Host Janet Michael sits down with Emily Shultz, Warren County 4-H Extension Agent, to talk about everything you need to know about 4-H overnight camps in the Northern Shenandoah Valley.

In This Episode:

• What 4-H overnight camps are and who they're for
• Camp dates, locations, and county clusters
• Age requirements and the 4-H age cutoff explained
• What a typical camp week looks like (no screens!)
• Activities offered at camp
• The teen counselor and CIT (Counselor-in-Training) program
• Cost, registration, scholarships, and deadlines
• Why 4-H camp stands out from other overnight camps
• What kids take home beyond the fun

Key Details:

Page, Frederick & Shenandoah

Warren, Clarke & Rappahannock

Dates

June 14–18

July 5–9

Location

4-H Center, Front Royal, VA

4-H Center, Front Royal, VA

Ages

9–13 (4-H age as of Sept. 30)

9–13 (4-H age as of Sept. 30)

Cost

TBD – contact your county agent

$400 (scholarships available)

Registration Deadline

Contact your county agent

May 31

Activities Include: Archery · Arts & Crafts · Bracelet Making · Canoeing · Creek & Critters · Campfire Cooking · High Ropes · Horseback Riding · Leather Crafts · Newspaper Photography · Outdoor Living Skills · Swimming · Tie-Dye · Wacky Science

Contact & Resources:

• Emily Shultz, Warren County 4-H Extension Agent
  • Phone: (540) 635-4549
  • Email: [email protected]
• Warren County 4-H Facebook Page
• Clarke-Warren-Rappahannock Camp Website: https://sites.google.com/vt.edu/cwr4-hcamp/home

Find your local county extension agent at your county's Virginia Cooperative Extension office

Shenandoah County 4-H Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShenandoahCounty4H / 540-459-6140

Clarke County 4-H Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClarkeCounty4H / 540-955-5164

Frederick County 4-H Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FrederickVA4H/ 540-665-5699

Host Janet Michael sits down with Jodi Young, Executive Director of Healthy Families Northern Shenandoah Valley, and Tracy Mitchell, Manager of Valley Health's Wellness Services and Risk Reduction, to explore a free home visiting program that supports new and expectant parents from pregnancy through a child's fifth birthday — and why April's Child Abuse Prevention Month makes this conversation especially timely.

What You'll Learn

• What Healthy Families is and how the home visiting model works
• Who qualifies for the program and how to enroll
• Why the first five years of a child's life are so critical for development
• How Valley Health supports Healthy Families as its host agency
• How the community can donate, fundraise, or spread the word

Key Takeaways

• Healthy Families serves families from 20 weeks prenatal through age 5, with visits as frequent as once a week in the early months
• The program is completely free — no income guidelines, no insurance requirements
• Services include parenting education, developmental screenings, and referrals to community resources
• Healthy Families Northern Shenandoah Valley is one of 28 sites across Virginia and serves Winchester City, Frederick County, Warren County, and Clarke County
• The program is rooted in evidence-based research showing that home visiting reduces child abuse and neglect
• Valley Health provides operational support including grant writing, marketing, and foundation resources

How to Get Involved

• Donate supplies: diapers, formula, car seats, pack-and-plays, baby blankets
• Organize a drive: Get your church group, workplace, or community organization involved
• Make a monetary donation
• Spread the word: Share with pregnant friends, family, or anyone who might benefit
• Contact Healthy Families NSV directly to ask about current needs

Find Healthy Families NSV

• Facebook: Healthy Families NSV
• Via Valley Health: https://www.valleyhealthlink.com/our-locations/profile/healthy-families-nsv-resource-center/ Fetal Medicine

Host Janet Michael visits the Winchester SPCA — the original home of her own dogs, Briscoe and Miller — for a conversation with Executive Director Lavenda Denney about the organization's growing campus, April membership drive, and the community programs that make them more than just a shelter.

Topics Covered

• The Winchester SPCA Campus — Located at 111 Feathered Lane in Winchester, the campus includes an adoption center, a 10,000 sq. ft. thrift store, a small vet clinic, an intake building, and a free coffee bar (with a second one coming soon to the lobby, courtesy of Timber's Cafe)
• What They Do — Primarily dogs and cats, but will accept any domestic animal; all wildlife is referred to Blue Ridge Wildlife Center
• April Membership Drive — Memberships start at $25 (seniors) and go up to $1,000 (lifetime); members receive 10% off at the thrift store and voting rights at the annual meeting
• Pet First Aid Kits — Free mini kits available to existing members during April; includes tick remover, antiseptic wipes, quick-reference first aid facts, and more
• No-Kill Shelter — Winchester SPCA has been no-kill since 2014, achieving a 98% save rate last year
• Transfer Program — The SPCA pulls animals from other shelters where they may face space-related euthanasia
• Volunteers — Nearly 500 active volunteers; 2026 Volunteer of the Year: Bill Shanholtz
• Foster-to-Adopt Program — Animals with uncertain behavioral histories can go home on a trial basis before adoption is finalized
• Meet Mirabel — A sweet senior dog currently available for adoption; best suited as an only pet in a quiet home
• Janet's Adoption Story — Janet shares how she came in as a foster and walked out with two puppies

How to Get Involved

• Become a member: winchesterspca.org → Membership
• Visit: 111 Feathered Lane, Winchester, VA
• Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok

Host Janet Michael welcomes back Guy Curtis — wearing his Little League hat this time rather than his Laurel Ridge Community College one — along with Terra Walker, Frederick County National Little League's information officer, to discuss the organization's ambitious capital campaign to expand and improve youth sports facilities in the Winchester and Frederick County area.

About Frederick County National Little League

• Established in 1984
• Serves Winchester, Stephens City, Middletown, and the southern end of Frederick County
• Nonprofit 501(c)3, fully volunteer-run organization
• Currently 25–35 teams per spring season with over 350 active players
• Fall season also active, though smaller in size
• 100+ volunteers each season

Topics Covered

• The Capital Campaign Goal — Raising $500,000 to expand and improve facilities, starting with the Passage Road complex in Stephens City
• Current Facilities — Three existing fields at Passage Road; infrastructure is aging and in need of upgrades including paved parking, permanent bathrooms, refurbished batting cages, and field maintenance
• New T-Ball Field — Plans to add a fourth, more versatile multi-purpose field suited for T-ball and coach pitch divisions
• Naming Rights — Available for the new T-ball field and potentially the entire Passage Road complex for major donors
• Long-Term Dream: Indoor Facility — A year-round indoor sports space for practices, camps, clinics, umpire training, and community events; would eliminate weather-related cancellations and serve the broader community
• Field Lighting — A potential future upgrade to allow evening games at Passage Road
• Growing the League — Anticipating regional population growth and ensuring the league can accommodate more players, particularly in the younger T-ball and coach pitch age groups (4–7 years old)
• Life Skills Through Sports — Guy reflects on 10 years of coaching and the value of teamwork, communication, sportsmanship, and leadership development through youth baseball and softball

Fundraising Opportunities

• Charity Golf Tournament — June 5th at Rock Harbor Golf Course, 9:00 AM shotgun start
• $125 per player / $500 per team
• Still seeking a title sponsor
• Register: givebutter.com/FCNLLCharityGolf or fcnll.com
• Pitch In For The Future Fundraiser — Spring season drive where each player fundraises within their own network
• Game Day Sponsorships — Sponsor a Saturday at Sherando Park; includes interaction with families and free popcorn for all attendees; openings still available for spring season
• General Donations — All amounts welcome; every dollar supports the campaign
• Volunteer & Board Opportunities — Coaches, board members, and general volunteers always needed

How to Get Involved

• Website: fcnll.com
• Facebook page: Frederick County National Little League

Host Janet Michael talks with Nathan Stalvey about the Clarke County Historical Association's spring Art at the Mill show, upcoming VA250 events in Clarke County, and behind-the-scenes updates on the historic Burwell-Morgan Mill.

Art at the Mill – Spring 2026

• Dates: Saturday, April 18 – Sunday, May 3, 2026
• Hours: Sunday–Friday, 12–5pm | Saturdays, 10–5pm
• Location: Burwell-Morgan Mill, Millwood, VA
• Admission: $5 adults | $3 seniors | Children 12 & under free
• Free admission with a show postcard or print advertisement
• Submissions: 300+ artists, nearly 950 works
• Media: Oils, acrylics, pastels, pencil, charcoal, glass sculpture, wood turning, baskets, and more
• Art rotates daily as pieces sell; reserve works come down from storage throughout the first week
• Online Gallery available at opening — browse, call in, and purchase by phone during business hours
• Artist bios included in the online gallery

Behind the Scenes

• The jury/volunteer committee selects which works are accepted and chooses the signature postcard image
• Hanging is a curated process — color, style, and framing are all factored in for each placement
• Works range from 5 ft. x 4 ft. down to 4 in. x 4 in.
• Artists set their own prices based on experience, materials, framing, and time
• The show has been running since 1990

VA250 – America's 250th Anniversary Events in Clarke County

Clarke County's VA250 Committee brings together local nonprofits, businesses, and organizations for a multi-year series of events running through 2031.

Upcoming Highlights:

• April 18 @ 2pm – Taking Tea and Taxes — Celeste Fetta, Chief Educator at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, speaks at Barns Rose Hill on material culture and the revolutionary spark behind colonial tea culture
• May 16 (Saturday evening) – Liberty Ball at Long Branch — black-tie celebration of America's 250th, featuring music, fife and drum, and food
• May 17 @ 2pm – Blandy at 100: Communities that Give Rise to Scientific Discovery — talk at Blandy Experimental Farm
• May 17 @ 2pm – Nathan Stalvey presents Religion in Early America: From Colony to the Republic, tracing the First and Second Great Awakenings from the 1740s to the 1840s
• 4th of July – Coordinated community events; CCHA plans to grind red, white, and blue corn at the Burwell-Morgan Mill

Mill Updates

• Mill Dam project: Complete — a major restoration that had been a long-running concern
• Greater face wheel repairs: Underway — the gear connecting the water wheel to the grindstones needs new mill teeth, being hand-crafted by a certified historic millwright to original spec
• Mill grinding expected to resume mid-May (pending repairs)
• Future projects: mill pond dredging, water wheel maintenance

Support the Clarke County Historical Association

• Memberships, donations, and volunteers are vital — volunteer hours count toward grant applications
• Learn more: clarkehistory.org
• Facebook & Instagram: @ClarkeHistory

Guests:

• Sam Armel – Founder, Frederick County Homesteaders; local real estate agent
• Kristin Tesdall – Five Roots Farm (fiverootsfarm.com)
• Jaclyn Mommen – Laurel Grove Wine Farm & Patty's Place (laurelgrovewinefarm.com)

What We Cover:

• Why Frederick County Homesteaders is switching from a farm crawl to a farm hop — and what that means for families, those with mobility challenges, and anyone who couldn't make it farm-to-farm
• How the new centralized format opens the door to more farms, vendors, nonprofits, 4-H clubs, and demonstrations than ever before
• The bigger mission: doubling farm profit margins by connecting consumers directly with local farmers
• Why the data center threat in Frederick County has energized the community to take action in support of local agriculture

Event Details: Spring Farm Hop

• Date: April 18th
• Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
• Location: Frederick County Virginia Fairgrounds
• Admission: FREE (no parking fees, no entry fees)
• RSVP encouraged: frederickcountyhomesteaders.com → Events

What to Expect at the Event:

• ~60 vendors including local farms, homesteads, and micro hatcheries
• Demonstrations: Raw milk butter making (Old Cedar Farmstead), herbal infusions (Willow Moon Farm), fermentation/sauerkraut/kimchi, sourdough, canning
• Panel 1 – Healthy Living Locally (10:00 AM): Raw milk & herd shares, herbal remedies, chiropractic and movement
• Panel 2 – Homesteading 101 (afternoon): Getting started, land stewardship, Q&A with experienced homesteaders
• Live bluegrass music over the lunch hours
• Kids' activities: Scavenger hunt with prizes, young entrepreneur vendor section
• Plant sales & swaps, animal swaps, livestock sales
• CSA & herd share sign-ups
• Lunch service by Chef Van Haute from Inn at Vaucluse Springs

About the Farms:

Five Roots Farm A micro farm on just over 5 acres on the west side of Frederick County. Raises sheep (wool, dairy & meat), ducks, chickens, geese, and rabbits. Offers a self-service farm stand stocked with eggs and seasonal produce.

• Upcoming workshop: Sheep on the Homestead – April 25th
• fiveroottsfarm.com | @fiveroottsfarm on Facebook & Instagram

Laurel Grove Wine Farm & Patti's Place Home to one of the best regenerative wine collections in the US, now shipping nationwide. Offers workshops on composting, vermicomposting, home gardening, and holistic medicine. Hiking trails and a playground coming soon.

• Marketplace hours: Wed–Sun, 10 AM – 4 PM
• Café hours: Thu–Sun, 11 AM – 3 PM
• laurelgrovewinefarm.com | @LaurelGroveWineFarm | @PattyPlace_LGWF

Coming Up from Frederick County Homesteaders:

• Expanded Annual Shop Local Guide – launching June during Love Your Farmer Week (think: Southern Living for Frederick County — recipes, farm stories, interviews)
• Available at local farms, farm markets, and tourism departments throughout Frederick County

Connect & Learn More:

• Frederick County Homesteaders: frederickountyhomesteaders.com
• RSVP for the Farm Hop on the Events page (helps vendors prep food & product quantities!)
• Sponsorship opportunities available — includes banner placement on Route 11 fencing for a week prior to the event

In this episode, host Janet Michael talks with Traci Toth, Executive Director of Wheels for Wellness, and Ann Lamanna, board chair and volunteer driver, about the vital free medical transportation service they provide to residents across the Winchester, VA region — and their upcoming 10th annual fundraiser, Tablescapes.

About Wheels for Wellness

Wheels for Wellness provides free transportation to medical appointments for people who lack other means of getting there. Their service area covers:

• Winchester
• Frederick County
• Clarke County
• Warren County
• Northern Shenandoah County

Who they serve: Any ambulatory adult (ages 20–90+) who is not a Medicaid recipient and needs a ride to a medical appointment. They serve all income levels and age groups.

Types of appointments covered:

• Dialysis (approximately 68% of current transports)
• Chemotherapy & radiation
• Doctor's appointments
• Dental & hearing appointments
• Diagnostic procedures (colonoscopies, imaging, etc.)

How Volunteering Works

• Volunteers use their own vehicle and gas
• Completely flexible scheduling — no minimum hours required
• Volunteers sign up only for trips that fit their schedule
• Wheels for Wellness provides secondary accident liability insurance for all drivers
• Last year, volunteer drivers logged 130,000 miles

Tablescapes 2026 — A Decade of Design 10th Annual Fundraiser

📅 Sunday, April 19th, 2–5 PM 📍 Millwood Station, Winchester, VA 🎟️ $25 in advance | $30 at the door

What to expect:

• 25 uniquely themed and decorated dinner tables
• Demonstrations (flower arranging, napkin folding, and more)
• Silent auction (items valued $100+)
• Raffle prizes
• 50/50 drawing (new this year)
• Cash wine bar (new this year)
• Refreshments, door prizes, and more
• Decorator's Choice & People's Choice table competitions

Where to get tickets:

• Online: wheels4wellness.org
• Kimberly's (look for the sign out front)
• Wheels for Wellness office (on the Our Health campus)

Links & Resources

• 🌐 Website: wheels4wellness.org
• Become a client, volunteer, or donor directly through the website
• Sponsorship opportunities for Tablescapes also available online

Guests

• Cynthia Schneider — CEO, Top of Virginia Regional Chamber; 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient, Laurel Ridge Community College
• Liv Heggoy — Associate Vice President of Development, Laurel Ridge Community College & Executive Director, Laurel Ridge Educational Foundation
• Brandy Hawkins Boies — Director of Public Relations & Special Events, Laurel Ridge Community College

Episode Summary

Host Janet Michael sits down with three guests to celebrate Cynthia Schneider's recognition as Laurel Ridge Community College's 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient. The conversation covers Cynthia's winding career path, the transformative power of community college, and how it's never too late to start a new chapter.

Key Topics Covered

The Distinguished Alumni Award

• Awarded for over 40 years to community members who have distinguished themselves in their career and service
• Recipients are honored each year at the Laurel Ridge Educational Foundation luncheon
• The luncheon brings together donors and scholarship recipients to celebrate the college's impact

Cynthia Schneider's Story

• Began college at James Madison University before transferring to an unaccredited college in Kansas to pursue her faith
• Built a 25-year career in specialty food manufacturing, rising from data entry to Director of Operations
• Found herself jobless at 57, newly empty-nested, facing one of the lowest points of her life
• Enrolled at Laurel Ridge through a grant opportunity — a turning point that rebuilt her confidence
• Landed at the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber as Director of Finance & Administration, eventually becoming CEO
• Reflects on learning to step out of the background and embrace a visible leadership role

The Laurel Ridge Difference

• A nurturing, intergenerational learning environment serving students ages 14–70
• Cynthia's memorable classroom moment: learning to take a photo of the board instead of writing notes — sitting next to her son's classmate
• Cynthia's daughter Sarah went from a 1.9 GPA in high school to the Dean's List at Laurel Ridge, then transferred to JMU via the guaranteed transfer program, earned her degree in Communications, and went on to complete a master's program

On Reinvention & Lifelong Learning

• Cynthia's message: at 69, she feels like she's "just starting"
• The value of community and mentorship in leadership
• Encouragement especially for women and those in midlife to embrace new opportunities

Quotes to Highlight

"Learning is lifelong — and she is such a wonderful example of someone who has just advanced so much in her career." — Liv Heggoy

"I would never have thought of myself as a distinguished leader. I'm better, more comfortable in the background." — Cynthia Schneider

"No one's path is straight. I've not met one single person here at the college that knew exactly what they were going to do." — Brandy Hawkins Boies

Resources & Links

• Distinguished Alumni nominations: laurelridge.edu/alumni
• Visit & registration info: laurelridge.edu/visit
• Fall 2026 credit class registration is now open
• Workforce & continuing education classes register year-round

Janet sits down with John Keim from the Clarke County Litter Committee to talk about the county's Earth Day celebration and the ongoing effort to keep Clarke County clean and beautiful. They discuss how small, everyday actions can make a big difference — and how you can get involved no matter how much time you have.

Clarke County Earth Day Event Details

• Date: April 25th
• Time: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
• Location: Clarke County Fairgrounds

What to Expect:

• Community litter pickup (9:00 AM kickoff)
• Speaker: Ed Carter, Virginia Department of Transportation — Adopt-a-Highway program
• Rain barrel demonstration
• Glass bottle crushing demonstration
• Vendor booths from local environmental and community organizations
• Raffle and silent auction
• Face painting for kids
• Live music
• Food truck

Participating Organizations Include:

• Blandy Experimental Farm
• Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardeners
• Shenandoah River Keepers
• Blue Ridge Wildlife Center
• Clarke County Animal Shelter (accepting donations: adult dry cat food)

Key Takeaways

• You don't have to commit to hours of volunteering — even 20–30 minutes in your neighborhood makes an impact
• VDOT spends an estimated $9.3 million per year collecting trash; every bag picked up saves taxpayer dollars
• Trash near waterways can affect livestock and wildlife downstream
• Keeping roads clean discourages further littering
• The Litter Committee does pickups approximately once a month

Getting Kids Involved:

• Clarke County students have designed litter-awareness signs displayed around the county
• The committee is working to engage schools and younger students
• The Litter Committee sponsors a college scholarship for high school students focused on environmental awareness

How to Get Involved

• Website: https://www.clarkecounty.gov/government/boards-commissions/litter-committee
• Email: [email protected]
• Can't make regular pickups? Consider adopting a stretch of road in your neighborhood or picking up trash on your daily walk

Host Janet Michael and Winchester Tourism Director Justin Kerns visit Three Wives Distillery, the first farm distillery in Frederick County, Virginia in over 90 years. They sit down with owners Vernon and Toni Wright to explore how a century-old family farm transformed into a thriving craft distillery — and what it takes to bring locally grown spirits to the public.

In This Episode

• How Hill High Farm (home of a beloved pumpkin patch, corn maze, haunted house, and escape rooms) became the site of a farm distillery
• Vernon's journey as a self-taught distiller, growing all his own corn, barley, rye, and wheat on the farm
• Current product lineup: 4-year bourbon, 6-month whiskey, vodka, maple whiskey, moonshine, and a blackberry whiskey coming soon
• The complex federal and Virginia ABC regulations distilleries must navigate — including label approval, the 3-ounce spirits limit per person, and operating as an official ABC store
• Their farm-to-bottle philosophy, including a Pennsylvania cooper who will craft barrels from the farm's own oak trees
• Seasonal cocktail menus and partnerships with local craft beer and wine producers
• Plans to sell farm-raised beef at the distillery
• Their solicitor's license and how local restaurants can feature Three Wives spirits on their menus
• The origin of the name "Three Wives" — a family story spanning three generations and three marriages
• Four generations of the Wright family currently living and working on the farm
• Upcoming spring grand opening with live music, food trucks, fire pits, and family activities
• Current hours and future expansion plans

The Story Behind the Name

Vernon's great-grandfather, Carl King Wright, married a woman named Maude Brumback, who passed away after only two years. At her request, Carl then married her sister Lela — Vernon's great-grandmother — for 18 years before she also passed. Carl went on to marry a third time, to a cousin of the Brumback family. The name honors the women behind the farm's deep family history.

Connect with Three Wives Distillery

• Website: threewivesdistillery.com
• Facebook: Three Wives Distillery
• TikTok: Three Wives Distillery
• Location: Hill High Farm, Frederick County, Virginia

Current Hours:

• Friday: 5–8 PM
• Saturday: 1–9 PM
• Sunday: 1–5 PM