The July 2014 Lodger Issue 6 NEWSLETTER FOR RESIDENTS AND FRIENDS OF THE LODGE AT OLD TRAIL Another Lodge RESIDENT F CUS Innovation Many of us shudder at the thought of In this era of rapid change, even trash is being mathematics, but for Ron Herd it was rethought. By viewing trash as a resource instead of his way of life. Ron was in high demand a throwaway, commercial composters are popping for his mastery of math which he could up here and elsewhere to offer another way for disposing of food scraps. The Lodge recently apply to solve unbelievable queries. embarked on its own effort by employing the He worked for a variety of operations services of a new Charlottesville area composter research firms and in no time rose to that collects food scraps from The Lodge kitchen on the highest executive positions a twice weekly basis to make nutrient-rich soil. “We are not only helping the including the vice presidency of the environment,” says The Lodge’s internationally known consulting firm Tess Marshall, “but we also hope for an economic advantage as Booze Allen. well.” Even though there is a cost Ron, 93, relocated from Leesburg to The Lodge in to The Lodge for the composting April 2014 and lives in his Ridges third floor apartment service, solid waste disposal cost overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains. Because of a will be reduced by eliminating mini-stroke that affected his ability to speak, his food from that waste stream. engaging son, Milton, agreed to sit down with this Organized in 2011, Black Bear Composting provides The reporter to review his father’s past. “It must be Lodge with compostable bags and wheeled carts in which all incredibly frustrating for him,” says Milt, “because his organic kitchen waste, including food stained paper and mind is sharp. But the words don't come easily,” cardboard, is placed. The company combines the materials it Ron is a native of Marshfield, Missouri, located in collects in accord with company “recipes” and arranges them the south central part of the state, but was raised in in long windrows at its farm in Augusta County for six-months of decomposition. The resulting compost is shared with its southwest Kansas from the age of one. He received customers and sold to others as a soil amendment and mulch. his undergraduate degree in economics at the As with all recycling, composting is helping to extend the University of Kansas. After being drafted, completing life of existing land fill sites and puts off the need for creating, Officer Candidate School, and serving in combat often controversial, new ones. during World War II, Ron enrolled at Iowa OT Village Update State University where At the first of periodic meetings for residents of Old Trail, he earned his PhD in David Brockman gave a well received update on the status of m a t h e m a t i c a l the community. Brockman was hired two years ago as an statistics. experienced development manager when Old Trail owners Although military realized changes were needed to resuscitate the development service was not one of hurt by the poor economy. his favorite memories, He said existing businesses are “busting at the seams,” making expansion of business development on Old Trail Drive his valiant service in adjacent to the parking area a high priority. Several businesses the U.S. Army earned have indicated strong interests, but are finding that investors him both the Bronze are still leery of commercial financing. Although the timing is Star and Purple Heart. uncertain, the goal of commercial Cont’d on back page (Cont’d on back pg) o u t i n g s t o a r e a A guaranteed ready smile and a cheerful restaurants. greeting. You can count on that whenever Other recent activities include a talk on stroke meeting Janice Applebach (pronounced awareness and the formation of a book club. apple-back), the Ridges Life Enrichment Janice finds the time to Coordinator. “The perfect job for you,” said a publish monthly activity calendars, flyers, and friend who saw the job announcement. At w e e k l y u p d a t e s announcing dozens of first, Janice wasn’t sure, although she was upcoming events. beginning to feel bored at home after her 12 She is planning with others Scottish Day when and 16 year-old daughters left in the t h e w i n n i n g t e a m “walking” to Scotland will morning for school. be announced. Team But she succumbed to the job at her interview in August members equipped with pedometers calibrated in miles are 2013 and then she came on like gangbusters. With counting their steps in a race to be first. “I am in real trouble,” daughters in tow, she had visited every local point of interest says Janice, “when someone’s pedometer is not working.” she could find and started compiling a list of prospective Other events in the planning stage include Frank Sinatra entertainers and speakers. Day and a day to celebrate the tradition of USOs that She can spend up to two hours a day returning calls and entertained troops away from home. Janice is also hoping to screening people who offer to make presentations: continue “resident focus,” an event when a resident makes a musicians, medical professionals, dancers, therapists and presentation on a hobby or experience. the list goes on. Her friend was right. Despite her training in social work Janice says that the most popular guests are the and accounting, Janice is eagerly pursuing her new cause musicians. She has arranged for instrumentalists, singers, to promote socialization and a sense of community among choruses, sing-alongs, and classical pianists. Hymn singing Lodge residents. An added bonus: she lives with her augers some mild dissatisfaction, but the municipal band husband and children in Old Trail Village, just a short walk to concerts in Charlottesville have been a hit as well as have The Lodge. This and That EVEN IF YOU DON’T LIKE McTague (former Ridges resident Mike Orend’s son- GAMES, you might get hooked on in-law), a dye that benefits fish and suppresses weed Backgammon. A two-player board growth by shading the underwater was added to two game of chance, Backgammon is a ponds. Familiar with use of the non-toxic dye in the centuries old game dating back to pond on his property, Jeff likens it to the coloring 3000 BC! The Lodge has three agent used in beer on St. Patrick’s Day. Unless Backgammon tables and washed away by a gully washer rain, the dye can last The Lodger volunteer John Rockett as long as three months. Issued every other month (whose parents live in for residents and friends THE LODGE SURROUNDINGS are a virtual wildlife Piedmont) is eager to teach of The Lodge at Old Trail. menagerie with the following species having been anyone how to play. Call Jim Clark, editor spotted. Perhaps you can add to the list. Frogs are so Piedmont Life Enrichment far unidentified. Advisory Committee Coordinator Laura at 3203 to American crow Northern mockingbird Sue Clark arrange meeting with John. American goldfinch Red fox Fred Lach Canada goose Red-tailed hawk Gae Lach YOUR EYES WERE NOT Cardinal Red-winged blackbird FOOLING when water in the Carolina wren Turkey vulture Ideas for publication are Great blue heron White sulphur butterfly welcome by contacting retaining ponds turned blue. Ground hog White-tailed deer Sue, Gae, Fred, or Jim. T h a n k s t o v olunteer Jeff Mourning dove Yellow swallowtail butterfly Blue Ridge Tunnel: Historic Landmark Grows in Stature Cynics remark that it took longer to get restoration of the nearly mile-long Blue Ridge Tunnel started than it took to build the whole 150 year-old tunnel by hand! True, a bike trail through the abandoned tunnel has been talked about for 10 years and the tunnel was built in eight. That talk has finally resulted in action. Grant money is in hand and construction of the first phase is imminent. Its completion will allow public access to this historic landmark for the first time. That is great news for hikers and bikers and is equally as exciting for historians, —Richmond Times-Dispatch, September 9, 1904 educators, would-be geologists, and just-plain tourists. The Nelson County authorities buried the tunnel represents a treasure trove for all. body alongside the track in Afton. Just nine miles from The Lodge, the Blue Ridge the mountainous route required. The 100 foot long Tunnel is both a civil engineering marvel and Little Rock Tunnel is the only one of the four that historic artifact. Built in the 1850s, it was used for remains in use. 86 years by steam-engine trains hauling A former French military officer, Crozet was a founder passengers and freight through Crozet and across of the Virginia Military Institute and its first president the Blue Ridge Mountains at Rockfish Gap. The before engineering the mountain crossing. The small tunnel was closed and replaced in 1944 by a village we know as Crozet was renamed from parallel tunnel built for larger rail cars that still Waylands Crossing in 1870 in honor of the talented remains in operation. The original tunnel was Frenchman who died in 1864. The new name was donated to Nelson County in 2006 by the CSX chosen by an official of the C&O Railroad, predecessor Corporation, the last of four different railroads that of CSX, in time to be emblazoned on Crozet’s first owned the track and tunnel.