I "The, Floatation tank: I to rid your body c By AUDREY L. WILLIAMS Chronicle Staff Writer Imagine trying to explain to someone how the most relaxing hour of your day was spent inside an egg-shaped tank, filled with 1,100 pounds of epsom salt and 15 inches of water. Evelyn Wright, who has introduced the concept of floating to Winston-Salem, didn't exactly hold too keen on the idea of lying on top of water for an hour either. But seven months later, since her first float in the f floatarium, she and her 14 other partners who have invested in the stress management company, more commonly known as the Restricted Environmental Stimulation Technique (REST Inc.), have trouble staying out of it. Wright, who before opted to take showers over baths because of a phobia she developed when she almost - drowned at age 12, now convinces others that there's no need to be afraid, at least not of the floatarium, which gives the floater a natural euphoric feeling. In the one' hour experience, the floater loses a sense of time boundaries and, believe it or not, a sense of bodily existence. . "This is a very simple and old-fashioned method of relieving stress," she says. "You can't get any simpler." Originally, the floatarium was called a sensory deprivation tank because it was thought to deprive the body of all senses, which has since been proved wrong. Rather, says Wright, the experience can aid in helping physical ailments such as headaches, back pain, tension, high blood pressure, eating, smoking and drinking habits go away. tin ^ i i . oecause ine ooay is noi exposed to any outside stimuli, you're not moving; the body begins to heal faster," says Wright. II I RIP* < I v. M mjm wBL "':'N H^HHI ',,^|Li.w^/- if >L ^nii^. -mBmm W^f' Virgil Simpson Is as much a part of KftW Cafetei dine on (photo by James Parker). W i/iiatnssaysrshe By AUDREY L. WILLIAMS Chronicle Staff Writer Freida Williams has an objective view of downtowr Winston-Salem's potential because she's never lived here The 29-year-old Charlotte native joined the city o Winston-Salem's new economic development departmen two weeks ago and says she's eager to get started on th< downtown face lift. "What I'm doing is real exciting," she says ? i ti/:_?*. "Charlotte is going througn revnaiizaiion anu mniiun Salem has a lot of resources for growth and I'm excitei about being a part of that." More recently, Williams and her husband, Pete, wer both employed at Northwestern Bank in Durham. Sh served as a downtown branch officer. He is sti employed with the bank as a commercial review officer i North Wilkesboro, and commutes there each day. Williams, a graduate of Western Carolina University also holds a master's degree in business from Nort Carolina Central University. She got her experience i economic development not only from her education; and six-year banking background but also from workin with minority businesses. "This job was sort of like a blessing to me," Willian says. "... I've always been impressed with the city c Winston-Salem, the growth area and the major corporj tions here. You can get excited about that." % -Magazin k new way \ \ >f whatever ails it "1 want to begin using the method on alcoholics and drug abusers. They need something to take the place of that drug. With the tank, you have a euphoric, peaceful feeling." A certified substance abuse counselor with the Forsyth Stokes Mental Health Center for the past three years, Wright is also a trained hypnotherapist and has been a m ecfit al' o >1. However, ihe idea of a stress management company came about as an accident. / "My daughter was cutting up a Cosmopolitan ^ magazine one night and I saw this story on meditation j and sensory deprivation and all of a sudden, God spoke to me and said, This is it. This is how people can really get to know me."' That very same night, says Wright, she drew up a proposal, not having any idea about what a floatarium was. She says she then went to an attorney and was told she had to hold back at least 51 percent of her stock. "1 didn't do that," she says. "Even though 1 am the president, there are investors in this who are equal to me. Within two weeks after she began working on the idea, Wright had 14 investors. She then went to South Carolina, where a stress management center was already in full swing, she says. "1 was afraid, so I took a friend with me," she says. "Within fifteen minutes, I was calm and relaxed. . I prayed for a whole hour and 1 actually felt like I was a part of the water." The feeling of relaxation in the tank comes as a result of absolutely no contact with the outside world. Because of the lack of external stimuli, says Wright, blood pressure and heart rate decrease. Breathing is regulated and skin temperature drops, she says, thus the person automatically begins to meditate. If the floater chooses, L By AUDREY L. WILLIAMS Chronicle Staff Writer "... It is an honour for a 1 strife: but every fool will be That's the verse from Pro^ old Virgil Simpson referret when she asked him why so co-workers at K&W Cafeteri make him the butt of their j< Simpson, a man of strong who uses the Scriptures to an; first went to work for K&W when it was in downtown W the old Greyhound Bus Stati Anyone who has ever dine Drive K&W during the u ignore ment across the dining are* every now and then, pouring 1WH of coffee or just doing whate^ 441 was a cook in World \* ! I son' w*1? ^ac* ^ust awa^er W a^ternoon n?d- "Served foui JHg Greene in Charlotte. "When I came to K&W," W fl||^Hj so many cooks, I couldn't U started working as a dishwas Simpson was hired by the G.T. Allred, who died a mc developed a life-long friei Simpson, Allred couldn't s . friend away, rla as the tables customers retjred in >64 and , C? says Simpson.44My old boss miinii nwtrp?Mwrwww^wiii^wu?wiai?ni)iMPii i mm *s excitedubuut re Winston-Salem was no stranger to her, she says, _ because while still a resident of North Wilkesboro just 1 before her marriage and move to Durham, she and friends traveled the short distance to Winston for enterf tainment and to mingle with others, t "When you went somewhere." she says, "you came to e Winston-Salem." Williams will be assisting in the overall economic development of the city and says she projects a marriage d A I e I Newcomer I n to Winston-Salem if she can get plans formulated and see f results. "We're trying to get the downtown area vibrant again," she says, "and it's not going to be done over I night ... but what's so rewarding about this job is that you can see the fruits of your labor. I hate monotony." No matter the subject, it's apparent that the newness of Williams' job still hasn't worn off. Even a conversation is about shopping is sprinkled with revitalization. )f "I think Winston-Salem fits into my lifestyle," she a- says. "I enjoy community projects and civic inPlease see page B4 > e Section jMW ^ v?n!^Hb n|^H jfl y * A patron at REST Inc. lies in a Floatarium, filled som salt, to heal what ails her (photo by James P he or she may have soft music. A light is also inside the tank for those who would rather see the experience. It is the density of the water and the high content of epsnm salt that kppnc the hndv inrlnHino the head, ahnve the water. The epsom salt also keeps the skin from shriveling up, says Wright. It won't be as comfortable, though, she says, if users of the tank don't intend to shed every piece of clothing and shower off the oils his or her body may have accumulated during the day. "I would never encourage anyone to do this unless it were helpful," says Wright. "... A lady came here recently. She had hypertension, diabetes and a heart problem. She came mostly to support a friend, who has invested in the company. She was scared to death at first. But afterimpson shuns thou person is able to work and wants, to, Anyway, 1 didp't want to sit and do n< _ c~~~: Since the Alfred brothers have pas! ^ o r\ f r* o o c o ? r A rv^ naii iu wva^v m viii . . t meddlin M management has taken over the restaur /erbs that 88-year- no ?ne has asked, Simpson to?lei 1 a co-worker to "nd"St?od ,ha' he S JUS' *S 3 many of his other a!,^e tables customers dine on. ia jeer at him and "No' he says, "I don . punch in a ^es The young fella said he don t care if I c not. I'll get my check anyway." I religious beliefs, _ . . . . 7. .. During the evening break, Simpson I swer his questions, . c Cafeteria in 1947 seat over ln ,'he corner acr?ss ,rtom ' 0 . where several waitresses and cooks yell inston-Salem near on . ' . ~ .. "I ain't thinkin' 'bout those ole jitt) d at the Coliseum . , J J ... ... . he quips back. 'ill either notice or J? r . . . . . . Two from the booth come over and i and quiet move- , , , , ,, _ . i waitina a table aga,n' That s our daddy' says Es,hl ' . . worker of Simpson's. "He keeps us in an occasional cup _ , , , . .* Every day, from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m /er he wants to do. . , . , J . . ,, . son spends his waking hours at the c /ar I, says bimp- . , , . f . . not minding the jokes much, or ho led from a mid- . , . .. . ^ work there is to be done, r months at Camp _. . , ... _ Simpson, who has one son, Virgil Jr. hpsav. ..,hpv haH wife 15 years ago- He has remained by ne says, iney naa and sa h? fefs bache|or-s )jfe get in on it, so 1 44~ , , ?. u T ,, Don t know whether 1 could trust ' . , lady," he says, cafeteria s owner, . >nth ago. The two Time at home is spent eating, readin ridship and, says ble and resting, he says. Saturdays are tand to have his ting the grass and Sundays are for lead day School devotion, ime back in. '64," But Monday through Friday, priorit man thinks when a the 4tK." n mm mmtit \ ii1 iipimin h wpiiwuinfiiiniibwum m mm i m i mbim i i?ih m t Minna it iwiiw % i vamping her new / E*1?* ? W vVI^H JPM?S i> w??6QB^*wy?S96|(BBl6@p~? - ? ,j^V ^KaH H with 15 inches of water and 1^,100 pounds of eparker). wards, she told me how much better she felt. "To me," she says, "that was worth all the work I've ever done." The concept of floating was first discovered by a neurophysiologist who was intrigued by the peacefulness of dolphins. The effectiveness of the floatariums have * been not only proven and tried by sufferers of anxiety and members of the professional world, but also by members of the professional athletic world, including the Dallas Cowboys, who use the method to speed up the healing process of injuries and to improve their game. Winston native Tab Thacker, the 400-plus pounder of N.C. State University who reigns as the nation's number Please see page B4 ight of retiring he can. 441 come in here to serve coffee and clean a othing." table," he says. 4tl might carry a tray. I don't sed, new owrrttre place, but rt i aon t nect-inte^workHV , t ants and sit down." tve. It's Despite his carefree nature about his job, part of Simpson is no stranger to work. He says he was raised on a farm in Polk County. Formal nymore. education, however, didn't come as easily, work or "I had to give up my schoolin'," Simpson says. "You know where the college is now takes his (Winston-Salem State University)? It used to be ic booth a boarding school. Slater School. S-L-A-T-Ejokes at R. Ya got that. I went there." His education now is learning from others, t bugs," he says, watching the characteristics of human nature. jeer him "Remember the story that used to come on er, a co- the radio, "People Are Funny"?, Simpson line." asks. "Well, that's the way they are. ., Simp- "I watch 'em come in here and sometimes afeteria, people will be sittin' at a big ol' table and w much nobody'll sit with 'em. They'll look all over the place for a table before they sit with a , lost his stranger." himself A young woman comes by the table and sits an empty soda can on the table. He smiles and another thanks her. 44I collect cans for my son," says Simpson. .l r>* "You're s'posed to separate 'em. Thev brine g the Bie . me all kinds, but I don t say nothin . I take cm ' tor cutingSun When Simpson began working for k&W over - 40 years ago, sit-ins and the civil rights movey goes to J & Please see page B4 iotne rs downtown?~ .'v kSBBi * KMJ wHHBBI K^"v ys.^ >wn area a face lift (photo bv James Parker).