by Amanda E. West | Jan 8, 2026 | Feature
OVER THE past 10 years, Amanda Lankford’s career in home health has evolved from scheduling appointments at the front desk to working in human resources and managing the weekly payroll. Her dedication to the clients of Arosa Care, the nation’s largest provider of home...
by Amanda E. West | Jan 8, 2026 | Feature
BETH MEERDINK tenderly cradled her treasured copy of “The Lady With the Lamp: The story of Florence Nightingale” and audibly repeated Nightingale’s call to action: “I will change all this, if it takes me a lifetime.” Each word echoed deeply within Meerdink’s heart....
by Amanda E. West | Dec 11, 2025 | Feature
CHRIS BROWN slid his card into the ATM and punched in his PIN. As he’d done many times before, he selected the amount of cash he wanted to withdraw from the bank in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Gears whined inside the machine before a receipt printed, and a metal...
by Amanda E. West | Dec 11, 2025 | Feature
THE UNITED States Army, the largest branch of our military, was established on June 14, 1775. Two years later, on the same exact date, the Second Continental Congress passed the Flag Resolution. This declared that “Old Glory,” the flag of our then-fledgling country,...
by Amanda E. West | Nov 13, 2025 | Feature
THIS LITTLE piggy went to market. This little piggy stayed home. And this little piggy was a Bedford County 4-H project? Founded more than a century ago, 4-H began with a mission of teaching rural youth practical skills in agriculture and home economics. The four Hs...
by Amanda E. West | Nov 13, 2025 | Feature
HIS SIZE and gentle demeanor were those of a Labrador retriever, but the shape of his muzzle resembled a hound’s. Like most of the dogs at New Destiny Dog Rescue (NDDR), he was a mystery. His coat was the shade of dark chocolate, and a bristly layer of white hair...
