New Market News
Summer may be drawing to a close in New Market, but the town’s event calendar is just heating up. In September alone, a parade, a pool party, and two festivals will take place nearby.
First up is the VMI “Rat Parade,” an annual tradition of the Virginia Military Institute. The parade is held on Saturday, September 3 and is part of an orientation for VMI’s freshman class. Nicknamed “rats,” the freshmen visit New Market Battlefield State Historical Park to learn about the 1864 battle and the role VMI cadets played in it.
On Sunday, September 17, New Market will host a very different sort of gathering at the Summer’s End Pup Pool Party. Attendees can bring their canine friends for a rare swim in the local pool! To register, ask questions, or to volunteer at this fun event, contact a.dennison@newmarketvirginia.com.
Finally, September 23rd will bring two chances to celebrate in New Market. The New Market Fire and Rescue Department’s Fall Fling, which is now in its 12th year, is known for its amazing raffles: over $100,000 in prizes will be given out between 11 AM and 5 PM. The annual New Market Chamber of Commerce Heritage Days festival will also take place on the 23rd. Residents and visitors are invited to enjoy local food, music, and shopping. Whichever event you choose to attend, we imagine you’ll have a great time welcoming Fall to the Valley.
Resident Spotlight: Maxine Burkholder
For this month’s spotlight interview, we had the pleasure of talking with Maxine Burkholder and her son, Steven. Maxine has lived at Shenandoah Place for about four years. She moved in after her husband, Bob, passed. We are glad to have her as a part of our community, and excited to share some of her story with you.
Of all the lovely residents who have lived at Shenandoah Place, Maxine probably traveled the shortest distance to move here. In fact, she can see her family’s land just outsider her window! Burkholder Lane, where our facility is located, used to be Maxine’s private driveway. As it saw more traffic and began to need more upkeep, she turned it over to the state, which made maintenance much easier.
The land where Maxine and Bob lived and raised their three children originally belonged to Bob’s father. The couple first lived in an apartment there, and later moved into a house they built. Bob and Maxine raised chickens and hogs on their property, and also purchased the Broadway Supermarket. Bob bought the store, which is just across from the old Broadway High School, in the early 1960’s. When he was ready to retire, Steven, Maxine’s middle son, purchased the store. He continues to run it today. The grocery business is a true family legacy for the Burkholders: Bob’s father also once had a store in New Market!
Before she came to New Market, Maxine lived in Edinburg, Virginia. Her family was very involved in the church there. They founded Wakemans Grove Church of the Brethren, and built much of their social lives around its community. Maxine learned about beekeeping from her father, who was a “jack of all trades.” In addition to raising bees and attending church, he worked as a plumber, farmer, and in other areas. Maxine helped with it all.
She met Bob, who grew up in New Market, as a young woman. They soon married and began a family. Maxine stayed busy with chores in the house and on the farm, but she also worked as a bookkeeper and an RN. Her nursing work often kept her out at night. Steven remembers her father coming in the door as she went out to care for patients. She also cared for her own widowed mother for at least a decade. As Maxine herself puts it: “Let’s just say we all knew how to work!”
Some of Maxine and Bob’s work ethic might come from their family’s experiences with the Great Depression. Steven recalls a grandfather who saved aluminum foil and distrusted banks. He stored silver dollars in buckets in the basement until things turned around. Maxine took a great interest in history, joining the historical society and saving newspaper clippings. Steven is learning about the local past as he goes through the papers his mother saved.
Fortunately, Maxine and Bob were able to enjoy some of the fruits of their hard work. They took their children to Florida, New England, and on camping trips. Later, the couple traveled extensively, visiting China, Russia, and most – perhaps all – of the 50 United States. They spent about two months in Alaska, and saw how differently people live around the world. Closer to home, Bob and Maxine stayed involved in their New Market church and enjoyed the fellowship they had there.
Though Maxine is in relatively good health, Bob passed away four years ago at the age of 87. Steven calls his father a real “cat with nine lives.” He battled liver cancer, colon cancer, had seven heart attacks, and seven stents, along with mini-strokes and other health complications. Still, the couple was able to enjoy over 60 years of marriage. Their three grown children live in Virginia. Steven runs the store in Broadway, his brother is retired from Virginia Power and lives in Timberville, and their sister, a retired teacher, calls Grottoes home.
We like seeing Maxine around Shenandoah Place, and hope you’ve enjoyed this glimpse into her life.
Activity Spotlight: You Be the Judge
You may have heard that we have a new administrator at Shenandoah Place. We’re excited to welcome Mr. Ray Boggs, and hope you have the chance to meet him soon if you haven’t already! One way that our residents and Mr. Boggs have been getting to know one another is through activities like “You Be the Judge.”
In late July, Mr. Boggs led a great group of residents through a round of the game. Here’s how it works: after reading aloud a short summery of a real legal case, Mr. Boggs presents our participants with a list of facts about that case. Once they have that information, the real fun begins!
As a group, everyone discusses the case. We often use real life examples and comparisons to help decide what the verdict ought to have been. The discussion can be lively throughout, but it really picks up when the actual verdict is revealed! The decisions of the courts often do not match the ones our residents would have handed down.
