Pathway To Natural Healing
Block Number: 80Pathway to Natural Healing
By Ginger Todd
On a rainy Tuesday afternoon, March 15th, 2011, Mike Lucas and Jack Raker installed the newest addition, block No. 80 on the McDowell Quilt Trail, on the North wall of the Blue Ridge Chiropractic Clinic. Jill Lucas presented the Certificate of Authenticity to Dr. William B. Bell and his wife Susan.
“Pathway to Natural Healing” represents meaningful ties not only to the business, but to family history as well. The Blue Ridge Mountains depicted in the quilt block are based on those in a quilt made by Susan Bell’s mother, Maude Bright. Mrs. Bright served as President of the Mountain Glory Quilters Guild and was very active in it. She also taught quilting at the Senior Center. She made countless quilts in her lifetime and Susan, (who serves as the office bookkeeper) values several that are still in her possession, including the quilt that inspired this quilt block. It is no wonder that the idea of hosting a quilt block sparked Susan’s interest!
Dr. Bell’s father, Dr. William L. Bell, began his practice in Spruce Pine during the 1950’s, later moving to McDowell County on Rutherfordton Road in 1961. It was in 1963 he moved his practice to the present location and for many years he was the only Chiropractor in a three- county area.
After attending Logan College of Chiropractics in St. Louis, Missouri, Dr. Bell, Jr. joined his father’s practice in 1990. He became the Clinic’s Director in 1992. He was awarded the Downtown Business of the Year in 2008 and voted Best Chiropractor in McDowell County in 2010. Dr. Bell is an active member in the North Carolina Chiropractic Association, American Red Cross, Lake James Environmental Association and serves on the Eagle Scout Committee for the Boy Scouts. Dr. Bell and Susan have two children, Chandler and Olivia and currently live at Lake James.
The Clinic’s beautiful and colorful “Pathway to Natural Healing” is located at 387 South Main Street and is easily viewed when driving south through town. The lower center represents a path to Lake James in memory of Dr. Bell’s father’s love of the lake. He was extremely active in the clean-ups and received the Governor’s Award for Environmental Awareness in 1994. The path then leads to the various shades of green and blue of the mountains and ultimately to the yellow and gold sunburst, which contains two sets of hands representing the manual manipulation used in chiropractics. Installation of the Block this month honors in part the 53rd wedding anniversary of the late Dr. Bell and wife Rene.
With today’s emphasis on disease prevention and preventive care, a timely quote from Thomas A. Edison may be seen on the wall of Dr. Bell’s office: “The Doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease.”
