Staunton News Leader - 11/12/2018 Copy Reduced to 79% from original to fit letter page Page : A01

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2018 ❚ NEWSLEADER.COM PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK

New barn wedding venue in Swoope

Location has capacity for 150 people
Laura Peters
Staunton News Leader
USA TODAY NETWORK
SWOOPE – Mills Farm in Swoope
with the idea to open a wedding venue.
So, she did.
It took about two years and last
spring she began construction on a new
barn to hold events in.
She sold her last place nearby on Frog
Pond Road, which had eight acres, and
sold another property she used as a
rental.
With the money from those two
properties, she was able to buy the 15
acre farm that dates back to the 1800s.
She lives in the old farm house circa
1824 and not only is in charge of the spe-
cial events that are held on her property,
she also has a full-time job in the health-
care industry with risk management.
Rutledge wasn't in the market to buy
a home, let alone an entire property. But
she had marked the farm on Zillow, Valley Mills Farm is a recently opened wedding and event venue in Augusta
which had been for sale for awhile, and County. Located off Parkersburg Turnpike in Swoope, the farm offers a newly
constructed barn for ceremonies, receptions and more.
See WEDDING, Page 2A LAURA PETERS/THE NEWS LEADER

Dog helps area

HISTORY

Waynesboro
students to read plant blast
in 1971
was fatal
New boiler system
exploded, left 1 dead
Dale M Brumfield
Special to Staunton News Leader
USA TODAY NETWORK

It was only 9 a.m. on a cold Decem-

ber Friday morning in 1971, and Elbert
Layne was looking forward to getting
through the day then to a relaxing
weekend at home in Crimora. Elbert,
or “Pete” as he was nicknamed, had
been a boiler operator at the Waynes-
boro Crompton-Shenandoah plant
since 1941, and his 30th anniversary at
the plant had been commemorated the
previous February.
But now it was back to work, and
that morning he was working with a
Babcock and Wilcox engineer named
Larry Grewell, who had come north
from Florida to install a new boiler in-
side the plant.
Crompton-Shenandoah was a com-
plex of manufacturing operations built
in 1926 at a time of broad industrial ex-
pansion in Waynesboro, reflecting a
Kathleen Wilson and her labradoodle, Rory, visit Churchville Elementary once a week so students can read to the continuing trend of northern manu-
dog. Rory is a certified therapy dog and is allowed in any Augusta County school or school function. Here Rory is facturers recognizing the advantages
pictured with 8-year-old Luke Ritchie. LAURA PETERS/THE NEWS LEADER
See BLAST, Page 4A

Therapy animal works with kids on their needs

Laura Peters
Staunton News Leader
USA TODAY NETWORK
Copyright © 2018 Staunton News Leader 11/12/2018
CHURCHVILLE - There are hushed voices that
November 12, 2018 7:59 am (GMT +5:00)
are trying to stifle their excitement. Several elemen-
tary school students see a huge fluffy dog in the
Churchville Elementary School.
Kathleen Wilson has been bringing her 7-year-
old dog to the school for the past five years. Rory
helps out in the classroom, provides a little relief
and some of the children get to read out loud to him.
Powered by TECNAVIA
He’s a registered therapy dog and Wilson said
he’s helped with various school children with dif-
 Staunton News Leader - 11/12/2018 Copy Reduced to 95% from original to fit letter page Page : A02

EMBER 12, 2018 ❚ THE NEWS LEADER

Wedding "The backyard is like a

park," Rutledge said. "So
How it works

to me I would love to get You can rent the whole

PS Continued from Page 1A
by
just watched it.
When the price
ST- dropped to a number she
e felt worked for her, she
ton, went for it.
ess,
The property sold for
nd
hing $550,000 according to
, county records.
"I'm pretty ambitious,"
she said.
t
"I usually like lots of
nal projects.
e “I do lots of things at
the same time."
She felt drawn to the
1 property.
59 There's a spot by the
2 Middle River (which runs
right through the proper-
ty) to get married and
guests are taken by wag-
on from the barn to the
ceremony site by the
m house.
Once the guests get
closer to the home, they
are greeted by large trees
and a circular driveway —
com it's one of Rutledge's fa-
vorite parts about coming
up to the home.
.m., "You usually can't see
the house from the road
because of all the leaves,"
om she said.
"So, they really don't
at know what they're going
om into. They come up into
the circle and it's just a
cool spot."
The barn has 3,000
We square feet, central heat
and air conditioning,
bathrooms and a capacity
for 150 people. It can also
married or have an event
here."
But, she wanted to em-
phasize, it's not just for
weddings.
"I would love for peo-
ple to host their training
events or business re-
treats in the barn, along
with special occasions
such as birthdays and
Monica Rutledge , owner of Valley Mills Farm. The banquets," she said.
farm recently opened as wedding and event venue in Barn weddings have
Augusta County. PHOTOS BY LAURA PETERS/THE NEWS LEADER increased in popularity
recently.
There are several ven-
ues in and around Augus-
ta County that feature
barns and large proper-
ties for events like Red
August Farm, Hermitage
Hill Farm or Valley Pike
Market's Granary.
According to a study
from The Knot, a digital
wedding brand, formal
weddings have steadily
decreased — 20 percent
in 2009 to 16 percent in
2017.
Valley Mills Farm allows for ceremonies in a gazebo The study said couples
adjacent to the Middle River. look to nontraditional
venues such as barns,
farms, historic homes,
wineries, museums and
be completely decorated Although never mar- parks to bring their per-
to fit any event — it's like ried herself, Rutledge sonalities to life on their
a blank slate. loves weddings and wedding day.
"It's got the Middle events and has the vision Farm, barn and ranch
River that goes all the way for it. It's taken her two reception venues in-
around the property," years to fix up the main creased from 2 percent in
Rutledge said. home. 2009 to 15 percent in 2017,
"The main part of the The property had sat and historic homes rose
house is from the 1800s vacant for almost seven from 12 percent in 2009 to
and it has like a little cot- years, so Rutledge has 14 percent in 2017, the
tage in the back and it's brought it back to life. study said.
just gorgeous." It's like a sanctuary.
property for the entire
weekend for $6,000 dur-
ing peak season.
That includes access
to the barn (with a set up
of chairs and tables), the
bridal suite in the main
house (with a bathroom
and make-up area, as
well as two small rooms),
a cottage for the groom-
smen and the ceremony
area behind the main
house with a gazebo and
river views.
Other amenities in-
clude parking attendants,
complimentary use of the
site for engagement pho-
tos and other staff on-site
during the event.
Rutledge said those
who are having weddings
can come on the Friday (if
there's a Saturday wed-
ding) to set up and even
have a rehearsal dinner.
Clean-up can be done
Sunday morning.
They can even add on a
DJ and bartending ser-
vices. If you want to use
the barn for events, not
necessarily a wedding,
the cost goes as low as
$3,400.
To learn more visit
ValleyMillsFarm.com or
call 540-337-6209. Valley
Mills Farm is located at
1808 Parkersburg Turn-
pike in Swoope.
Follow Laura Peters
@peterslaura and @pe-
terpants. You can reach
her at lpeters@newslead-
er.com or 213-9125.

nd

Dog
m. she said. “He makes them their excitement to read,” While at the beach Ro- good in years.”
com
feel at ease.” Brown said. “It helps kids ry found a wounded vet- “We decided that there
And you can see it. that struggle with read- eran in a wheelchair. Rory was something more that
S Continued from Page 1A Once the children get ing. It has a calming ef- stuck to him like glue, fol- we could do with Rory ...
.
within eye contact with fect.” lowed him around, stayed something that he was
ing
“The kids love to read Rory, their whole demea- Three students gather by his side and offered a meant to do,” Wilson
to him and he likes to lis- nor changes. They smile, around on a carpeted area sense of comfort. said.
ten,” Wilson said. they get excited and get to of Kari Hildebrand’s Before they left, the Follow Laura Peters
By take a small break to give classroom across from man in the wheelchair @peterslaura and @pe-
Reading to Rory the dog some love. Brown’s. Luke Ritchie, 8, said to her, “I wanted to terpants. You can reach
Once Wilson and Rory Kaylee Campbell, 8, and thank you for bringing her at lpeters@newslead-
It’s Wednesday morn- are situated in a class- Mason Abshrine, 9, all sit him. I haven’t felt this er.com or 213-9125.
ing at the school
Copyright and Wil-
© 2018 Staunton room,
News Leader students start to
11/12/2018 on a carpeted spot in a
e
son November
walks12, 2018
with Rory
8:00 am gather around him —
(GMT +5:00) reading nook. Powered by TECNAVIA
down the halls. They usually about three at a They don’t fight about