Lexington Woman Magazine

CELEBRATING, MOTIVATING, AND EDUCATING Real WOMEN

TM

True SISTERLY

LOVE Kayla Stevens talks to us about stepping up to the plate for her siblings after tragedy struck

SUPER KIDS Lexington is home to countless young people who inspire us!

VOL 6, NO 1COMPLIMENTARY

The McCrary Family’sExperience with TYPE 1 DIABETES

My Daughter’s DiagnosisMy Daughter’s Diagnosis

�www.lexingtonwomanonline.com

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFLori Samples Duncan ([email protected])

MEDIA REPRESENTATIVESTheresa AdamsCathy Williams

[email protected]

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSLaban ChappellAmy Devore

Lori Samples DuncanDr. Amy Rawl Epps

Tammy FerrisAshley Ford

Mayor Randy HalfacreAshby JonesPatti Mack

Beth McCraryTripp Newsome

Mark RadinMandy Rivers

Heather RogersElaine Samples

Matt Spain

COVER PHOTOClark Berry Photography

DESIGN Melissa W. Morris

PHOTOGRAPHYClark Berry Photography

Patrick Mooney

Lexington Woman MagazineWoman 2 Woman Publishing

(803) 785-4475 711 East Main Street, Suite A-2

Lexington, SC 29072

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication. However, the publisher cannot assume responsibility for errors or omissions. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. © 2012

TM

In this Issue

From the Editor 2 Happy 2012!

Things We Love! 3 Things We Love about Lexington!

Events 4 What’s Happening in Lexington?

Let’s Talk 6 Talk of the Town with Mayor Randy Halfacre

7 An Era of Meanness

8 Protect Your Children Online

9 Naked Chicken Tenders

10 Where Will You Go from Here? A One on One with Valerie Burton

12 Workout and Worship

13 Buy Local...Be Local

13 Kitchen Corner with Cotton Grill Chef Jason Palmer

15 The Ashby Chronicle: Don’t Eat Magnets

16 A Heart for Ministry

18 With Love from Russia

Health & Wellness21 BrightStar Care Home Healthcare Business Offers Kidcare Services

23 Pediatric Therapy at Vital Energy

24 Identifying Hearing Loss in Children

27 Your Stressful Heart

Super Kids28 My Daughter’s Diagnosis with Type 1 Diabetes

30 Kayla Stevens: Stepping Up to the Plate

32 Mary Caroline

Professional33 A Healing Center for Our Future

35 Let the pros turn your man’s “Honey Do” list into “Honey DONE!”

36 It’s Tax Time!

Celebrating the Survivor in You!38 Haley Thomas: A Brain Tumor Survivor

43 Business & Web Directory

Personal Note44 A Mother’s Heart

38 30

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� Celebrating, Motivating and Educating Real Women

t’s 2012 y’all! Can you believe another year has passed? Lexington Woman Magazine wants to thank you for allowing us to share the wonderful stories

inside these pages with you. Our last issue featuring some of our local businesses was a big hit! We appreciate all of the great feedback that we received from you.

This issue was a lot of fun to put together. We interviewed several inspiring local young people whose stories we wanted to share. We also had the opportunity to reach out and see some great things that are coming about in our community for a group of young people who are striving to make changes that will affect their lives long term. Some of us are lucky enough to be born into homes with two loving parents who treat us with respect and give us the tools we need to make good decisions going forward in our lives. Some of us are not.

As always, we want you to be mindful of the fact that our advertisers made each issue of Lexington Woman possible. They continually support the work that we are trying to accomplish in our community by bringing you a quality publication meant to celebrate, motivate and inspire you to want to appreciate what you love about your life and make changes in the areas you are not happy with. I honestly feel these businesses are committed to providing you with quality services and products. Don’t forget to tell them that you saw them in our Lexington Woman Magazine!

Joyce Hansell, from our article featuring couponing in the last issue, is going to be on Extreme Coupon-ing on TLC in February – be sure to become a Facebook fan to get the exact air date and updates on other stories. Thanks again for allowing us to spend some time with you while you enjoy the stories in this issue. We will be having our annual Scarlet Party on February 27th at Cotton Grill located in the Old Mill in Lexington. If you haven’t been to one of our fundraisers, try to join us! We know how to throw a good party.

I look forward to seeing you soon,

Lori Samples DuncanEditor-in-Chief

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Isaiah 52:7How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace; that brings good tidings of good, that publishes salvation; that says unto Zion, Thy God reigns!

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2nd Annual Scarlet PartyFebruary 27, 6 – 8 p.m.Cotton Grill, LexingtonJoin Lexington Woman magazine, Dems Fine Jewel-ers, and Vital Energy at the Cotton Grill at the Old Mill in Lexington for a night benefiting The American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women. See the ad in this is-sue for more information.www.lexingtonwomanonline.com

Cancer of Many ColorsMarch 15, 5:30 – 9:30 p.m.DoubleTree by Hilton, ColumbiaThe Lexington Medical Center Foundation is hosting this exciting event, where you sample signature cuisine from local restaurants, receive free wine and beer, bid on silent auction items, enjoy music from The Tams and take home a special event hand painted wine glass by Kay-Kay’s Kreations. Tickets are $65 per person. Proceeds support the needs of cancer patients through-out the Midlands. Please call (803) 791-2540 to reserve your tickets.

Junior Womens Club of Lexington 8th Annual Fashion Show and Silent AuctionMarch 22, 6 p.m.Country Club of Lexington, LexingtonJoin us for a fashion show Featuring Spring fashions by Rutu Bhonsle, Envii, Cho on Main, Kohl’s, and Mae’s on Main. Tickets are $25, and proceeds will benefit Lexington County women’s and children’s charities. Tickets may be purchased at Cho on Main, Mae’s on Main, Zebra Cleaners, White House Florist, Charlie Mack, Handpicked and at the listed website. The Junior Women’s Club of Lexington is a group of 34 women

who volunteer their time and raise money to help the Lexington Community. Our past three fashion show have each raised over $20,000 and have funded projects at the Nancy K. Perry Shelter for Children, Samaritan’s Well shelter for battered women.www.jwclexingtonsc.webs.com

Oyster Roast & Auction Down By the RiverMarch 29, 6 p.m.Saluda River Club, LexingtonThe Auction Down By the River is a fantastic evening featuring a silent auction and tons of oysters, delicious food and libations. Enjoy fantastic networking and bid on some fantastic items! Tickets will go fast! - $40 per person (Please note: NO paper tickets will be issued.)www.lexingtonsc.org

Fight Like a Girl: Round 5Friday, April 20, 7 – 11:30 p.m.Columbia Conference CenterTicket holders will enjoy a delicious buffet and first class catering from the in-house chef at CCC and danc-ing the night away to live jazz provided by Elliot and the Untouchables. Paparazzi will be on hand to cap-ture all the pink carpet excitement! The casino tables will be up and running with anxious dealers – ready to provide everyone’s favorite Vegas-style games and entertainment. At the conclusion of the evening “win-nings” can be exchanged for raffle tickets which guests will use for the chance to take home many fabulous prizes! Proceeds from the event will directly benefit the SCOA CARES Foundation. All proceeds from the 2012 event will be given in memory of Michelle Mason Coo-per: friend, sister and inspiration to the Ta-tinis and so many others.www.theta-tinis.com

Events

What’s Happening in Lexington?

February 27th at Cotton Grill in the Old Mill of Lexington

Scarlet PartyScarlet PartyGO RED FOR WOMEN

BENEFITTING THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION’S

GO RED FOR WOMENBENEFITTING THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION’S


Things We Love!

Things We About Lexington! by Lori Samples Duncan

ere are some of the things we love about Lexington:

The Eclectic HouseI love the variety of gifts and furniture that can be found at the Eclectic House. Don’t forget they of-fer some design services as well. Check out these table toppers for a recent event.

Lexington Woman “Blessings” Bead This year the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foun-dation will be the recipient of the proceeds for the Lexington Woman bead. We appreciate Dems

supporting the causes that are near and dear to our hearts! Check out their Bead It to BEAT IT! program to see what other causes you can support through building a bracelet.

Gigi’s JewelryGigi is a remarkable young woman who is cre-ating a legacy of love for her grandmother. Gigi lost her grandmother while in second grade and began making jewelry with a portion of the pro-ceeds going to cancer research and local groups fighting the cause. According to her website she plans to attend Yale University one day and try to find a cure for cancer. You can order online by going to www.jewelry4cancer.com. You go girl!

Family Friendly ShowsI love family shows at the Colonial Life Arena! Be sure to check out their upcoming shows at www.coloniallifearena.com!

The Wingate in LexingtonThe Wingate in Lexington is a wonderful place to host a party, rent a meeting room, spend a week-end away from home, or bring family in from out of town. The staff are friendly and professional, and the facility is state of the art.

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Furniture & Home Accessories • Candles and Fragrances including Thymes • Vera BradleyPersonal Accessories • Miscellaneous Gifts for all Occasions • Baby Products

TheEclectic HouseHOME DECOR & GIFTS Linda Welton

(803) 791-77401709 Sunset Boulevard, West Columbia, SC

www.theeclectichouse.com

Photo Booths! I love photo booth’s at parties, weddings and family gatherings. These are a wonderful way to preserve the memories from the day. Our Spring issue will have tips on how to make your own!

Want LexingtonWoman delivered?

Subscribe online at www.lexingtonwomanonline.com


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UPLIGHTING

It’s Heart Month!

Don’t Become a StatisticMore women die of cardiovascular disease than from the next four causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer. But 80 percent of cardiac events in women could be prevented if women made the right choices for their hearts involving diet, exercise and abstinence from smoking. Make it your mission to learn all you can about heart attacks and stroke — don’t become a statistic. CALL 9-1-1.

Calling 9-1-1 is almost always the fastest way to get lifesaving treat-ment. Emergency medical services (EMS) staff can begin treatment when they arrive — up to an hour sooner than if someone gets to the hospital by car. EMS staff are also trained to revive someone whose heart has stopped. Patients with chest pain who arrive by ambulance usually receive faster treatment at the hospital, too. It is best to call EMS for rapid transport to the emergency room.

Signs of a Heart Attack in Women• Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest. It lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.• Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.• Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.• As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.

If you have any of these signs, don’t wait more than five minutes before calling for help. Call 9-1-1...Get to a hospital right away.

National Heart Association, www.heart.org

Know the

Risks!



AROUND TOWN

A Finally, visit our newest and award win-ning Caractor Park where children can play hopscotch, rope climb or enjoy the mist fountain. There is also a picnic shelter and swing for the whole family to enjoy.

You may also reserve the stage shelter at Virginia Hylton Park or the B-B-Q shelter at Gibson Pond Park. For more information contact our Parks, Streets and Sanitation Department at 803- 359-1027.

Our goal is provide the best “quality of place” to you and your family. I encour-age everyone to take advantage of all our Town Parks and take in the beauty that is Lexington.

Randy Halfacre, MayorTown of Lexington

healthy lifestyle is critical to the vibrancy of the Lexing-

ton Community. The Town is fortunate to have several parks that you and your family can utilize to maintain an active lifestyle.

The newly renovated Corley St. Park now features a spray pad, new play-ground equipment and upgraded pic-nic shelters perfect for a quiet morning with family or during the week for our youngest residents.

Get fit at Virginia Hylton Park with our walking trail, enjoy the tranquil koi pod or if your child requires extra attention, visit separate special needs playground.

Make memories with the grandchildren at Gibson Pond Park, which offers picnic shelters, swings, walking trails, a fishing pond with dock or bring your kayak out for the day.

TALKof the townof the townwith MAYOR RANDY HALFACRE

Amazon(803) 791-6505B&T Automotive(803) 520-7499Bee Healthy MedicalWeight Loss & Wellness(803) 521-9314Carolina Custom Sign, LLC(803) 791-7504Dan Hennigan(803) 834-1331Dorothy Reese(803) 834-3833Edward JonesInvestments(803) 957-8220EXIT Real Estate(803) 358-0888EZ Out Bail Bonds, Inc.(803) 951-0111

New Members of the Chamber(As of January 2012)

Firefly Games & Toys(803) 996-3473Greenfrog Landscape & Garden Center(803) 354-0143Iron MarysKeep the MidlandsBeautifulLake Murray BaptistChurch(803) 359-1556Lexington Bowl(803) 356-2695M.C. Dean (803) 566-9934OfficePro (803) 799-2244Prudential (803) 475-6777Ryan Holt (803) 917-7892

Salon Confessions (803) 359-7955Signature Salon ofLexington(803) 356-8717South Lake Family Dental(803) 520-5580Subway(803) 951-9199XMAX(803) 401-5008

Students attend mock crime scene investigationLEXINGTON TECHNOLOGY CENTER and PELION HIGH SCHOOLWho did it? That is exactly what students in the Health Sci-ence Programs at Lexington Technology Center and Pelion High School wanted to find out during a mock crime scene investigation. The investigation, hosted by the Richland County Coroner’s Office, taught students the protocol used when processing a crime scene. Students also saw first hand the job skills used by police officers, emergency medical pro-fessionals, fire fighters, crime scene investigators and coroners during crime scene investigations.

Participants include Career Specialist Michelle Cooper, LTC Instructor Wanda Elliot, and students Amber Surerus, Madison Ostendorf, Justin Price, Elizabeth Rogers, Kerragon Springs, Shelton Yonce, Rebecca Treaster and Kailin Kanipe.

Winners of first MISS PHMS PageantPLEASANT HILL MIDDLE SCHOOLWinners of the first Miss Pleasant Hill Middle School pag-eant include Miss Seventh Grade First Runner-Up Alexis Almeida, Miss Seventh Grade Summer Rogers, Miss Seventh Grade Second Runner-Up Ashleigh Harding, Miss Eighth Grade Second Runner-Up Lauren Matthews, Miss PHMS Catherine Kirkland, Miss Eighth Grade Mary Caroline Owen, Miss Congeniality and Miss Eighth Grade First Run-ner-Up Jenna Sills, Miss Sixth Grade Ashlyn Cromer, Miss Sixth Grade First Runner-Up Charleigh Leonard and Miss Sixth Grade Second Runner-Up Zoey Albright.


R

by Kay H. Barlow

arely do we look into the crib at that precious newborn and see a child who will become a bully, be bullied or stand by and watch another person bullied. Yet, statistics show that bullying takes place every 7 minutes on our

playgrounds and goes unreported a majority of the time.1

Physical bullying involves hitting, kicking, shoving and spitting with the intention of causing physical harm and fear. Physical bullying is most often done by boys to other boys.

Verbal bullying includes name-call-ing, teasing and making insults or threats to embarrass and intimidate.

Social or relational bullying is men-tal harassment by teasing, excluding or humiliating. Threatening ges-tures, body language, dirty looks and gossip are used to isolate indi-viduals and destroy status within a peer group. Social bullying is most often done by girls to other girls.

Cyber bullying is the newest and

Bullying is a learned behavior. It is meanness, a quality we do not want to see in ourselves and especially not in our children. In view of recent suicides throughout the country, we must recognize bullying as a serious problem, with serious repercussions and in need of serious attention. As parents, we are our children’s greatest teachers. We must model kindness and show that bullying will not be tolerated. According to Olweus, a bullying pre-vention program, a person is bullied when he or she is exposed, repeated-ly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more person, and has difficulty defending himself or herself. 2 Bullying comes in many forms, both direct and indirect.3

help when needed. In the simplest words, we must foster love and kindness. Love and kindness should be taught early and often, as no one wants their child to grow up in an era of meanness.

Midlands Education and Business Al-liance is a local nonprofit working to connect students, parents, educators and employers to education and career opportunities in the Midlands through programs and partnerships of business, school, college, faith and other commu-nity leaders. MEBA fosters community collaboration between business and edu-cation to promote economic develop-ment and enhance the quality of life in the Midlands. For more information on bullying, please visit our website at www.mebasc.com/your-child for tips and links to other great organizations and resources.

1 Pepler, Craig & Roberts, 1998.2 Olweus. Retrieved from http://www.- olweus.org/public/bullying.page 3 Bully Free Program. Facts About Bullying. Retrieved from http://www.bullyfree.com/free-resources/facts-about-bullying

About Kay H. BarlowKay H. Barlow is the Parent and Com-munity Education Director for Midlands Education and Business Alliance. Ms. Barlow has over 20 years experience working with students of the nine school districts of the Midlands and with vari-ous parents and community. Much of her time is spent working with educators, so-cial workers and businesses dealing with the growing issue of poverty in South Carolina and its effect on the families of this state. Ms. Barlow holds an under-graduate degree from Missouri Baptist College and a Masters of Education from the University of South Carolina.

perhaps the most harmful type of bullying our children are experi-encing. Text messages, voicemails, e-mails and social networking sites are used to threaten, intimidate and spread false rumors about a victim. Our children are tech savvy but of-ten emotionally insensitive to the feelings of others. In today’s world of immediate connection, one pho-to upload or derogatory post can go “viral,” causing great harm and hurt almost instantly.

As parents, we must stay connected with our children. Talk with them, listen to them and get to know their friends. Let them know that bul-lying is wrong, unacceptable and carries serious consequences. Watch for signs that your child is being

bullied. If he or she no longer wants to go to school or ride the bus, begins losing his or her school supplies or lunch money, has unexpected cuts and bruises, you may have a problem and you need to investigate. Go to the proper au-thorities. Start at the school, but do not stop there if the issue is not resolved.

Bullying is not only about the bully and the victim. Bullying also impacts those who witness such acts. Many simply stand by and do nothing, often resulting in years of emotional distress and guilt. We must teach our children empathy. We must show them how to treat others and encourage them to seek

An Era of MEANNESS

As parents, we must stay connected with our children. Talk with them, listen to them and get to know their friends.

Let’s Talk


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in your control panel. Then, depend-ing on the operating system you are running, you can add parental controls to user accounts. Paren-tal controls can keep your children from downloading and installing programs that may be harmful to them and your computer. The con-trols can also allow you to place time limits on the use of those ac-counts and allow you to block them from opening specific programs.

Another beneficial step you can take is to install internet accountability or internet filtering software. There

It is inconceivable why people would post such objectionable content on the internet, but they are every day with no end in sight. The key thing to remember is that you cannot make the internet safe, but you can make it safer to use by both making some changes on your computer and downloading some special software.

One of the main things I recom-mend to our clients is to create user accounts on their computers with either standard or limited privileges for their children. This can be done

are many products out there. Some of the products are free, but I like to look at it with the thought of “you get what you pay for.” I highly rec-ommend a product called Covenant Eyes. It is reasonably priced and you can find the link on our website at www.compmedsc.com. You can get 1 month free by using the link on my website or by going to www.covenan-teyes.com and using the promotional code COMPMED. Covenant Eyes started out as an internet account-ability software that allowed you to assign yourself accountability part-ners who would get reports on the

internet sites you were accessing. As time went on, they added the inter-net filtering capabilities onto their existing accountability product.

There are many dangers lurking out there, but, as you can see, there are also ways to reduce the risk. Please keep in mind that once a site has been clicked on that is malicious to your computer; you could be in-fected at that point. If you are having undesirable things pop up or any other computer issues, please give Computer Paramedics a call. We can certainly help!

PROTECTING YOUR FAMILY ONLINE

n many of the service calls I have made, parents have asked me about protecting their computer while they are on the internet. Infections and viruses are not

the only things that need to be guarded against. Danger is lurking around every corner of the internet and it is imperative to protect your children. Objectionable content such as pornography, fake security products, and a host of other things do not necessarily have to be intentionally accessed. They can just pop up.


by Mandy Rivers

I use my chicken seasoning each and every time I cook chicken. Whether I’m baking it, grilling it, frying it,

sautéing it or putting it in ice cream, it gets a good coating of the seasoning. But my very favorite way to use it is to coat chicken tenderloins and pan-fry them without breading… kind of like a naked chicken tender. Once cooked, you can use the tenderloins in so many dishes.

When you’re cooking on a budget, you can make one 1-lb. package (about $5.00) stretch to feed your family.

NAKED CHICKEN TENDERS • 4 tablespoons Chicken Seasoning (recipe below)

• 1 pound chicken breast tenderloins• 3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil

Using kitchen shears, cut the white tendon from each ten-derloin. Or don’t. I just do it because they skeeve me out.

Liberally coat tenderloins with Chicken Seasoning. And I do mean liberally. This is less than 2/10 salt so rock it out.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Use enough oil so that the bottom of the skillet is thoroughly covered. Once your oil is good and hot, place about half the tenderloins in the skillet. Do not overcrowd the pan. These cook quickly so you’re not going to miss Christmas if you have to cook two batches. Cook about 4 minutes or until lightly browned on each side then remove from heat.

Let chicken rest about 10 minutes before cutting. I mean it!

Chicken Seasoning• 2 tablespoons salt• 2 tablespoons paprika• 2 tablespoons garlic powder• 1 tablespoon dried thyme• 1 tablespoon white pepper• 1 tablespoon black pepper• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper*• 1 tablespoon onion powder

Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight con-tainer. I keep mine in a large used spice container that still has its shaker top for easy use.

*if you prefer a Southwest vibe, use chili powder instead

Serving SuggestionsYou can absolutely serve these on their own but if you need to make one pound stretch, here are a few ideas:

Big Fat Salad: Make everyone their own entrée size salad on a dinner plate. Cut the tenderloins into bite-sized pieces and place on top. My brood likes their Big Fat Salad with romaine lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, chopped boiled eggs, cheddar or blue cheese and whatever else I might have handy. Serve with ranch, blue cheese or honey mustard dressing.

Chicken Alfredo: Cook linguine according to package di-rections. Meanwhile heat jarred alfredo sauce (Gasp! These are weeknight meals, remember? Don’t get all judgey, we’re pimping on a budget here) and add 1 teaspoon Chicken Seasoning. Toss pasta with alfredo sauce then plate pasta with chicken on top.

For more budget friendly recipes, visitwww.mandyrivers.com

RecipeLet’s Talk


�0 Celebrating, Motivating and Educating Real Women

A Certified Personal and Executive Coach who has served hundreds of clients in over 40 states and

eight countries, Valorie Burton is founder of The Coaching and Positive Psychology (CAPP) Institute – a training and leadership development company. She is a published author who is deeply committed to helping people be more resilient so they can thrive in life and work. Her newest book, Where Will You Go From Here?, helps readers move forward when life doesn’t go as planned. We had the chance to sit down with Valorie and discuss her latest book, and I hope you will enjoy her unique insight as much as we did!

A ONE ON ONE with VALORIE BURTON

by Elaine Samples

Lexington Woman: Valorie, your message is that of empowerment. Where do you draw the strength to motivate others?Valorie Burton: I learned my mis-sion after I’d prayed about it for a couple of years. I felt like God spoke to me one day in my spirit that I was supposed to inspire women to live more fulfilling lives and I would do it through writing and speaking. That’s really why I do what I do. And I know that it is God who gives me the strength. At times, when you get tired, I really

feel like my work inspired. I can’t attribute it to anything other than God, really.

LW: What single attribute of yours would you say has con-tributed most to the success you’ve had?Valorie: Besides the fact that I know it’s my purpose, I’ve been able to persevere. It hasn’t always come easily to get book deals and to have a business for almost eleven years writing and speaking — that’s not a typical way to earn a living.


Where will you go from here?

��www.lexingtonwomanonline.com

people who — you’ve been walking along your path and feel like you got sideswiped into a ditch. So, it might be that you ended up divorced, that you received an unexpected health diagnosis, lost your job, lost your home, or had a financial setback. We all have those ditches that we land in, and the book is about how you bounce back from the setbacks and the unexpected turns in life — because you don’t have to stay in the ditch. It knocks you out and you might wake up and see stars. Though you can’t get up and run yet, you can get out of the ditch. You can forge a new path if you need to, or you can find your way back onto the old path.

LW: You offer five commitments to help when bouncing back from a setback:1) I will not feel sorry for myself.2) I will not stare at a closed door.3) I will dig deep to unearth the courage I need.4) I will direct my thoughts. My thoughts will not direct me.5) I will choose to believe that all things work together for good.

I really like, “I will direct my thoughts. My thoughts will not di-rect me.” I once heard Bishop T.D. Jakes say, “What you think about, you will become.” Can you tell us about how we can direct our thought life to be more healthy? Valorie: It’s about building self-awareness and that starts with no-ticing what you are saying to your-self, particularly when you deal with a challenge. One of the best things you can do is to identify the self-sabotaging, counterproductive thoughts that are most common for you and develop the thoughts

Perseverance is key to anything just because if you give up too soon, you never know what could have been. One of the things that keeps me going is I get a lot of communi-cation from people who have read something I’ve written or heard me speak and just knowing that they did something positive in their life, made a change, overcame a fear, or went after a dream because of some-thing I said, motivates and inspires me.

LW: At Lexington Woman, we are always excited when we hear about women inspiring other women. Can you tell us about women who inspire you?

Valorie: My mother has inspired me most. In addition to being a good, loving person who always does things for others without seeking glory or recognition, she is the most determined woman that I know, having suffered a brain aneurysm and bounced back. By all medical accounts, she should have died, but her faith continues to inspire me. And she’s just always been a good mom. She’s the one who taught me how to write when I was three years old, and how to read. I have loved books since I have had a memory and I attribute that to my mom.

I also feel blessed to have a mom that knows part of her purpose was being a mother, and although I haven’t been a kid for twenty years, she is still as dedicated to me now as ever, though in an adult way. LW: Tell us about the idea for your latest book, Where Will you go From Here?Valorie: This is a book that’s for

live a long, happy life, you can’t do it bitter.

LW: Anything else you would like to share regarding resilience and bouncing back after serious set-backs?Valorie: I think that it is really criti-cal to put things into perspective by talking to other people, reading other people’s stories and not iso-lating yourself. It’s the reason that I shared so many other people’s sto-ries in the book. I thought I’d really gone through something and then I interview these people and many of them are people I knew, but I had no idea what they had gone through and bounced back from.

One of the most important things you can do to be resilient is to be aware of other people who’ve gotten through things at least as difficult, if not more difficult than what you’ve gone through and it will give you help and perspective.

LW: So, tell us, where will YOU go from here? Anything exciting in the works that you would like for our readers to know about?Valorie: I have another book coming out in 2012 called Successful Women Think Differently, and it is about all the habits that make you happier, healthier and more resilient.

We are continuing our coach train-ing program and I’m also working on a television show concept. I just signed a deal with a production company to develop a show and I’m really excited. So, I have big goals and I trust if I persevere, eventually they will all come together.

you want to replace those with so that when those common thoughts come to you, you already know what you are going to say. Decide to be very intentional about being more positive.

LW: I especially like what you said about having the choice to become better or bitter. When my father died, my sister decided that she could use the most tragic thing in her life and become depressed or she could use the tragedy to make her better. Woman 2 Woman Pub-lishing was born out of that very concept. Any advice on putting that instruction into action? Valorie: There is something that researchers call Post Traumatic Growth. We can actually grow as a result of our trials, and not just have to go through them.

Ask yourself, “How will I be better because of this?” After my divorce, I made a decision that I will be a wiser woman. When my instincts tell me something, I will pay attention.

I think a lot of times we have to say, “How will I be better?” Whether you are more grateful, you learn to enjoy your family more, or you were forced to slow down, there are a lot of good things that can come from a bad situation.

When the bitterness comes up, I think if you are angry, you have to acknowledge it and find a construc-tive way to get through your anger. But bitterness and negative emo-tions damage your immune system. They are not good for your health or life expectancy, so if you want to

Perseverance is key to anything just because if you give up too soon, you never know what could have been.

Let’s Talk

Get the Book!Order your copy of Valorie’s latest book

Where Will You Go from Here?at www.amazon.com

or www.valorieburton.com

�� Celebrating, Motivating and Educating Real Women

Workout and Worship

fter opening in Lexington’s Old Mill in fall of 2011, CrossFit Iron Mary’s owners Ray and Mary Anderson had a dream of feeding the

families, specifically the children of Lexington spiritually. From this dream, Monday Night Workout and Worship was born. Workout and Worship is a forum to provide families a fun environment to learn fitness as a lifestyle while also providing an opportunity to feed them at the heart.

A

by AmyDevore

Workout and Worship meets each Monday night at 6:30, and is free to anyone with a child. So if you would like a free workout and don’t have a child, borrow a niece, nephew or neighbor and come join in the fun!! If adults would like to come and check out Workout and Worship without the kids, the cost is just $5, which is still a bargain for an awesome workout and great fellowship!!

Each week the workout of the night is led by a dif-ferent coach, followed by songs, and devotional time brought by different area Pastors. All Pastors are welcome to come and share with the group. If your Pastor would like to participate, contact Iron Mary’s and let them know.

CrossFit is family friendly. Each workout is fun and always varied and is mental, physical and spiritual. CrossFit Iron Mary’s has the goal of helping you function well in everyday life while respecting the bodies God has given us.

CrossFit is for everyone, at every age and level because the central goal is functional exercise

that teaches you how to do things in everyday life without injury or strain.

When you come in to CrossFit Iron Mary’s, you can expect to experience a gym like no other in Lexington. You will not find treadmills, elipticals and weight machines lining our walls. At Iron Mary’s, there are climbing ropes, tractor tires, sledge hammers, kettlebells, boxes for jump-ing, just to name a few and plenty of space to do things you may have never done before.

Whether you want to come to Monday Night Workout and Worship, or just are looking for a new place to get fit that you wont get bored, CrossFit Iron Mary’s welcomes you to stop in and check out what they have to offer. At Iron Mary’s, you will find a friendly, knowledgeable staff with backgrounds to fit nearly any need, and plenty of class times to fit your life. Iron Mary’s also offers a nutrition shop where you can find all the nu-tritional supplements, shakes and bars to support your healthy lifestyle. The staff of CrossFit Iron Mary’s hopes to meet you soon!

NOW OFFERING10 Classes for $79

803.414.9601711 East Main Street • Lexington, SC

Functional Exercise • Strength • EnduranceNutrition Store

www.iron�t.us

NO Contracts!

Workout and Worship


Kitchen Cornerwith Cotton Grill Chef Jason PalmerBUY LOCAL...

BE LOCALSTEAKand ALE PIE

• 4 lbs. Beef tenderloin trimmed of all fat and silver skin• 5-6 carrots peeled and cut oblique• 8 full stalks celery cut on a bias• 5-6 80 to 90 count russet potatoes• 2 cups flour• Salt and black pepper• 3 12 oz bottles of your favorite IPA The Hoppier the better• Water about the same as the bottles of beer• Demi Glace to cover

Heavily season the beef and coat with the flour. Sear till a light brown on all sides. Place in a large oven safe dish. Pour the beer on top of the meat and let sit.

Sear the vegetables in the same pan as the beef. Lightly season them and add to the beef when they are al den-te. Add the potatoes and the water add the veal glace to cover all the in-gredients. Slow roast at 275 degrees for 3 hours on low convection.

Remove and top with puff pastry, and bake at 500 degrees for 4-5 min-utes depending on how crispy you like your dough.

Top with Parmesan and fresh herbs and enjoy with a glass of the beer you chose a great paring.

— Chef Jay

S h o p s : D i n i n g : H i s t o r y

• Cotton Grill Restaurant• Creekside Restaurant• Café Chartier (coffee house and gourmet desserts)• The Refuge, Faith Vision Ministries• Pieces & Patches Quilt Shop• M. Gallery Interiors• Bella Rileys Salon & Spa• Poleooza (pole dancing fitness studio)• CrossFit Iron Mary’s Gym & Nutrition Shop• Woman 2 Woman Publishing• Mass Mutual Agency, Charlie Assey• Splash Omnimedia (full marketing & web design group)• Rainy Day Pal Bookstore• Infinite Massage and Wellness

• The Watershed (nondenominational Christian facility)• The Drawing Board (architectural draft design and work)• Center for Dance Education• Development Systems International (philanthropy education and support)• Pink Lotus Yoga Center• Lexington Hair Studio• Lanier Agency (benefit support)• Billie Hardee Home for Boys• Cathleen’s Daughter (antiques and vintage clothing) *coming March 1st

e invite you to spend your time and hard earned money with us, your neighbor. These businesses

are locally owned and operated and each one of them gives back to the Lexington community with their time, effort and financial resources. From all of us, we appreciate your patronage and keeping Lexington strong and a great place to live, work and play! See you soon!

Located in the Old Mill

Visit www.lexingtonoldmill.com to learn more.

Wby LabanChappell



FEBRUARY 27th, 6 - 8PMCOTTON GRILL, LEXINGTON

Pick up tickets at any of the locations below$30 per person/$50 per couple

LIVE MUSIC | HOR D'OEUVRES & WINE | SILENT AUCTION

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Scarlet PartyBENEFITTING THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION’S

2ND ANNUAL


a day of stamping out fires in some areas and igniting fires in other ar-eas – also known as practicing law. I had argued, emailed, worried, cel-ebrated and laughed all day long. I had loyally checked in on Facebook the requisite 10 times that day and called my sister during the drive home. Almost everything on the to-do list had been done! The only thing left was to feed those children I birthed, make sure they were clean and had finished their homework, and get them in their beds. Then I could watch Real Housewives.

But Houston was sobbing. He had lost his special magnets. The mag-nets that make you have cool pierced ears had apparently “bounced off the kitchen counter and into my mouth and down my throat.” He swallowed these little magnets. Last Thursday. Though I have kept my eyes out, and I have alerted his Father, our nanny/friend, and yes, even his teacher . . . those magnets have not reappeared.

My nanny/friend, a nurse, help-fully pointed out that it would not be a good idea for Houston to ever have an MRI (“Magnetic Resonance Imaging”) in case those magnets are still in there somewhere. Because they might come racing out through his skin. Great.

The Titanium necklaces had cool twisty cord-ropes and were meant to give my child “balance.” The Ti-tanium necklaces were more expen-sive than the shoes I like to buy for myself at TJ Maxx. They were more expensive than the special mani-cures with the Gellish polish. But he was cute and he has blue eyes so I got him one. (And when he lost it I got him another one – don’t tell my husband).

As soon as Houston had on the Ti-tanium necklace, I gave him a good shove to test it out. In spite of the special necklace, my 8 year old lost his balance and landed in my arms. So I could tickle him.

I’m not crazy about the newest fad. Apparently, there are these tiny magnets shaped like pearls. They come in pairs and they are “cool.” They are cool because they are su-per strong and you can clamp them on either side of an earlobe and look like you have an earring. Young boys think earrings are “cool.” Later in life, when they are middle aged and have a mortgage, they might be embarrassed by the decades-old tired looking hole in their ear. But for now, these magnet earrings are cool.

One afternoon I arrived home after

We will step up our investigatory ef-forts and revisit this magnet issue at a later date.

Could this Mom job be any harder? Once you think you’ve got this thing licked, someone gets a stomach vi-rus. The children bring home good report cards, and you are convinced they are geniuses. Then, one of them asks “What’s the dif-ference between a turkey and a chicken?” or some such question, and you know you have much work to do. Sometimes, I wish I could send my kids out the door every day with a tidy to-do list, much like the one I keep in mind each day for myself. A to-not-do list would probably be even more effective. I could gather bits of advice and encouragement I gleaned from Mom (you are bet-ter than a puppy, stand up straight and hold your shoulders back), my teachers (study hard every day and you’ll go far), my preachers (always stand by what you believe in), and my friends (relax and have fun!) into a neat list. It would also include a few wise words of my own (I love you, I love you, I love you . . . . Don’t eat magnets.)

H

by Ashby Jones

aving survived the Silly Bandz fad, the Jones household moved on to the Titanium Necklace fad. The Silly Bandz had a tendency to collect all over the house and I

did not think they were necessarily molded into recognizable shapes. (If you stare at these things too long, you might get the giggles).

THE ASHBY CHRONICLE:Don’t Eat Magnets

Ashby Jones

photo by Clark Berry Photography

Houston

Let’s Talk


A Heart for Ministry

It does not always work out that way, but when it does it makes it so worthwhile. And if my time only helps a few prisoners turn to the Lord, adhere to the 10 Command-ments, stay out of prison when released, and look to others with compassion, I am refreshed and en-ergized. I just feel its God working thru me to help me serve Him more and help others.”

Kirkland Prison on Broad River Road in Columbia, S.C., annu-ally receives all of South Carolina’s 16,000+ recently sentenced male offenders, evaluates them, and then assigns them to their longer term

Angie, who currently works full time, joins him during weekend and holiday visits. Through the years, Joe has been so encouraged by what he has witnessed that they have reworked their family budget to enable him to try and spend ad-ditional days there. They have ac-cepted that loosing Joe’s income is going to be extremely tough, and that sacrifices are going to be made, but they believe outside support will come.

Joe, who is 55, explains, “There are a lot of mean and angry men in pris-on, but very often if you scratch that surface away there is a kind heart.

t’s not unusual for a wife to support their husband, but what makes this story different is that Angie Foster is doing it so her husband can go to prison. Joe, her husband of 25 years, has not been sent there by the Courts, but by his

heart. Every Friday for 12 years he has visited prison inmates, to meet, converse and share the Bible. “Over the years, I have witnessed so many positive changes in prison that my wife and I have decided the time is right for me to do this work full time”, explained Joe.

I

by Mark Radin

detention centers. The Prison War-dens, Chaplains, and staff, are en-couraged by Joe and Angie’s com-mitment. Over the years, staffing and funding levels for programs such as Pastoral Care, have been trimmed or eliminated. “Their extra commitment could not come at a better time. There is currently an in-

creasing void in the Spiritual guid-ance the prisoners receive, and the time Joe is committing to the prison church is going to help fill that, and enable us to continue to contribute to the rehabilitation and refocusing of offenders.”

Angie explains, “Prisons are not

‘There are a lot of mean and angry men in prison, but very often if you scratch that surface away there is a kind heart.’


supposed to be nice places, and I assumed Kirkland would be filled with unfriendly inmates, so my first visit was scary. But, as with all groups of people there are good and bad ones. And over the years I have heard marvelous examples of how my husband has been able to share the gospel, and turn some of the prisoners to Christ. That in-spires both of us tremendously. A lot of people have cautiously sug-gested that some prisoners turn to God simply to try and secure early release or favorable treat-ment. And I am sure that is true in some cases, but in others it is truly a change that I have witnessed and it is great to be a part of that.”

An example of this change is found in a thirty three year old who was incarcerated at Kirkland for 5 years. During that time, he attended Joe’s life guidance and Bible classes. He was released this April, and spends his time work-ing with his local church, con-tractors and attending technical college. He was 28 years old when sentenced to 5 years in prison. He confessed to being scared, because he did not know what to expect, and angry that he had allowed his life to be eroded to serving time. Meeting Joe and attending his life and Bible group helped him get thru his prison time, and eventu-

ally be released with Spiritual as well as life skills. Both of which he relies on daily. Robby added, “Joe enabled me to refocus my life to better serve the Lord and my fam-ily.”

Two months ago Joe and Angie formed the Cross Over Prison Ministry under the guidance of the Great Commission Ministries in Florida. GCM was founded in 1989, and works with missionar-ies around the world. They share advice on how to raise funds, and enter full time ministry.

Joe and Angie live in Lexington, South Carolina, have two sons and a 2 month old grandson. They attend Riverbend Community Church in Lexington. Their longer term goal includes establishing a training house for offenders to stay after release. There they plan to have facilities and team mem-bers available to teach income generating practical, administra-tive and contractor skills to former long term servers.

For more information, contact Angie Foster (803) 546-5128 or Joe Foster (803) 361-9226.

Mike Davis, Local Agent

(803) 356-22201812 AUGUSTA HIGHWAY, SUITE B

LEXINGTON, SC 29072www.anpac.com

Joe and Angie

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by HeatherRogersWith Love from Russia

Jeff and I were high school sweethearts, graduating from Irmo High School. Jeff ’s aunt and uncle adopted two chil-dren from Russia when we were engaged and at that time it planted a seed in my heart. We have been fortunate to see

year ago we decided to put our house on the market, thinking we would capitalize on the decline in the housing industry, and then upgrade to

a larger house. After a few months of the stress, we decided that it just didn’t feel right; maybe we were pushing too hard and this wasn’t what God intended for us. We began to pray about it and asked God for answers. After the birth of our first

child, Sara Kathryn, my husband Jeff and I had begun to talk about the idea of adoption. Over the years we mentioned it often, researched it, had contacted an agency and began initial discussions, but it seemed the babies kept coming Macie (5) and Amelia (2). Each time I would hear an adoption story, it brought tears to my eyes and I longed to do the same thing. But I thought how could we ever do it – so many obstacles.

A

Natalie and John grow with lots of love into the beautiful adults they are today. So we knew if we were going to adopt – it would be from Russia.

Last March (2011), we were in the midst of praying and asking God

to show us what He wanted us to with the house situation and again we brought up the idea of adoption. We were studying the book – Radi-cal by David Platt in our Sunday school class. In summary, it talks about how we need to get back to the mindset that the Gospel is for



every nation and determine that we will take the message and share His love, at any cost, to those in need. As we read chapter 4, we literally became overwhelmed with a feeling that words simply cannot describe. What we felt, what we heard that day were the answers to our ques-tions. It was God answering our prayers for guidance and providing us the sign. It could not have been any clearer.

As a Christian, we often wonder how God speaks to us. Will we know when it happens? How does it happen? This is the very first time in our lives that we have felt this way! I am speechless when I think about it. Not only is it the message that we read that day but it is a combination of events to follow; our sermon on Sunday, the fact we had missionar-ies in our class and at our Church

talking about spreading the Word to all nations and most important – Sharing that love! We felt that God was spelling it out to us exactly what He wanted us to do. We truly felt that we have been blessed with so much in our lives that it would be a shame not to share it with a child in need. A child we could love and give a wonderful life.

We met with our awesome Pastor to discuss all of these feelings and what to do; my biggest fears were how adoption would affect our 3 girls and how we are going to travel. I have a fear of flying; yes I’m the one with sweaty palms squeezing Jeff ’s hand until it’s blue and some-times with tears in my eyes. I am the person that jumps at turbulence and screams “we’re going down”. Little did I know eventually I would spend 75 hours in the air!

Joy to have this beautiful child and thankfulness that I listened and fol-lowed God’s will.

A big thank you to the grandpar-ents for taking such good care of the girls. To our pediatrician who has been so supportive throughout this whole process. She has been email-ing me from Moscow and answering my questions. Our family, friends, my employer – Columbia Women’s Healthcare and fellow employees for their support and prayers.

We are home and it is sweet. Oh, how I love it!

Heather Rogers is an Ultrasonographer at Columbia Women’s Healthcare.

This article was submitted by Shirley Keels of Columbia Women’s Healthcare. Visit columbiawhc.com or call them at (803) 254-3230.

After much prayer and consider-ation, we decided we are follow-ing God’s will and adopting a little boy from Moscow, Russia. Some of you may think we are crazy (yes, 4 kids) but we don’t! We have never felt more sure about something in our lives. We know this is God’s in-tention for us. Jeff and I have been blessed beyond belief. We have 3 precious little girls and a wonderful life, but we also know why we have these blessings and who gave them to us. We know we are meant to share God’s love.

After 2 trips to Russia, the time fi-nally came for us to head to Mos-cow and pick up our son. We could hardly wait to hug him and kiss that sweet face. The girls couldn’t wait to meet their brother. The minute I saw him, he stole my heart.

On December 10, 2011, we arrived home with our son. We named him Bryant Alexander Rogers – Bryant is Jeff ’s middle name and Alexander is Bryant’s given name in Russia.. He is 13½ months and only weighs 15.5 pounds. We are hoping to get him “fattened up.”

After our journey, two words come to mind – joy and thankfulness.

After our journey, two words come to mind – joy and thankfulness. Joy to have this beautiful child and thankfulness that I listened and followed God’s will.


Y

by Patti Mack

our children are your life. We know juggling every day demands is challenging for all parents. BrightStar Care has a unique understanding of the issues today’s families face. Finding experienced and compassionate caregivers can

be a challenge – but it doesn’t have to be.

Each client receives a personal, in-depth assessment conducted by our Director of Nursing that, among other things, takes into account their condition, personality and environ-ment. We then put that knowledge to use, creating an individualized plan of care that meets our clients’ unique physical and emotional needs – a plan that strives to not only improve their health, but enhance their qual-ity of life. This process, along with continual oversight by our nursing staff, helps us ensure the right fit between our clients and their care-givers, and enables us to quickly modify a client’s plan of care as their needs evolve.

BrightStar is one of the few home healthcare providers that offer both medical and non-medical homecare available to all clients 24/7. Non-medical care services include; bath visits and grooming, new moth-er support, housekeeping, meal planning, cooking, shopping and er-rands, and transportation assistance. Medical care services often involve RNs (Registered Nurses) and LPNs (Licensed Practical Nurses) who are qualified to administer medications and perform advanced medical procedures. Medical services could include anything from in-home

BrightStar Care is a full-service healthcare staffing agency special-izing in providing both medical and non-medical private duty homecare and healthcare staffing to our clients. We offer flexible sick-day and sit-ter services, pediatric homecare for children with special needs and our clinical caregivers are experts in well-baby and newborn child care.

Our Pediatric Nursing services:• Neonatal nursing and care for premature babies• Cardiovascular disease• Complex intravenous therapy• Pediatric oncology• Chronic diseases• Infectious diseases

Our Pediatric Nursing specialties:• Genetic disorders• Congenital disorders• Respiratory disorders• Neurological disorders• Genetic disorders• Congenital disorders• Gastrointestinal disorders• Orthopedic disorders• Renal disorders• Blood disorders• Endocrine disorders• Dermatological disorders• Immunological disorders• Hematological disorders

That’s why we have trained care professionals who specialize in ad-ministering in-home pediatric care and can provide comprehensive case management and support for children with disabilities and special needs. From autism, spina bifida and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to cerebral palsy, any spinal injury and more, our caregivers give them the care they need and the support they deserve.

From complex medical equipment, to accessible transportation and skilled nursing, our advanced exper-tise in this area ensures each child’s safety, all so you and your family can get the most out of life.

Our Special Needs services include:• Bath visits• Dressing and grooming• Oral and personal hygiene• Reporting conditions and changes to supervisory RN and/ or Physician• A wide range of therapies (from speech therapy and physical therapy to autism therapy)• Toileting

To find out if BrightStar Care is a match for you and your child, call us today at (803) 358-8315.

blood draws and injections, medi-cation setup, administration, and oversight, tube drain and/or bag maintenance, and wound care. This medical background is why Bright-Star Care caregivers are uniquely qualified to assist parents of special needs children, in particular.

Potential caregivers are screened in the following manner: • In-depth interview to determine skills and experience• Criminal background check through the State Police according to state guidelines• License/certificate verification in accordance with state law and requirements• Continual license status monitoring throughout employee tenure• Reference checks• State health screenings as required by law• No-cost Hepatitis B vaccination• Bloodborne pathogens training as stated by OSHA guidelines• Current CPR certification• Drug Screening

At BrightStar, we realize that babies, infants and children living with disabilities or special needs have unique care requirements.

BRIGHTSTAR CARE HOME HEALTHCARE BUSINESS

Offers KidCare Services

Health & Wellness



Hima N. DalalOccupational Therapist

Reiki and Myofascial Release ConsultantSports Personal Fitness Consultant

Our goal is to achieve mental and physical wellness through our combination of Complementary/Alternative

therapies with traditional Occupational �erapy.

• Occupational Therapy• Physical Therapy• Sports Physical Therapy• Reiki Therapy• Pediatric Therapy• Aqua Therapy• Myofascial Release Treatment and Craniosacral Therapy• Work Reconditioning• TMJ Therapy

• Fibromyalgia/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome• Chronic/Acute Pain• Migraine Headache Treatment• Yoga/Personal Fitness• Neuro/Ortho Injury Rehab• Scoliosis Rehab• Rheumatoid/Osteoarthritis Therapy• Hand Therapy• Cancer Rehab

OUR SERVICES INCLUDE:

803.359.1551163 Charter Oak Road

Lexington, SC 29072

www.vitalenergytherapy.com

Occupational Therapy Physical Therapy

Pediatric Therapy Aquatic Therapy

FM/CFS Support Group Meets Monthly

Reiki TreatmentUnderwater Treadmill

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Designed to work with your smartphone.

Check it out by visiting:

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Pediatric Therapy at VITAL ENERGY

Anodyne therapy, manual therapy helps with pain management, mus-cle spasms and stiffness. Alternative therapies are wonderful for Diabetic Neuropathy. Also proper nutrition, good food choices and stress man-agement are very important aspects for Diabetes management. Exercise is the most important component so children can maintain strength, stamina, and have a good cardio-vascular and metabolic system. It is important to educate them how to maintain a good blood sugar ratio with recreational activity and physi-cal exercise. Stress the necessity to measure blood glucose prior to and post activity, and help individuals decide what their food intake should be so blood sugar does not drop too quickly or rise. If on insulin, help individuals keep data of sugar level with activity and coordinate with their physician for correct dosage. Using alternative therapies such as craniosacral therapy and muscle energy treatment, along with tradi-tional techniques can help patients

Therapists at Vital Energy provide advanced Physical, Occupational and Alternative therapy to reduce discomfort, improve blood circula-tion, stamina, and weight manage-ment for making children with dia-betes mellitus functional again. Physical exercise is important for everyone’s health and well-being but most importantly for individuals with diabetes. Regular exercise helps lower blood sugar levels and keeps them in target range. Safe physical activity, sports and physical exercise under the guidance of physical and/or occupational therapist will help maintain cardiovascular fitness; help improve muscle tone, strength, weight control, lower blood pres-sure. Exercise and overall tips will also help them with positive self-esteem, self-confidence, good mood and decrease stress. A sense of well-being and proper nutritional intake, along with the proper amount of physical exertion is important for kids with juvenile diabetes.

ital Energy treats new born babies to teenagers to 100 year old patients. Our younger patients have diagnosis’ which varies from juvenile diabetes, Autism spectrum disorder, defiant disorder, ADHD, Plagiocephaly, birth injuries,

facial nerve palsy, brachial plexus injury, torticollis, scoliosis, hip dysplacia, club deformity, osteogensis imperfect, sensory processing issues, fine and gross motor coordination, balance and low tone issues, developmental delays, sports injury, growing pain, postural issues, etc.

V

with full recovery of patients. In-tegrated learning system and aqua therapy has been used successfully for children with different issues.

At Vital Energy, we treat many dif-ferent types of issues with children. We are currently treating a child with hypoglycemia, along with legal blindness and recent surgery for Ar-nold chariari malformation which causes pain and weakness in the neck and upper back, a decreased ability to walk, inability to reach for or pick up objects, weakness in hands, a decreased ability to judge how to lift foot to clear ground or how to hold an object. We taught patient how to throw ball, listen to the sound and feel vibration of ball coming to them, how to open and close hand, how to feel seat and sit down on bike and paddle. Also we taught them how to hold head on shoulder and walk keep good pos-ture. Aqua therapy helped them re-gain strength in neck and back due to a recent surgery to brain.

Integrated Learning System (ILS) is a listening program that can be introduced as early as 7 months to adults to assist the brain in reorga-nizing itself by forming new neural connections called neuroplasticity. The vestibular and cochlear system located in the inner ear, work to-gether to relay sensory input to the brain. This system is essential for successful language development, sensory processing and motor function. ILS helps improve areas such as fine and gross motor func-tion, attention span, concentration, memory, language and communi-cation, coordination, balance and endurance.

Vital Energy has the advantage of discharging patients to personal fit-ness at Vital Energy Fitness Center, located adjacent to the facility. It is a well equipped state-of-the-art gym with experienced personal fitness trainer and exercise physiologist Sneh Dalal Patel, who also consults and helps with weight management for all age groups. Visit their web-site at www.vitalenergyfitness.com. Therapists from Vital Energy can provide close supervision for pa-tients treated at Vital Energy Fitness Center.

For more information, visit them online at www.vitalenergytherapy.com

Vital Energy accepts Medicare/Medic-aid, private insurance and pediatrics for alternative therapy on cash basis.

At Vital Energy, we treat many different types of issues with children.

Health & Wellness

(left to right) Hima Dalal performing a neck stretching exercise; Patient is finger stretching to improve handwriting; Hima working on head shaping


Identifying Hearing Loss in Children

mon concerns regarding children is their ability to develop speech and language in a timely manner. Since hearing the speech and sounds in their world is key in that process, it is important that hearing loss be ruled out in children who do not have a lot of words as they move into the tod-dler stage. Loud talking or speech is another sign that your child should have their hearing checked as they may be hearing themselves only at louder levels. Some more obvious behaviors may be the infant that does not startle to louder sounds and those children that seem to ig-nore other talkers and sounds and may also listen to the television at louder volume settings. When in doubt, have your child tested.

LW: Do I have to see a physician be-fore seeing an audiologist?LMHA: Although not necessary, it

Lexington Woman: Share with us exactly what an audiologist is and does?Lake Murray Hearing Associates: An audiologist is the primary health care professionals who evaluate, di-agnose, treat, and manage hearing loss and balance disorders in both adults and children. Audiologists may prescribe and fit hearing aids, are involved in cochlear implant programs, perform ear-related sur-gical monitoring, implement new-born hearing screening programs, and provide hearing rehabilitation.

LW: What are some things that would help me identify a hearing problem as a parent?LMHA: Hearing problems in chil-dren can range from persistent mid-dle ear fluid (ear infections) to per-manent hearing loss present at birth or acquired. One of the most com-

ake Murray Hearing Associate’s Dr. Todd Gibson offered us some advice on recognizing the possibility of hearing loss in children. Sometimes, as parents we worry unnecessarily, and other times, we may discount warning signs

as a lack of focus or attention. We want to educate you about the difference. L

is always a good idea to see your primary care doctor or pediatrician prior to seeing any specialist.

LW: Does insurance cover hearing evaluations?LMHA: Yes, most insurance does cover hearing exams for children and adults. Our staff are always hap-py to help you verify benefits prior to your visit.

LW: Help our readers understand why seeing someone early can help your child’s success with a treatment plan long term?LMHA: In the case of iden-tification of hearing loss, it is well documented that early intervention and treatment of hearing loss

can help children achieve on a level with normal-hearing peers. With earlier attention, children can real-ize optimal speech, social, and edu-cational development.

LW: What other reasons might someone need to be seen by your practice?LMHA: We are one of a few prac-tices in the state to offer auditory processing evaluations for children who have issues with their ability to hear in noise, follow directions, and have related attention problems. In addition to exams and hearing de-vices, we also provide evaluation for tinnitus (ringing in the ears), removal of cerumen (ear wax), pro-vide swimplugs, and assistive listen-ing devices.

LW: What are some of the newest technology that your office offers to help those who need hearing as-sistance?LMHA: We are the only provider of the Lyric extended wear device in the Midlands. This is essentially a device that can be worn while you shower or swim and stays in the ear for up to 4 months at a time. We also offer the latest in a variety of other hearing aids/devices that can help one to hear in noise and improve clarity of speech from all of the top manufacturers.

One of the most common concerns regarding children is their ability to develop speech...

Lake Murray Hearing Associates Staff

Health & Wellness

photo by Clark Berry Photography



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tress can be your response to the demands of everyday life. Stress is not always a bad thing. In fact, the right amount of stress motivates you to be alert, full of

energy and focused. But, too much stress can be harmful to your health. It can cause you to feel tense, anxious, irritable or overwhelmed.

SAmy Rawl Epps, MD

Your STRESSFUL Heart

How does stress affect your heart?Unmanaged stress, especially stress-related anger, can affect your heart health. This can lead to:• high blood pressure • elevated heart rate • irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias) • arterial wall damage • higher cholesterol levels • the development and progression of coronary artery disease (atherosclerosis)

In times of stress, people often turn to harmful habits to reduce their stress, such as cigarette smoking, overeating, use of drugs or over-use of alcohol. All of these fac-tors put you at additional risk for heart disease and stroke.

Common warning signs of heart disease include excessive fatigue, palpata-tions, abnormal sweating, unexplained nausea, chest discomfort, and shortness of breath.

It is also important to know that a recent heart event, procedure or recent diagnosis of heart disease can produce stress. You may have worries related to having heart disease. But, this is also a time to look at your health behaviors, take notice of things you can change, and begin to live a healthier lifestyle – physi-cally and mentally.

How can you gain control?You are in charge of your body. Your mind talks to your body and your body talks to your mind. You can take control and improve your health. Try these tips:• Begin to take note of things that cause you to feel stressed. • Accept the fact you may not be able to change certain situations. • Take time out each day to relax. • Exercise on most days. • Take care of your body. Eat a healthy diet and avoid smoking/ drug usage. • Get enough sleep. • Get answers to questions about

your health that may be worrying you.• Learn relaxation exercises, deep breathing. • Work with your doctors to find the best way to learn stress management.

You can become your heart’s best friend and protector. Recognizing your risks and following these tips will help you learn to gain control over your stress and lead a heart healthy lifestyle.

Dr. Epps is a physician at Columbia Car-diology – www.columbia-cardiology.com.

by Amy Rawl Epps, MD

Your body can plan a role in your response to stress. You react to stress by increasing your muscle tension, heart rate and blood pressure. These changes can cause cardiac health problems over time.

The key to managing stress in your life is to understand the causes of your stress and, then learn how to manage it. If unmanaged, the con-sequences can be fatal.

Do you have stress?If you are over-stressed, your mind and body will give you warning signs. Ask yourself these questions.• Do you feel like you are not yourself? • Do you often feel overwhelmed, anxious, angry, irritable or tense? • Do you get headaches or stiffness/tension in your muscles, jaw or back? • Do you feel unable to concentrate or to remember things as well? • Do you frequently have upset stomach, rashes, racing heartbeat, or sweaty palms? • Are you more tired or have a lower energy level than usual? • Do you have trouble sleeping? • Are you using alcohol or drugs to escape problems you may have?

If you answered yes to more than one of these questions, you may be feeling signs of stress overload. When you have stress overload, you may become forgetful or have dif-ficulty concentrating. The quality of your work may decline and you may feel alone or isolated.

The key to managing stress in your life is to understand the causes of your stress...

Health & Wellness



by Beth McCraryphotography by Clark Berry Photography

I will never forget the second day of second grade for my daughter Hannah. It was

Thursday, August 21, 2008, the day she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Very briefly, our world was turned upside down as we navigated the waters of learning how to treat and manage a very challenging disease. Prior to Hannah’s diagnosis, I knew very little about Type 1 Diabetes, as it was simply not on my radar.

My Daughter’s Diagnosis withTYPE 1 DIABETES

After a three night stay in Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital, we were sent home with syringes, insulin, a glucose meter, lots of reading mate-rial, and a Bag of Hope. My husband Sam remarked that he felt like we were taking home a newborn with a whole new set of directions. And we were. However, our goal from the moment Hannah was diagnosed was for her to lead as normal a life as possible with Type 1 Diabetes. She was back in school the Monday following her diagnosis and back on the soccer practice field the follow-ing weekend.

The Bag of Hope we were given con-tained Hannah’s first glucose meter with test strips, Rufus the diabetes bear, a video about Type 1 Diabe-tes, and plenty of reading material. Most importantly, the Bag of Hope connected my family to the local Palmetto Chapter of JDRF. We at-tended our first outreach event the Tuesday following Hannah’s diag-nosis and we have been involved ever since. It was a cooking class for children with Type 1 Diabetes. This opportunity introduced us to our greatest source of hope for a cure for people living with diabetes.


no longer works properly. When diabetes is present, the pancreas no longer makes enough (or any) insu-lin to break down the carbohydrates in foods to properly fuel the body.

Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s im-mune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. While its causes are not yet entirely understood, scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers are involved. Insulin must be given by multiple daily injections or via an insulin pump. Yet insulin is not a cure, it is what keeps a Type 1 Diabetic alive.

Diabetes affects the entire family. This isn’t entirely a bad thing be-cause diabetics need to eat the same way that the rest of us should eat – a diet consisting of healthy choices,

moderation and portion con-trol. Contrary to what many people think, we learned that Hannah can eat sugar, just in moderation like the rest of us should. We do not forbid or deny her the occasional piece of cake or candy. We teach healthy choices and lots of exercise to control her blood sugar.

In addition to her JDRF ad-vocacy work, Hannah also serves as the SC Ambassador

for the Diabetes Dude. You can read more about Hannah’s diagnosis sto-ry under friends of the DD at www.thediabetesdude.com.

Over the past three years we have served as mentors to newly diag-nosed families and make ourselves available whenever possible to do what we can to help JDRF. I began a two year term on the Board of Di-rectors for the Palmetto Chapter of

JDRF in June of 2011. In March of 2011, I was chosen to attend the an-nual Government Days in Washing-ton, DC as one of the South Caro-lina delegates. I visited with each of our Congressman to thank them for their past support of legislation in-volving diabetes research and fund-ing and asked for their signatures on a letter urging the Commissioner of the FDA to accept guidelines for the Artificial Pancreas Project. I will be returning to Washington in March of 2012 to ask for continued support of the Special Diabetes Program.

Please consider getting involved to help JDRF raise awareness of diabe-tes. People living with Type 1 Dia-betes didn’t choose it, diabetes chose them. Sadly, it can strike any one at any time and if not treated and managed properly can lead to life-threatening health complications or death. Together, we can make a really big difference for all people living with diabetes!

We definitely feel that JDRF is our greatest source of HOPE for a cure. For facts about JDRF and Type 1 diabetes please visit www.jdrf.org.

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation is an organization that was founded in 1970 by parents desiring to make a difference in the lives of their children and loved ones living with Type 1 Diabetes. To this day, it remains a volunteer driven organization devoted to preventing, treating, and finding a cure for Type 1 Diabetes. It only made sense to our family to get involved and do every-thing we can to raise awareness and funds to help JDRF find a cure.

Allow me to tell you why a cure is so important for all people with diabetes. Diabetes is a challenging and misunderstood disease. There are far too many myths and miscon-ceptions surrounding it. Because there are several types of diabetes and the cause of each is unknown, much confusion abounds. Far from an expert on diabetes, I have learned quite a bit in the past few years.

The most common types of diabe-tes are referred to as Type 1, Type 2, and Gestational Diabetes. Contrary to popular believe, eating too much sugar does not cause diabetes. Dia-betes is the result of a pancreas that

...our goal from the moment Hannah was diagnosed was for her to lead as normal a life as possible...

Super Kids

The McCrary Family


Kayla Stevens

ayla Stevens was an ordinary teenage girl making plans for her future when her family was struck suddenly with raw tragedy. A month after her eighteenth birthday, a pancreatic attack

left her fatherless. She, her mother and twin sisters, age eleven at the time, found themselves coming home from the hospital without the head of their household.

K

by Lori Samples Duncanphotography by Clark Berry Photography

Super Kids

STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE


Kayla admits that it has been challenging making the transition from sister to guardian, however she is certain that she did the right thing.

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If you have lost a parent, you may be able to fathom the pain this then eighteen year old ex-perienced. If you are blessed to still have your parents, then not even in your wildest dreams could you begin to understand the depth of the tragedy this family suffered. Still working through the grieving process of just having lost her grandfather less than a year before, Kayla and her little sisters would have to start that process over in grieving for their dad. At the time of his death, Kayla, an A/B student at a local high school, was making plans to attend USC Aiken to study English and Pre-Law the following fall.

Kayla’s plans were abruptly halted one February morning upon finding her mother had passed away from a heart attack during her sleep. Most young girls would have fallen apart or at the very least made some irresponsible choices during that difficult time, and understandably so. But Kayla was rose to the occasion. She and her siblings had a few options. They could leave their family’s modest home and move into dif-ferent homes of relatives. The families of both her mother and father offered for the girls to come and live with them. “I wanted to raise my sisters. It terrified me that I wouldn’t be able to get custody of them just because I was still in high school.”

Kayla felt that her parents would have wanted the three girls to stay together and that they

would also want them to continue cultivating their relationships with both families. Motivat-ed by her love for her sisters and her desire to honor her parents wishes, Kayla sprung into ac-tion. She contacted a local attorney with whom she had interned during her junior year and asked if he would help her petition the court for custody of her sisters. At just eighteen years old, Kayla Stevens became the legal guardian to her now twelve year old sisters.

Are there difficulties? Sure. Kayla admits that it has been challenging making the transition from sister to guardian, however she is certain that she did the right thing. All three girls are dealing with grief in their own way, and the middle school guidance counselor helped fa-cilitate someone for Hanna and Haley to talk to about their sorrow. “I’m still the big sister,” declares Kayla. “I just have more responsi-bilities than I had before.” Kayla has dreams of continuing her education while caring for her sisters, and she feels like she is honoring her parents with her choice to care for their little family.

It has been said by an unknown author that “True strength is keeping everything together when everyone expects you to fall apart.” Kayla is an extraordinary young woman of courage and strength and we at Lexington Woman Mag-azine wish her and her sisters much happiness and success.

Super Kids

Kayla

Hanna Haley


ary Carolyn Moore is a student at White Knoll High School, and quite a busy one at that.M

throughout college and in her words, “Com-petition is not foreign to this family.” Her lit-tle sister, Nickie, who is in eighth grade, also plays soccer on one of the teams that Mary Carolyn coaches.

Upon graduation, Mary Carolyn plans to at-tend the University of South Carolina. While USC does not have a DECA chapter, Mary Carolyn will continue to participate as an alumni, where she can assist with judging competitions, helping students, speaking en-gagements, and other areas where she may be needed. She also has plans to travel and even study abroad at some point. Mary Car-olyn would like to travel throughout Spain, England, Wales, Scotland, and Australia.

Here’s to hoping all of your dreams come true, Mary Carolyn Moore. Your future is

sure to be bright!

Mary Carolyn

In addition to coaching soccer and being in-volved in various activities, she serves as the South Carolina President of DECA. DECA is an organization that prepares young lead-ers and entrepreneurs for careers in market-ing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the world. Since Mary Carolyn began her participation in DECA, she has been honored with quite a few rewards, including placing first and second at the State and regional level for two consecutive years. She was also recognized as being in the top 30 (out of 200 students al-ready considered to be the best of the best) a the International Career Development Con-ference, where she was competing with other students from around the globe.

Mary Carolyn comes from a competitive family. Both of her parents played sports

Super Kids

photos by Clark Berry Photography


A Healing Center for

ter for Children focuses on bringing the treatment to the child.

“We work closely with law enforce-ment and Child Protective Services to provide forensic interviews and medical exams. We do it at one central location so that the children don’t have to go through interviews and exams at different places – it cuts down on the repetitiveness,” she said. “That’s where the investi-gation piece comes in, so we can fig-ure out what’s going on with a child and make sure that they’re safe. We provide therapy too.”

As Yarborough quickly explains the mission of and services offered at The Dickerson Center for Chil-dren, anyone would think that she’d been working at the center since it began.

But Yarborough said that she only recently began working as the ex-ecutive director of the organization in 2009.

“I really do believe that children are our future. And if we aren’t able to protect our children and give them a safe environment to grow up in, then we won’t have a healthy com-munity,” she said. “I’ve been so blessed in my life it’s important for me to be able to give back to an area that is critical in our community. It’s tough work, but I feel called to it.”

And that, Yarborough added, is the reason why she is so passionate about serving as the executive di-rector of The Dickerson Center for Children, a non-profit organization in Lexington that helps children who have been physically or sexu-ally abused.

“We are a child advocacy center, that’s the thing that is most im-portant and it’s a concept that a lot of people don’t get. We are a child-friendly setting in which the primary purpose is to assist in the investigation and treatment of child abuse,” she said, adding that the or-ganization is also accredited by the National Children’s Alliance. “That’s kind of it in a nutshell.”

One of the organization’s goals is to limit the number of times that a child has to tell their story.

Because sometimes, Yarborough added, children who have been abused are ashamed and don’t un-derstand what’s going on.

And that’s why The Dickerson Cen-

arol Yarborough knows it sounds cliche. And yet, she can’t think of any other way to describe why she is so passionate about her job.C

by AshleyFord

And the creation of the center, she added, was not the result of the ef-forts of only one person.

The Dickerson Center for Children was a community-based effort, she said, which is why the center is still a community-based organization.

“I grew up here in Lexington County and I’ve always had my eye on the center. I worked with it in other capacities, and when a posi-tion opened up it just felt like I was coming home again,” she said. “To be in the community where I grew up and feel like I’m actually helping the families that I grew up with – it’s just good to be home and affiliated with this center.”

During the past several years, Yar-borough said the organization has already seen a surge in growth and is bursting at the seams.

But during the next five to 10 years, she said she’d like to see the orga-

nization move to another facility where they could see more children and provide more services to those children.

“I would like to see us do more collaborative efforts with other or-ganizations in the community so that we can provide more of what’s needed in Lexington County and the midlands area,” she said. “I feel like the Dickerson Center has so much to offer with our specialized knowledge. We’ve got a great staff and I just want to continue to build on that.”

‘We are a child advocacy center, that’s the thing that is most important...’

The Dickerson Center for Children Staff

Our Future


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by Tammy Ferris

M ost all of us have one – a “Honey Do” list. Some items on your list may be as simple as replacing an air filter or changing out

a light bulb, but let’s face it; not all your household maintenance chores are that easy. Even fixing a leaky faucet can be tough if your guy doesn’t know exactly what he’s doing. Since February is the month of love, maybe your best Valentine’s Day gift is giving him a break from home repair and saving yourself the frustration of waiting for it to get done!

do-it-yourselfers. But no matter how simple the job may be, safety must always be top of mind.

Fixing a leaky pipe, faucet or toilet valve may re-quire using a soldering torch on copper pipes. • Always use extreme caution when with a propane torch and solder especially when working in tight spaces.• Good safety glasses are a must.• Wear protective clothing. Hot solder dripping on your arm or leg can cause severe burns.• Find your home’s main water shut-off valve is just in case a pipe breaks and water starts flooding your home.

If your furnace stops working, there may be a very easy fix. Check these first:• Make sure the air filter is clean and the blower motor door is attached properly.• Check to see that the gas valve, power supply switch and breaker are all set to the “on” position.• Many thermostats require batteries. You may simply need to replace them to get your furnace working again.• Make sure your pilot light is on and use precautions if you have to re-light it.

Electrical work is one of the few DIY projects that can kill you. Always think “Better safe than sorry” when working with electricity.• Always make sure the power is off to the circuit you’re working on. Double-check it because sometimes electrical boxes are fed by more than one circuit.• Never assume your house is wired properly. Ungrounded and swapped wires are common even in newer homes.

• Wear rubber-soles shoes or stand on a rubber mat when doing electrical repairs.• If you’re not comfortable using high-powered tools, don’t. Call a licensed electrician.

It simply isn’t worth risking serious injury, or worse, to save a few dollars doing it yourself. The latest statistics show 4 million people visit emer-gency rooms every year in the U.S. due to injuries from DIY projects.

Some projects simply require more extensive training than others. Gene Love technicians know the most efficient and safest ways to fix those an-noying little household headaches. They also stay up-to-date on the latest national and local codes required to keep your home and family safe. One of those national codes requires all homes have GFCI receptacles. Are you confident your hus-band knows what that is? Could he install one safely, if necessary?

Save your “helpful” husband the embarrassment and the bruised ego. Hire a professional from Gene Love to get the job done right the first time. Give him the gift of service for Valentine’s Day and we’ll give you money off that gift. We love to keep you both happy!

Tammy Ferris is the owner of Gene Love Plumbing, Air and Electric, serving the greater Columbia, South Caro-lina area for more than 25 years. Gene Love plumbers contain and control water and guarantee their work. Gene Love consistently earns “Best Plumbing Com-pany” and other service industry awards. Gene Love consistently earns “Best Plumbing Company” and oth-er service industry awards. For more information on a sweet Valentine’s gift offer, go to www.genelove.com or call (803) 719-5334.

Men seem to have an innate feeling that they should fix things themselves. The problem is that homeowners with basic skills experience run into unexpected problems and that’s when they call us. The problem is that by the time we arrive on the scene, the job has become bigger than it needed to be.

From fixing leaky plumbing to installing a new thermostat to upgrading electrical systems, Gene Love technicians want to help couples avoid the frustrations that often come with do-it-yourself projects.

If your guy’s too stubborn to stop and ask for di-rections, he’s probably also too proud to get help from professionals with what he considers minor household repairs. He’ll tell you, “No problem. I saw a show about how to fix that. I’ll take care of it this weekend.” Yes, he probably did see a show about how to fix it. Those do-it-yourself programs are getting more popular all the time. You might already know that there’s an entire cable network that only runs DIY programming. Even a quick Internet search of “do-it-yourself ” brings up more than 200 million – yes, million! – links. But what looks easy on TV or the Internet, isn’t always so simple when you get right down to it.

Some of our local at-home handymen learned that the hard way. They called Gene Love to get help fixing projects they admit they messed up, like trying to install a new thermostat, ceiling fan or a new flapper in a toilet. I’m sure they hated having to dial our number, but their secrets are safe with us!

Certainly there are some home fix-ups perfect for

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I hope that the end of 2011 finds everyone prosperous, happy, and healthy. It is nice to look back on our blessings throughout the year, relax and spend

our holiday time with friends and family, and sit back with a nice warm cup of coffee, or apple cider and arrange our tax documents for the coming tax season. What a relaxing thought!!

It’s TAX Time!

I would like to share some thoughts for individu-als and small business owners that can help make this time less stressful.

Try to get your documents to your tax preparer as soon as possible. In many instances December and the first part of January is a good time for preparers to collate your information. It has yet to become hectic, and the phone is not interrupting every 10 minutes. The less they have to get in and out of your file the more they can accomplish at one sitting.

Make sure you maximize your deductions and credits; these include:• Self Employed Health Insurance• New Qualified Retirement Plan Credit

• Employment Credits• Mileage• Depreciation• Home Office deductions• Disability Insurance Benefits• Dependent Care Credit• Household Employee• Mortgage Interest, Points, and insurance

Check your prior year tax return to ensure that the proper allocation of depreciation and SE Health Insurance were taken last year. If you are self-employed (i.e. received a 1099 or filed a schedule C or schedule K-1 for 2008, 2009, or 2010), are covered under health insurance, and there is not a dollar figure in line 29 of your form 1040… you probably left a significant deduction on the

Try to get your documents to your tax preparer as soon as possible.

Professional



table. Enough to pay for your tax preparation fees, or possibly your payroll taxes going forward. Have your taxes prepared by a li-censed individual. The licenses are Enrolled Agents (EAs), or Certified Public Accountants (CPAs). With all of the changes in the tax law, new credits, and crackdown on unqualified tax preparers be wary of someone who prepares your tax return and asks you to sign as pre-parer. Should something go wrong these folks will not be able to rep-resent you in an IRS audit? And audits of SE businesses are becom-ing more and more, based on “red flags” or randomness, not having a licensed individual who agrees to stand behind his or her work is a significant no-no… it’s worth the extra $75 fees… pay it.

Ask about the filing fees. If you are getting charged by the form, be aware that many forms have very little information on them and take less time to fill out. It is better to find a preparer that bills based on time… not “by the pound”.

Prepare 1099s. In the age of technology more and more busi-nesses are getting crushed by not filing 1099s for contract employ-ers. There are no more “under the table” payments to employees. The 1040 Schedule C is tracked by EIN to the reports at the Social Security Department, then back to the 1099. All subcontractors who receive over $600 annually must receive a 1099, or you cannot claim them as a deduction and you end up paying their social security and income taxes at your higher rate. And that is the best case sce-

nario!!! Worst case scenario is you claim the contract labor, get audit-ed, they might as well check your mileage, and cell phone records while they’re here, and by the way, that wasn’t a contractor, it should have been an employee, now you must go backwards in time and file the federal 941s, form 940 Federal unemployment, W3, W2, and SC Unemployment, plus penalties and interest, and you do not get the deduction.

Other significant items we have seen in the past several years in-volve an annual restructuring of your withholding, retirement, and property taxes. Many people have gotten married or moved and have rental property. These folks forget to switch their permanent residence to their current address resulting in paying too much in property taxes, and they do not claim the rental property because they are barely breaking even on the rent or mortgage. Claim your rental property, there are many deductions to be had especially depreciation, mortgage interest, pest control, repairs and mainte-nance, etc. While these losses may not be deductible now, they will carry over into years when you may need them.

Happy sorting!!!

Newsome & Company, P.C. is a full service accounting firm committed to your success. If you need assistance with your taxes this year, contact them at (803) 728-1899.

Have your taxes prepared by a licensed individual. The licenses are Enrolled Agents (EAs), or Certified Public Accountants (CPAs).

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hen she was seven years old, Haley Thomas had headaches and squinted a fair amount of time. Thinking eye glasses may be in order, her mom, Jessica Sheppard, took Haley to the eye doctor and was told that although

Haley was a bit far sighted, that was normal for her age and she would “grow out of it.”W

her brain that she only had two days to live if the fluid wasn’t removed.” Two days. “My world fell apart. Every mother should be able to heal their child but there was nothing I could say or do to fix this. If they get stitches, you can baby them. You can kiss boo boos and make it better. In most instances, you can help take away the pain. But not here. There was nothing I could do. It was all in God’s hands.” The night of Haley’s diagnosis, the doctor sug-gested that he needed to explain to Haley what was happening. When Jessica walked into Haley’s room and Dr. Smith began to speak, she couldn’t hold back her tears. But this time, it was Haley’s turn to make it better.

“She grabbed my hand and looked me right in the eyes and said, ‘Mama, don’t cry. God told me I am going to be ok,’” recalls Jessica. Haley told her mom that God visited her in the hospital room

Haley was a bit far sighted, that was normal for her age and she would “grow out of it.” Jessica wasn’t satisfied with this answer, so she made an appointment with a pediatric optometrist. On January 26, 2004, Lexington experienced an ice storm and Haley was feeling particularly bad. Jes-sica braved the weather and took her little girl to the emergency room, where the doctor said she had a virus.

That was Tuesday. On Friday, it was time for the pediatric eye exam, where they learned Haley’s eyes were hemorrhaging and an immediate MRI was ordered.

On January 30, 2004 at 6:33 pm, their world for-ever changed. “No words can explain how I felt when Dr. Lynwood Smith told me Haley had craniopharyngioma, a benign tumor that devel-ops near the pituitary gland,” remembers Haley’s mom. “He said she had so much fluid built up on

and told her she was going to have surgery, but that she shouldn’t be scared because she was go-ing to be just fine. Haley had emergency surgery the very next day.

“That night, Haley was in ICU and kept asking for her angel teddy bear,” says Jessica. “We had family and friends at the hospital and, with a little prompting, I finally decided to go home and get the bear for her. When I walked into her room to retrieve the bear, I completely lost it. At that moment, it hit me that my child may not come home.”

But Haley had a different idea. From the time she found out about her tumor, this little girl was de-termined to beat it, even saying to her mom, “I’m going to beat this!” at times.

On February 18, Jessica received a call from St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital requesting that she and

Lex ington Woman ce lebr ates the sur v ivor in you

by Elaine Samplesphotography by Patrick Mooney

HALEY THOMAS{A Brain Tumor Survivor}


the tumor. In May, she was released and mommy and daughter were free to go back home to big brother Nick.

The doctors warned that Haley’s hair would fall out and suggested that Jessica change her pillowcases from light to dark so that Haley would not have to see all of her hair on the pil-low. When Jessica explained this to Haley, she was not concerned. She simply told her mother “If my hair falls out, God wants it to fall out. He’ll make it grow back.” And again, Haley was right. She lost a small patch of hair the size of two quar-

Haley come to Memphis for treat-ment. They would need to bring clothes for nine weeks. Haley had an older brother at home, Nick, who was eight years old. With her heart breaking again, Jessica left Nick with family as she and Haley set off for Memphis: “I had to leave one child behind to get one child better,” Jessica remembers sadly. “It was so hard to go, but it was the only option for Haley.”

For fifteen hours, these two were on the road to Memphis, arriving at their destination at 11:00 pm. When Haley was admitted, she would need surgery to remove a cyst off her brain away from the tumor. Her head would be bolted down and she wouldn’t be able to eat, talk, or move her legs for 72 hours. At least that is what the doctors said. But, again, Haley had a different idea.

After the surgery, Jessica was in the waiting room and the nurse came down the hall and announced, “Hal-ey wants a Sprite, a cheeseburger, and her mama.” The doctors would later go on to say that Haley was the best cranio patient they had treated because she responded to well.

Every day, taking only weekends off, Haley would go to radiation, for a total of 52 rounds, in order to shrink

ters at the bottom back of her head. “Now, Mama,” said Haley, “Aren’t you glad we didn’t cut my hair off?! I told you I am going to beat this!”

As a testament to Haley’s faith, none of the side effects the doctors warned of happened. Although they said she would need glasses, Haley has 20/20 vision. Although they said she would likely have a stroke, to this day Haley hasn’t had a stroke. (And personally, I don’t think she ever will.) They warned of more sur-gery being likely – but Haley hasn’t had to have another surgery. And although her life has a lot of doctors’

appointments that other children her age don’t have, she is a beautiful, active young lady who radiates from the inside out.

Today we celebrate Haley Thomas, the little girl who believed.

This article is brought to you by Dems Fine Jewelers. Visit www.demsjewelers.com or call (803) 407-5290.

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Celebrating the Survivor in You!

Today we celebrate Haley Thomas, the little girl who believed.

by Elaine Samplesphotography by Patrick Mooney

Haley and her mother


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COMPLIMENTARY

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Lackey wins Wendy’s High School Heisman AwardWHITE KNOLL HIGH SCHOOLJamal Lackey is the Wendy’s High School Heisman Award recipient for White Knoll High School. The Wendy’s Heisman Award goes to well-rounded young men and women who excel in learning, performing and leading in the classroom, on the field or in the community while maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or better. A wrestler on White Knoll High’s wrestling team, Lackey has placed twice at state competitions. Last year

he won the 2010 –2011 state championship in the 145 pound division. He is currently ranked 29th in the nation in the senior division by USA Wrestling Magazine.

Students sing way into All-State chorusWHITE KNOLL HIGH SCHOOLWhite Knoll High School students Sommer Cagle, Trey Duncan, Nina Forsyth, Jake Phillips, Spen-cer Sox, Sarah Truesdale and Dionna Walker earn spots in the All-State Chorus, sponsored by the Choral Division of the South Caro-lina Music Educators Association. Cagle and Forsyth earned spots in the Women’s Choir. Duncan, Phillips, Sox, Truesdale and Walker earned spots in the Mixed Choir. The S.C. All-State Chorus program provides an inten-sive and demanding vocal experience, which fosters self-discipline, personal growth and musicianship. The pro-gram allows choral students in South Carolina to sing together and represent the state in statewide events. Students who participate in All-State can further utilize the skills obtained and developed in their local school programs. The students will travel to Winthrop University in March to participate in the choir.

Research journal publishes article written by teacherLEXINGTON HIGH SCHOOLLexington High Biology Teacher Emily Durrett, working with two other scientists, researched elements of two genes connected to tumor formation and cancer. Plasmid, a research journal, published an article based on the research and written by Durrett and her team.

Students discover the world of microscopyROCKY CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOLRocky Creek Elementary students Cooper Jaeger and Sarah Davis are amazed at their discoveries, previously unseen by the naked eye, while exploring an object using a Proscope in the school’s STEM lab. Students visit the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Lab where they use various kinds of technology to participate in hands-on learning projects


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A special thanks to the Timberwolves Coaching Staff for participating in this photo!

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A Personal Note

an you believe it is 2012? Our family has experienced many milestones again this year. I have come to realize as a parent that this is an ongoing progression

with our children.

We now have two teenagers in the house, a skateboard loving nine year old, and, of course, Ryan who turned five on January 20th. I can hardly believe it has been five whole years since God blessed us with Ryan. As I have said before, each of our children are different and special in their own way. Often times, I have pondered as to the varied roles each child plays in our little family and how each of their personalities seem shaped and defined by the order in which they were born. Trey began talking very early and even formed complete sen-tences before he was two years old. However, I was convinced that Ryan had a developmental delay because he wasn’t much of a talker until he was three. Abby was on her feet walking at eight months old! Yes I know it sounds too young to believe, yet it is the truth. And I can honestly say that the little lady hasn’t slowed down since! Each of the boys took their time, but by twelve months everyone was on their feet and moving around. Colton earned the nickname “Hammer” from his dad because at less than two he would “hammer” his head against a wall if things didn’t go according to how he supposed they should. Before too long, he learned that this behavior would not produce the desired result and apparently it didn’t feel good either, so he stopped. To this day, Trent still affectionately calls him “Hammer.”

As parents, we work hard to make sure our children are healthy and happy. I have learned in parenting that they each need different things from us. While I may need to be firm with all of them about certain things, the sensitive child requires a softer touch. It became pretty apparent very early in Ryan’s life that the first thirty minutes of his day should be a quiet, loving time, or the remainder of his day felt somewhat frustrating. I learned that Colton likes to be awake a few minutes before he has to take a shower and get ready for school and he doesn’t mind waking up early to facilitate this. Alternatively, Trey prefers to roll out of bed, shower, dress and be out the door in twenty minutes. And my Abby prefers to spend an hour the night before school getting everything ready for the next day, including her clothes, or the mornings can be pretty exasperating for her.

All of the kids have different needs, yet they all live in the same house with the same two parents, and live very similar lives. They also have different interests and talents. While Trey lights up at the talk of aeronautical advancements, he tends to be a little quiet otherwise. Colton possesses a special gift that encourages others, and being with friends on a continual basis is important to him. Abby, the social butterfly, really enjoys help-ing people. She tends to be a “friend to the friendless” and she derives great joy in doing nice things for others. Ryan loves to read and he processes the story and asks questions about it. His imagination is boundless and I love that his elephants are still green and blue. Although he is still defining his role in our house, he calls himself “kingdid.” (This is his word and apparently it denotes a ruler of some sorts, as he informed me once that he was “king of my tummy.”)

I believe it’s my job to parent each of my children in a way that best speaks to him or her. It is my responsi-bility to encourage Trey’s mathematical mind and love of engineering, Abby’s gift of service, Colton’s gift of compassion, and Ryan’s gift of leadership. They were all created with a purpose and if I miss my mark, it could cause them to miss their destiny. Being their mother is the greatest responsibility and true work of my life. I heartily embrace the challenge and pray every single day for wisdom. This heart month means so much to me. I celebrate the beautiful man I married who loves me in a way I never expected, both of our birthdays and our anniversary, and I celebrate four reasons that I strive every day to make my world a better place. My heart belongs to the five of them. I wonder what gifts your children possess? I petition you to consider today what God has entrusted you with. I believe our heritage is in our children.

God bless you all!

Lori Samples Duncan

C

Proverbs 4:23Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

Ryan

Colton

Abby

Trey

photos by Patrick Mooney


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