do today, but often parents can’t afford to hire a tutor for their child in need of help. Call a school and volunteer your tutoring services.
Create a care package. Soup, reading material, tea, chocolate … anything you think the person might need or enjoy. Good for someone who is sick or otherwise in need of a pick-me-up.
Lend your voice. Often the powerless, the homeless, the neglected in our world need someone to speak up for them. You don’t have to take on that cause by yourself, but join others in signing a petition, speaking up at a council meeting, writing letters, and otherwise making a need heard.
Offer to be the babysitter. Sometimes parents need a break. If a friend or other loved one in your life doesn’t get that chance very often, call them and offer to baby-sit sometime. This would be a good time to also teach something to the children you are caring for. Set up an appointment. It can make a big difference in your life, the parents, and the child.
Love. Simply finding ways to express your love to others, whether it be your child, other family member, friend, co-worker, or a complete stranger … just express your love. A hug, a kind word, spending time, showing little kindnesses, being friendly … it all matters more than you know.
zenhabits.net
“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If
you want to be happy, practice compassion.”
- Dalai Lama
12 VILLAGER VOICE
Presenting… the leading edge in social media marketing!
Social Buzz Club is the world’s first collaborative content syn-dication site and pay-it-forward social marketing tool.
SBC where savvy social net-workers get the word out for each other so they can drive traffic, increase online sales, and build a positive widely-recog-nized reputation for themselves, as well as their clients.
The community members are highly connected social media professionals, business own-ers, online marketers, bloggers and entrepreneurs who share each others’ content to their Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn networks and also bookmark fellow members’ links. Social Buzz Club is a robust site and innovative social marketing tool which provides members shar-ing tools and buttons all in one place.
Every time a member shares he/she earns valuable points. The points system is used to ensure
that sharing is reciprocated. A member can post his/her content to the community once he/she earns enough points by sharing others’ content.
Once upon a time, two friends and social media marketing col-leagues were talking about how they could work together and help one another spread the word about their new clients. One had a new client she was working with and needed to get some exposure, the other a char-ity who was running a campaign and also needed exposure to increase donations.
The tools they had weren’t quite doing the job.
They knew that clients were no longer satisfied with the num-ber of fans and followers, it was all about return on investment (ROI). Clients wanted to see their communities in action, sending traffic to their websites, actually converting them to cus-tomers or donors.
They needed something new and innovative with a broad reach.
ZeldaSocial Media Maven
They agreed that this was a chal-lenge and thought that they prob-ably weren’t the only ones with that same challenge.
Then, they said “what if?” What if a marketing collaboration net-work could be set up comprised of professionals in the social media and online marketing space, with the sole purpose of spreading the word about each others’ businesses or clients in an authentic, positive way? This would extend the reach of the cli-ent’s message and encourage the sharing of quality content across the social media platforms.
What if it was set up so that the content can be global or local, thereby increasing the number of targeted prospects — increase ROI for the clients? Even better, what if members can share con-tent of their own, and gain expo-sure for themselves?
The idea for the social buzz club was born. You are about to access the social marketing tool that is the brainchild of this active col-laboration. Viola! success!
November 2011 13
GOING GREEN FOR THANKSGIVING
We are heading into what is likely the toughest time on our environ-ment for a number of reasons. Tons more trash; increased electricity use; astronomical fuel consumption etc. The following is tips can help green your Thanksgiving.
Travel
Thanksgiving is the most trav-eled time of the year, so it would follow that two of the significant changes we could make to help the environment is 1) stay home and 2) don’t invite anyone over. Right! It wouldn’t be the holidays if you didn’t spend it with all of your dys-functional relatives. Seriously, to preserve this sacred tradition you should travel wisely.
Consider the distance. Do you have family close by you could gather with?Maybe the long trek could become an every other year thing.Ensure your car is in efficient trav-el condition.
Decorating
Americans generate tons more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. So think twice before buying more seasonal deco-rations. Are you the kind of person that uses things over and over again? Great! But if you are like me, someone that feels the need to change things up every year, stop and think. Don’t buy, use natural things instead. Not only will you reduce what is sent to the landfill,
“Going Green” means to pursue knowledge and practices that can lead to more environmentally friendly and ecologically responsible decisions and lifestyles, which can help protect the environment and sustain its natural resources for current and future generations.
things from nature can be composted and put to good use in your garden next year. Take a walk with your kids and utilize what you find.
Centerpieces: Pumpkins and other winter squashes, Native American corn, acorns, nuts, grapes, pears, pomegranates, and apples overflow-ing from a wicker cornucopia or heaped in a wooden bowl look abun-dant and beautiful in the center of your table.Natural napkin rings: Tie napkins with raffia and tuck in a pretty fallen leaf and an acorn, etc.Simple arrangements: There is
a beautiful Zen simplicity in a perfect branch bearing colored leaves set into an earthen vase. Sometimes that’s all you need for a seasonal and dramatic focal point.Pumpkin vase: Hollow out a pumpkin and place a cup inside to hold fresh or dried flowers.Grapevine: Gather grapevines and twist them into garlands or wreaths for table, mantelpiece, doorway, or stairs. Add leaves and berries, if you like.
Setting the Table
Don’t use disposable anything. There are enough people around (and the dishwasher) that doing the dishes will not be a time con-suming chore.If you MUST buy disposable, choose paper products that are bio-degradable.If your tablecloths and cloth nap-kins are in good shape, don’t by new ones.If you have enough china, glass-ware and silverware, don’t by more.I know us non-traditionalists feel the urge to create something new by using new things, but there are other ways to change things up without increasing consumption. Just follow the 3 Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle.Shop at thrift or antique stores for tableware to reuse.If you must buy something new, ensure it is recyclable.In general, think pilgrim. They made do with very little.
14 VILLAGER VOICE
November 2011 15
have since been pub-lished, including Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, both #1 New York Times Best Sellers.
“Writing a novel in a month inspires incred-ible confidence in seasoned and first-time novelists alike,” says NaNoWriMo Program Director Lindsey Grant. “Completing a draft of the novel they’ve been contemplating for ages gives participants a tremendous sense of accomplishment and leaves them wonder-ing what else they’re capable of.”
For more information on National Novel Writing Month, or to speak to NaNoWriMo participants in your area, visit www.nanow-rimo.org. The Office of Letters and Light is a California-based inter-national non-profit orga-nization. Its programs are the largest literary events in the world. Learn more at www.lettersandlight.org
Novel fever takes the world by storm.
Symptoms include flashes of brilliance, questionable plotlines, and blatant use of mixed metaphors.
At midnight on November 1, armed only with their wits, the vague outline of a story, and a ridiculous deadline, more than 250,000 people around the world will set out to become novelists.
Why? Because November is National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, the world’s largest writing chal-lenge and nonprofit literary crusade. Participants pledge to write 50,000 words in a month, starting from scratch and reaching “The End” by November 30. There are no judges, no prizes, and entries are deleted from the server before anyone even reads them.
So what’s the point? “The 50,000-word challenge has a wonderful way of open-ing up your imagination and unleashing creativity,” says NaNoWriMo Founder and Executive Director (and 12-time NaNoWriMo win-ner) Chris Baty. “When you write for quantity instead of quality, you end up get-ting both. Also, it’s a great excuse for not doing any dishes for a month.”More than 650 regional volunteers in more than 60 countries will hold write-ins, hosting writers in coffee
shops, bookstores, and libraries. Write-ins offer a supportive environment and surprisingly effective peer pressure, turning the usually solitary act of writing into a community experience. That sense of community even extends beyond the page—so much so that several dozen marriages and at least six babies have resulted from NaNoWriMo over the years.
In a few years, those babies will surely take part in NaNoWriMo’s Young Writers Program, a version of the event geared toward kids and teens. These budding authors also benefit from a community of their peers, as well as the free resources (including lesson plans, workbooks, and a snazzy classroom kit) used by thousands of educators worldwide.Although the event emphasizes creativity and adventure over creating a literary masterpiece, more than 90 novels begun during NaNoWriMo
16 VILLAGER VOICE
Everyone loves when a family photo turns out just right, especially during the holidays when families gather together and holiday photos are abundant. Great photos capture personalities, feelings and emo-tions, and freeze memories in a time capsule.
But often, the photos you snap (espe-cially photos of little ones and large groups) don’t make the cut, aren’t “holiday card worthy” and last less than five seconds before being deleted. Since most families don’t have a resident professional photographer, here are some useful tips to help any member of the fam-ily take wonderful pictures that will be shared and saved for generations to come:
Don’t be scared to be the pa-parazzi. Keep your camera handy at all times and snap lots of photos. When your camera is always handy and you take lots of pictures, you’ll greatly improve your chances of getting the pictures you’ll love.
Lights, camera, action. If you’re taking photos outdoors, do it either early in the morning or late in the afternoon. The light tends to be richer at these times and you won’t get squinted eyes and shadows from the overhead sun. If you’re shooting indoors, see which time of day the room lights up the most and choose that time for the photo shoot.
Make sure the group is happy, comfortable and fed. If you have little ones in your group, it is espe-cially important to make sure they are rested and fed before attempting a photo shoot. Make a conscious effort to schedule family photos earlier in the day or later in the afternoon to avoid mid-day meltdowns.
Give babies a comfortable place to lounge. New-borns can be placed in a comfortable (and photo-
friendly) place like the Boppy Newborn Lounger. This pillow has a recessed interior so baby can snuggle comfortably in it while you snap away. Cover it with a white sheet for a neutral background. If you are shoot-
ing wiggly kids, try placing them in a wagon or basket to contain them in one spot and give
them a new perspective.
Be aware of the background. It’s easy to focus on a great smile
while forgetting about what might be in the background of a picture. Make sure back-grounds are simple and don’t distract from the main attrac-tion - the people.
Set the sports or child mode. If you have a large group and/
or children in your group, try using the sports or child mode
on your camera instead of the auto setting. These modes are designed
to capture clear shots of fast moving subjects and increase your odds of get-
ting a photo where everyone is smiling and has their eyes open.
When shooting little ones, get close and stay low. When taking photos of children, zoom in on their faces and make their faces fill your entire view finder. Also, it’s important to get down on your knees and shoot pictures of kids from their eye level, so you see facial expressions instead of the tops of their heads.
Enlist the help of a friend. Ask a friend to take pho-tos of your family for you so you don’t have to rely on the camera’s timer. This will help to ensure the photos aren’t too posed since your friend can engage you and your family, tell a few jokes and make funny faces to help you capture more natural photos.
Great photos capture wonderful memories. A little preparation can ensure that you will be able to share amazing photos of those you love. So, don’t be afraid to act like the paparazzi, get creative and try out new ideas.
Tips for Taking Great Family Photos
November 2011 17
As you know, the holiday season can be joyous, hectic, celebratory — and expensive. And while you certainly enjoy hosting family gatherings and giving presents to your loved ones, you’ll find these things even more pleasurable if they don’t add a lot more weight to your debt load. And that’s why you’ll want to follow some smart money-management techniques over the next few weeks. To begin with, try to establish realistic budgets for both your entertaining and your gift giving. When you host family and friends, don’t go overboard on your expenditures. Your guests will still appreciate your efforts, which, with a little creativity, can create a welcoming and fun experience for everyone. As a guiding principal, keep in mind these words attributed to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the famous German poet and philosopher: “What you can do without, do without.” Set a budget and stick to it. And the same rule applies to your gifting. You don’t need to find the most expensive presents, or overwhelm recipients with the sheer volume of your gifts. This is especially true if you, like so many people, have been affected by the tough economy. Everyone you know will understand that gifts don’t have to be lavish to be meaningful. Furthermore, by sticking to a budget, you won’t be tempted to dip into your long-term investments to pay for fabulous parties or mountains of gifts. It’s never a good idea to tap long-term investments for short-term needs, but can be especially bad when your investment prices are down, as they may well be this year.
So, if you want to stick to a budget but you don’t want to raid your investments, how can you pay for your holiday season expenses? If you can spread out your purchases, you may be able to pay for them from your normal cash flow. But if that’s not possible, you might want to consider “plastic” — your credit card. Using your credit card does not, by itself, need to amount to a financial setback, especially if you’ve chosen a card that offers favorable terms and you’ve already shown the discipline not to over-use that card. Just try to minimize your credit card usage over the holidays and pay off your card as soon as you can.
Of course, you can make your holiday season much easier, financially speaking, if you’ve set up a holiday fund to cover your various expenses. While it’s too late to set up such a fund this year, why not get an early start on the 2012 holiday season? All you need to do is put away some money each month into an easily accessible account, separate from your everyday accounts. You don’t have to put in a great deal, but you do need to be consistent, which is why you may want to have the money moved automatically, once a month, from your checking or savings account to your holiday fund. When next year’s holiday season rolls around, you might be pleasantly surprised by how much you’ve accumulated.
But for now, following some common-sense money management practices can help you get through the holiday season in financial shape — and that type of result can get your new year off to a positive start.
Editor’s Note: This article was provided by Campbell Thompson, your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, its employees and financial advisors cannot provide tax or legal advice. Please con-sult your tax or legal professional regarding your particular situation.
Manage Your Money Carefully This Holiday Season
18 VILLAGER VOICE
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November 2011 19
Agape Faith Church766-9188Bible Baptist Church778-8737Boyers Chapel Church of Christ766-6344Capernaum Church of Christ766-1516Centenary United Methodist766-5987Center Grove Baptist Church766-5727Centerpoint ARP Church624-9529Church of Christ Warner’s Chapel766-6078Church of Jesus Christ of Latter DaySaints - 766-3607Clemmons First Baptist Church766-6486Clemmons Moravian Church766-6273Clemmons Presbyterian Church766-4631Clemmons United Methodist Church766-6375
Fraternity Church of Brethren 765-0160Friends Baptist Church766-3533New Hope Presbyterian Church655-6711First Christian Church of Clemmons766-5449Harmony Grove United Methodist Church - 712-0057Hickory Grove AME Zion766-5142Holy Family Catholic Church766-8133Immanuel Baptist Church766-0082 St Clemont’s Episcopal Church766-4323Church of Jesus Christ of Latter DaySaints - 766-3608River Oaks Community Church766-0033Total Victory Out Reach712-0403Union Hill Baptist Church766-8317Victory Baptist Church- 766-7071West Haven Baptist -712-1661
Crossbound Community Church336-776-7574
Community Church DirectoryClemmons
Concord United Methodist Church945-3134Harmony Grove Methodist Church712-0057Family Tabernacle946-0480Grace Baptist Church945-4219Grapevine Baptist Church945-6195Lewisville United Methodist Church945-3203Lewisville Baptist Church945-3706Lewisville UMC945-3203New Hope AME Zion Church945-9083Shallowford Presbyterian Church766-3178Sharon UMC945-5386Shiloh Lutheran Church945-5255Sunrise UMC712-8000Temple Baptist Church945-3944Trinity Friends Church945-2944Union UMC945-3134Unity Moravian Church945-3801
Calvary Baptist765-5542Pine Grove United Methodist Church765-2569West Side Baptist Church768-4073
Advance First Baptist Church998-6302Advance United Methodist Church998-7750Bethlehem United Methodist Church998-5083
Blaise Baptist Church - 751-3639Cooleemee First Baptist284-2626Cornatzer Baptist Church
Episcopal Church of the Ascension998-0857Eagle Heights Church751-4442Fork Baptist Church
Freedom Baptist Church998-5294Green Meadows Baptist Church998-3022Hillsdale Baptist Church940-6618Hillsdale UMC998-4020Holy Cross Lutheran Church751-5919Hope Moravian Church765-8017
Macedonia Moravian Church998-4394Mocks United Methodist998-5518
Redland Holiness998-4226
Turrentine Baptist Church998-2366
Bixby Presbyterian Church - 998-6813
998-8403Cornatzer United Methodist Church998-0687Cornerstone Christian - 998-0600Elbaville United Methodist Church 998-8117
998-8306
Jerusalem Baptist Church 336-284-2328
Piney Grove UMC998-7313Redland Church of Christ998-3918
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church(336) 751-2973
Yadkin Valley Baptist Church 998-4331
Lewisville Advance/Mocksville
Other
20 VILLAGER VOICE
299 Jonestown RoadWinston-Salem, NC 27104
(336) 293-6371
www.osorestaurantgroup.com
HOURSMon-Thur: 11 am-9 pm
Friday: 11 am-10 pmSaturday: 4 pm-10 pm
Food Done o’So good!
The Very Best in Home Cooked Food!
Duke’sRestaurant
OPEN FOR BREAKFAST & LUNCHMonday-Saturday
6:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.CLOSED ON SUNDAYS
4875 Country Club Road, Winston-SalemORDERS TO GO: 768-3108A Nice Place to Eat
Serving Our Community Since 1968!
2251 Cloverdale AvenueWinston-Salem, NC
(336) 725-4701www.cloverdalekitchen.com
Southern
Family Restaurant
4689 Yadkinville RoadPfafftown, NC 27040
(336) 922-4784
HOURSMon - Fri: 11 AM - 9 PM
Sat: 4 PM - 9 PMSun: 11 AM - 2:30 PM
Southern
Family Restaurant
4689 Yadkinville RoadPfafftown, NC 27040
(336) 922-4784
HOURSMon - Fri: 11 AM - 9 PM
Sat: 4 PM - 9 PMSun: 11 AM - 2:30 PM
Omega HouseFamily Restaurant
Open7 AM - 2 PM
Thanksgiving & Christmas
1498 Peters Creek Parkway Winston-Salem, NC
(336) 724-5262
November 2011 21
PETE’S Family Restaurant
2661 Lewisville-Clemmons
Rd.
Clemmons, NC
NOW SERVING
BREAKFASTMon-Sat
6:00 am - 11:00 amCheck out ourDaily Specials!
Festive Feta Cheese Ball Recipe
Ingredients2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese2 teaspoons ranch salad dressing mix1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon1/2 teaspoon dill weedAssorted crackersDirectionsIn a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add feta cheese and dressing mix; mix well. Shape into a ball.In a small bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese, bacon and dill weed; roll cheese ball in Parmesan mixture. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm. Serve with crackers. Yield: 2 cups.
Calico Cheese Dip Recipe
Ingredients4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained4 green onions, sliced3 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced1/2 cup minced fresh parsley1 envelope Italian salad dressing mixTortilla chipsDirectionsIn a large bowl, beat together the cheese, chilies, olives, onions, tomatoes and parsley until blended.Prepare salad dressing mix according to package directions; pour over cheese mixture and mix well. Serve immediately with tortilla chips. Yield: 6 cups.
TRY THESE EASY AND DELICIOUS
APPETIZERS FOR THANKSGIVING
Marinated Cheese Recipe
Ingredients2 blocks (8 ounces each) white cheddar cheese2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, soft-ened3/4 cup chopped roasted sweet red peppers1/2 cup olive oil1/4 cup white wine vinegar1/4 cup balsamic vinegar3 tablespoons chopped green onions3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley2 tablespoons minced fresh basil1 tablespoon sugar3 garlic cloves, minced1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon pepperToasted sliced French bread or assorted crackersDirectionsSlice each block of cheddar cheese into twenty 1/4-in. slices. Cut each block of cream cheese into 18 slices; sandwich between cheddar slices, using a knife to spread evenly. Create four 6-in.-long blocks of cheese; place in a 13-in. x 9-in. dish.In a small bowl, combine the roasted peppers, oil, vinegars, onions, herbs, sugar, garlic, salt and pepper; pour over cheese.Cover and refrigerate overnight, turning once. Drain excess marinade. Serve cheese with bread or crackers. Yield: about 2 pounds.
22 VILLAGER VOICE
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November 2011 23
ClemmonsApplebee’s - 712-1063
Bagels & Brew - 766-9688
Big Shotz - 712-1883
Biscuitville - 766-7768
Bojangles - 778-0414
Brick Oven - 766-4440
Burger King - 766-0205
Chang Thai - 778-0388
Cherries Café - 766-4088
CIMARRON - 712-4689
Clemmons Kitchen - 766-4671
Cozumel Mexican - 778-0300
Cracker Barrel - 712-9880
Dominos Pizza - 766-0566
Donatos Pizza - 712-3300
Full Moon Oyster Bar - 723-4224
Grecian House - 766-8444
I Bambini Italian - 778-1838
IHOP - 766-8650
Illianos Italian - 712-1059
Kentucky Fried Chicken - 766-8630
Kimono Japanese - 766-6261
Lees Chinese - 712-0002
Little Richard 's BBQ - 766-0401
Lotus Express - 712-2487
Mario 's Pizza - 778-2002
Mandarin Chinese - 712-1009
Mi Pueblo - 766-7612
McDonalds - 766-6509
Monte De Rey-766-5750
Mossy's Eats - 766-7045
Mountain Fried Chicken - 712-9311
o’So Eats - (336) 293-6371
Panera Bread - 766-3898
Pete 's Family Restaurant - 766-6793
Quizno's Subs - 766-0794
Ronni 's Restaurant - 766-5822
Ruby Tuesdays - 766-3463
Salem Glen CC - 712-0303
Sonic Drive-In - 712-9710
Subway - 766-3016
Time To Eat - 712-1050
Waffle House - 766-9691
Wendy 's - 766-8417
Zaxby’s - 766-6747
Lewisville
Advance/Mocksville
ALEX”s Grill & Ice Cream - 946-1712
Casanova's - 946-2407
China Wok - 945-6228
Ciccones - 945-46191
Liberty Restaurant - 945-4409
Pizza Hut - 778-2118
Subway - 945-6445
West Town Café - 945-3348
Ari’s - 751-5428
Captain’s Galley - 940-6868
Ciccones - 998-7731
Dominos (Kinderton) - 998-2000
Dominos (Mocksville) - 751-3232
Jimmy the Greek - 940-2010
La Carreta - 753-1224
Marco’s Pizza - 753-1113
Moe’s Burgers - 753-0333
Miller's Restaurant - 751-2621
Sagebrush - 936-0021
Snooks Bar-B-Que - 998-4305
Subway - Kinderton - 998-3221
Zeko’s Italian - 751-6161
Winston-Salem
Yadkin
Bernadin’s Fine Dining - 768-9365
Big Shotz Tavern - 727-4490
Bleu Restaurant & Bar - 760-2060
Carriage House - 765-8020
Cloverdale Kitchen - 725-4701
Diamondback Grill - 722-0006
Dukes Restaurant - 768-3108
El Dorado Mexican -
Grill-Ville Family - 788-7282
Kimono Japanese - 774-9777
Kotta Japanese - 768-2333
Mario’s Pizza - 768-0057 (Hanes Mall Blvd)
602-1410 (Cloverdale)
Olive Tree - 723- 4224
Olde Orchard Diner - 650-1612
Omega House (Peters Creek) - 724-5262
Paul’s Fine Italian Dining - 768-2645
Qdoba Mexican Grill - 724-9873 245-2900
Rotisserie Factory - 725-7071
Sakura - 777-SUSHI
Southern Family - 922-4784
Stratford Station Grill - 659-1583
Sushi Thai - 765-7890
Tumeric Indian Restaurant - 794-8282
TJ 's Deli (Country Club)- 760-0488
The Cotton Mill - 725-1112
West End Café - 723-4774
Century Kitchen - 336-699-4455
The German Restaurant - 336-463-3330
Old Stage Grille - 463-5555
Yadkin Plaza Restaurant - 679-3388
760-3936
Grill-Ville Family Restaurant902 E Sprague St
788-7282“Home-Style Cooking”
Kimono Japanese Restaurant
RESTAURANT GUIDEPete’s Now
Serving Breakfast!
766-6261996-8863774-9777731-7510
Clemmons KernersvilleWinston-SalemWelcome
24 VILLAGER VOICE
Raptors soar gracefully in the wind; vegetation reaches to the sky; sheer vertical cliffs drop 150 feet. Enjoy the spectacle from a front-row seat. High atop Crowders Mountain, the second high-est point in Gaston County, views stretch for more than 25 miles.
For a closer view of nature’s marvels, walk the park’s many miles of trails. The gently rolling landscape of the North Carolina Piedmont offers a variety of terrain. Dip into the valleys; cross the foothills; climb to the peaks. Quiet woods, trick-ling streams and melodious birds await. These spectacular surroundings, like the unique habitats in many other state parks, would not exist were it not for the efforts of concerned citizens dedicated to protecting our environment.
The annual Fur, Fangs and Feathers Fall Fes-tival will be November 12 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Featured this year are live raptors, live music, free games, food, Smokey the Bear, nature arts & crafts, the Smokehouse, educational programs, and much, much more! Come join the fun. You can build a bird-house, take a hike, make a leaf print & play Buggy Bingo too!
There will be free ranger-led programs, live music, and live animals from the Carolina Raptor Center and The Schiele Museum of Natural History! New this year is Catawba Indian dancing! Come rain or shine; the Festival is free and open to all to enjoy a beauti-ful fall day at the park with family and friends.Call the office for more information. Don’t miss the fun this year, but arrive early, parking is limited.
Address: 522 Park Office Lane, Kings Mountain, NC28086GPS coordinates: 35.213316, -81.293555Office Phone: (704) 853-5375
DAY TRIPPINGFur, Fangs and Feathers Fall Festival
November 2011 25
Bring dramatic improvement in your spirit, relation-ships, creativity, and in your life by trying the practice of thinking thoughts of thankfulness. With record unemployment, home foreclosures, and a financial market meltdown, it may feel like a tough time to be thankful. Yet “practicing thankfulness is one of the most powerful ways of thinking to bring about a change in our circumstances,” says Mary J. Lore, author of the award-winning book Managing Thought: How Do Your Thoughts Rule Your World?
Founder and Presi-dent of Managing Thought ( www.managingthought.com ), Lore con-ducts workshops across North America to help individuals and organizations de-velop self-aware-ness and change how they think to attain long-lasting success.
“During difficult times, we may find ourselves struggling with thoughts of fear, self-doubt, anger, frustration, anxiety, depression, and despair. These kinds of thoughts do not inspire you nor do they move you in a direction that serves your purpose -- in fact, they make matters worse.”
Thankfulness, on the other hand, is one of the quick-est and most powerful ways to create a change in our circumstances. Lore says being thankful raises us to a new level of consciousness, giving us the ability to see possibilities, discover what we truly want, receive ideas on what to do next, and realize a vision for the future.
How to Be Thankful ... Even in Difficult Times
“What we think is a matter of choice. It is up to us to choose powerful thoughts that move us in a direction that serves our purpose,” advocates Lore. “Powerful thoughts bring us peace and inspire us. Thoughts of thankfulness, vision, purpose and possibility are power-ful thoughts.”
Lore offers advice to practice thinking thoughts of thankfulness. Lore says that practicing just one of these things brings dramatic improvement in your spirit, rela-
tionships, creativity, and in your life.
-- List everything you are thank-ful for, espe-cially things you are unhappy about. If we hold contempt for anything we wish to change, we block our ability to change it.
-- At the end of each day, think of everything
you are thankful for from that day.
Our spirits are lifted when we are apprecia-
tive of even the smallest things.
-- Throughout the day, take note of what you are thank-ful for and be thankful for each experience.
-- When you catch yourself thinking self-defeating thoughts, take a deep breath, first exhaling deeply, and ask yourself “What can I be thankful for in this mo-ment?”
-- See what happens.
26 VILLAGER VOICE
What’ s Happening?
Nov 12 - 2011 Walk For Wishes at Tanglewood Park: Walk For Wishes is a unique opportunity in which you, along with your friends and family, can put magic in motion by participating in an event that will raise funds and awareness for Make-A-Wish. The fun begins at 2 PM with games and a chance to meet Santa, the actual two-mile walk through the "Festival of Lights" will begin at dark. You have the power to help grant wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions. For more information, visit www.2011walkforwishestanglewood.kintera.org.
Nov 12 - Shops At Old Salem Holiday Open House: The shops at Old Salem Museums & Gardens (including Winkler Bakery) are hosting the annual Holiday Open House with special music, food sampling (jams, pickles, wine, and more), craft demonstrations, authors/book signings, storytelling, vendors, shopping and more. The Trinity Moravian Church Bell Choir will perform Christmas music. St. Nicholas will visit, and Mrs. Claus will tell Christmas stories. For more information, visit www.oldsalem.org.
If you would like to have your event listed, email us at [email protected].
Nov 12 - Furr Ball Unleashed! An Event 70 Years In The Making! You are invited to the Forsyth Humane Society's 70th Anniversary Celebration! Live and Silent Auction /Dinner and Dancing featuring The PLAIDS from 6-12 PM at the The Millenium Center in downtown Winston-Salem. For more information, visit www.forsythhumane.org.
Nov 12 - Mocks Church's Famous Country Ham and Tenderloin Breakfast: Eat in or take out country ham, tenderloin, eggs, grits, sausage gravy, biscuits, and beverage. The breakfast is sponsored by the United Methodist Men at Mock's UMC in Advance. All proceeds to benefit the ministries and projects of the UMM. Everyone is Welcome!
Nov 17 - “Taste Of The South” Returns for it's 3rd Year on Thursday, November 17, 5:30 8:30 PM. This year's Honorary Co-Chairs are Virginia Newell and Mayor Allen Joines. Live Music, Southern Cuisine, and NC Wines are featured at Authoring Action's Fundraising Event at the Milton Rhodes Arts Center in downtown Winston-Salem. Tickets are $25 per person and are currently on sale at Camino Bakery on 4th Street and at www.AuthoringAction.org Reservations are encouraged by calling (336) 749-1317. Tickets include live bands,silent auction, southern cuisine tasting from local restaurants, and one glass of wine or beer. Participating restaurants are: Nobles, Bibbs, Big Mama's, Breakfast of Course, Finnegan's Wake, Dewey's, Sweet Potatoes, and Mozelle's. Beer and wine provided by: Foothills Brewing Co., Cellar 4201, Raffaldini and RayLen Vineyards. Live Entertainment will feature renowned local bands including: Keith Byrd, Charles Burns, and Chris Murrell playing jazz, R&B, and beach music; and the southern folk sounds of The Holly Creek Girls. The event will also include a silent auction featuring an array of local art, entertainment packages, and much more. Proceeds will benefit Authoring Action (A2), a non-profit creative writing and spoken word academic enrichment and outreach organization. A2's teen programs are designed to empower and develop youth, grow new community leaders, redefine learning through the arts and ultimately build social capital and strengthen community.
Every Tuesday-Scrabble at Barns and Noble: You are invited to join us for Scrabble playat Barns and Noble book store on Hanes Mall Blvd. from 5:30-9 PM every Tuesday evening. Scrabble playing has been an on-going event for 7 years. For more information or to join the fun, call Maria Mason at (336) 766-8509.
November 2011 27
What’ s Happening?
If you would like to have your event listed, email us at [email protected].
2011 Holidays for the Troops Care Package Collection Drive
The North Carolina Branch of Give2theTroops announces the 2011 Holidays for the Troops Care Package Collection Drive. Holiday decorations, foods, cards, holiday CDs and DVDs, and gifts for deployed military are being collected and sent in care boxes to troops serving in combat areas. Items will be collected until November 30, 2011 and can be shipped or delivered to us here in Greenville NC. Our branch expects to ship about 800 packages, with each package containing enough items for 12-20 members to share. Financial contributions are also needed to help with postage costs which will be about $18,000. We need to start receiving donations and shipping soon to ensure our troops, especially in remote areas, receive your holiday boxes before Christmas. This is an excellent opportunity for churches, businesses, schools, and families to show their appreciation for the bravery and sacrifices of our military personnel. For more information, call Barbara Whitehead at (252) 321-8227 or visit www.Give2thetroops.org.
The NC Branch of Give2theTroops is a part of the national organization that serves all branches of the military serving in combat zones. Since December 2002, we've supported approximately ONE
MILLION deployed US troops with loving care packages and letters from all over the nation. This was made possible only with the help of tens of thousands of generous and patriotic friends in the US and abroad. To date, we've sent more than 117,000 enormous boxes and more than 40 million letters and cards from caring citizens. This is the least we can do to show our troops how much we care about them. Our troops need to know that we support and appreciate the sacrifices they make for us, our families, and our future. This is about giving back to those who give all.™
Beginning November 19, 2011 through January 1, 2012, Tanglewood's rolling countryside will be transformed into a winter wonderland of giant snowflakes and whimsical scenes! Entering our 20th season, Tanglewood's Festival of Lights continues to be one of the largest and most spectacular light shows in the entire southeast. This year, we have added more display scenes, as well as change out most of our existing bulbs to brighter LED lights for your enjoyment. We are so excited for you to join us this year in celebration of our 20th anniversary! From storybook scenes to Holiday themes, over one hundred displays and over a million lights fill Tanglewood Park with the entire splendor and joy of the Holiday season.
28 VILLAGER VOICE
Roasted Butternut Squash Soupwith Curry
Ingredients3 to 4 pounds butternut squash, peeledand seeded2 yellow onions2 McIntosh apples, peeled and cored3 tablespoons olive oilKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper2 to 4 cups chicken stock1/2 teaspoon curry powder
For the Condi-ments:Scallions trimmed and sliced diago-nallyFlaked sweet-ened coconut, lightly toastedRoasted salted cashews, toasted and choppedDiced bananaDirectionsPreheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the butternut squash, onions and apples in 1-inch cubes. Place them on a sheet pan and toss with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Divide the squash mixture between 2 sheet pans and spread it in a single layer. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, until very tender.
Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock to a simmer. When the vegetables are done, put them through a food mill fitted with the medium blade.
(Alternatively, you can place the roasted vegetables in batches in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add some of the chicken stock and coarsely pu-ree.) When all of the vegetables are processed, place them in a large pot and add enough chicken stock to make a thick soup. Add the curry powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Taste
for seasonings to be sure there’s enough salt and pepper to bring out the curry flavor. Reheat and serve hot with condiments either on the side or on top of each serving.Recipe from Barefoot Contessa
Caramel Apple Cake3 cups all-purpose flour1 1/3 cups sugar, plus 1/4 cup for the apples1 1/2 teaspoons ground pumpkin pie spice blend
2 teaspoons baking powder1/2 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon fine salt4 large golden delicious apples, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped 3 large eggs1/2 cup vegetable oil1/2 cup sour creamFinely grated zest from 1 orangeJuice of 1 orange (about 1/3 cup)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Caramel Glaze:1/2 cup sugar1 tablespoon light corn syrup2 tablespoons water1/2 cup heavy cream3/4 cup pe-cans, toasted and roughly chopped1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extractPinch saltSpecial equip-
ment: 10 cup bundt panDirectionsPreheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter and flour the bundt pan.
Whisk the flour, 1 1/3 cup of the sugar, 1 teaspoon of the pie spice, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Toss the apples with the remain-ing 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 tea-spoon pie spice and set aside.
Whisk the eggs and oil together in another bowl. Whisk in the
Great Fall Recipes
November 2011 29
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sour cream, orange zest and juice, and vanilla. Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon just until combined but still a bit lumpy. Using a slotted spoon, scat-ter about 1/2 cup of the apples in the bottom of the bundt pan. Put about 1/3 of the batter on top. Repeat, alternat-ing with the remaining apples and batter, ending with the batter.
Bake the cake until it pulls away for the sides of the pan and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool 10 minutes and invert onto a rack placed over a baking sheet. Cool. (The cake can be pre-pared to this point a day ahead.)
To make the caramel: Stir the sugar, corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, swirling the pan but not stirring, until the sugar is dark amber-colored caramel, about 15 minutes. Pull pan from the heat and carefully pour in the cream (take care it will splatter). Stir in the pecans, vanilla, and salt. Cool until caramel becomes thick and syrupy, then evenly pour over the cake and cool until set.
Cook’s Note: We like to bake this cake the day before we serve it so the flavors and texture ripen. If you bake it a day ahead glaze with the caramel the day you plan to serve it.
Butternut Squash with Walnuts and VanillaINGREDIENTS1 butternut squash, about 2 pounds, peeled, seeds removed, flesh cut into 1-inch cubes (see how to cut and peel a butternut squash)3 bay leaves (if boiling the squash)Salt1 heaping cup of walnuts (can substi-tute pecans or pine nuts)2-3 Tbsp butter2 teaspoons grated ginger1-2 teaspoons vanilla extractLemon juice1/2 teaspoon dried thymeBlack pepper to taste
1 If roasting Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat the cubed squash with a little vegetable oil and spread out onto a baking tray. Sprinkle with salt and
roast until the cubes begin to brown, about 20 minutes. Re-move from oven.2 Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and toast the walnuts. Stir frequently or they will burn. Once they they start to brown, and you can smell the aroma of toasted walnuts, remove from heat.3 Melt the butter in the pan with the walnuts over medium-high heat. Toss the walnuts to coat with butter, then add the squash. Toss them to coat with butter.4 Add the grated ginger, vanilla extract, black pepper, a little salt and dried thyme and toss once more. Turn off the heat and squeeze some lemon juice over everything. Taste for salt and lemon and add more to taste.
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No one loves the Christmas season any more than I—nor advocates any more strongly for Christians to vigorously embrace Halloween as an opportunity to share the love of Christ by being generous with our candy! Nevertheless, I am increasingly chagrined by our growing tendency to completely overlook the holiday which falls between these other two: Thanksgiving!
Once a significant part of our national life, in recent years, Thanksgiving has been all-but-forgotten—as we scarcely seem to put away the last pumpkin before planting a Christmas tree squarely in its place! The only pilgrims most of us will see this month are the ones already streaming into Wal-Mart and the
mall, trying to get a jump on the mad rush of the holiday shopping season!
We might pause just long enough to carve a turkey on the fourth Thursday of this month—but the REAL turkeys are those of us who fail to take time to count our many blessings and acknowledge the God Who’s given them!
So concerned am I by our tendency to overlook the Lord’s blessings—and our failure to thank Him for them—that I’ve made it a practice in our own church prayer meetings that we won’t take prayer requests without first pausing to enumerate and share at least a few of the Lord’s many gifts, praising Him for His goodness before deigning to ask Him for anything else!As such, it seems fitting that I use
this space at least this one month out of the year to reflect on my Father’s many gifts and blessings in my own life—and to thank and praise Him for them in as public a forum as possible. Toward that end, five things spring readily to mind. (In truth, an exhaustive listing of His blessings in my life would require far more pages than this magazine presents—but considerations of time and space confine me to just five that stand out most prominently.)
First of all, I thank and praise God for the circumstances of my birth—in allowing me to be born into this land of unprecedented and unparalleled privilege and prosperity. I, for one, am unspeakably grateful to be the citizen of a nation which places equal emphasis on and stock in both freedom and faith.
By Rev. Christopher E. Burcham
The Forgotten Holiday
November 2011 31
It’s easy for us to lose sight of and take for granted the fact that few people in the long history of the world have enjoyed anything close to what we do in this country. The average American enjoys a level of material comfort unknown to all but the wealthiest in many of the world’s societies and even the poorest among us is still subject to a standard of living which would be almost unimaginable to a significant part of the world’s population living in infinitely greater squalor and need. And, while far too few of us exercise the religious freedoms granted us by our founders, neither do we face a firing squad—for choosing either to worship OR to abstain from the same.
Secondly, I thank and praise God for giving me to a family (wise and godly parents, in particular) who loved me and not only gave me every advantage possible in this life, but did all that they could to nurture and instill in me a vibrant faith which would prepare me for the next!
Thirdly, I thank and praise God for allowing me the rare opportunity to do something with my life which I not only enjoy but which has eternal significance. Someone has said that “if you truly love
what you do, then you’ll never work another day in your life.” I am blessed to be one of those rarest of individuals: not only have I never had to dread and endure work simply as a means of securing the paycheck necessary to my continued survival, I experience such great joy and fulfillment in my vocation that I would practically pay for the privilege!
Most of us struggle with the eventual realization that precious little of our work—even that which seems relatively important now—will live on after us, for more than a few years at best. Yet as one entrusted with the privilege of pointing others to Christ, I have the satisfaction of engaging in efforts that will impact eternity!
Fourthly, I would be remiss indeed if I did not take this opportunity to thank and praise God for my dear wife, Amanda—one of His most precious and unexpected gifts to me. Having spent the first forty years of my life without her, I can attest to what an invaluable help and partner she has become to me in these last four years—but can scarcely even begin to describe the immeasurable joy and sense of fun she brings to my life on a daily basis! I am indeed blessed to be allowed to make this journey with such a delightful
companion, whom I have grown to love even more than life itself.
Finally, I must thank and praise God for the greatest of all possible blessings—and that is, without question, the privilege of knowing JESUS, His only Son! Eternity itself is not long enough for me to express my gratitude for the salvation and eternal life He has so freely shared with me, undeserving as I am. Not only on Thanksgiving, but on each and every day of my very blessed life, I pause to thank Him for this finest of all His gifts—which renders the greatest of all holiday celebrations here in this life only the tiniest glimpse or foretaste of something infinitely greater in the life that is yet-to-come!
How about you? For whom or what are YOU most thankful?
The Bible tells us, after all (in James 1:17), that every good gift is ultimately from above, coming down to us from God our Father. Have you thanked Him lately for His innumerable gifts and blessings to YOU?Editor’s Note: Rev. Christopher Burcham is Senior Pastor of Union Hill Baptist Churchs. Visit unionhillbaptistchurch.org to learn more.
Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation,
sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return. Truly appreciate those around you,
and you’ll soon find many others around you. Truly appreciate life, and you’ll find that you have more of it.
Ralph Marston
32 VILLAGER VOICE
At this point you have so much invested that you’re no longer willing to walk away. So you agree. Maybe you even split the difference.
There’s BUMP #2.
This game can continue round after round through the price negotiation, to the trade appraisal, to the credit approval, to the add-ons. In the end, much like a casino, the house
always wins. When you spot the bump and grind routine going on, that’s a sure bet that you’ll wind up paying more than you wanted to.
Here’s how you can avoid the bump and grind scam. For starters, you may want to indicate the fact that you’re wise to typical car dealer games. Explain that you don’t think they’re THAT kind of dealer, but that you’ll be on the look out nevertheless. Another surefire way to end the bump and grind cycle is to negotiate directly with the sales manager. By doing that, you’ll effectively shut down their negotiating engine and they’ll be forced to deal with old fashioned face-to-face
selling. That’s what you deserve!
About The Author: Tracy Myers is a car dealership owner, author, speaker & entrepreneur. He has been featured on NBC, ABC & CBS affiliates across the country & recently released his #1 best-selling book titled “Uncle Frank Sez”, available at www.TracyMyers.com. Contact Tracy at [email protected]
The salesperson disappears for 10 minutes or so. He says he’s going to go talk to his manager. In my experience, this means he’s going to take a coffee break, a restroom break, a TV break, or a smoke break. He may talk to his manager, but it will most likely be to tell a joke or talk about last night. All the while, you’re sitting there believing he’s in the office “grinding” away for your benefit trying to work
out the best price.You may even think to yourself that you’re a great negotiator and really have these guys working for your business. Think again!
A few minutes go by and he comes back to where you’re waiting. “Ahh shucks,” he says. “I thought $200 would do it, but I guess I was being a little optimistic, it’s gotta be more like $500 or the boss won’t even consider it.”
Beat The Dealer - How Not To Get Ripped Off When Buying A Used Car-Part 2By Tracy E. Myers, CMD – The Nation’s Premier Automotive Solutions Provider
Last month, I started a new series warning about the most common scams the “bad guys” like to pull so you can be on the look out when car shopping. Let’s continue with common scam #2.
The Bump and Grind
This little gem is a classic “negotiating” tactic used in car dealerships across the country and probably the world. It goes something like this: You finally find the vehicle you’re looking for and you decide to make an offer. In your mind the offer is a little low – but still seems fair. You’re willing to move a little bit, but don’t want to show your cards.
So you present your offer to the salesperson. He shakes is head and explains that he’s on your side, of course, but he thinks he might get fired if he went to his manager with your offer. He goes on to ponder the situation and decides that if you would just increase your offer by a little bit – maybe $200 – he thinks he could take it to his manager.
Being the reasonable person you are you agree to increase your offer by $200. Heck, you were willing to pay a little more anyway!
That’s BUMP #1
Now comes the grind.
November 2011 33
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34 VILLAGER VOICE
SURVIVAL TIPS from the Carolina Survivalist
Winter Camping Tips
9. Take special care of your car keys if you have driven to a trailhead to go winter camping. Your car is your lifeline back to civilization and safety. And make sure it is in good condi-tion and always starts promptly.
10. Don’t rely on trail markers to find your way - snow on tree trunks may obscure them.
11. Drink enough water. We tend to ignore this in cold weather, as we associate drinking water with heat and cooling down.
12. Fatty foods are important. It is hard to keep warm in the winter on a vegetarian diet.
13. Remember that it gets dark a lot earlier in the winter. Plan accordingly.
14. A side effect of this is that you must deal with boredom due to the long winter nights.15. Also be sure to have ade-quate flashlights. Even if you don’t wish to use them (a useful exercise is to try to do without light as much as possible), they may prove to be critical in an emergency.16. Don’t rely on building a snow shelter. Bring a tent in case you can’t get a decent shelter made.17. If you are
new to winter camping take it easy at first. Don’t embark on a weeklong off-trail expedition until you have some experience under your belt.
18. Be aware of the dangers of warm (above freezing) weather while winter camping - every-thing can get wet, and you can get hypothermic much sooner than you realize - the warmth will fool you.
19. Snowshoes are, generally speaking, more versatile than skis, unless all of your travel will be on frozen lakes.
Info provided by Walter Muma.
www.carolinasurvivalist.com
1. Remember that in the winter you can usu-ally stop and make a fire almost any-where.
2. Always carry a lighter or matches with you, as well as some tinder (paper or dry shredded bark, etc). The heat of your hand will “activate” the lighter (they don’t work well when cold).
3. Keep in mind natural fire starter mate-rial that you can use: birch bark, cedar bark, thin twigs.
4. Non-natural fire starter materi-als include toilet paper, news-paper, notepaper. Carry some with you at all times.
5. Practice getting a good hot fire going before you have to.
6. Keeping dry and sheltered are two key things to keep in mind.
7. Don’t try to be a survival pur-ist until you have mastered the techniques. Cold weather is no time to fool around and be arrogant or over confident.
8. Don’t rely on following your footprints back out from wher-ever you are camped. They can get snowed over or blown in.
November 2011 35
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36 VILLAGER VOICE
These last few weeks I have been thinking a lot about the concept of comfort and comfortable. And, as is usually the case, the more I muse, the more things about the subject seem to show up. Here are just a few references. I remember a friend ‘s mother’s old wood stove called “Home Comfort.” There is, for tipplers, “Southern Comfort.” We need comfortable clothing; most of us probably have a favorite sweater, robe, or shoes. When I was working for pay, I could not wait to get out of stockings and into some “sweats.” Yesterday I bought some shoes and it took some adjustments for them to feel comfortable, to fit. We use the term “comfortable as an old shoe.”
When we receive friends and guests, we immediately want to make them comfortable, at ease by offering them a cup of coffee, tea or glass of wine. When I travelled last week one bed was very comfortable, another gave me a
“crick” in the neck. In work situations, we think of successful people who are comfortable in their roles. They have mastered the requirements of the job. Even in sports, we hear references to players being comfortable at a different position or with a coach’s new system. At the grocery store my eye catches the cover of the newest magazine issue on “Comfort Foods.” I imagine everyone has food items which seem to provide comfort. These may be foods from childhood with pleasant memories. A trip to the Moravian festival a few weeks ago gave me an opportunity to eat a fried apple pie, a nostalgic treat from my childhood.
What are your favorites? Since I like many foods, it is hard for me to pin down my most comforting foods. I suppose I would say it would be some type soup and peanut butter; some folks would say hot chocolate or cocoa, grilled cheese sandwich, ice cream, chocolate. Since the economy is effecting most all of us, on menus I am seeing more pot
SENIOR
MUSINGS
ONCOMFORT
By Nancy M. Hall
November 2011 37
roast and veggies, meat loaf, and chicken and dumplings. Unfortunately, many of us have at one time or another used food to comfort ourselves too long or too often to the detriment of our overall health. More and more I hear people being exhorted to leave their “comfort zone” and to “think outside the box.” Ever since I have been paying special attention to the workings of the brain and how we can maintain good brain health, it seems each day I read something else that is supposed to enhance brain health; the latest thing I read is that learning two, not one new languages will enhance brain health. All the literature reporting brain research I have read indeed recommends that we keep learning, that we try new things, even do the usual tasks in a different way. One wag has called this the need to “break the cognitive egg!” Hey, we are talking discomfort here!
Lastly, we know that life events propel us out of
our comfort zone, our way of being, our routines. Dealing with the illness and/or death of a loved one not only causes us to feel uncomfortable, but uprooted. It causes us to long for what has been comfortable.
So there is a tension between maintaining a comfort level that feels good and having that “cognitive egg” scrambled too much. We have a choice about being comfortable to the extent of being in a rut or taking the opportunity to do something out of the ordinary that might mean excitement, fun, challenge, growth. How comfortable are you? Oh, I am declaring November the “comfort month,” because of the wonderful experience of Thanksgiving! Have a good one.
I am [email protected].
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Any nation that thinks more of its ease and comfort than its freedom will soon lose its freedom; and the ironical thing about it is that it
will lose its ease and comfort too.W. Somerset Maugham
38 VILLAGER VOICE
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November 2011 39
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40 VILLAGER VOICE
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