Category: Life & Style

by Tatjana Kondraschow–

Virginia Tech adds new menu items and additional labels on their packaging to expand food options for those who are vegan. According to the People of Ethical Treatment of Animals, a vegan is someone who does not consume meat, dairy products, and virtually any food source that is derived from an animal.  After numerous requests from students, Virginia Tech’s dining hall coordinator’s agreed to bring in more vegan options.

One of those coordinators being the Executive Chef of West End Market, Mark Bratton, who claims, “We’ve heard the requests, so we want to add more vegan options but also ensure that our food that is vegan is not coming in contact with any animal products. So we use separate pans and stovetops.”

Vegan options that are available at West End Market include desserts, quesadillas, and numerous vegetable and fruit dishes. Bratton said he sees the highest increase in vegan options in their Leaf and Ladle food stand. Some of the new menu items in Leaf and Ladle include a braised tempeh dish and an edamame rice bowl.

Bratton is most proud of his partnership with the vegan company, Daiya, which is his main provider for food items such as vegan cheese, sour cream, and yogurt. Bratton hopes to continue to expand his use of vegan cheese in food.

Virginia Tech student and current vegan, Reilly Scott, said, “As a vegan, it can be really hard for me to find foods that align with my dietary restrictions, but I am happy to see a steady increase in vegan options. One of my favorite meals at West End is the vegetable primavera pasta.”

Scott is not alone in her choice to be vegan, according to the research firm, Global Data, there has been a 600 percent increase in people claiming they are vegan. This means that out of every six U.S. consumers, one is vegan.

With this increase in veganism, the dining halls have also added new labels to their packaging that classify what is vegan. For example, the red pepper hummus has always been considered a vegan dish but it was not advertised as so, now there is a label that states that the dip is vegan.

However, Bratton claims there is still a lot of gray areas related to the process of labeling. One of the examples Bratton gives is about the vegan chocolate cake. On the packaging of the cakes, it says vegan, but dining services also have to place a disclaimer that states the ingredients in the cake are made in a factory where there is a chance that it could come in contact with eggs.

“I think it could have been great if I had known freshmen year what was vegan, I would have had a lot more options,” Scott said.

Bratton plans to add even more vegan items in the future such as baked ziti, an Asian vegetable soup, and ice cream.

Blacksburg, Va. Feb.19, Executive Chef Mark Bratton – Bratton graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and has been working at West End Market for over 10 years. Photo by: Tatjana Kondraschow

Blacksburg, Va. Feb.19, Grab and Go – Here a student examines his food options in the Grab and Go section of West End Market. Many of the options on the shelves are vegan. Photo by: Tatjana Kondraschow

Blacksburg, Va. Feb.19, Leaf and Ladle Stand – At this stand, students may find the majority of vegan options available. One may purchase braised tempeh, vegetable soups, and a variety of salads which can be customizable. Photo by: Tatjana Kondraschow

Blacksburg, Va. Feb.19, 70 Seven Deli – This deli features a collection of vegan wraps. One of them being a buffalo cauliflower wrap which has vegan cheese and vegan ranch in it. Photo by: Tatjana Kondraschow

Blacksburg, Va. Feb.19, 70 Seven Deli’s Menu – On a digital screen one may find all the menu options 70 Seven Deli offers. Along with the buffalo cauliflower wrap, one may also purchase a roasted cauliflower wrap. Photo by: Tatjana Kondraschow

Blacksburg, Va. Feb.19, JP’s Chop House and their Fresh Vegetable Selection – Bratton always ensures that his staff are putting out four different types of vegetables everyday to meet the needs of vegetarians and vegans. Photo by: Tatjana Kondraschow

Blacksburg, Va. Feb.19, Reilly Scott enjoying the Vegan Chocolate Cake from West End Market – As a Virginia Tech senior, Reilly Scott enjoys finding new vegan options from the dining halls to maintain her dietary restrictions. Photo by: Tatjana Kondraschow

Blacksburg, Va. Feb.19, Twin Oaks Tofu – This is one of the many options that is available for vegan eaters. Those who purchase the tofu can either eat it cold or bring it home to sauté. Photo by: Tatjana Kondraschow

Blacksburg, Va. Feb.19, Red Pepper Hummus Bowl – One of Bratton’s favorite vegan dishes that he created is the red pepper hummus bowl. Bratton says it is easy to make and is a dish he likes to cook for his wife. Photo by: Tatjana Kondraschow

Blacksburg, Va., Feb. 20 – Downtown Blacksburg: The stretch of road between the intersections of Alumni Mall and Clay Street with South Main Street contains the 16 bars of Blacksburg’s downtown area, right next to Virginia Tech’s campus.  Photo: Sara Gordon

by Sara Gordon–

According to the Magnitude of and Trends in Alcohol-Related Mortality and Morbidity Among U.S. College Students Ages 18-24 study published in 2005, 3,360,000 college students across the country between the ages of 18 and 24 drove under the influence of alcohol. While there are no overarching statistics regarding whether these students got caught and potentially received a charge for Driving Under the Influence (DUI), the issue is clear: college students getting behind the wheel of a car after they have consumed alcohol.

As a university with approximately 35,000 students enrolled each school year at Virginia Tech, with nearly half of those students being of legal drinking age, the issue of alcohol-related incidents is much higher. This is particularly true in a town where most students only have to drive 5-10 minutes to reach their destination. 16 bars are located right in downtown Blacksburg, along with a multitude of beer, wine, and liquor stores also in close proximity.

Assistant Director of Virginia Tech Hokie Wellness, David Andrews, sees a common misconception among students believing that as long as they remain under the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit of .08, they are fine to drive. “There’s a disconnect between ‘don’t be drunk and drive’ and ‘don’t be drinking at all and drive.’ It doesn’t take much, like I said, to become impaired to some degree, regardless of [what] might happen legally or not,” he said.

If a driver’s BAC is below the legal limit, their ability to drive safely is still impaired. According to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, “drunk driving” refers to driving with a BAC at the level where a person can be arrested for a DUI, while impaired driving means that a person’s judgment and response time are affected much earlier before they reach a BAC of .08.

Results of the most recent National College Health Assessment, which is completed every two years at Virginia Tech, revealed 22% of college students, out of the approximately 1000 students that responded, reported driving after consuming any amount of alcohol in the past 30 days and 1.4% reported driving after having five or more drinks in the past 30 days. Statistics from the Virginia Tech Police Department show a total of 62 DUI arrests made during the 2016-2017, 2017-2018, and 2018-2019 school years.

Sergeant David Tribble of VTPD has applied for the DMV DUI Grant for the past four years, which allocates government funds to address the issue of drinking and driving to all of the local departments. “Virginia Tech has been able to get some of that money to pay for extra officers to be on the street, looking specifically for alcohol or drug-impaired drivers,” he said.

According to Sergeant Tribble, curbing the issue of drinking and driving all comes down to accountability: “You’re not going to stop people from drinking, but the main thing you want to do is get them to stop driving. If you’ve had a few drinks, don’t plan on driving home, find another way.”

by Zack Perhach–

The last thing Christian Elmer, a Virginia Tech student and Cadet, remembers before falling off the top of the Cascades waterfall in Giles County Virginia, was his friend lunging to grab him. The next thing he remembers was being pulled out of the water, laying on his back waiting for the slick water rescue team to come to help him.

That team would arrive three hours later and would evacuate Elmer by helicopter to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. The doctors would tell him his injuries: his right hip, both elbows, and his neck had broken during the 69-foot fall.

“I thought I lost my scholarship, my job in the army, and then I thought I might not be able to walk again,” said Elmer.

The recovery process for Elmer included multiple surgeries and months of physical therapy. Friends and family raised thousands of dollars to cover his medical expenses. His recovery progressed quickly, and within four months Elmer had begun lifting weights in the gym.

To get cleared for service, Elmer had to compile a medical report from all 12 doctors he saw during his recovery. He sent the 1,300-page document to the Army Surgeon General. Within the month he submitted it, Elmer had received the verdict.

“I got the email so fast I thought ‘there’s no way I got approved if they’re replying this fast,’” said Elmer, “but my medical determination was approved, so I’m good to serve.”

Blacksburg, Va., Nov. 28 – Chris Elmer: Chris is set to graduate in December. After, he will begin working as an EOD technician in the Army. Photo: Zack Perhach

Photo: Zack Perhach

Giles County, Va., Feb. 2017 – The day of the fall: This photo was taken just minutes before Elmer fell down from the top of the falls. Elmer (top right) fell more than 69 feet into the water below. Photo courtesy of Chris Elmer.

Blacksburg, Va., Feb. 2017 – Intensive care: Elmer was in intensive care for 8 days following his accident. Photo courtesy of Chris Elmer.

Blacksburg, Va., March 2017 – Recovery: Elmer stands with one of the physical therapists that helped him regain his ability to walk. Photo courtesy of Chris Elmer.

Blacksburg, Va., March 2017 – Cleared by doctors: Elmer was eventually cleared by his doctors to return to normal physical activity. Photo courtesy of Chris Elmer.

Blacksburg, Va., June 2017 – Recovered: Elmer spent a summer recovering fully from his injury. In the Fall of 2017, he was medically cleared for service by the Army. Photo courtesy of Chris Elmer.

Photo: Zack Perhach

The Army clearly defines the medical conditions that can limit or disqualify a person from service. Elmer’s main concerns were his elbows and hips, both of which the army has specific ranges of motion that are deemed acceptable.

With his medical determination now cleared, Elmer’s eyes are set on his future in the Army. Just this month, he received his assignment as an explosive ordnance disposal or EOD technician. A job he had a 5-7 percent chance of receiving. Elmer had to go through multiple interviews to join the EOD team, and he’s excited to join a small community in the Army.

“I had to have a good attitude from the start and I knew that,” said Elmer, “I truly believe that your mind and your body are so connected that if you have a bad attitude, you won’t heal as fast or as well as you could.”

Elmer is set to graduate from Virginia Tech in December. The New Jersey native will then be working in Richmond as an EOD technician in the summer.

by Riley Wyant–

When Matthew Letkowitz was accepted to Virginia Tech in 2015, many people in his life doubted that he would be able to successfully live in a college environment with his disability.

“In my early childhood, I was diagnosed with an extremely rare mutation of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) that had never been discovered before,” said Lefkowitz.

According to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, LMGD isn’t really one disease. It’s a group of disorders affecting voluntary muscles, mainly those around the hips and shoulders. Over time, the person with LGMD loses muscle bulk and strength and he or she may need a power wheelchair or scooter.

Bound to a wheelchair, Lefkowitz knew that coming to college meant he would need an immense amount of help from individuals he never had met.

“I knew going into college initially…at the same time that I would be gaining more independence, I would almost be taking a step back,” he said. “I’m putting my life and faith in someone else’s hands.”

Lefkowitz and his family created his team in 2015 through a simple advertisement, which led him to find 14 personal care attendants. Now, in 2018, “Matthew’s Army,” as he likes to call it, has risen to 44 student personal aides purely through the means of mutual friends and word of mouth.

“Each year that it has expanded has been such a beautiful thing,” claimed Lefkowitz. “Without them, I can’t be here. I rely on them day in and day out.”

Each personal care attendant has several duties to ensure that he remains safe and comfortable. Lefkowitz likes to use the analogy of being an infant; even though he is intellectually mature, he needs all of the care that an infant would need in order to survive.

“We help bathe him, dress him, cook for him and do many other personal things but it just flows naturally,” said one of his caregivers, Sara Margaret Kelly. “He makes it feel like we are all friends helping each other and it’s no big deal.”

The student attendants are by his side 24/7 and rotate through a schedule which includes night shifts. The students also go through intensive training to learn how to care for him without injuring him.

“At first, I decided to become an attendant for Matthew because I want to go into physical therapy after college,” said another student aide, Alexa Rose. “But through getting to know him, I realized that it’s much more than just getting experience for grad school applications. He’s now one of my closest friends.”

For many other students, this experience has become more than just a job.

“This experience has been so rewarding because of who Matthew is,” said another student caregiver, Cyma Mounzer. “We almost never talk about his disability because he has the best attitude and acts like any other student.”

For Lefkowitz, the help he has gotten from his team has made all the difference and has given him new inspiration to attend grad school. “Now, there isn’t anything or anyone saying I can’t achieve that, so why not go for it? I have the best support system there is.”

Blacksburg Va., Oct 2 – BON APPETIT: Personal attendant, Alexa Rose, serves up dinner for Lefkowitz. She is making his favorite appetizer, buffalo chicken dip.

Blacksburg Va., Oct 2 – A HELPING HAND: Sara Margaret Kelly, one of the 44 caregivers Lefkowitz has, follows careful instructions from him to cook a tasty dinner.

Blacksburg Va., Oct 2 – EMBRACE THE IVY: Lefkowitz proudly hangs his Ivyman sign in his room that serves as a reminder of the friendships he has made with the women of Alpha Phi.

Blacksburg Va., Oct 2 – CAMPAIGNING FOR A CURE: One of Lefkowitz’s personal attendants, Tony Fisher, was so inspired by his experience that he campaigned for Homecoming King while promoting muscular dystrophy research. Boxes of the T-shirts he made remain in Lefkowitz’s room.

Blacksburg Va., Oct 2 – PEACE OF MIND: After almost four years of working with his student assistants, Lefkowitz says he can put his trust in them and his day to day challenges become the least of his worries.

Blacksburg Va., Oct 2 – STEERING LIFE IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION: Leftkowitz only has limited function in his arms and hands in order to steer himself, but he doesn’t let that get him down. One of his favorite quotes is, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” and he returns to that quote when times get hard.

Blacksburg Va., Oct 2 – LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE: Kelly and Lefkowitz share a giggle during their time together.

Blacksburg Va., Oct 2 – COOKING UP FRIENDSHIP: Many of the attendants that Lefkowitz works with become extremely close and, many times, lifelong friends.

by Billy Parvatam—

BLACKSBURG, Va.- The New River Valley is making a mark on finding innovating ways to improve the realm of public health.

Numerous organizations and individuals in the area conduct research and do outreach to educate residents on staying healthy. Dr. Kerry Redican, a professor in the Virginia Tech College of Veterinary Medicine, helps conduct the Youth Risk Behavior Survey– a biennial study that monitors high school students behaviors especially with substance use and misuse. Topics of research that are emphasized in the survey include marijuana, tobacco, alcohol, and prescription drug abuse. The information is then used to educate school boards, parents, and especially the students on how to best stay away from risky decisions.

Redican believes the time is now for young people to start thinking about their health.

“The under 30 age group tends to feel they’re immortal,” he said. “But the types of behaviors you adopt now will become lifestyles that potentially over time could have a negative effect.”

Focusing on the other side of the spectrum, the 2018 health and wellness fair in Christiansburg provides older citizens an opportunity to learn how to age healthier. The fair, hosted by the Blacksburg chapter of the AARP and the VCOM medical school, saw over 100 exhibitors looking to raise awareness on a variety of topics.

Dr. Pamela Ray, population health community coordinator at the Virginia Department of Health, described these conversations as “getting a sense of their daily life and how much activity they do.” The fair also had various screenings available such as blood pressure and sugar that allowed visitors to get tested for free.

One vendor, the New River Valley Community Service, looks to change the stigma of drug abuse and addiction. According to a WDBJ7 article, in 2017 there were nearly 30 overdose deaths in the NRV.   

One way to potentially combat specifically opioid is through REVIVE! training. According to the Virginia Department of Behavioral and Developmental Services, it provides training on responding to an overdose emergency with a counter drug called Naloxone. The drug, in essence, would cancel out the consequences of an opioid overdose.

Ray, who is also an adjunct professor at Virginia Tech, said that she doesn’t like to get into the game of which drug is more harmful because “any addictive substance produces negative effects.”

While technology is already making tremendous advances in regards to health, Redican sees a day where it will be the widespread approach.

“Your interactions with physicians may be through telemedicine,” he said. “The prevention-related and early detection approaches will become more technological as we can efficiently get patients the information that they need.”

Ultimately, however, Ray believes it is up to each individual to make their health a priority in their life.

“We need to take responsibility for our own health,” she said. “Depending on everyone else to provide health to you if you’re not a willing participant as a recipient gets us nowhere.”

Christiansburg, Va., Sept. 19- Learn more: Over 100 exhibitors came to the fair to provide information on numerous topics. Photo: Billy Parvatam

Christiansburg, Va., Sept. 19- Eat healthy: Free samples are handed out to stress the importance of vegetables. Photo: Billy Parvatam

Christiansburg, Va., Sept. 19- Change a stigma: The New River Valley Service has started a campaign called “the face of addiction is mine.” Wristbands with the slogan on them were a free souvenir. Photo: Billy Parvatam

Christiansburg, Va., Sept. 19- Medical presence: VCOM medical students help promote health awareness at the fair. The school has three southern locations in Blacksburg, Auburn, and Spartanburg. Photo: Billy Parvatam

Christiansburg, Va., Sept. 19- Volunteer: Each respective exhibitor had the opportunity to recruit volunteers to their organization. Photo: Billy Parvatam

Christiansburg, Va., Sept. 19- Aging gracefully: Senior citizens get a presentation on housing options for retirement. Photo: Billy Parvatam

Christiansburg, Va., Sept. 19- Exercise: Roam NRV is a new bike program created by Blacksburg Transit to encourage physical exercise. Photo: Billy Parvatam

Christiansburg, Va., Sept. 19- No stress: Free therapy messages were available to visitors on a first-come, first-serve basis. Photo: Billy Parvatam

by Jordan Nichols–

Blacksburg, Va. – “PopSockets” have become the new craze adding a new level to distracted driving.

PopSockets are small adhesive accessories on the back of cell phones. These accessories have accessories that can be mounted into cars, which can be helpful or distracting behind the wheel.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), during the day around 481,000 drivers are by their distracted cell phones. Distracted drivers make up 3,477 fatalities each year with 391,000 being injured.

The installation of these simple accessories can be catastrophic. Fourteen states plus the District of Columbia have outlawed any use of the cell phone behind the wheel. While 46 states have ended texting while driving. Police have recognized this issue and feel it is one of the biggest problems for drivers.

Although PopSockets have the ability to aid in the hands-free movement while driving, this can also draw more attention to driver’s phones instead of the road.

Ages 16 to 24-year-olds have the highest cell phone use behind the wheel, and women have more fatal car crashes due to cell phone use than men, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. This issue of distracted driving is an easy fix when drivers only have to keep their eyes on the road and hands off their phones.

Jared Havens, a Virginia Tech student, realizes the danger of distracted drivers, “I see drivers every day around campus and it’s dangerous. People aren’t paying attention behind the wheel and on-campus people don’t look, which can really be a serious combination for pedestrians and drivers.”

The U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration just had their 5th Annual U Drive. U Text. U Pay. Campaign. This campaign promotes drivers to stay off their mobile devices behind the wheel through a series of advertisements on multiple platforms.

Distracted driving takes the focus from the road. Although PopSockets have the ability to reduce the distraction, mounting your cell phone to an easier location can still be a threat to safety. Hand-free is not distraction free for any driver.