Staff Report

The Lewis County Central Elementary Site Based Council has selected a principal.

Sandra McDowell was chosen as the new principal on June 11, according to Council Member Teresa Bryant, who is also a teacher at the school.

Bryant said the council chose McDowell because of her 15 years as an educator at the elementary level and her knowledge of Kentucky’s educational system and where it is headed.

“In addition to her impressive resume of academic and professional achievement, what also came across to us was that she has a very engaging and pleasing personality,” Bryant said.

McDowell grew up in the St. Paul area, graduated from Lewis County High School and received her bachelor and master’s degrees in elementary education from Northern Kentucky University.

She later earned a Rank I in instructional supervision from Morehead State University.

During her 15 years of experience, McDowell has served as a classroom teacher in grades two through six, Title I reading teacher and for the past two years was assistant principal at LCCE.

“Serving as the assistant principal at Central has allowed me the opportunity to work closely with the students, teachers, parents and community in a leadership position,” McDowell said.

File Photo/Lewis County Herald

Sandra McDowell has been named as principal at Lewis County Central Elementary.

“The faculty and staff at Central have the desire to continually move the school forward in a family atmosphere,” she added. “I can’t think of anything I would rather be doing with my life. I am very grateful.”

McDowell, and her husband Dale, principal at Garrison Elementary School, have two children: Ales, 15, and Logan, 11.

McDowell replaces Richard Anderson who retired at the end of the 2009-2010 school year.

By Dennis Brown

If you stop by The Body Shop in Vanceburg you won’t be able to get your fender fixed or a new coat of paint to max out your ride. The body parts John Grabill works with are generally less rigid and harder to top with a shiny clear-coat.

Grabill has opened The Body Shop, a physical therapy service location, at the former Lewis County Health Department building on Fairlane Drive in Vanceburg. An open house is planned for Friday, July 23.

Grabill, who is no stranger to Lewis County, came here several years ago looking to locate a private practice in the area. He landed at Lewis County Primary Care Center where he served as a physical therapist for the past seven years.

He said the building became available and the owners, Eric and Andrea Bloomfield, were willing to customize the building to Grabill’s specifications.

“They’ve been great to work with and they’ve gone out of their way to customize this place to suit our needs,” Grabill said. “Andrea is a great decorator and the workers did a fantastic job. It doesn’t look like the same place on the inside.”

“This is more space than I’ve had and there are private treatment rooms. It’s great for the patients,” he said.

Grabill, who operates the business with his wife, Tina, and the help of son Shawn, said he enjoys the small town atmosphere and the people of the area.

“I was born and raised on a farm. I love small towns and rural settings,” he said. “I really get along well with folks around the community.”

Grabill said area residents have responded well to the opening of the shop with some sending flower or gifts welcoming the Grabills to the county.

He said he has also received a great deal of support from the medical practitioners in the area. “I can’t say enough about the help and support they’ve given to me,” Grabill said, adding that he had been given supplies and equipment to help outfit the office and exam rooms at the facility.

Grabill lives near McDermott, Ohio, and said he enjoys the daily drive to Vanceburg, especially the scenery along the AA Highway between Quincy and Vanceburg. “I couldn’t ask to be in a prettier area,” he stated.

Click To Enlarge

“And the folks are as real as they can be. I just love it,” he said.

The Body Shop is a Medicare provider and accepts most insurance as well as Worker’s Compensation insurance. Medicaid is accepted as a secondary source.

Grabill said a doctor’s referral is needed for insurance to cover the treatments and added his office is glad to facilitate requests from patients to put them in contact with a doctor for consultation and appropriate treatment.

“We get quite a bit of walk-in business here,” Grabill said. “A lot of patients are post-surgery, auto accidents, strokes and neurologic disorders,” he added. He has also treated plenty of sports injuries from around the area.

Grabill provides treatment to help individuals develop, restore and maintain maximum movement and function following injury or surgery. “We work with a lot of people following joint replacement,” he said. “We’ve also had lots of school athletes in, including cheerleaders, who have been hurt in some way while practicing their sport.”

“I’m thrilled that the community is so welcoming,” he said while preparing for his first patients of the day. “One of my patients told me I’m the community’s adopted kid. I love that!”

Grabill said he plans to expand the services offered at the center and will do some home care contracting for patients who aren’t able to leave their home for treatment.

He welcomes people to drop in to say hello and see the changes to the building. “Lots of people have told me their first recollection of visiting this place is getting a shot or immunization right over there,” he said with a chuckle.

The Body Shop, at 787 Fairlane Drive in Vanceburg, is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The phone number is 606-796-2500.

And Grabill will be firing up the grill for the open house. “Come on out, we’ll have a great time.”