Watching her spin raw fiber into yarn at Yack and Yarn at the Vinton Library, it is easy to imagine Burnette-Dean in her period clothing. Change the fashion, replace the women bent over their knitting with schoolchildren, and swap the library’s large meeting room for the tight walls of a 19th century home, and Burnette-Dean could once again be at Explore Park, spinning away.

While other crafters worked on knitting projects at the Vinton Library's Yack and Yarn on Tuesday, Vinton librarian Kimberly Burnette-Dean spun raw fiber into yarn, which she then knit into a blanket. Yack and Yarn is a monthly gathering for knitting and crochet enthusiasts. Photo by Kristin Adams

Since Explore Park closed in 2007, the former Explore Park employee has been back in the 21st century, working as a library assistant at the Vinton library. She has not let her skills from Explore Park go to waste, however.

Burnette-Dean first learned to knit as a costumed park ranger at Humpback Rocks Mountain Farm on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Her job was similar to her responsibilities at Explore Park: teach visitors about the past by showing them, mainly with old-fashioned cooking and spinning.  

“I was spinning all this yarn, and I knew I needed to do something with it,” Burnette-Dean said.

Knitting was a natural fit. And when she was hired at Explore Park in 1994, Burnette-Dean took her knack for spinning and knitting with her. The skill certainly came in handy in a 19th century farm house. But in a modern library? Not as much.

Luckily for patrons at the Vinton library, Burnette-Dean found a way to merge the two careers. In April, Burnette-Dean began Yack and Yarn for knitting and crochet lovers to gather once a month.

“I had always wanted to be in a group of spinners and knitters,” the librarian said.

Burnette-Dean noticed that one of the library’s patrons, Cindy Baldwin, checked out knitting books often, and asked if she would be interested in a knitting group at the library. Baldwin, and the eight other library patrons and staff at Yack and Yarn on Tuesday night, had been looking for the same thing. From a 23-year-old library assistant to a 93-year-old grandmother, all of the women at Yack and Yarn were glad to have company.

“It’s fun to get with other ladies that knit,” Vinton resident Cara Blake said.

Blake, who is an avid knitter herself, designs hats, knits, and then sells them. 

Other women were working on mittens, blankets, and scarves. The atmosphere switched from silent concentration to laughter, but usually quieted to a low murmur as the women gave each other advice.

“That’s one good thing about this group,” knitter Pam Vaughan said. “They’re willing to share their ideas.”

In fact, Burnette-Dean, who has been spinning for 21 years, was not the most experienced knitter in the group.

“I’ve probably learned more about knitting in the four times we’ve met than any time before,” Burnette-Dean said.

Nevertheless, Burnette-Dean still has a few tricks up her sleeve. In late August, she will be teaching the art of the drop spindle, something which other members of the group should not have much experience in.

Yack and Yarn meets the last Tuesday of every month at the Vinton Library, from 6:30 to 8:30.

Because of opposition from Vinton residents, Mortuori decided against the project to vacate the portion of Spruce Street between Hardy Road and Old Virginia Avenue.

“The whole thing had everyone upset. If I have to get even one person upset, it’s not worth doing,” Mortuori said. “I’ve been here for 27 years, and I don’t want to turn anyone against me.”

His original plan involved buying the former Tires For Less building and making that building, three houses on Spruce Street which he owns, a portion of the street, and New York Pizza into one lot. He mentioned that a primary concern in making the request was that closing Spruce Street would prevent people from making left turns from Spruce onto Hardy Road.

Mortuori still believes that closing Spruce Street would be a good solution to the dangerous intersection.

“I think it would have been much safer,” Mortuori said.

Mortuori is still considering buying the former Tires For Less building.

Dana Boyd, who runs The Woodland Place on Niagara Road, sees the behind-the-scenes stress every weekend, but often in stealth mode.

Dana Boyd, with her shih-tzu Abbey, runs The Woodland Place. Photo by Kristin Adams

“Often times, they don’t even know I’ve been through,” Boyd said about wedding days at the wedding and reception site. “I let them do their own thing, but I am always there for the ceremony. I’ve got to see them go down the aisle.”

Boyd’s enthusiasm may be the reason that brides voted for The Woodland Place as Best of Weddings 2010 in “The Knot” magazine. Or the reason could be the stunning landscaping, the stately gazebo with the sound of rushing water nearby, or the possibility of holding the ceremony and reception in the same location.

No matter the motive, brides voted for The Woodland Place as one of the best wedding reception sites in Virginia in the national wedding magazine’s Spring/Summer 2010 issue.

Even more impressive is the fact that Boyd runs The Woodland Place virtually alone. She also owns Belle’s Blooms, a full service florist shop located at Country Crossing on Washington Avenue. Owning two businesses, it is astounding that Boyd can even get out of bed in the morning, let alone win awards for providing such a great service.

“I always say everyone should live in my shoes for one day,” Boyd said about running two businesses. “My best friend says she couldn’t do it, and she owns her own business.”

Boyd, a 1989 William Byrd High School graduate, got an early start in the wedding business. She worked at Patina in high school, helping busy brides-to-be find the perfect dress for that special day. After high school, she owned and worked in flower shops before buying her current florist shop, Belle’s Blooms.

When Karen and Tommy Wood turned a site on Niagara Road from a pool into an event facility, naming it The Woodland Place, Boyd was eager to help out.

“They are my adoptive parents,” Boyd said about the Woods. “I enjoyed weddings and they knew it.”

Boyd did such a good job that in January 2009, the Woods allowed Boyd to take over the business. She leases the building from them, and runs the day-to-day operations herself. Along with friends, and with occasional help from the Woods themselves, Boyd does it all: mowing the eight acres, setting up chairs, decorating, and sometimes even directing a wedding.

The Woodland Place, on Niagara Road in Vinton, was chosen as one of the best reception sites in Virginia in "The Knot" magazine. Photo by Kristin Adams

The Woodland Place hosts everything from sports banquets to towing and recovery seminars. Weddings, however, are their specialty, with a beautiful garden and gazebo outside, and a 250-person reception area inside. While Boyd’s main job is to give potential clients tours, and set up for the big days, she can also delve into the details.

“We try to be as full service as possible here,” Boyd said. “We’re here as much as you want us to be. Let us do as much as we can so the brides and the grooms can enjoy it.”

Boyd has been asked to direct weddings, and several brides have used her floral arrangements. She is often asked for recommendations for photographers and caterers, and her small shih-tzu Abbey has been requested for flower girl duties on several occasions.

Boyd must be doing a good job, because The Woodland Place is already booking for 2011. Every Saturday in June has already been reserved, and the other months in the wedding season, April through October, are filling quickly.

With Boyd’s leadership, it only took one year for The Woodland Place to earn a top spot in brides’ opinions. “The Knot” calls brides in Virginia to vote for their favorite photographers, salons, caterers, wedding cake bakers, and reception sites, and The Woodland Place was listed next to country clubs and estates from all over the state.

Heather Seace, who held her ceremony and reception at The Woodland Place in May, was thrilled with her experience. Her ceremony was supposed to be outdoors, but had to be moved inside due to rain.

“And it still worked out perfectly,” Seace said. “And Dana was great to work with.”

Luckily for brides such as Seace, Boyd is not going anywhere anytime soon.

“It’s exciting,” Boyd said about weddings. “It’s people starting a new life together, and it’s just nice to be part of that.”

If anything, winning an award for her passion was the icing on the cake.

“It was a shock,” Boyd said about the award. “I’m very thankful to my brides that thought to put us in there.”

The Elderly Brothers, who are members of the original Royal Kings and Truckers Delight from the Roanoke area, will be in concert from 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Guests may wish to bring a lawn chair for seating. Owners of classic cars are encouraged to participate in the cruise-in.  Vendors will be selling quality collectibles from the 1950s-1980s, such as decorating items, vinyl records, tapes, clothing, games and housewares.

Those wishing to sell items may reserve a space for only $5.

The fun, family-friendly event is sponsored in part by Bath Fitter and organized by the Town of Vinton VinEvents. Admission is free.

The Vinton Farmers’ Market is located at 204 W Lee Ave, behind the Vinton Post Office. For more information, call (540) 983-0613 or e-mail mblayman@vintonva.gov.

 On Tuesday, Town staff held a public meeting to discuss closing and vacating the portion of Spruce Street between Hardy Road and Old Virginia Avenue. The portion of the road serves four houses, three of which Mortuori owns himself.  He is considering buying the vacant building across Spruce Street, previously Tires for Less. Mortuori hopes to combine the houses, the portion of Spruce Street, the vacant building, and New York Pizza into one large lot.  He has not notified Town staff of his intent for the property, which could be more businesses.  

Mortuori did mention that safety was a primary concern in making the request. He cited the number of people who make dangerous left turns from Spruce onto Hardy Road, and hopes that closing off the street will make it safer for vehicular traffic.  

“I’m not hungry for property. I can only make it better,” Mortuori said during the meeting. “[But] if I’m going to create one enemy, we’ll call the whole thing off.”

While the final decision is in the hands of Vinton Town Council, the public meeting on Tuesday allowed citizens to voice their opinions about the possible street closing. Councilmen Matthew Hare and Bobby Altice were in attendance, along with other Town staff. At least 15 citizens came to the meeting on Tuesday, and many voiced their opposition to the proposal. Many nearby residents use Spruce Street to travel to and from their homes, and asserted that closing Spruce Street would create a hardship for them.

“They should not have their right-of-way taken away from them,” Vinton resident Claudine Ellis said. “I’ve been using that street for 45 years.”

Ellis lives on nearby Jefferson Avenue. One of Ellis’ neighbors, Julia Ball, came straight from work to voice her objections to the proposal.

“While I do support economic development, I don’t support closing down a street,” Ball said.

The topic will be brought up again at the next Town Council meeting, scheduled for July 20. If they decide to move forward with the proposal, the next step is a formal traffic study, which Mortuori will pay for himself.

Assistant Town Manager Consuella Caudill expects Town Council to make a final decision on the proposal by late August.

While her restaurant is open 11:00 to 2:30 Monday through Friday, Johnson often works 10 to 12 hour days. She comes in at six a.m., before most of her employees are even awake, and begins cooking. When customers begin to arrive, she helps wait tables. And when all of the customers have come and gone, she is still there, cleaning up, and brainstorming ways to get her restaurant’s name out there.

Customers eat at Teaberry's Cafe in downtown Vinton. Photo by Kristin Adams

“I do whatever needs to be done in this restaurant,” Johnson said. “I’m hands on.”

Johnson calls herself a workaholic, and she may be onto something. While Johnson was running her own landscaping business, she was also working behind the scenes to help her friend Lisa Janney run the original Teaberry’s near Bonsack. When Janney opened a Teaberry’s in Vinton, Johnson–a Vinton resident–came with her.  Last year, however, Janney wanted to close the Vinton Teaberry’s branch and move her business to Salem. Johnson and her husband Russ offered to take over the Vinton Teaberry’s and make it their own.

On October 20 the Johnsons held a ribbon cutting introducing Teaberry’s Café.

“Russ and I have worked very hard to take this [restaurant] to a new level,” Johnson said.

The name Teaberry’s, as well as several of the restaurant’s staples, have stayed the same. In most other ways, however, Johnson is truly transforming the restaurant from a small café into a destination for locals.

“I’m just trying to jazz it up a little bit,” Johnson said.

While Teaberry’s is known for its meatloaf and chicken salad, Johnson wants to spread the word about her bread, desserts, salads, soups, and sandwiches, all of which are made fresh daily. Teaberry’s Café also offers unique desserts such as Butter Friend Pound Cake and Blackberry Wine Cake.

Johnson has tweaked many of the original recipes to make them even more savory, and she is on the verge of adding healthier fare such as seafood and a greater variety of salads. She is also adding more breads: while whole wheat is the staple, she is ready to offer more options such as sourdough and white.

Johnson is not just changing the menu, however. She recently obtained an ABC license, and can now serve beer and wine. Two months ago, she added free Wi-Fi, so that businesses people can enjoy a working lunch.

In addition, she holds regular wine tasting events. With a five course dinner accompanied by wines from a local vineyard and a sommelier, tickets for these events often sell out quickly. The next dinner is on July 22, and features Prince Michel from Leon, Virginia.

“That’s gone over really well,” Johnson said about the wine tasting events.

Johnson also tried serving dinner at Teaberry’s Café two nights per week, but that did not catch on with her patrons. And Johnson puts her patrons first.

“There’s not a whole lot that we don’t do here to make the customers happy,” Johnson said. “I make it a point to speak to everyone and make sure everyone who walks in here feels important.”

She believes that food and service go hand in hand.

“I think one is equally important as the next,” Johnson said.

Teaberry’s Café offers catering, and local delivery. Her back room is available for private lunches during the day, and the entire restaurant is available for parties at night. With advance notice, Johnson sells loaves of breads, whole desserts, and food by the pound.

Teaberry’s Café is located at 129 East Cleveland Avenue, next to Cundiff’s Drug Store. More information is available by visiting teaberrysrestaurants.com.

Contestants were treated during pageant week to a luncheon at the Vinton War Memorial. Photo by Julius Tolentino

The motto of Miss Virginia, after all, is “Recognizing and Rewarding Extraordinary Women.” And the contestants are indeed extraordinary. Balancing academics, fitness, community service, and hobbies is tough for the average woman; even more so for women who take all of those accomplishments on stage with them. 

The women gathered at the Vinton War Memorial on Tuesday for a special banquet. Joined by Town Manager Chris Lawrence, the evening was deemed a success.

“We all had an amazing time,” Miss Hampton University, Nikole Churchill, said. “From the atmosphere, to the food, the service, it was just indescribable. I was absolutely impressed, and I would love to come back again.”

The talk around town was the cheesecake lollipops, supplied by Blue Ridge Catering in downtown Roanoke; the flowers were provided by Vinton’s Creative Occasions.  

Vinton resident and Miss Virginia Pageant Executive Producer Bootie Chewning also thought the War Memorial dinner was a great idea, and a lot of fun.

“It was wonderful…to bring the girls to show off the town,” Chewning said.

The War Memorial also had other high profile guests, such as current Miss Virginia Chinah Helmandollar, as well as Wendi Gruninger, the final Miss Vinton Dogwood Festival winner to compete in the Miss Virginia Pageant. Gruninger is now the Business Manager for each Miss Virginia, arranging between 150 and 200 appearances per year.

The War Memorial dinner on Tuesday is not the only Miss Virginia Pageant connection to Vinton, however. William Byrd High School alumna and faculty were also highly involved in the event. WBHS theater program director Carol Webster was the Backstage Manager for the pageant. She was in charge of directing the contestants and performers on and off stage. This was Webster’s first year, and she found the event thrilling.

“It’s wonderful,” Webster said about her time backstage.

One of Webster’s students, Noah Sterling, was a vocal performer at the Miss Virginia Pageant. He is a 2009 WBHS graduate, and has gone on to star in plays at Hollins University.

2009 William Byrd High School graduate Noah Sterling (center) was one of the singers at the Miss Virginia Pageant last weekend. Photo by Kristin Adams

Vinton resident Stephen Musselwhite is Chairman of the Board, and his wife Billie Sue Musselwhite is Secretary. Finally, Vinton resident Carolyn Williams is the Assistant Director of Public Relations for the pageant.

Vinton had a strong presence in the 2010 Miss Virginia Pageant, even without a contestant from the town.

From this point forward, all Vinton calls to 911 will be answered at the Roanoke County Emergency Communications Center on Cove Road. Calls from Vinton will still be directed to the Vinton Police Department, but there will no longer be a communication center located in the Vinton Municipal Building downtown. As of today, the six dispatchers in Vinton have moved to the Roanoke County facility, and are now Roanoke County employees.

For Communications Supervisor Craig Sheets, June 17 marked one of his last days in the Vinton Communications Center. Today, he and the other Vinton dispatchers officially became Roanoke County employees, as the Vinton and Roanoke County communications centers merged. Photo by Kristin Adams

“The biggest thing with the merger is that if you dial 911, you’re still getting 911,” Captain Ben Cook on the Vinton Police Department said. “It may not ring down here anymore, but they’re still going to get a dispatcher.”

The merger will take an adjustment period, but communications staff and police officers believe that the change will go unnoticed by citizens. The town of Vinton and the Police Department will perceive a change, however, especially in the budget.

Vinton Town Manager Chris Lawrence was searching for ways to trim the budget when he noted that the Roanoke County and Vinton communications centers were providing the same service in different locations. They were already sharing their IT and radio systems, yet were operating from two different locations.

“So the only real issue was that we had our group in Vinton, and they had their group on Cove Road,” Cook said.

When Lawrence realized that the Vinton Communications Center needed expensive upgrades, and often could not staff more than one dispatcher per shift, it made sense to combine the small Vinton communications center with the larger Roanoke County one. 

“[The dispatchers] literally had to take a radio and a phone with them to the bathroom,” Cook said.

Roanoke County, meanwhile, has 30 to 35 full time dispatchers and a newer facility.

“So it just didn’t make sense that we had two dispatch centers,” Cook said.

In the spring of 2009, Lawrence, Cook, and Vinton Chief of Police Herbert G. Cooley met with Roanoke County employees to begin the process of merging centers. An important part of the change was calculating how Vinton and Roanoke County would split the costs. A formula was created taking into account actual incidents that occur in Vinton, as well as the Vinton and Roanoke County police budgets.

“We do pay the County a percentage per year to provide that service to us,” Cook said, “but that is cost saving for us.”

Lawrence estimates that the town will save approximately $100,000 per year because of the merger. Lawrence also projected a cost avoidance of $250,000 per year: the town will not have to hire additional dispatchers, make renovations, or maintain equipment. He also estimates that Roanoke County will save approximately $100,000 per year.

Vinton and Roanoke County also prepared for the change with a test of the new system. For one week in May, they switched all phone lines over to Roanoke County. Vinton citizens did not seem to notice the difference.

In fact, Vinton residents may even be gaining services, such as Emergency Medical Dispatching. Dispatchers in Roanoke County can instruct the caller in emergency medical procedures such as CPR while Fire/EMS  is on the way. That is a service which Vinton was not able to provide.

The Vinton dispatchers seem to be gaining from the change as well. They were apprehensive at first, Cook says.

“[The thought was] ‘Oh my gosh, they’re kicking us out of town,’” Cook said.

After the test week in May, however, that attitude changed. The employees received bathroom breaks, and had windows. In the end, they are gaining a better quality work life, and less stress.

Craig Sheets, Communications Supervisor in Vinton, feels that the merger is bittersweet.

“It’s a double-edged sword,” Sheets said.

He has worked in Vinton for ten years, and the police officers have become a family for him. He compares the move to leaving a job at a “mom and pop” restaurant for a large chain.

At the same time, however, he realizes that there are better opportunities in Roanoke County, and more chances for promotion.

While the Vinton Police Department will need time to adjust to the merger, they realize that it is actually an opportunity. The police officers left behind are losing the proximity of a few close friends, but they also see it as an opportunity to gain much needed space. The Vinton Communications Center will be re-purposed into a multi-functional room, for interviews, meetings, and record keeping.

The monument has taken longer than expected, but members of the Vinton Vision Committee are thrilled to be nearing the end.

“Now we’re seeing the light of day,” Bootie Chewning said.

Artists John Kirtley (left), Mary Babcock (center) and Larry Betchel work on the Vinton/Roanoke County Veterans Monument. The monument, which honors all soldiers and veterans in Roanoke County, is set to be completed by early fall. Photo by Kristin Adams

Chewning, Vinton Mayor Brad Grose, and Vinton Councilwoman Carolyn Fidler are the ones who got the idea of a monument rolling.

“We thought, ‘We’ve never had a true monument,’” Chewning said.

They wanted a way to honor veterans, whether they are currently serving, have served, or died in combat. The idea was timely, as the Vinton War Memorial was in the process of being renovated. The three convinced others to get involved, and the Vinton Vision Committee was formed.

In 2006, the committee put out a nationwide call for entries, asking artists and architects to submit design ideas. The submissions were narrowed down, and the four finalists were called on to submit designs. In the spring of 2007, the four models were displayed publicly. Members of the community could vote for their favorite design, but the final decision was made by Vinton Town Council.

“The public opinion was for this design; the committee supported this design; and Town Council eventually approved the design,” Vinton’s Special Programs Director, Mary Beth Layman, said.

The artists are local. Sculptor Larry Betchel and landscape artist Mary Babcock are both located in Blacksburg; John Kirtley of Hillbilly Pond Works is located in Roanoke. Their design, High Ground, incorporates a water element, a bronze flag, and an octagonal pavilion to draw visitors’ attention upwards; after all, “in battle, a soldier always looks for the high ground.” The eye is drawn up the broad steps and sharp boulders, to the fountain, to the bronzed flag, and finally to the granite panels inscribed with the names of Roanoke County’s fallen soldiers.

Ground was broken on July 4, 2008, and the monument was expected to be finished for dedication on July 4 of this year. Unfortunately, the economy, as well as the weather, did not cooperate.

“When we started the project, the economy was much stronger,” Layman said.

When the economy slowed, donations did as well.

The recession was not the only problem, however. Construction was delayed, sometimes because of the weather.

Still, the monument is nearly finished, and only a few months behind schedule. The pavilion has been built; the stately while columns have been erected; and the boulders have been cut and placed.

Nevertheless, there is still much work to be completed.

“We’ve come a long way, but we’ve still got a long way,” Chewning said.

The fountain in the center of the monument is still under construction; the bronze flag has not yet been placed; the lighting is yet to be installed; the trees have not been planted; and the brick style pavers have not been engraved.

Even more important than placing the pavers and planting the trees, however, is raising the rest of the money needed for the monument. To date, the Vinton Vision Committee has received more than $280,000 in donations. Their goal is another $65,000 to complete construction, as well as $45,000 for an endowment fund.

The committee is trying to spread the word that there are fundraising opportunities available, since the monument honors soldiers in all of Roanoke County, not just Vinton.

“We’ve been trying to reach out to North County and South County as well,” Chewning said.

Brick style pavers are available for $150, and can be engraved. More expensive naming donations are also available, such as sponsoring a column or a bench.

The monument has required hard work, and a significant dedication of time. While the committee is disappointed that the monument has taken longer than expected, they know that the monument will be worth it in the end.

“A project of this magnitude takes time. You can’t just build it overnight,” Chewning said. “[But] once the water goes in the fountain, and the flag, and the lights go on, it’s going to be breathtaking.”

More information about the monument can be found at vrcveteransmonument.org.

West spends most of her days answering telephones, greeting visitors, and organizing student records. Her job as W.E. Cundiff Elementary School’s secretary is often thankless, and far from glamorous.

But in this case, West deserves recognition. A standing ovation seems like a pittance compared to what she has given W.E. Cundiff Elementary School: 38 years of her life.

W.E. Cundiff held its annual field day on June 4. The day is usually a light break from SOLs and school work; rarely does it take on the tearful quality it did last Friday. After a song from the fourth graders, Principal Sherry Bryant called West to the front of the gymnasium, and the teachers and parents rose to honor her. Many had tears in their eyes.

After 38 years as secretary at W.E. Cundiff Elementary School, this is Ethel West's last year. West (center) was honored at W.E. Cundiff's annual field day on June 4 by being presented with 41 roses, one for every year she spent at Roanoke County. Photo by Kristin Adams

After 41 years with Roanoke County Public Schools, West has decided to retire.

She dedicated the best years of her life to Roanoke County. Straight out of high school, West was hired as the East Vinton Elementary School secretary. Three years later, as W.E. Cundiff prepared to open its doors for the first time, the 22-year-old West followed her boss, Principal Frank Stone, to the new school. Old black-and-white photographs show West helping set up the building the night before it opened.

Yearbook photographs over the years prove West’s dedication. Hair styles, glasses, and her last name changed, but year after year, West’s smiling face appeared over the word “secretary.” She was present when Roanoke County added public preschool, and when they transitioned sixth grade to middle school. She watched as Frank Stone, and later Jackie Glover, retired as principal. And she watched as two of her assistant principals became superintendents.

She credits her dedication to one thing: her love for children.

“I liked it, so I stayed,” West said. “And I want to leave while I still like what I do.”

 Her exit is bittersweet, however. While her retirement will give her time to do what she loves, such as gardening and spending time with friends, it also means that she will have less time with her good friends inside the walls of W.E. Cundiff. Those friends include Principal Bryant, new secretary Heather Spangler, and Special Education teacher Megan Lynn. All three had tears in their eyes last Friday. 

Lynn speaks especially highly of West. When Lynn came to W.E. Cundiff 19 years ago, West took her under her wing and taught her everything she needed to know.

“She has been a friend, a caretaker, a nurse, and a psychiatrist all wrapped up in one,” Lynn said.

No one seems as sad as Bryant, however. Bryant herself has been at Cundiff for 22 years. The two have been through it all: the ups and downs of parenting, the deaths of their mothers within a year of each other, the failures and recoveries of the economy. As she called West to the front of the gymnasium on field day, she had to struggle to hold back tears.

“We all did,” Bryant said.

Heather Spangler began as an instructional assistant at Cundiff, but naturally gravitated towards West and the school office. When West decided to retire, Bryant knew that Spangler was a natural fit for the position. Even so, she has some very large shoes to fill. 

“If I do half as well as she did, I’ll be doing well,” Spangler said.