Apolline Mike Ancestry Blog

Gather family history from great story-tellers
I never tried to find out more about my parents and grandparents while they were still around. Now that they are gone, I find myself wishing I had documented the things they told me, and asked more questions about their parents, aunts, uncles and cousins.
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Column: Interviewing Grandma makes family's history come alive
See, history in my family has a way of going untold until you ask. We never had family Bibles or pristine genealogical trees. Our records, our money and our story have been scattered by young deaths and a tumultuous New York City century. My …
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We’ve all got them — family myths that just won’t die. Maybe your great-grandmother was an Indian princess or grandpa had his name changed at Ellis Island. …

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The Inn at Warner Hall will feature a local, NASA rocket scientist at its fourth event in its Dinner and Discussion series.

On Wednesday, July 24 at 5:30 p.m., NASAs Kevin Vip Vipavetz will teach guests about the Ares I-X project at NASA. Ares I-X was the first step in a series of new rocket developments that would replace the space shuttle. It won Time Magazines Invention of the Year in 2009.

Metal has no DNA; machines have no genes, Time Magazine wrote in 2009. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have pedigrees ancestral lines every bit as elaborate as our own. That’s surely the case with the Ares 1 rocket. The best and smartest and coolest thing built in 2009 a machine that can launch human beings to cosmic destinations we’d never considered before is the fruit of a very old family tree, one with branches grand, historic and even wicked.

Vipavetzs discussion will be followed by a delicious buffet dinner by Warner Halls Chef Eric Garcia.

At each of these events we have made new friends and learned amazing new things about the world we live in and the people who are helping shape it, said Theresa Stavens, who owns and serves as Innkeeper and Special Events Planner for the Inn at Warner Hall with husband, Troy. Thats what these events are all about. A gourmet dinner following a great discussion doesnt hurt, either!

The Dinner and a Discussion events are $ 50 per person and include dinner, complimentary wine and the featured speaker.

Seating is limited. Contact Warner Hall to reserve a seat at 800.331.2720 or info(at)warnerhall(dot)com.

ABOUT THE INN AT WARNER HALL:

Ideally situated at the head of the Severn River in Gloucester County, the manor house at Warner Hall stands on a neck of land occupied and built upon continually from the mid-17th century. The original six hundred-acre plantation site was established by Augustine Warner as a “land grant” from the British Crown. Augustine Warner received the acreage in exchange for bringing twelve settlers across the Atlantic Ocean to the Jamestown Settlement.

The two families associated with the property from this early period until well into the 19th century, the Warners and the Lewises, were among the most prominent families in Colonial Virginia. Some of the most recognized names in American history are direct descendants of Augustine Warner George Washington, the first president of the United States, Robert E. Lee, the most famous Civil War General and Captain Meriwether Lewis, renowned American explorer of the Lewis & Clark expedition.

Queen Elizabeth II, the current monarch of England, is a direct descendent of Augustine Warner through the Bowes-Lyon family and the Earl of Strathmore. In England, Warner Hall is referred to as “The home of the Queens American ancestors.”

For Theresa and Troy Stavens, the current stewards of Warner Hall and the Inns owners, Warner Hall is a dream come true. Their passion for hospitality and historic preservation led them to Warner Hall where they saw the perfect opportunity to use their financial management and marketing skills to preserve an historical property and pursue their real passion making people happy.

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On April 29, 2013, Las Vegas Super Spartan competitor and UFC lightweight fighter Jamie Varner discusses in a video how he first became involved with Spartan Race, his training as UFC fighter and his passion for both activities.

According to the Spartan blog, Varner describes his Greek heritage and how his family has instilled in him a tough, feisty, fighting nature necessary to be a world – class fighter. Varner also proudly wears a Spartan tattoo to remind him of his ancestry Sparta, Greece.

In the video, Varner discusses the strength and power building movements he performs in order to get in optimal shape for fights, obstacle course races and mud runs. He performs heavy front squats, weighted pull – ups, plyometric jumps with a bar, rope snaps, switch grip pull ups, and eccentric hamstring curls. Varner explains that while these workouts are tough with not very much rest [], when you start out with a lot of weight (you) burn more calories (and) get more tired. As an alternative, Varner says, Start off with a little lighter weight and then work yourself up. Most of all, Varner emphasizes the importance of knowing your body and what it can physically handle.

When asked which UFC fighter would be his biggest competitor in the Spartan Race, Varner cites Benson Henderson, who he describes as an aerobic conditioning freak [] the guy never gets tired. In spite of this potential challenge, Varner says, I wouldnt mind going head to head with him.

Varner explains that the Spartan Race is something I can do long after my fighting career. For his next race, Varner is aiming for a finishing time in the top 10%. I hate losing more than I like winning. I want to be competitive. In the meantime, he is working to be the best lightweight in the world.

Joe De Sena, CEO of Spartan Race, comments on Varners enthusiasm. We are thrilled to have an athlete and individual of Jamie Varners caliber as an ambassador for Spartan Race. His competitive spirit epitomizes what this race is all about.

Spartan Race, voted Outside Magazines Best Obstacle Race in 2012, is the worlds leading obstacle race series and the first of its kind to have global rankings. Spartan Race is a timed event series featuring races at three escalating distances in locations worldwide that culminate in a World Championship Finale with cash and prizes for the champions. While featuring competitive elite heats, Spartan Races are for athletes of all levels and abilities and are geared towards ripping people off their couches and into the outdoors. Go to http://www.spartanrace.com/ for more information, a schedule of events or to register for a Spartan Race. For videos, please visit http://www.spartanrace.tv

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