Tag: Wythe County

Harrington scales back after over 30 years as nurse practitioner

March 31, 2026 Zach Cooley No Comments

Cathie Harrington has cared for my family and me as our nurse practitioner, off and on, for the past two decades. She has treated us like members of her own family and offered the kindest, most knowledgeable medical advice I have ever received. As someone who lives with cerebral palsy on a daily basis, my healthcare requires a specialized sense of understanding. Cathie has been exceptional in every regard. She was the first provider to place me on a medication regimen to address the spasticity associated with my condition at a time when my startle reflex had become so severe that I was embarrassed to go out in public. She was also remarkably kind and gentle during my battles with clinical depression, helping me understand that it was perfectly acceptable to seek medical treatment for such a condition. Cathie has been present for my highest highs as well. She was one of the first people I told when I became engaged, and she was the first medical professional to care for my daughter after she was born in 2014. Now, it is time for Cathie to take a step back and focus more on herself and her family. With three grandchildren under the age of five living in Richmond, she has decided to scale back her practice to Mondays and Tuesdays only at Fort Chiswell Medical Center. Though three other capable providers serve the practice, Cathie is so well loved and highly respected that she could easily run it herself. It has often been difficult to secure an appointment with her, as she is frequently booked months in advance. With her recent reduction in hours at the beginning of this year, demand has only increased. Yet once you finally step into the exam room and she walks through the door, whatever concern brought you there begins to dissipate. Even before she offers treatment, her mere presence brings a sigh of relief — a quiet assurance that everything will be all right. She has been equally wonderful in caring for my daughter Emily, who lives with complex heart and mental health conditions, always pairing deep compassion and reassurance with an extraordinary breadth of medical knowledge. As natural as Cathie seems in her role as a nurse practitioner, it was not her first career aspiration. Growing up in Charlottesville, she initially dreamed of becoming an artist and attended Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond to pursue that path. When she shared this with me, I recalled her beautiful illustration work for her mother’s children’s book, Wilhemina Under the Stairs, a story about a rat who made its home beneath a family’s staircase after a flood. Her professional journey began at the health department, where she was tasked with notifying individuals that they had tested positive for sexually transmitted infections. “There was a nurse at the health department named Nelle who guided me into nursing,” she recalled. “However, it wasn’t enough for me to see all these patients and become engaged in their care only to have someone else make the ultimate decisions about their health.” Encouraged by a colleague to pursue an emerging field of study, Cathie enrolled in nurse practitioner school. “A lady who worked in the NICU at Roanoke Memorial Hospital told me that a family nurse practitioner program was the one for me,” she said. I found that particularly serendipitous, as I spent the first two months of my life in the NICU at Roanoke Memorial Hospital in March 1985 after being born 15 weeks premature. After graduating as part of the second class of nurse practitioners at East Tennessee State University in 1994, Cathie went straight to work at Wythe Medical Associates when the late Dr. David Moore invited her to join his team. “They hadn’t had nurse practitioners in Wythe County before,” she explained, “and they thought it would be a good fit.” It certainly was. She remained there for 17 years before transitioning to Fort Chiswell Medical Center in 2011, where she continues to practice today. “I love the people of Wythe County and building relationships with them,” she said. “I am the same person in my office as I am if you were to meet me on the street.” That authenticity is one of the qualities patients find most endearing. We know we will receive caring, thoughtful advice and sound medical treatment. Her elegance, grace, and even her speaking voice call to mind Meryl Streep, yet she possesses a warm sense of humor that endears her to children and adults alike. Although she has treated patients from infancy through end-of-life care, pediatrics remains her particular niche. “I have a knack and a soft spot for children,” she added. “Ensuring that our children receive quality healthcare as they grow is one of the most important aspects of family medicine.” For more than 15 years, Cathie has served as administrator for the Vaccines for Children program, making certain her pediatric patients receive the recommended immunizations they need. She acknowledges that parental attitudes toward childhood vaccines have shifted in the age of social media. “Parents need to verify facts about vaccines before making a decision,” she cautioned. “They should always consult a medical professional regarding the care of their children.” My family and I will continue to count ourselves among the fortunate patients of Cathie Harrington for as long as she chooses to practice. We are deeply grateful for her friendship, her wisdom, and her compassionate care. She is, without question, the very best of the best.

Strictly Observing

Bobcats secure historic win

March 29, 2026 Zach Cooley No Comments

After taking my daughter to a circus at the Appalachian Exposition Center in Fort Chiswell—now the Hitachi Energy Arena—as the pandemic was dawning, I swore I’d never return to that venue. Parking my handicapped van was the worst experience I’d ever had; I was nearly hit twice and spent more than an hour trying to exit. On top of that, my obstructed view ensured I had no desire to come back. A wheelchair-bound friend of mine later had an equally abysmal experience when the Blue Ridge Bobcats first arrived on the Wythe County scene. Since then, several fans and volunteers have urged me to attend a hockey game, assuring me that significant renovations had been made. I remained leery, but finally relented when the team’s director of media relations and play-by-play broadcaster personally invited me to a game. I had followed his posts—delivered with humor and a gregarious personality—and was eager to meet the North Carolina native and Appalachian State University graduate in person. My friend and driver, Jeremy Miller, brought me a little later than the 6:00 p.m. arrival time Wiseman had recommended. That may have been why I was unable to sit at ice level, as Wiseman had intended, and was instead directed to the designated handicapped section in the stands. The view there was significantly better than during my visit six years ago. Still, it was difficult to follow the action on the opposite side of the arena—especially when many of the 2,123 patrons were standing. Parking, however, was much improved. Although we arrived too late to secure one of the prime handicapped spaces near the entrance, we found a suitable spot at the end of a row where my van had ample room to deploy without concern about neighboring vehicles. Anyone traveling in a wheelchair should plan to arrive at least ninety minutes prior to an event at Hitachi Energy Arena to ensure optimal parking, entry, and access to seating. Thanks to Brett Wiseman, I was able to enter through a side entrance, where I watched players go through their pregame stretching and warmups. Hearing his commentary on the team’s YouTube channel the following day was an even greater thrill. Wiseman is a first-rate broadcaster and performer in his own right. As for the Saturday, March 28 game, I picked an especially memorable night to attend. With a 4–0 shutout over the Pee Dee IceCats of Florence, South Carolina, the Blue Ridge Bobcats strengthened their playoff position in their final home game of the 2025–2026 season, notching their seventh consecutive win—a franchise record. The streak included a second straight victory over the IceCats, following a 5–3 win the previous night. The first goal came just over halfway through the opening of three twenty-minute periods, when Filip Hlavac—a Czech Republic native who turns 23 on April 16—found the net. Steven Alvo added the lone goal of the second period, scoring just under two minutes in. Two more goals came in the final frame: the first from Mike Mercurio, a 25-year-old from New Hartford, New York, midway through the period, and the final from Nick Stuckless, who extended his scoring streak to five consecutive games. With less than ninety-five seconds remaining, Stuckless—a 28-year-old from Ontario, Canada—put the finishing touch on the Bobcats’ dominant performance. Thirty-six-year-old Greg Hussey of Medford, Massachusetts earned first-star honors, stopping all 34 shots by the IceCats. The Bobcats traveled to Biloxi for April 3 and 4 matchups at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum against the Biloxi Breakers, before closing out with a faceoff against the Twin City Thunderbirds at another of my favorite venues in North Carolina, the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds, before returning home one last time on April 11th for a final game with the Thunderbirds before the undetermined championship game schedule. By the time you read this, fans will already know the outcome of those games. I’d like to extend my thanks, as always to Jeremy for helping me keep my job by being my unpaid chauffeur. I am also very grateful Brett Wiseman for his first-class hospitality, and also recognize two talented friends of mine who are helping support the legacy of both the Blue Ridge Bobcats and Wythe County through their outstanding work, Dr. Josh Stephens of Alpha Therapy and Cory Parker of MountainCAP Media, whose stunning photography and video capture the excitement of the game like no one else.

Strictly Observing

A ride to remember

November 18, 2025 Zach Cooley No Comments

When your best friend offers you a ride on his tractor, you take him up on it—especially when all the riding you usually do is in your own power wheelchair. Jacob Sharitz and I have known each other for more than half our lives, and for most of that time, I’ve been privileged to call him the best friend I’ve ever known. He has been there for me in both the brightest and darkest moments of my life, performing acts of friendship that no one should ever have to ask of another—and doing it all with grace, kindness, and humility. Jacob is one of the finest human beings I have ever had the blessing of encountering. The fact that he could lift my 180 pounds of dead weight into a cherry-red Massey Ferguson tractor—complete with cab—without putting either of us in the hospital is a miracle in itself. Yet he did it with effortless ease, giving me a view of farm life I’d never seen before. The mountains of Wythe County are beautiful from any angle, but they are especially breathtaking when seen through the windshield of a tractor or a side-by-side. Jacob is a seventh-generation farmer on the 250 acres he and his family own, and it’s easy to see why he enjoys the farm life as much as he does. “I love my moos,” he said affectionately, referring to the hundreds of cattle he feeds and tends to daily. “My farm life gives me time to myself after talking to people all day long.” Our tour included a stop to see one of Jacob’s favorites: Pumpkin, a cow he bottle-fed after returning home from college in 2013. Now older and feeble, she still gets special treatment. Jacob gently nudges her along, making sure she gets safely through the gate for feeding. “Nothing upsets me more than when I’m trying to feed these cows and they just won’t listen,” he said with a laugh. “They just stand there and act dumb.” Despite their occasional stubbornness, Jacob tends each animal with patience and care—the same way he treats his human friends. We rode in his truck across the rolling fields before switching to a side-by-side to check the perimeter fences, determining how many hay bales he’d need to move for the day. Then I watched as he hopped on a forklift, moving three massive bales in record time while his hungry herd eagerly awaited. Finally, he got me up into the tractor he’d dreamed of owning most of his life. In 2021, that dream became a reality. “I like a tractor with a cab,” he said, pointing toward the old family relic from the 1970s. “If you can find the right slope, the hay will roll down the hill just perfectly, and you’ll have fed dozens of cows.” For the past decade, Jacob has been one of the top loan officers at Virginia Farm Credit, serving Wythe County and a dozen others across Southwest Virginia and Southern West Virginia. Under the leadership of his boss and longtime friend, Brian Repass, he has helped countless families secure farmland and financing for their agricultural operations. As for his own family operation, Jacob manages all 250 acres himself. When he first took me on a tour of his land—adjoining the farm owned by the Walters family, from which came his bride of eight years, Martha—it was easy to see his deep pride and connection to the place. Martha is a successful physician assistant with Wythe Physician Practices. Together, they have two beautiful children: three-year-old Myra and one-year-old James. After our ride around the farm, we visited their lovely two-story home, where his most faithful pal, a loyal dog named Killian, greeted me. I have fond memories of my daughter Bella petting Killian during Jacob’s visits—often while taking a ride on “Uncle Jacob’s” shoulders. Martha greeted us with a smile. Myra gave me hugs that made my night, while baby James took a little longer to warm up—but by the end of the evening, he was blowing me kisses. It was my first time meeting him, and the first time I’d seen Myra since her first birthday two years ago. Jacob was also kind enough to send me home with six pounds of freshly ground beef, processed from his own cattle. I can say with absolute sincerity that it tastes far better than anything you can buy at a store. It contains virtually no fat, yet is still juicy and full of the rich, clean flavor that only truly homegrown products can offer. His warehouse—affectionately referred to by Brian as “Jake’s Steaks”—is enough to make any carnivore, including myself, hungry. Though I admit it was slightly disheartening to see a cute cow with a white stripe across her head, a “baldy” as Jacob called her, knowing she would eventually become part of the meat hanging inside, it’s impossible not to marvel at the quality and variety he produces. The generous gift he provided kept my family fed for weeks. More importantly, the evening I spent with him came as a welcome distraction during a difficult time, as my father was in his last days. Having grown up on a dairy farm himself, Dad would have got a real kick out of seeing me atop a tractor dropping hay bales for the cattle. I am sorry I couldn’t share the pictures with him; he passed away less than a week later. He loved Jacob and was as grateful for his steadfast friendship with me as I am. It just goes to show that the truest friendships never fade, no matter the distance or the years between visits. I have never had a better friend than Jacob Sharitz—and I strongly suspect no one has ever had a greater friend than he has been to me. I am deeply grateful for his kind heart, and I look forward to many more adventures together for our families in the years to come.

Strictly Observing

Jerry and Judy Yonce celebrate 50 years of marriage

June 4, 2025 Zach Cooley No Comments

I was honored to be one of 150 guests at the 50th anniversary celebration of my dear lifelong friends, Jerry and Judy Yonce. The event took place at the beautiful Rocky Hollow Farm venue on Rose Hill Road, just outside of Wytheville. A touching slideshow of memories, set to a constant rotation of 1970s soul music, played throughout the event. The celebration featured extraordinary catering from Sisters Restaurant in Marion, complete with exquisite desserts—I personally sampled at least four different kinds of cheesecake that afternoon! Also on display at the Sunday event, held on June 1st, was a deeply moving scrapbook featuring clippings from Jerry and Judy’s engagement and wedding announcements in 1975, alongside a display of their original wedding glassware and china. The most touching part of the evening came when the traditional wedding hymn was performed. Jerry drew a big laugh from the crowd when he jokingly launched into a medley of “The Old Gray Mare” and “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen.” Judy then spoke warmly—and with some humor—about their rocky courtship, which began when she was just 13 years old. Their relationship was on-again, off-again until they finally married nine years later. “I figured if I got him to the church,” she said with a smile, “then we were going to make it.” Her tone then shifted to something more reflective. “There were three things I asked of Jerry before I agreed to marry him,” she said. “First, if he was looking for a girl just like the one who married dear old Dad, he needed to keep looking—I was not nearly as strong as his mother.” She recalled a vivid image of her late mother-in-law, a petite woman, single-handedly operating a garden tiller with no assistance. Judy continued, “I also told him I wanted to be first in his life after God. And if he ever stopped loving me, I wanted him to be honest and tell me. And if he ever cheated on me and I found out, I promised I would make his life a living hell.” Jerry clearly had no trouble living up to those conditions. Fifty years later, they looked as radiant, jubilant, and in love as the photos from their wedding day. Jerry is known throughout Wythe County as one of the finest cooks the region has ever seen. As the longtime head caterer at the Log House 1776 Restaurant, he is responsible for expanding not just my palate, but my waistline over the past 40 years. I often say that, when it comes to cooks, there is Jerry—and then there’s everyone else. He is a tremendously humble, kind, and generous man. As for his bride, Judy has been my friend for practically my entire life. She was my physical therapist from the time I was two years old. Beyond helping me with lifelong challenges related to cerebral palsy, she has been a constant confidant and counselor through both my darkest hours and brightest days. She has cried with me in joy and sorrow, laughed with me, and hugged me through it all. Her love and support have never wavered. As the minister of Trinity and Mount Olivet United Methodist Churches in Pulaski, Judy extends the same care and compassion to her many parishioners, friends, and family members. A devoted mother to Latricia and Davina, she is most proud of her only grandchild, Josiah. I was thrilled to finally meet him. I’ve heard stories about him since the day he was born, and it was an honor to shake the hand of such a gracious and intelligent young man—a credit, without doubt, to the loving but firm guidance of his grandparents. “Since the day we got married, Jerry has wanted to sing to me,” Judy shared. “I’ve never let him—until today. So I wanted to share this special moment with you all.” Reflecting on their less-than-steady early days, Jerry addressed the crowd with his signature humor and humility: “Judy remembers all of this so well,” he said. “But I don’t remember any of it!” Few people have given more to this community than Jerry and Judy Yonce, and even fewer couples have meant as much to me personally. I am so grateful to their equally warm and spirited daughter, Latricia, for inviting me to be part of this very special celebration. I am eternally thankful for the friendship of these two wonderful people and wish them many, many more years of happiness and love.

Strictly Observing