PROGRESS 2020 - COMMUNITY TREASURES by The Farmville Herald

PROGRESS 2020

COMMUNITY TREASURES

A special supplement of The Farmville Herald, The Kenbridge-Victoria Dispatch and The Charlotte Gazette

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‘A guilty pleasure’ She is married to her husband, Paul, who she said has put up artha Pennington with her “crazy projects” for Louis was born at four decades. They have two Southside Comgrown and married children, munity Hospital Melissa and Benjamin, and three on Mother’s Day, 1949. She was grandchildren, Oliver, Cayde brought home in a basket to her and Margot. family’s home in Buckingham Louis explained that in referto join three older siblings. Her ence to her artwork, she tries to older sisters, Jane and Nan, had work in pencil and watercolor just read the novel “Little Womwhenever possible. en” and insisted on naming the “I have so many ideas in my new baby “Jo” after Louisa May head to put down on paper, and Alcott’s character, Josephine. limited time,” she said. “When I Louis’ mother could bear this for do have an uninterrupted day to only one year before changing paint, it is not only rare, but like her name to Martha. dessert, a guilty pleasure.” Louis’ family has a rich history Louis also spends her rare, in Buckingham. Her parents free time teaching watercolor came to the county looking for classes, which she enjoys ima place to settle and establish mensely. a rural medical practice after Louis attributes much of her World War II. success to her mother. The family became heavily in“She was very quiet and unasvolved in the county. Her father suming, but bull-headed and was an avid hunter, and Louis determined,” Louis said. “She said that what is now The Virwent into medicine when women ginia Wildlife Federation began ALEXA MASSEY did not. She raised four children in her family’s backyard, with Martha Louis, a Buckingham native known widely for her artistic talents, poses with several while holding down a medical her father serving as the group’s examples of her artwork in various mediums. practice, painting or sketching first president. Her mother, both when she could, making most of a doctor and an artist, was involved in getting Louis also chaired the Jamestown 2007 organiza- our clothes, costumes for school and more. When ArtMobile to come to rural Buckingham, and what tion for Buckingham County, commemorating the she had her eye on a goal, she didn’t stop because is now Central Virginia Arts began in the family’s 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown. it was too hard. I only hope I can achieve half of front yard. During this time, she helped to open The Historic what she did in my life.” Her family’s tendencies to create and facilitate Village at Lee Wayside after a decade of work by She added that Buckingham County, the geoinspired Louis to become an artist herself. many volunteers, as well as the Brush Arbor Sergraphical center of the commonwealth, is special In 1974, she helped start an art show in Farmville vice at Alexander Hill Baptist Church. to her due to its natural beauty and the diversity that became the Heart of Virginia Outdoor Art Louis attended Richard Bland College and X-ray of its population. “I love that we only have two Show. She previously was a part of the Buckingham school at the Medical College of Virginia. She stoplights,” Louis said. “I love that on any given Artist Guild, a group of local artists working hard worked at the Centra Southside Community Hospiday at the local Food Lion you might see an Amish to sell their artwork and assist in upkeep of the tal in radiology before taking up a career at Central couple, a seminary student, a Mennonite family, a county’s art center. Another organization, Historic Virginia Community Health Center in 1975. This swami from Yogaville or students from Discovery Buckingham, is very near and dear to Louis’ heart. year marks 45 years for Louis at the center. School.” BY ALEXA MASSEY

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We are all Brothers BY CRYSTAL VANDEGRIFT

hroughout Charlotte County resident Douglas Randolph’s 78 years, the military veteran has made a name for himself. One of 15 children, he doesn’t talk much about the details of his time in the military. If you were to see Randolph out and about today, you will quickly recognize him with his trademark sunglasses on and proudly wearing his Vietnam veteran coat and Bronze Star hat. “The military really opens your eyes to what’s around the world and the different types of people,” Randolph said. “Everybody is not good. I’ve had people call me a baby killer for the time that I spent in Vietnam, but after so long, you’re not going to put up with it.” Randolph spent 37 months in Vietnam, gaining a Bronze Star along the way. “What happened to us (soldiers) shouldn’t have happened to anybody, but when you sign that oath, you go where they tell you to go, or you go to jail, and I don’t look good in stripes or orange,” he laughed. Randolph was born and raised in Charlotte County and, at the early age of 9, began working in the tobacco fields, followed by sawmills. At 16, Randolph says he dropped out of school, and by 19, he was living in New York.

CRYSTAL VANDEGRIFT

Douglas Randolph spent many years serving his country in the U.S. Army and today is still serving others by helping veterans any way he can.

It was in New York that he found his way to the recruiting office. “They asked me what I wanted to do, and I said I wanted to be a heavy equipment operator,” he

explained. In 1962 Randolph joined the United States Army. It was in the Army Randolph says he was able to see the world, get his GED, obtain two degrees, start a business and move up the ranks. “The Army gave me a chance,” he said. I was a high school dropout that was given an opportunity.” Randolph also talked of the bond he made during his time in the Army with his fellow soldiers. “Black or white, it did not matter,” he said. “It still does not matter. We are all brothers.” When Randolph returned from his time in Vietnam, he met his wife of 42 years, Nora. “She was a Godsend,” he said. Sadly, Randolph’s wife passed away in 2011. In all, Randolph spent 26 years in the U.S. Army, retiring as a Sergeant Major in August 1988. Today, the veteran can be found volunteering his time to help other veterans in need. “When a veteran goes off to war, they don’t go by themselves,” he added. “The family is involved too. When they leave home, things don’t stop. So, anything I can do to better the life of a service person, I do.” When it comes to helping, Randolph spends his time with the American Legion Post 260, VFW Post 8902, The Piedmont Area Veterans Council, Piedmont Alcohol Safety Action Program and the Adult Literacy Program in Charlotte County.

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Discovery and new evidence BY TITUS MOHLER

egan Clark is a prominent person in the Prince Edward County community due to her role as the county Commonwealth’s Attorney (CA), so much is known about her, but not everything. Outside — and sometimes even inside — of her official roles, Clark revealed some fun things many may not know. Starting with what is largely known, Clark was elected in 2019 to her second term as CA. She said she has never been happier with a job. “Even on my worst day, I still love my job,” she said. “The community contact is great. Because I’m in a smaller office, I still am in the courtroom, which a lot of CAs don’t have that luxury, they do more of the administrative stuff and only do big cases, but I’m still in the courtroom.” She said she gets along great with a law-enforcement community she described as “awesome.” “I wish we had more resources, communitywide, to help offenders more, but in terms of just day-to-day things — love it,” she said of her job. Clark has other public roles as well. She is active with the YMCA Board of Directors. She is a member of the Moton Council, the Robert Russa Moton Museum’s operations and community engagement board. She just stepped down from the board for the Prince Edward Christmas Mother, but she still plans to volunteer with that organization. She is part of the Prince Edward County branch of the NAACP, and she is also part of the Prince Edward Democratic Committee. She is also active in her home church — Sharon Baptist Church, which is right across the line in Cumberland County. “I have been there all my life,” she said. She admits to struggling with her life/work balance, but she makes spending time with family a priority. “I have a very close-knit family,” she said. “It’s not a lot of us. It’s my parents, it’s me and my sister, my sister’s husband and her daughter — and that’s my core unit.” Her parents live in Prince Edward right on the outskirts of Prospect. “Every Sunday we get together for dinner without fail, and I look forward to that,” she said. Along with noting that she serves as a trustee and as the financial secretary at her church, Clark began to mention some things that a lot of people do not know about her, including that she sings in the choirs at her church. She also sings with the Voices of Unity Community Choir. “My home church will make me sing solos,” she said. “I prefer to sing in the background, and I thoroughly enjoy being with Voices of Unity because I can do that and there’s no pressure.” Clark said singing solos tears her nerves up.

TITUS MOHLER

Prince Edward County Commonwealth’s Attorney Megan Clark is serious about her work and giving back to her community, but she also highlighted lighter elements of her life that help make up who she is.

“A lot of people don’t know I have terrible nerves,” she said. They can even occasionally affect her when she is at work. “If I’m making an argument to the court, or if I just first start out with questioning witnesses or just first start out meeting the jurors and talking to them, I’m nervous at first,” she said. “As I go on and get more comfortable, it’s fine. But initially, oh, it’s bad.” She said her nerves related to singing are 110% worse, hands down, as she is afraid of forgetting her words. Considering other things that she said she didn’t think a lot of people knew, Clark noted she is really goofy. “(People) see me and they think just, ‘(She’s) serious,’ because you have to be with your job, but I just don’t take myself too seriously,” she said. “And I have a lot of fun.” She said she used to have a phobia of dogs but got over the fear.

“We had dogs when we were kids, and nobody really told me that dogs would grow faster than you would, and when they play, they jump on you — scared me, never went near my dogs again,” she said. But when Clark was about 20 years old, her sister got a little Pomeranian. “I said, ‘If I can’t get over my fear with this little thing, then I probably need to seek some professional help,’” Clark said. “And now I love dogs, and now I have my own Pomeranian … And that’s my little baby.” His name is Shadow, and he is a little more than a year old. Clark also enjoys playing tennis in her free time, and she has even gotten together a couple of times with an area defense attorney to play. She said that while facing off against each other in the courtroom is an adversarial process for attorneys, she countered the idea that defense counsel and prosecutors do not get along. “Yeah we do,” she said. “Absolutely, we do.”

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A youthful administrator BY TITUS MOHLER

t is rare you see someone at the age of 25 serving as an administrator in a public school system. But for Cumberland County High School’s Joseph “Joey” Nowak, the large responsibility of running the athletic department at a young age isn’t a rarity – it’s his reality. Joseph “Joey” Nowak, who turned 25 earlier in February, officially began his duties as CCHS athletic director July 1, 2019, when he was 24. Nowak said he decided he wanted to go into the education field around the time of his sophomore and junior years at Centreville High School in Fairfax County, where he grew up. He began by taking some education classes. “I went to Longwood (University) for education, and one of my long-term goals was to get into the administration side of education either as a principal or getting into the student services or student activities, athletic director side of it,” he said.

He shared his goal with Cumberland County Public Schools when he interviewed there for a math position, and administrators were listening. He was hired as a teacher, but showed himself to be what CCHS Principal Eugene Williams Jr. described as a conscientious young man who had formed solid relationships with his middle-school students and someone who had stepped in to help coach teams and lead the high school athletics program. When former CCHS Athletic Director Alfonso Bell opted to step down and focus his energy on his other major role as the school system’s transportation coordinator, administrators made Nowak’s long-term goal a reality. “It just came a lot faster than I was even anticipating,” Nowak said. With more than six months on the job now, Nowak said it is definitely not exactly what he pictured when applying for and accepting the job, but he has found joy in it. “It’s definitely been a learning experience, being brand new to it,

TITUS MOHLER

Cumberland County High School Athletic Director Joseph “Joey” Nowak offers some instruction to a Dukes wrestler during the 2020 James River District Tournament that Cumberland won. Nowak describes wrestling as the sport he is most passionate about.

but it’s been fun,” he said. “I’ve really enjoyed it. Sports have always been a big part of my life, so being able to continue doing stuff with sports, especially at the high-school level, has been great.” He estimates working an average of between 50 and 60 hours a week. The hours are long, but Nowak said what he enjoys most about his work is seeing student-athletes having fun playing sports, which was his focus when he participated in them as a child. “I never really did sports because I wanted to become a pro athlete. I understood I was 5 (feet), 2 inches, about 90 pounds until my senior year in high school,” he said. “I knew I was never going to be an NFL player or an NBA player or MLB, whatever.” But this did not stop him from competing in a wide array of athletic endeavors. In high school, his main sports were football and wrestling, and he played two years of lacrosse. He played rugby in a travel league for about 10 years, and also partici-

pated in soccer, baseball and hockey in youth leagues, along with football, wrestling and lacrosse. He went on to play four years of football in college on Longwood’s club team, something he said may surprise his Cumberland students due to his smaller size. He also served as a student coach for the Longwood football team for two years, adding to his coaching experience that began in high school when he helped coach his sister’s softball team with his father. The demands of the athletic director position do not leave Nowak with much time to impact his community outside of his job, but he did help start the Youth Wrestling Club through the county’s recreational association. “I try to come out and support our rec leagues as much as I can,” he said. When not working, Nowak said he is generally relaxing at his apartment or spending time with friends in Richmond. He also routinely visits family in Hampton Roads.

A life of service to others

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changes, and an increase in the amount of court cases that the county is now seeing is homas Jones, the former sheriff of one aspect Jones says he has noticed over his Charlotte County, is quick to tell tenure. anyone who asks that his success“We are seeing more cases in court now than ful career is due to the help of those years before, but we’ve been very fortunate in around him. Charlotte County to live in the community that Jones retired in December 2019 after a sucwe live in,” he said. “There’s still some violent cessful 32-year career in law enforcement. crime here, but not like it is in some areas.” He says it is the support of his staff and the During his years serving the county, Jones trust the community put in him that has ensays he hopes he accomplished what he abled him to do his job for so many years. intended, and that was providing the citizens “I’ve always worked and hoped to make of the county with the best law enforcement Charlotte County a better place to live for our services available. citizens,” Jones said. “I’ve been blessed, and I “Our goal has always been to protect and will always be appreciative of the support and serve,” he said. the friends I’ve made over the years. That will In addition to his staff and the community, never be forgotten.” Jones says his family was a big supporter, and Jones currently holds the title of the longesthe owes them a lot. serving sheriff in the commonwealth, having “Their support and the sacrifices made have served eight consecutive terms and supervisbeen never-ending. They have truly been my ing 40 to 45 employees. rock, and I look forward to spending more time During his term, Jones served on the board with them,” he said. “I give a lot of credit to my of directors of the Central Virginia Criminal CRYSTAL VANDEGRIFT wife. She raised three kids while I was workJustice Academy, as president of the Virginia Thomas Jones served Charlotte County in law enforcement for ing.” Sheriff’s Association for the 2006-07 term and 32 years. Now that he is retired, you can find the forwas a member of the Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute mer sheriff spending quality time with his wife, Board. 1981 and accepted the position of patrol officer in children and grandchildren and possibly enjoying Jones began his law enforcement career at the 1983, a role he held until elected sheriff in 1987. his hobby of woodworking. “All in all,” he said, “I Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office as a jail officer in In his 32 years as sheriff, there have been many have really been blessed.” BY CRYSTAL VANDEGRIFT

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An email glitch led to Facebook ministry The 77-year-old widower, who is also an “enthusiastic member of the Lunenwoman asks for prayers for burg County Historical Society,” said this her mother who suffered cuts page and providing comfort and connecafter a hard fall. tions through prayer have become her A child with a fever of 104 ministry. degrees, the death of a man in an auto“This seems to have become kind of mobile accident, a sister with an upcoma mission of mine,” she said. “I love the ing back surgery and a grandson having thought of building community to where his adenoids taken out all led to rewe are concerned about one another.” quested prayer in a Facebook group that Hamlett said as a facilitator of the grew from an email problem to a caring private Facebook group, she has been community of almost 1,400 members. able to have some one-to-one interaction While others use Facebook to advance with several of those in need of prayer in their political views, make friends jealthe group. ous over expensive vacations or post “There are a number of people that endless photos of dogs, Anne Hamlett I have sort of become a counselor to of Lunenburg County has used a private through Facebook Messenger, who don’t group to offer prayer for anyone and want to publish everything about their everyone in need. lives, but they will open up to me,” she The Victoria Christian Church group said. “I have met people in this county Facebook page is a modern-day prayer that I would have never come across phone tree started by the church secotherwise.” retary who turned the normal weekly Hamlett, a former teacher at Lunenprayer list in the church bulletin into a burg’s Central High School, said she has daily mission for those in need of divine seen the power of prayer through the intervention. group. “I started sending emails to the church “We have a lot of people we pray for members that have email,” Hamlett ROGER WATSON who get well,” she said. “God has a plan explained. “Then, at some point in time, Anne Hamlett has the pulse of the community at her fingertips with Victo- for his people, and we believe the power about five years ago, my email stopped ria Christian Church Prayer Ministry. of prayer is helpful because God gives working for a short period of time, and I you comfort. We believe that God listens. couldn’t figure out what the problem was.” film about the power of prayer. We believe that he hears us.” She had a friend who suggested she begin “I think the Lord leads me, and sometimes it Hamlett remains heavily involved in the Victoposting the prayer requests on Facebook, and makes me feel really good when people respond ria Christian Church. She provides information that’s when the traditional prayer list became an with, ‘Thank you, I needed that today,’” Hamlett for the weekly bulletin, selects the hymns each interactive communal ministry of intercessory said. “That makes me feel like the Lord is leadSunday morning and plays the church organ. prayer. ing me to say something that is going to touch She recently experienced the other side of the “I believe it will be five years ago this March,” somebody else.” prayer group as a post identified her as going Hamlett said of when she made the Facebook Hamlett said the Facebook page is also about through a medical issue and needing prayer. group that has grown and grown and grown and building community. Soon, there were 207 comments holding her up become a daily social media devotional for many. “I had no idea that it would grow to that exin prayer, giving virtual hugs and expressing In addition to prayer requests, Hamlett betent,” she said. “I started it primarily as a backup sympathy for her condition. gan posting daily devotional thoughts after the to my email that wasn’t working right, but maybe “I love this Lunenburg community that I grew church did a study on the “War Room” movie, a God had a plan as I feel he does for our lives.” up in, and I love the people here,” she said. BY ROGER WATSON

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The standard-setter BY TITUS MOHLER

t is a notable thing in the Farmville community that when spring approaches, people in the area can expect to follow an NCAA Division I softball team that has made winning a rich tradition. Driving the success of Longwood University’s young players on the field for the last 22 seasons has been Head Coach Kathy Riley. During her tenure, the Lancers have never had a losing season, not even when Longwood transitioned its athletic programs from Division II to Division I. The team played its first full Division I schedule in 2005. Her career record with the Lancers is 722-400-1. She has led them to Big South Tournament Championships in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019. Winning the tourney results in an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament, where the Lancers have shown growth in their competitiveness over the years. Riley has helped cultivate a winning culture by setting a high standard, demanding the best from her players. The program’s success has had a powerful impact on the surrounding community, and Riley said she has been able to sense that impact, seeing it some at games but more when she is just interacting with the community in every day ways. “I can go to the gas station and be filling my car up, and somebody, they’ll say, ‘Hey, looking forward to you guys starting your season this spring’ or people (will be) complimentary … (saying) they’ve enjoyed seeing us be successful,”

MIKE KROPF | LONGWOOD UNIVERSITY

Longwood University Softball Head Coach Kathy Riley gives instruction to her players. Her intelligence, discipline and experience help command the respect of her players and has led to success on the field for the Lancers.

she said. “I hear it, often, and it just really makes you feel good that the people are drawn to the fact of what our team stands for and the fact that we want to represent Farmville and Longwood both, because that is important to us, and once you get a little bit of the taste of making an impact, it’s something that you don’t want to let get away from you.” The demands of her job do not leave much time for her to take on other roles, but there was a notable

exception in December 2017 when she was appointed special adviser to then-Director of Athletics Troy Austin before he left for an opportunity to work at his alma mater, Duke University. “I was a special adviser for Troy, and it was something I really enjoyed doing because I wanted to not just concentrate on softball but concentrate on the overall health of the athletic department in hopes, again, that athletics would be a

driving force in pulling the community together, which I think it can be,” she said. Riley has also served on the AllAmerican Committee and the Top 25 Committee the last couple years for NCAA softball. She admits she would not describe her schedule as reasonable, because it deviates significantly from a 9-to-5 job, but she said it is possible to take some time off, particularly between the end of the

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season and the beginning of heavy recruitment in midJune. With that opportunity, she said she has traveled a little more lately. “I did go to Italy last year for 10 days, and I went to Cabo San Lucas the year before,” she said. “So, it’s something new for me to do that, but I’ve enjoyed getting to see just some different cultures, so I could see myself doing that a little bit more.” She said she will play golf sometimes, and every now and then, she will find a poker game, enjoying Texas Hold ‘em. “I do like it because it reminds me of sports a little bit, because there’s little things and nuances you can do to try to manipulate the game a little bit, so people don’t know what you have or how you’re playing, so I enjoy being able to switch gears a little bit or the challenge of that,” she said. Riley said that in the summer, she enjoys yardwork on her 10-acre plot of land, de-

scribing it as “home improvement, but outside.” Revealing some details many may not know about her, Riley said because she has a bit of a harder exterior and is a serious person, some might be surprised to know she has a soft, emotional side and also enjoys joking around. Riley also admitted to a fear of heights. She will go in high buildings, but she would rule out some recreational activities people have encouraged her to participate in. “They want to get me to go parachuting, and I’m like, ‘Uh, 100% I’m not doing that,’” she said. “I said, ‘I’m sure not paying anybody to take me up there to do it either.’” Skydiving is also out for now. “I have an adventurous side,” she said. “Could I see myself ever doing it? Yes, but I definitely would be afraid, but it would be more like only to challenge myself to conquer a MIKE KROPF | LONGWOOD UNIVERSITY fear. But right now, I’m sayRiley offers advice to a batter along the baseline during a home game. The coach led Longing, ‘No, I’m not interested in wood to the Big South Tournament Championship in front of the Farmville home crowd at doing it.’” Lancer Field in 2017.

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Giving back to his community BY TITUS MOHLER

arl U. Eggleston has a rich legacy in the community where he has spent most of his life. He encountered real struggles early on, but he persevered and put himself in a position to give back to his community, which he has done — and continues to do — in many ways. Eggleston was born in Amelia County, but then his parents moved to Farmville in 1952 when he was 2 years old. Several years later, he was affected when the public schools in Prince Edward closed in opposition to the order to integrate by the U.S. Supreme Court in the case Brown v. Board of Education. “When the school closed in 1959, I was in the second grade, promoted to the third,” he said. “For two years, I didn’t go to school at all, just kind of played around in the street. The second two years, my parents were in a home over in Cumberland County, so I went to school in Cumberland County for two years.” He returned to Prince Edward when the closed schools reopened. Eggleston said the Brown Scholarship Fund was formed by the state and media philanthropist John Kluge to help give those affected by the school closing a chance at a public education. Eggleston joined the ranks of the Brown Scholars, who he said were the first students that went back to college and gained a college degree after having been shut out of the schools in Prince Edward. In 1983 in Farmville, Eggleston founded the Carl U. Eggleston Funeral Establishment, of which he is owner and president, but building the business was far from easy. He said it had no funerals during its first year of operation. It performed one in its second year, and that was his grandfather. Then in year three, he did seven funerals, and in year four, he did 17 or 18. “Now we do probably in the 80s, so we’ve come a long way from zero,” he said. “So as a businessman, obviously I’ve done some-

CARL EGGLESTON JR.

Carl U. Eggleston sits at the reins of a horse-drawn hearse that was built in 1840. He rents it out for funerals and did so for the funeral of Liberty University founder Jerry Falwell Sr.

thing right to get the clients to come over to me. … It was kind of tough, but we kept our faith. Through the help of the Lord we’re here. The building’s paid for.” His building is located at 914 S. Main St. Now 69, Eggleston said he has lived in the Prince Edward community for 50 years. “I love this community,” he said, later adding that he loves community work. “I don’t want to be a funeral director who takes people’s

money all the time. We provide the service, but I want to, at this point, give some of it back, and I give it back through my foundation and through my service to different boards and community organizations.” He said at one time, he was involved in 28 different organizations at the same time. The foundation he referred to is the Carl Eggleston Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization that helps young people locally

and all over the state in a variety of ways. “Every Christmas Eve, we give toys free of charge,” he said. “This year we gave over $4,000 worth of toys to needy kids. Also, the foundation has a Back to School rally. We give free school supplies.” He said the organization also gives money to many college students who have funds left on their accounts before graduation. He is a member of the Prince Edward Elks Lodge 269, the Randolph

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TITUS MOHLER

Carl U. Eggleston holds a trophy representing an achievement of his that he said few people know about. In 2005, he was the club champion of the Richmond chapter of the National Negro Golf Association.

Masonic Lodge 30 and the Farmville Area Chamber of Commerce, among other organizations. He said he was president of the Robert Russa Moton Museum Board of Directors for about eight years, and he has also served on the Prince Edward Volunteer Rescue Squad. “I was the first Afro American to serve on Farmville Town Council from 1984-88,” he said. Eggleston has been heavily involved in politics, doing consulting work for state candidates, which enabled him to meet President Barack Obama. “I founded the 5th Congressional

District Black Caucus that covers 17 counties and five cities,” he said. “I founded that back, oh, I think it was 1986 and served as its president for a while.” In his highly limited free time, Eggleston enjoys playing golf and has even played competitively. He belongs to the Richmond chapter of the National Negro Golf Association and won the chapter’s club championship in 2005 in Virginia Beach. Eggleston has worked for the last three years on an autobiography called “Joy & Pain” that will come out later this year and will be available for purchase at Amazon.com.

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Lambert values job and community BY CRYSTAL VANDEGRIFT

an Lambert, Charlotte County’s longest-serving general registrar and director of elections — 33 years — was raised to believe she could be and do anything if she was willing to work for it. Today, Lambert works in her office covering the county’s elections, just a stone’s throw away from where she spent her childhood. “I was born in New York to Walter and Marie Battle White, but I was raised by my paternal grandparents, Anthony and Etta White, about a quarter of a mile from my current office,” she said. “My childhood was typical for that era. We didn’t have all this technology. We played outdoors with the neighborhood kids (there were about 20 of us) all day after doing chores.” Lambert’s values she learned as a child have more than carried her through life. She says while she has served as general registrar/director of elections for Charlotte County under nine governors, she does not

play politics. “While the make-up of the Electoral Board (which appoints the general registrar/director of elections) changes with the party of the governor, I run my office according to the Code of Virginia,” she explained. “Each time I am appointed, I take an oath to uphold the Constitution and Code of Virginia. I take that oath seriously. Sometimes the responses I must give people are not what they want to hear, but it’s the law … I don’t bend it, nor do I circumvent it.” Along with being a certified professional general registrar and voter registration election official and director of elections, Lambert has served as first vice president of the voter registrars association of Virginia (VRAV) twice and currently serves on the VRAV Legislative Committee. Lambert commented while some may think that the general registrar’s office only works a few days out of the year leading up to and the day of an election, that is simply not true. “We are busy every day,” she said.

“We have the responsibilities of human resources, manager, and sometimes Information Technology professional.” Lambert says because Charlotte is a small locality, participation in committees, meetings and workshops is essential to being able to obtain a reasonable slice of the funding from the state and the federal government. “This strategy has served our county well, especially in recouping thousands of dollars in reimbursements for mandated voting equipment and monies expended on primaries,” she CRYSTAL VANDEGRIFT said. “I am confident Charlotte County Voter Registrar Nan Lambert has Charlotte County’s served as the county’s registrar for the past 33 years. Voter Registration Office can more than hold its own unions, weddings, birthdays, etc. against any in the commonwealth.” In addition to cooking meals, you Lambert is married to her huscan find Lambert also singing in band of 51 years, Luther, and they the Morrison Grove Baptist Church have three children, nine grandchilChoir, serving as the church’s finandren, and four great-grandchildren. cial secretary and being a part of the With her busy job, Lambert says church’s kitchen committee, all the though she may not always have while preparing church bulletins and a lot of free time, she makes the funeral programs. time for her family, church, and her “I have met so many wonderful side business her and a friend have people throughout Charlotte County started. and the commonwealth, and I love Her love for cooking led her and a the small-town feel that we have friend into the business of preparhere in the county,” she said. “That’s ing home-cooked meals for church what makes Charlotte County a great homecomings, repasts, family replace to live and work.”

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Making the most of his time BY TITUS MOHLER

aniel Brickhill and the word “outstanding” are probably closely linked for all who know him and many who simply know of him. Many Buckingham County High School students have shared a political opinion or two in conversation or perhaps in brief on social media, but few have taken the time to articulate their beliefs by writing multiple guest columns on the opinion page of their local newspaper. Brickhill took that time. Many high-school students may express a desire to give back to their community, but fewer probably follow through to the degree that it helps shape the direction of their lives. Brickhill has been indelibly impacted by his public service in a way that has helped prepare him for life after high school and left him eager to get back to work for others’ benefit. Some high school students may develop a desire to serve in public office, but few — if any — create an early campaign for the 2036 U.S. presidency. Brickhill did, and one can learn more about it at brickhill2036.org.

Many high-school students are successful in the classroom, but relatively few perform well enough to get into Harvard University. Brickhill is in his sophomore year at the prestigious Massachusetts Ivy League school. He noted he has had a positive experience thus far at Harvard. “I don’t have any complaints,” he said. “It’s probably been what you would expect with distance, trying to figure that out and figure out what it’s like to live in a big ol’ city a long way from home. But I’ve gotten lucky and blessed in some of the people that I’ve been able to connect with.” He is majoring in government. He affirmed that the principles he learned at school in Buckingham have served him well at the college level. “There’s something to be said about coming to a new environment but being comfortable in taking on responsibilities,” he said. “And I purposely use that generally, just having been given responsibility in high school that maybe you weren’t sure what to do with at first but you just kind of had to learn on the go. And you had good people there with you to help you learn as you went, and I think it’s freeing to be able to come to the college level and not

Daniel Brickhill, of Buckingham, is part of the class of 2022 at Harvard University where he is majoring in government. Known for being active in his community as a high-school student, he has aspirations to run for public office in the future, hoping to serve central Virginia and eventually the nation.

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be intimidated by some things that I think a lot of people in their late teens and early 20s would go, ‘Well, I don’t have the skill set to do that.’” Brickhill said one benefit of the single high school county is there are a lot of organizations at the high school that give many students a chance to give back to the community. “I can’t tell you just how much I’m grateful for especially the Buckingham SCA, the Student Council Association and the student government in general there, how the advisers were able to facilitate such great opportunities for all of us to not only learn and get a lot of skills but to give back to our community just through lots of various ways, whether it’s how we related to younger students in the school system (or) how we tried to give back to the school system directly,” he said. He volunteered at Central Virginia Christian School and engaged in tutoring and elementary outreach, including educational outreach at The Governor’s School of Southside Virginia, youth camps and community events, like the SCA-hosted Trunk or Treat. His early campaign for the U.S. presidency began during the 2016 election cycle and was born, in

part, out of his perspective that as many people as possible from rural, underserved communities should be getting involved in politics and public service. He noted these people have fewer resources at their disposal to lead in the U.S. compared to those from an urban or suburban background, but he realized in high school he had at least one resource — time. “I can use that time to begin to articulate my beliefs and make connections and meet people and learn from people and … if that’s my relative advantage to other people, then I’ve got to take advantage of it, and I’ve got to start now and see what time will do for me,” he said. When he has free time amid these important pursuits, he enjoys intramural sports at Harvard, including basketball, pingpong and squash. He also enjoys going for runs along the Charles River to Fenway Park, though he said he prefers Gene Dixon Sr. Memorial Park in Dillwyn. He noted that he makes sure to return home a few times during the school year to be with his family and hopes God will lead him back to central Virginia to serve the public there in a few years. “It’s where my heart is,” he said.

Glenn Hood stands at the microphone with Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers.

For the love of music BY CRYSTAL VANDEGRIFT

orn and raised in Victoria, Glenn Hood developed his love for music at a young age. Hood says he grew up with family members who loved music and that helped him gain the firsthand knowledge and his love of the craft. Today, Hood can be found playing the mandolin and guitar, all while signing in his band. Known to most as the Victoria Restaurant’s House Band, Hood, along with his two sons, plays at the restaurant every Thursday night. “My two sons, Brent and Bryan, are also in different bands, First Go’ Round and Last Chance. They play bluegrass and bluegrass gospel. Hood says he loves bluegrass

music, most especially bluegrass gospel music. “I am a Christian, and it is the Lord that gave me the talent to play, and I want to use it to glorify him,” Hood said. Currently, Hood is a member of the Lunenburg County Chamber of Commerce and a promotor of professional music and arts programs in the area. When it comes to being a promotor, Hood works to bring well-known artists from Nashville to perform in Lunenburg. “I love to share my love of bluegrass music,” he explained. According to Hood, Ralph Stanley II & the Clinch Mountain Boys, the Kevin Prater Band, Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers, the Kody Norris show and many others from Nashville have visited. Each year, Hood attends the Society for the Preservation of

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Glenn and Karen Hood pose with Ronnie Reno, center.

Bluegrass Music of America Music Awards held in Nashville. “I already have performers lined up for this year, coming to the Victoria Restaurant and Northside Gospel Chapel,” he said. When he is not involved in his passion for music, Hood can be found working at his auto dealership. Hood Brothers Garage, Inc, located in the heart of Lunenburg Court House, was started by Hood’s father. Hood says he grew up working in

the shop at the young age of 14. “I enjoyed a wonderful childhood with caring, hard-working, responsible parents,” Hood said. “It was originally a body shop, and when I took over, I expanded it to a dealership.” One thing Hood says he loves about the community in which he lives is that it is a safe and wholesome environment in which to work and raise a family in, but he does seek to introduce a greater level of culture to the area musically.

Glenn Hood stands with Tim White and Troublesome Hollow.

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‘Above and beyond’ BY ALEXA MASSEY

umberland County Sheriff Darrell Hodges began his career in the emergency services field as a young teenager. Raised in the area, he got his start at just 16 years old as a junior fireman for the Farmville Fire Department, a job he enjoyed immensely. At 17, he was offered a part-time job as a dispatcher for the Farmville Police Department. After getting a glimpse of the life of a law enforcement officer he found himself asking, “Wait, you all are paying people to do this?” Hodges stayed with the police department and continued as a dispatcher until the age of 21 when he was able to go on the road as a police officer. “It’s never been a job,” he remarks. “It really hasn’t. It’s always been truly a love. I think you have to really enjoy it, you know, because it’s got its moments, but for the most part, it’s a fantastic job. It’s a fantastic career.” Hodges spent many years serving the public before eventually becoming the sheriff of Cumberland County. “You know, I blinked and now I’m like, ‘Here I am. Woah. They put me in charge? Holy mackerel.’” Hodges’ friendly face is a familiar sight in

Cumberland County. When he can find a speck of free time he loves to spend time with his family and be in and around the water, especially the riverfront. He says although his job’s irregular hours can make it difficult to schedule activities with his wife and their two sons, he always makes family time a priority. Some of his favorite moments include attending his sons’ basketball, baseball and football games. His children also love hunting and fishing, and he adores taking them out to enjoy nature. “It’s amazing how fast time flies,” he said. “I guess with this job you realize how precious life is. We deal with a lot of things that are difficult, and as silly as it sounds, something like putting together the Legos with the boys, something like that, I actually cherish that. I really do, because I know it changes in an instant.” One of the things Hodges loves most about Cumberland is the county’s sense of connection and community. He sees beauty in every part of the area and believes each part of Cumberland has its own treasured citizens. When thinking about the county’s future, Hodges hopes for economic growth. “If we could get some type of industry to come look at Cumberland, I think that they would love the people here,” he said. He envisions a future for the county where residents don’t often have to travel outside of the county to find jobs, and he hopes the future will provide opportunity for the county. One of Hodges’ greatest hopes is people will remember that the sheriff’s office works for the people. “I just want people to know. I have some of the most dedicated deputies on the planet. They don’t do it for the money, because they

Cumberland County Sheriff Darrell Hodges dedicates himself to others through service to the county and a deep commitment to his loving family.

can go to other jurisdictions right beside us and make a lot more money, but they stay in Cumberland because they care about their community,” he said. “They go above and beyond.” For Hodges, being the sheriff of Cumberland County isn’t just a job. It’s a passion that drives him every day. It’s a chance to grow as a person and to aid in the development of the County. His mind is always on the safety of his community, and his heart is always filled with gratitude and an eagerness to lend a helping hand.

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Her passion is justice BY CRYSTAL VANDGRIFT

rudy Berry’s passion for the justice system and helping those in need led her to seek the Virginia House of Delegates seat for the 61st District this past November. It is also the driving force behind the reason she says she will seek the seat again 2021. “We need policies that will ensure economic, environmental, criminal, racial, and social justice,” she said. “Discrimination in job and housing opportunities, inequities in school funding, healthcare access, infrastructure, and criminal sentencing are injustices that need to be rectified.” Berry grew up in Michigan. Right after high school she enlisted in the U.S. Air Force working as a Legal Services Specialist. Originally from the Philippines, Berry moved around through the years working in various military and State Department offices before ultimately moving to Virginia in 1990.

cultures and socio-economic situations,” she added. Today, Berry lives in Lunenburg County and works to stay up to date on issues that adversely affect residents of Lunenburg and surrounding areas. “My immersion into the community was gradual,” she said. “I worked for a short time at Walmart in Farmville, finished my degree program at Longwood, worked as a substitute teacher in the Lunenburg school system, became a regular attendee at the Lunenburg supervisors meetings joined a couple of organizations, and worked for a few years in a small office in Victoria.” CRYSTAL VANDEGRIFT Berry said she became so Trudy Berry has a passion for justice, and that involved in her community passion is what is pushing her to seek election because not enough was being to the House of Delegate’s seat next year. done. “Since I moved to Lunenburg, “Moving around frequently while so many businesses have closed, growing up, and in adulthood, gave and I’ve been told of other businessme an appreciation for diverse es that closed before that,” Berry

explained. “Education, jobs, healthcare, and a clean environment are for everyone. A poor economy hurts everyone. A government that represents special interests over human rights and urban issues over rural is not a government I care to have.” The citizens of Lunenburg are special people in Berry’s eyes. She says everyone she comes in contact with is friendly. “That makes living in Lunenburg nice,” she said, “In fact, I don’t recall coming in contact with any unfriendly person while living, working, volunteering, or campaigning.” A Longwood University Magna cum Laude graduate, Berry is a mother to five children and 16 grandchildren. When she is not busy fighting for justice, she can be found enjoying television shows for pure entertainment - no analyzing or trying to learn anything - just giving her brain a rest, she says. “ I also enjoy taking time out to look out in the yard and watch the birds and squirrels.” Berry continued, “I love the countryside. Looking out across the farmlands and watching the farm animals. I just like rural living and the small-town atmosphere in Lunenburg.”

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The work of feeding others BY TITUS MOHLER

llery Sedgwick came to Farmville with the job of feeding the mind, his primary activity now involves feeding the body, and the overall impact of his work has the ability to help feed the soul as well. Sedgwick is 77, and most know him now as the president of Farmville Area Community Emergency Services (FACES) Food Pantry and the chair of the FACES Board of Directors. He is retired, so his time is his own, but he likes to have a lot to do. “The majority of my time is taken up with FACES,” he said. “That’s really my project at this point.” He said that FACES has two locations in Prince Edward County where it distributes food. The organization’s annual distribution is around 1.4 million pounds of food. The average total individuals served weekly is more than 1,000, representing about 750 households. The annual savings to area low-income families is more than $1.57 million. FACES serves people in Prince Edward County, the northern section of Charlotte County and some of the southern portion of Cumberland County. Making all this giving a reality is hands-on work for Sedgwick and the FACES board of about 17 people. “FACES’ board drives the forklift, works the pallet jack and slings the chicken, is there on Saturday morning to make distributions,” he said. “They’re the staff.”

Ellery Sedgwick relaxes on a couch in his Farmville home, enjoying the company of his two English Cocker Spaniels. Abby, 13, is on the left, accompanied by her 7-year-old daughter, Little Bit. They are good retrieving dogs who assist Sedgwick when he hunts.

He said he will regularly go to the food baggings, is involved in the storing of the food, as well as public relations and managing FACES’ relationship with Feed More, an

umbrella organization that supplies food to about 300 agencies, including FACES, from the Northern Neck down to Halifax on the North Carolina line.

Sedgwick is a Feed Moore board member and is vice chair of Feed More’s Agency Advisory, representing the approximately 300 agencies to which Feed More distributes.

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“I have a lot of different jobs, which I like,” he said. It was a very different job that brought him to Farmville 40 years ago. He came to teach English at Longwood University. “The humanities market had never been hot, so I was applying all over, and I’m just very glad that I got the job in Virginia rather than some of the other places I applied, like Alaska or Saudi Arabia,” he said. “I love Virginia.” He said he has been retired for about 17 years, but has done a number of things in those years, including serving on the Prince Edward County School Board for eight years. He was also chair of the United Way of Prince Edward County for a couple of years. “But now for the last seven or eight years since I’ve chaired FACES, it’s really become the main thing,” he said, noting it is similar to a full-time job. Being retired, though, does mean there is flexibility to his schedule, and he is able to travel with some frequency. “My family has a farm in south Georgia, and I love it down there,” he said. “It’s deep country, (good

for) hunting, fishing, that kind of stuff. So, maybe eight times a year, I go down for a week or so.” A small sawmill and flooring operation that is a family business had been part of the reason for his trips to Georgia over the last 20 years, but he said his son has largely taken over the business now. While in Georgia, Sedgwick now has more time to focus on hunting and fishing, which he said have been passions since childhood. “I caught my first fish at 4,” he said. He said he will fish for anything and loves all forms of hunting. When relaxing In Farmville, he also enjoys gardening. “I love to have a vegetable garden, and every March, I just can’t help getting out and scrambling in the dirt,” he said. “I have a spring garden and a summer garden and grow much more than we can eat.” He said he likes to work and gardening is work, but it is also therapeutic. “It’s one of those things where you can see the results of your labor, and that’s satisfying,” he said.

Ramirez dreams big with restaurant, real estate BY ROGER WATSON

For Kenbridge’s David Ramirez, talking about himself and his accomplishments is something that does not appear to come easily. He talks about his voyage from Guatamala to becoming a successful restaurant owner and entreprenuer as if it is something natural that anyone can do – not a big deal. “There’s nothing really special,” he said. “Everybody knows us.” Ramirez operates Moe’s Italian Restaurant in Kenbridge. The location on North Broad Street is adjacent to an old gas station and garage Ramirez said he plans to remodel and open next year. ROGER WATSON “I’ve owned the restaurant since David Ramirez operates an Italian 2009 and it is a successful little busirestaurant in Kenbridge and plans to ness I guess,” he said. expand to the real estate business.

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He said he was going to open an out-of-business restaurant on Highway 46 that was owned by a friend but turned that opportunity down after Moe’s became available. “It was a great choice,” he said. “We’ve been tremendously busy in this area. I’m glad everything worked out.” At that time Moe’s was operating down the street. He moved the restaurant to its new location. A grocery store and a few offices beside the gas station had to be renovated and converted to make way for the

restaurant. He said that although he is Hispanic, he never thought about changing Moe’s from an Italian restaurant but he has added some Mexican food like quesadalias and wraps. This is Ramirez’s first restaurant he said it has been difficult but he has found the job to be a good fit for him and something he really enjoys. “It’s a lot of hours,” he said. I come to work and I am happy because this is what I love to do. It’s not like some other jobs where you hate go-

ing to work. I love doing this. Every day I got to work, it’s easy, I like it.” Ramirez came to Kenbridge from Guatamala. “Where I grew up, most of my friends, they came to America,” Ramirez said. “One day I decided, let me try to go up there as well.” Ramirez came to Kenbridge to work at Virginia Marble. One of his best friends lived there working at the marble plant before he arrived. Ramirez worked for Virginia Marble for more than five years before he began working part-time at the restaurant before taking it over. He said it was not difficult to immigrate to the United States in 2004. “We came in and applied for work pemits and then it was approved so I came up here,” he said. Since coming to the U.S., Ramirez has spent some time traveling around. He said he has seen around half the country so far. He has been to Texas, New York, all over the east coast. “I haven’t been to the west part yet,” he said. “I want to go to Alaska someday. I have a friend who lives in Alaska.”

He said his biggest challenge in coming to America was learning English. “I didn’t speak English at all when I came to America,” he said. His ancestors were original Mayans so he spoke Mayan and Spanish. “That was the biggest challenge because English is not the hardest to learn but it is a little hard when you are already an adult and trying to learn another language.” He said he knows about 80 percent of English now. Future projects for Ramirez include getting the gas station next door going. He is also looking forward to getting into the real estate business. “There is only so much money you can make in a restaurant,” he said. “You can make a living out of it, but you can’t get rich out of it,” he said. “So in order to be successful you have to look for bigger projects. I’m starting to invest in real estate and hopefully I can expand and get bigger. “I always have the mind to look for bigger projects and have bigger dreams.”

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Helping others BY ALEXA MASSEY

arbara Daniels was born in a little town in Southern Indiana called “Bennettsville” in 1944. She attended college in Williamsburg, Kentucky, majoring in education, and moved to Powhatan in 1980 with her late husband and three children. She started her teaching career in Powhatan at Pocahontas Middle School in the fall of 1980 before moving to Cumberland County in April of 1987. After retiring from her teaching position in 2007, Daniels became involved in the Cumberland Christmas Mother program and the Cumberland Clothes Closet. “I have always believed in helping in the community,” she said in reference to her community service. “Since moving to Cumberland I have met and made many friends. Cumberland is a wonderful place to live. I now consider it my home.” In addition to being a member of the Cumberland Christmas Mother Committee, and serving as director of the clothes closet, Daniels is also a member of the Cumberland Garden Club, having served in the past as the club’s president, treasurer and historian. She is also a member of The Friends of the Cumberland County Library group. “The Clothes Closet has a wonderful group of

volunteers,” Daniels said. “Several have volunteered for many, many years. We are a non-profit organization with all the profit we make going back into our community.” According to Daniels, the clothes closet provided $5,000 last year in scholarships to the county’s high school seniors to further their education. The organization has awarded scholarships for quite some time and has been able to increase the amount of funds donated over the years. The clothes closet also donates to the library, the rescue squad, the county’s schools, local fire departments and other organizations. “I enjoy helping my neighbors and my adopted community,” Daniels said, reflecting on her service. “The county has such a rich history and so many beautiful places to visit.” When she’s not volunteering, Daniels enjoys spending time with her family. In the summer, you can often find one or more of her granddaughters helping at the clothes closet. Daniels and her family love the outdoors and enjoy camping, visiting parks and just hiking or walking along park trails. On Sundays, Daniels can be found at church, worshiping with family and friends. Her free time also consists of sitting down with a friend over a cup of coffee or taking a moment to relax and listen to birds sing. “When someone says, ‘I am bored,’ I tell them

Barbara Daniels, Director of the Cumberland Clothes Closet, takes a break from volunteering at the organization to pose for a photo.

to find an organization and volunteer,” she said. “Helping others is a good way to stay active and involved in your community. It is a great feeling to know that you can make a difference, if it is only a small one. There are many organizations that need volunteers, so please consider giving a little of yourself to help others and your community. The rewards are many.”

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‘Stewards of God’s creation’ BY ALEXA MASSEY

ohn Wesley Laury was born and raised on Laury Lane off of Union Hill Road in Buckingham. He left the county in October of 1963 to enter the Air Force and spent several decades away from Virginia. He stayed in the Air Force for four years before being discharged in California, where he became a production control supervisor for a cement company. He made visits home several times a year to offer help when needed at his family’s farm. Laury remained in the “Golden State” until his retirement in May of 2003. That year, Laury returned to Buckingham with his wife, Ruby, in the hopes of building a home for their retirement. They had a house built at Union Hill and became reestablished in Laury’s old community. However, as the couple settled back down into Virginia’s countryside, Laury said, they became involved in a struggle for environmental justice and equality after learning that the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP)

wanted to build a compressor station in the historically black Union Hill community. “This was supposed to be our retirement home,” Laury stated. “We wanted to really live out our golden years. Everything was going fine, still is going fine by the grace of God, but we were caught up in a struggle. “Dominion/ACP wanted to build a compressor station in our community. That’s when we began our struggle, our opposition to this, because we did not want this proposed compressor station in our community.” In the midst of their retirement, Laury and his wife took on a new life of activism and social justice. Laury is now a member of Friends of Buckingham and Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, environmental activism groups known for opposing the pipeline. Laury is also a member of the Buckingham Branch NAACP and the American Legion Post 134. Laury tries to split his time amongst the many groups that he is a part of, helping out wherever

John Laury, a man passionate about environmental activism and social justice, tends to his cattle at his Union Hill home in Buckingham County.

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When he’s not busy fighting for environmental justice, John Laury tends to his cattle. His wife, Ruby, says that John often spoils his animals, which are also some of his closest friends.

possible. “In other words, it really boils down to whatever is really needed,” he commented. Laury is also heavily involved in church, serving as a deacon at Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church. However, he can often be found at several other churches on any given Sunday and even participates in the Zion Sunday School in which eight or more churches come together to study as a group and worship.

He also finds joy in tending to his cattle. Laury has 16 head of cattle and one donkey by his home on Union Hill and treats them as members of the family, never hesitating to spoil them when possible. Laury finds beauty all over Buckingham County. “What I like about Buckingham is quite a few things: the rolling hills, the quietness, the beauty of it and the purity — the air, the water.”

“Now, this is why we have to fight,” he adds, reflecting on his activism. “We have to get involved, because corporate America, … it appears that they don’t understand or they don’t care. The way that the earth, that our environment is being plundered and being torn and ripped, poisoned … It’s like we don’t care about tomorrow. Someone, somebody or a group of people, we all need to stand up for our creation … we are all stewards of God’s creation.”

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Bringing transparency to the forefront BY CRYSTAL VANDEGRIFT

n 2016, Kay Pierantoni attended a Charlotte County Board of Supervisors meeting. It was at that meeting she says something needed to change. “I attended a Board of Supervisors meeting and felt the need to bring about change in how I perceived County business was conducted.” she said. That is just want she did. Pierantoni was elected to the board of supervisors in 2017 and represents the Wylliesburg/Red Oak District. “I hate politics,” Pierantoni said. “My job as a supervisor has been the hardest job I have ever had. It is also the one I am most proud of because I was elected by the majority to represent them. I take that trust and the oath of office very seriously. I have worked hard to bring about transparency, and I have not backed away from tough discussions or tough decisions. “I hope that the people will

realize their County needs them. In my opinion, the affairs of the County have been controlled by a few without enough oversight for far too long. I have tried to bring about change, but the government of the County needs the involvement and oversight of the people.” Pierantoni was raised in Charlotte County near Barnes Junction, and after graduating from Randolph-Henry High School, she moved away to further her education and find job opportunities. In 1979 she met her husband, Romano, a native of Italy when he was in Richmond on a job assignment. “We were blessed with a son, Giancarlo, who is a physician and a granddaughter who is the ‘apple of my eye.’ I am also blessed with a beautiful stepdaughter, loving stepson, and three precious grandchildren who live in Italy,” she said. Pierantoni says that about 13 years ago, she realized her place was back in Charlotte County to CRYSTAL VANDEGRIFT care for her Mom. Wylliesburg/Red Oak District Supervisor Kay Pierantoni has worked to bring “It took quite a few years to get transparency to the Charlotte County Board of Supervisors during her past two our retirement home built, and our years on the board.

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Powhatan home sold,” she said. Finally, in 2012 my husband retired, and we planned on taking care of Mom and living a low-keyed life.” Today, Pierantoni lives close to where her ancestors are buried. “I have always felt my roots were here,” she said. “My grandfather and father both served on the school board. My grandmother served on the planning commission. They, and others, assumed leadership roles in many walks of their lives. I learned the importance of giving back to your community from them and other family members. I learned from them not to back away when the going gets tough.” She says it was her Grandmother Robertson’s advice that has helped her in all walks of life. ‘No matter how impossible the task, soldier on, work hard, speak up, and something will be accomplished, maybe not what you envisioned, but something,” she added. “This promise from God and advice from Grandmother helps me in all walks of life, never more so than my present role as a County Supervisor.” In addition to serving as a supervisor for the County, Pierantoni also takes great pride in helping the children of the County. “While I am in awe of the natural beauty of the landscape of our County, it’s the people that are the best part,” she added, “This past fall I had the opportunity to work with some fine volunteers on the Christmas Parent project to provide toys and other gifts for children.” In closing, Pierantoni says that with less than two years left to serve on the board of supervisors, she hopes the public understands how their tax dollars are spent and how decisions are made. “I want them to feel empowered to bring about change from how the business has been conducted,” she said. “I will not run for another term. But I hope the citizens understand the need for Charlotte County to change course and will join with me to bring about more improvements during my remaining time in office. I hope they will attend meetings and ask questions. Nothing will cause politicians to pause faster than a room full of citizens who they know are watching.”

Cumberland County District Five Supervisor Robert Saunders Jr. poses with a VDOT truck he often drives to help clear the roadways during inclement weather.

Time for a change BY ALEXA MASSEY

obert Saunders Jr. was born in Cumberland County in the year 1967. His mother, Phyllis, gave birth at Centra Southside Community Hospital in Farmville. Saunders was baptized at Old Green Creek Baptist Church and graduated from Cumberland County High School, where he received the nickname “Gravy.” After graduation, Saunders began what would be an extraordinarily exciting and varied lifetime of work and public service. He began making money by doing odd jobs all over the area, including local funeral homes and barber shops. In 1986 he became employed at the Buckingham Correctional Center (BCC) and two years later was offered a job at Piedmont Regional

Jail, where he remained for six years. In 1988, Saunders was sworn in as a part-time deputy of the Prince Edward Sheriff’s Department. He did security work with Hampden-Sydney College and other local businesses. He became a charter bus driver for Lynchburg Bus Service for more than eight years and also spent time as a bail bondsman and, briefly, a bounty hunter. Saunders returned to BCC and worked as a warden. He recalls being given a special assignment to transport inmates to different facilities across the commonwealth. He spent a significant amount of time driving the prison bus and in doing so has visited every prison in Virginia. While driving the prison bus, Saunders became involved in helping the Virginia State Police with special assignments including the Governor’s Convention in Yorktown and the Pence Campaign in

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Farmville. It was then he began driving his bus for the Special Olympics. Saunders started to drive the bus for the state police’s annual torch run for the Special Olympics. He then began to transport the athletes from one event to another and developed a special bond with those Olympiads. “I would pick the kids up and take them,” Saunders said. “They had charter buses, but most of them preferred the prison bus to the charter bus.” Saunders began working at the Special Olympics’ swim area, helping athletes to get in and out of the water. He also helped with timekeeping and handing out the medals. He was later given the Special Olympics Unsung Hero award for his work with the program. Saunders has been sworn in as an honorary member of the Chesapeake Sheriff’s Department and is also an honorary member of the Prince Edward Rescue Squad. He retired from BCC in 2017 and works part-time doing drug testing for probation and parole. He is also on call as a Prince Edward County Public Schools bus driver and also helps with VDOT to clear roadways during inclement weather. Added to Saunders’ lengthy resume is his recent accomplishment of being elected to the Cumberland County Board of Supervisors.

Although he felt compelled to pursue a career in politics, Saunders shied away from running for office until retirement. He was elected last November as the District Five Supervisor for Cumberland County under the slogan, “It’s time for a change.” When not volunteering, driving or supervising, Saunders can be found at home spending time with his family. He will celebrate 20 years of marriage to his wife, Demetria, in April. On Sundays, after church, Saunders likes to watch football and play card games with his family. He also makes several trips a year to the Deltaville area to partake in saltwater fishing. Saunders’ hope for the future of Cumberland County includes economic prosperity. He believes the county must currently focus on revenue, but hopes to see additions such as a park and grocery store when the right circumstances arise. Saunders aims to use his knowledge gained from decades of community service in order to serve as a representative of Cumberland County. Although he knows change takes time, he’s eager to help in any way. However, his new role as a politician won’t change the person he has always been. “I’m not going to change,” he said. “I’m Robert Saunders Jr. takes part in the annual Polar Plunge to kickoff still going to be Gravy.” the Virginia Special Olympics.

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‘I want to be where the people are’ BY ALEXA MASSEY

andra Moss, a native of Buckingham County, grew up in a family of postmasters and car dealers. Although she is known today as the matriarch of Moss Motor Company in Dillwyn, she spent two decades as a substitute mail carrier. However, Moss’ life is not entirely motors and mail. She also currently serves as the treasurer and newsletter editor of the Buckingham Chamber of Commerce. She sees herself as not one for looking back and instead chooses to focus on what comes next in life. Moss said when her children grew up, the family decided that the franchise industry was too much of a headache. They came to Buckingham 35 years ago as independents and opened a dealership in the county. Moss’ life is not entirely motors and mail. She also serves as the treasurer and newsletter editor of the Buckingham Chamber of Commerce. She sees herself as not one for looking back and instead chooses to focus on what comes next in life. “Where so many people are historians, I’m more interested in today and tomorrow,” Moss said. She takes pride in her knowledge of the county’s residents, and rarely spots a face in the community she doesn’t recognize. “We rent cars and sell cars. Between that and my years as a mail carrier, I know a lot of people in Buckingham,” she said. “I don’t claim to know everybody, because we have lots of newcomers here, but

Sandra Moss loves to travel whenever possible. Here, Moss poses with the Capitol Building in Washington D.C.

I like to say I can find most anybody with a little time, make connections between people and try to help people find the services that they need; do what I can to help.” In addition to her love of the county, Moss finds great pleasure in taking trips to the city, particularly Richmond. “It’s strange because I enjoy living here, but I sure do like the city. Most any city will do, but Richmond is our city of preference,”

she said in reference to herself and her husband. Moss’ favorite activities in the city include shopping and eating, and she never misses an opportunity to try something new. “My big thing in life is I always like to go somewhere I’ve never gone before, eat something I’ve never eaten before, and I like to see something I’ve never seen befor,” she said. “So, you could say that variety is a big thing.” When Moss’ husband was a Ford dealer, the couple was lucky enough to have many opportunities to take trips overseas. Their travels took them around the globe, including places like Portugal, England, and Rome. She was also a part of the first group of American tourists to visit the former nation of Yugoslavia. Although Moss is a familiar face to most of Buckingham, some people may not know about her many passions and hobbies. Moss loves to sing, cook, and bake. Although she claims to have no artistic talent

whatsoever, her creativity is reflected in her culinary creations that keep her grandchildren and greatgrandchildren asking for seconds. Moss grew up in Andersonville, but says people laugh at her when she tells them that she moved to the “city” of Dillwyn. “Dillwyn is the city,” she said, reflecting upon the laughs. “I want to be where the people are.” Her hope for the county includes a wish for growth. The county’s large size, she cites, means residents are often bouncing from Charlottesville to Lynchburg to Richmond and back again. She hopes as a representative of the Chamber, that the future will bring networking and economic growth to not only the county’s merchants, but all citizens. Above all, Moss finds immense joy and humility in her large family, most of whom live in or around the county. “I’m very fortunate, she said. “We are just very blessed to have everyone close by.”

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