by Amanda West | Jan 11, 2025 | Stories
Amy Neese Jones grabs her buzzing phone from her purse and presses the answer button. Before the “hello” brushes her lips, a dear friend on the other end unravels a series of heartfelt pleas. “My wife has been in the hospital recovering from pneumonia. If I can get...
by Amanda West | Jan 11, 2025 | Stories
Buddy Carter settles into the seat facing the sewing machine. Turning the handwheel, he ensures the needle pierces the folded edge of the purple and blue calico fabric. He pushes the toe of his tennis shoe on the presser foot beneath the table. The needle bobs up and...
by Amanda West | Jan 11, 2025 | Feature
At Creekside Farm on the outskirts of the Flat Creek community, the aroma of freshly mowed hay mixes with the salty sweat of the horses. They stamp their hooves on the dirt floor, begging Angela Wojtkowski to lead them out of their stalls and into the sunlight. As the...
by Amanda West | Jan 11, 2025 | Feature
Kimberly Williams ripped open the envelope and frantically scanned the letter from the College of Nursing. Her excitement shifted to bitter tears as she dialed her mother’s number. When the phone call ended, Williams had a backup plan. She’d received a rejection...
by Amanda West | Dec 13, 2024 | Feature
During his first mission trip with Appalachian Outreach in 2000, Steven Flippo surveyed the condition of the property assigned to his team, and his heart ached. “We were tasked with doing repairs for an elderly gentleman. He did not have a functioning bathroom. The...
