Stafford A U G U S T
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S E P T E M B E R
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MAGAZINE
Art After COVID
INSIDENOVA
Artists, entrepreneurs find creative ways to weather pandemic
TEACHER INSPIRES OUTSIDE OF CLASS ยบ BASEBALL STAR GETS BIG SHOT ยบ MARINES RESCUE BOATERS
Bordered by the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers, Stafford offers a variety of fishing for anglers of all styles and abilities. From the exciting top water action for tidal largemouth bass to the thrill of catching a Northern Snakehead, see for yourself why Stafford is unique. Get on the Potomac by way of the recently opened Widewater State Park. Located on a peninsula where Aquia Creek and the Potomac River meet, there are two canoe-kayak launches open for use. Hike the trail for views of the water and enjoy a picnic outside. More trails and amenities to come. Crow’s Nest Natural Area Preserve on Accokeek Creek provides another access point for fishing in the area. In addition to the ADAaccessible canoe-kayak launch and kayak trail, there are several miles of hiking trails that give you views of the landscape and wildlife. Once the end of the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad line, Aquia Landing Park is the perfect place to launch from the beach and spend all day reeling in your catch. Head out on the Rappahannock from the Historic Port of Falmouth or Little Falls Boat Ramp. Depending on your desired trip length, you can take the river all the way down to the Chesapeake Bay. For some inland fishing, look no further than Stafford’s lakes. In addition to several native species, Lake Mooney is stocked with largemouth bass, channel catfish, red ear sunfish, and bluegill. Fish Curtis Lake from the water or use the public fishing pier on the shore. Several marinas in the area also offer access to the waterways and supplies to stock up on. There are so many ways to fish in Stafford County, so visit www.tourstaffordva.com/ fishing/ for more information.
KAYAK FISHING
STAFFORD, VIRGINIA NATIONAL ATTENTION
Fishing in Stafford County has caught the attention of anglers on the national scene. The Kayak Bass Fishing Trail Series Tournament will was hosted in Stafford in June and we look forward to welcoming back anglers in 2021. Stafford County will also be featured in upcoming episodes of Kayak Bassin, a nationally televised show featured on the World Fishing Network and the Sportsman Channel.
EMERGENCIES
DON’T WAIT
FOR PANDEMICS TO PASS. In this time of uncertainty, you can be assured your health and safety are our priority. From physical distancing to special screenings, we’re taking every precaution to ensure your safety. For locations and more, go to Emergency.mwhc.com.
Stafford Stafford Stafford MAGAZINE
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PUBLISHER MAGAZINE
Bruce Potter bpotter@insidenova.com 571-333-1538MAGAZINE EDITOR
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Sales Leader: Connie Fields cfields@insidenova.com (703) 303-8713 Account Executive: Rick Bockes rbockes@insidenova.com Account Executive: Brenda Powell bpowell@insidenova.com ART DIRECTOR
Kara Thorpe STAFF REPORTERS
Dave Fawcett Emily Sides CONTRIBUTORS
David S. Kerr Tracy Bell PUBLISHED BY:
Rappahannock Media LLC / InsideNoVa 1360 Old Bridge Road Woodbridge VA 22192 (703) 318-1386 PRESIDENT
Dennis Brack dbrack@rappnews.com BUSINESS OFFICE
Carina Richard-Wheat accounting@piedmontpub.com ON THE WEB
www.staffordmagazine.com Stafford Magazine is published every other month and distributed to over 9,000 selected addresses. While reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to Stafford Magazine, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to any such material. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. While ensuring that all published information is accurate, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any mistakes or omissions. Reproduction in whole or part of any of the text, illustrations or photographs is strictly forbidden. ©2020 Rappahannock Media LLC.
F R O M T H E E D I TO R
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n an interview for this issue on a special food drive by area scouts, I asked about what happens “when things get back to normal.” In the confusion during the earliest weeks of the pandemic, it was understandable to assume that the world had only temporarily diverted from the norm. But we know better now. I knew as the words came out of my mouth that “normal” has been forever changed. As of late July, there had been 1,227 cases of COVID-19 reported in Stafford, along with seven deaths. The more we live with the coronavirus, the more we resolve ourselves to change — the masks, the distancing in checkout lines, the take-out dinners and the extra time at home. You’ll see some of the ways people are adapting in this issue. Entrepreneurs turning hobbies into money makers, a theater shifting from a packed house to smaller audiences, and lots of Zoom calls. Of course, we’re all still learning how to adapt. On July 28, the Stafford County School Board decided that the fall would look a lot like the spring — with all virtual classes for most students. Schools just aren’t ready to fully reopen. But there’s hope. Superintendent Scott Kizner is planning a pilot program to see what a hybrid model of in-class instruction and virtual learning would look like. Soon, we will be able to adapt in the classroom, too -- finding the safer balance between the way we did things before and the way we have to do things during the pandemic. Adapting is the good side of facing a challenge. The bad side is complacency. The biggest danger of the COVID-19 era is that we’ll settle into new routines. We get a little lazy about protecting ourselves. We wash our hands less. Conversations with the neighbors are a little less socially distant. Stay safe. Keep that mask on and that hand sanitizer close by and keep learning and adapting. We’ll get through this. GREG HAMBRICK, EDITOR GHAMBRICK@INSIDENOVA.COM
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CONTENTS
17
24
QUANTICO
12
8
12
20
COVER STORY
SPORTS
Overcomer
Art while apart
Ready for the next step
Creatives adjust, hold onto passions as pandemic disrupts life
Mountain View graduate signs with New York Mets
NEIGHBORS
Stafford educator Janice Sheaff becomes an inspiration
BY DAVE FAWCETT
BY TRACY BELL
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17
Away from the crowd
Stepping up, off season
Boutique fitness studio fit20 ready for big business
Scouts serve — safely — with a no-contact food drive
BY GREG HAMBRICK
BY GREG HAMBRICK
BUSINESS
AMAZING KIDS
BY DAVE FAWCETT
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COMMUNITY
County offering business recovery grants Health officials encourage back-to-school immunizations
Marines rescue father and son on Potomac River
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VOICES
Integrating Stafford County schools – the Class of 1963 BY DAVID S. KERR
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NEWS
Big lottery winners And new area code coming soon
ON THE COVER: Cat Johnson, photographed before the pandemic, is back at work at Dark Horse Tattoos in Stafford. PROVIDED
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NEIGHBORS
Janice Sheaff is one of eight Get Up Ambassadors selected by U.S. Figure Skating.
Push and pull, Back and forth, Up and down, Just to crash on the ground. Life is not easy. Life is no handbook. Life is learning to keep forward motion. E XC E R P T E D F R O M J A N I C E S H E A F F ’ S P O E M “ F O R WA R D M O T I O N ”
Overcomer
Inspired by her grandmother and her favorite teacher, Stafford educator Janice Sheaff becomes an inspiration herself BY DAV ID FAWC E TT
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n the last two weeks of her grandmother’s life, Janice Sheaff stayed with her every day. There was no one Sheaff respected more than her 88-year-old grandmother, Winifred Kernen. She admired Kernen’s independence, her resilience, her work ethic, her focus on faith and family and her wisdom. During their final days together, at Doylestown Hospital in Pennsylvania in August 2011, Kernen told Sheaff to take care of herself. Sheaff did more than just listen to Kernen’s advice -- she acted on it. After dealing with traumas from her past that negatively impacted her self-image and contributed to weight gain, Sheaff honored Kernen’s memory by writing a letter she
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placed in Kernen’s casket. The letter included a promise to lead a healthier lifestyle. Kernen always wanted the best for her granddaughter, and Sheaff decided it was time to embrace the gift of life. She used a gift certificate she’d won to join a local running class for six weeks. That decision led to her eventually completing a half marathon. She was on her way. “I always wanted to be in the race, but I was stuck on the sidelines,” Sheaff said. “I was done being on the sidelines.” Sheaff continues to find ways to improve her self-care while inspiring others. The 35-year-old Stafford County kindergarten teacher wrote a book of poems that chronicles her experiences. The book, published April
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30, is called “Wings of Courage: Sharing My Journey of Adversity in Poetry.” Sheaff also is one of eight inaugural Get Up Ambassadors selected by U.S. Figure Skating. As a Get Up Ambassador, Sheaff will share her story with others to raise awareness and spark hope in those who can relate to her experiences. “I have spent years upon years learning to overcome adversities that were bound to keep me in darkness,” Sheaff said. “Being named an ambassador has allowed me to feel joy and accomplishment in all my hard work from facing the scars of my past. I have never been so humbled in my life and was filled with tears of gratitude when United States Figure Skating called to tell me I was selected.” Sheaff first got involved with skating while growing up outside Philadelphia. Her inspiration was 1998 gold medalist and Philadelphia native Tara Lipinski. “I fell in love with the feeling of ‘flying’ or gliding across the ice and the cool wind in my face,” Sheaff said. “It was so freeing and made me smile ear to ear.” Once she arrived in high school, Sheaff had less time to devote to skating after joining a theater troupe. But when she came to Stafford to take a teaching position, Sheaff resumed one of her passions. “It was my first year teaching here and I was bored,” said Sheaff, now entering her fifth year
teaching in Stafford. “So why not go and skate?” At the Prince William Ice Center in Dale City, Sheaff found her time on the ice therapeutic. “It was a place where I did not have to think about anything else,” Sheaff said. Besides providing peace, Sheaff ’s time on the ice also allowed her to think more about how one teacher changed her life.
When she was 5, Sheaff first met Jason Taylor at a summer camp where he was a counselor. He became a constant in her life. Sheaff considers Taylor her mentor and is the reason she got into teaching. Taylor had a knack for challenging her in ways that raised her self-confidence and opened her to opportunities she might otherwise have ignored. His phrase “Win the day” became a mantra for Sheaff. In her senior year of high school, Sheaff was a student teacher under Taylor in a program called “Career Study.” Saying she felt as though she had won the lottery, Sheaff absorbed everything Taylor said. She ended up attending Taylor’s alma mater, Kutztown State, and following him into education. Taylor inspired Sheaff to even leave familiar surroundings and accept a teaching job in Stafford. It was important to her that Taylor know this. At the time, he was suffering from brain cancer, a disease that
he eventually died of Nov. 26, 2017. Taylor’s loss hit Sheaff hard. But she refused to let it keep her down, especially when she’s skating. “Once I hit the ice again, I felt the most connected to Jason and all the lessons he taught me,” Sheaff said. “I imagine him watching in the stands and seeing his proud smile and saying, ‘You got this.’” Sheaff ’s grandmother and Taylor influenced her to make a difference in her life. Now others will benefit, including those lives she touches as a Get Up Ambassador. “Winning this honor is like winning an Olympic Medal to me,” Sheaff said. “While I’ll never be an elite athlete, I have dedicated years of my life to learning new skills on and off the ice and being a Get Up ambassador is like I have made it. I have climbed that mountain and can look at an amazing view after years of traumatic experiences, pain and grief.” David Fawcett is sports editor of InsideNoVa. He can be reached at dfawcett@insidenova.com.
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BUSINESS
Away from the Crowd Boutique fitness studio fit20 ready for big business BY G R E G H AM B R ICK
fit20 CEO Aqil Radjab
W
hen gyms reopened earlier this summer after months of being shut down, things looked a lot different — plastic shields at counters, machines blocked or spread apart and lots of reminders about masks and physical distancing. But one fitness business, with its U.S. operations based in Stafford, was a bit more prepared for the new need for social distancing while working out. Boutique fitness company fit20 USA, with a studio at Aquia Park, offers 20-minute one-on-one sessions with personal trainers. There’s no shower or changing area because routines are low-impact. The growing business has a second Virginia location at Cosner’s Corner in Fredericksburg and is preparing to open a new studio and offices at Liberty Place in downtown Fredericksburg in September. “We have a beautiful place,” CEO Aqil Radjab told Stafford Magazine regarding the new
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site. “We’re not only going to use it as a fit20 studio, we’re going to use it as a flagship to demonstrate what a fit20 studio could look like for franchising throughout the U.S.” Originally based in the Netherlands, fit20 came to the U.S. in 2018, with its first studio in Michigan. “It worked out really good, and we noticed there was potential for this in the U.S.,” Radjab said. “That’s why we started the two studios here.” Stafford became the headquarters for fit20 USA because it was the home of Ben Litalien, the company’s chief development officer.
POST COVID
Openings of new studios in Utah and Kansas City were put on hold because of COVID-19. The Stafford area’s two local fit20 studios had to close for around two months, but they reopened in May. As traditional gyms struggled to adjust their layout and capacity to fit new physical distancing requirements, fit20 was already settled into the model of limiting customers. “Our studios are by invitation only to
our members, and our approach is one trainer with only one or two members at a time,” said Tony Plath, manager of the Aquia Park studio. “Using social distancing, disinfecting our equipment between uses, and wearing masks creates an even safer environment for members to work out during this pandemic.” The fit20 concept is different because its members meet weekly with a personal trainer for an “intense slow-motion resistance training session.” A circuit of specialized strength training machines are used to create a full body workout that increases strength and vitality. Michele Price, general manager of Prince William Marina and a member of the fit20 Aquia Park studio, said she is glad to be exercising again. “I hated missing my weekly workouts and am delighted to be back in the studio with my personal trainer,” she said. “The fit20 approach continues to be a safe, effective way for me to stay fit.” The elements of the fit20 training approach include: • sessions are always with a personal trainer and by appointment
“When you go in there the whole studio is for you or you and a partner … it’s actual personal training. Now, after COVID, we’re ready for the future with this model.” •
exercise without changing clothes or showering in a climate-controlled environment • no distracting music, mirrors or group workouts • only 20 minutes per week to achieve maximum results “We want it to be your moment,” Radjab said. “When you go in there the whole studio is for you or you and a partner … it’s actual personal training. Now, after COVID, we’re ready for the future with this model.” The company offers a Free Introductory Training or “FIT” to demonstrate the fit20 training methodology. They’re used to skeptics. “To be honest, most of us who work here are the skeptical ones, including myself.
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We come from the training world, and this is such a disruptive training, that it can be hard to wrap your head around it. The proof is in the pudding,” Radjab said. “We even have a skeptical month. In April, we invite every member to bring their most skeptical relationship to come for a ‘FIT.’ We actually sign up quite a few people then.” The company has big plans for the next few years, Radjab said. “In the Netherlands, we have 125 studios,” he said. “The U.S. is 30 times bigger, so I think it’s possible to build thousands of these studios throughout the U.S. That’s what we’re aiming for.” For more information on the studio, visit https://fit20usa.com/
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COVER STORY
ART WHILE C R E AT I V E S A DJ U S T,
H O L D O N TO PA SS I O N S A S PA N D E M I C D I S RU P TS L I F E BY TR ACY B E L L
S
tafford resident Stephanie Cox loves to share the joy of art with children. Months back, she traveled around Stafford, Prince William County and Fredericksburg holding art classes, workshops and paint parties for young, budding artists through her company, The Art Cart – Mobile Art Studio. It was life as she knew it. But the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything, everywhere. Cox is just one of many Stafford artists and creative professionals who’ve had to channel and adjust their creative pursuits in a COVID-19 world. When schools closed, many homeschool groups Cox taught stopped meeting
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Stephanie Cox, owner of The Art Cart – Mobile Art Studio, had to shift her business to virtual classes.
in-person. One group shut down permanently. Losing a portion of her revenue, Cox turned to online teaching through Zoom and Google Classroom.
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She recorded lessons, bought a webcam after exhausting her phone’s video storage and tinkered with lighting to ensure the color in her artwork would look as good online as it does in person. “Teaching virtually has become the new way for art teachers, but sign-ups have been small,” Cox said, guessing that children may have needed a break from computers after the spring’s virtual learning in schools. As communities began reopening in May and June, Cox offered in-person classes outdoors following Centers for Disease Control regulations, but sign-ups remained minimal. “We seem to be in a COVID limbo, not sure if we should venture out or stay in a little longer,” said Cox, who has also taught art part time at Prince William Academy in Woodbridge. For someone “used to the hustle and bustle” of a class setting, Cox said this type of teaching isn’t the same. “I still miss the kids.”
ART TOGETHER For administrative assistant Nina Beltran, art is created in her free time. She paints custom watercolors of houses and pets and writes an art blog, noting that art is therapeutic and calming. “It lets you focus on creating something, instead of everything else that’s on your mind,” she said. Beltran graduated from James Madison University with an art degree and lived in Stafford until recently moving to Richmond. When COVID-19 hit and with a move pending, Beltran halted her custom orders and focused on the pandemic’s new normal. Suddenly, her husband and children were home, which left less time to paint and more time for family. “Before the pandemic, I’d paint when I was alone,” she said. “Now with three kids at home all the time, there’s always at least one who will want to make art with me if they see me working on something.” The children adjusted well, Beltran said, visiting friends through FaceTime, playing in the kiddie pool and exploring the outdoors on family outings.
Patrick A’Hearn, producing artistic director for Riverside Dinner Theater, says the business has been able to weather the pandemic.
STAGE GOES DARK Patrick A’Hearn, producing artistic director for Riverside Dinner Theater in south Stafford, enjoys a different kind of art in community theater — but Riverside has been dark for months, with its last performance,
“Grease,” held March 15. The venue planned to partly reopen on weekends in early August by transforming its ballroom into a supper club. “It’s putting our toe in the water,” A’Hearn said. “You do it with great trepidation because you never know when you’ll be pulled back. As excited as we are, you have to be realistic.” The unknown is difficult, A’Hearn explained, and everyone wonders when life will be familiar again. When the pandemic hit, Riverside’s revenue stopped, said A’Hearn, who spent 30 years on Broadway and was part of the original “Les Miserables” cast. Most of the staff was furloughed, and a skeleton crew of eight worked through Zoom calls, plenty
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Riverside’s season opener, “Bright Star,” has been pushed to March. It’ll be replaced this fall with a show that has a smaller cast.
of sanitizer and by social distancing on site. A’Hearn considers Riverside fortunate, knowing some theaters haven’t survived. After two solid months of stress and anxiety, A’Hearn said he’s taking things as they come. Riverside plans to officially reopen by the end of September, A’Hearn said, but its season opener, “Bright Star,” has been postponed until March 2021. A’Hearn said that a smaller project will replace “Bright Star” in September. Increasing COVID numbers, he said, sparked the change, and with a 20-person cast – “I didn’t want anyone to get sick.” Other productions have been
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postponed to future seasons, including “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?” now set for early 2021 and “Meet Me in St. Louis” at Christmastime in 2021. Riverside plans for shows to include minimal choreography to allow performers to social distance from one another. They will not wear masks on stage. Patrons will eat dinner at individual tables at Riverside’s events center and move to the dinner theater for shows. They’ll wear masks when not eating and drinking, A’Hearn said. The most important thing is for people to feel safe, he noted. “When people feel they can relax and take a deep breath, these shows can be an escape.”
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BACK IN BUSINESS Cat Johnson, a tattoo artist and owner of Dark Horse Tattoos in Stafford, is back at work after months shut down due to the pandemic.
Cat Johnson, a tattoo artist and owner of Dark Horse Tattoos in Stafford, said her studio reopened May 15 after closing March 23. Despite being prepared and informed, Johnson felt the heat financially, personally
and professionally, with the shop losing its two most profitable months. The sole earner in her household, Johnson said she strictly quarantined and didn’t leave the house except to walk
“ I ’ V E S E E N TAT TO O ST U D I OS IN NEW YORK CITY NOT EMERGE FROM THE LOCKDOWN AS VIABLE BUSINESS ENTITIES, W H I C H I S T E R R I F Y I N G.”
her dogs. Coping was surreal, she said, because the news was her view of the crisis as opposed to any personal ties. Already in tune with precautions like disinfecting,
her staff faced new protocols upon opening including social distancing and virtual consultations, along with wearing masks and face shields and undergoing temperature checks. Johnson, who also breeds dogs, was inspired during quarantine to turn her hobby, a YouTube channel on dogs, into an income-earning, educational stream. Today, there’s a surge in demand at her shop and Johnson is grateful. Unemployment funds, stimulus checks and other business assistance helped the shop bounce back from the closure, but Johnson experienced significant anxiety over the unknown. “I’ve seen tattoo studios in New York City not emerge from the lockdown as viable business entities, which is terrifying.”
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Local author Traci Hunter Abramson sees COVID-19 changing the stories we tell going forward.
THE NEXT CHAPTER Local author Traci Hunter Abramson knows a thing or two about escaping. A Stafford resident for 25 years, Abramson writes mysterythrillers and romance novels. Her prior work in finance at the Central Intelligence Agency
inspires her novels. Now, she suspects the pandemic will create story ideas for years to come. It certainly caused Abramson to learn to work at home again. Before COVID, she used a treadmill and exercise bike at the gym while writing. That helped her reach 1,200 to 1,500 words of her daily 2,000-word goal. When she “saw the writing on the wall,” she bought an exercise bike and paired it with her home treadmill to keep the pages flowing. Abramson’s book, “A Change of Fortune,” was released in June, and “On the Run” will be out in October. The writing community adapted, Abramson said, with conferences and events turning virtual, and book signings becoming Facebook Live events and video interviews. The married mother of five said her family is like everyone
else’s. COVID meant her children were home, missing their friends; graduations and trips were cancelled, and life seemed to stop. But the boardgame-loving family enjoys their time together, while caring for Abramson’s mother-in-law, who lives next door. Abramson, who writes plots in contemporary time, said a big challenge is to adapt her writing to what life may be like ahead. Books she’s writing now will come out in 2022. She wonders: Will air travel be the same? Will masks be the norm in stores? Can the elderly be visited without worry? “Times like these can be a struggle,” Abramson said, “but it’s also when we face adversity that our creativity and resilience can stretch in ways that we never before imagined.” Tracy Bell is a free-lance writer who lives in Stafford County.
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Stepping up, off season
Scouts serve — safely — with a no-contact food drive BY G REG HAMB RIC K
T
he Aquia District Scouts BSA hosts a “Scouting for Food” drive for local pantries each November. “By the spring, they’re getting kind of low,” said coordinator Laura Curran. “I knew, with the pandemic, that more was needed.” After reaching out to local food banks, she learned demand was going up and supply was gone. Before the current crisis, pantries supported by the annual food drive were regularly feeding four to 40 families per week, depending on the pantry. Coronavirus-related job losses and furloughs created a greater need as pantries remained open on the front lines of the pandemic. “The need was there,” Curran said, so local scout troops got to work.
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“The question was ‘How do we do this and how do we keep our families safe and our scouts safe? And how do we reach the people who want to help?’” The answer was a no-contact food drive in May. The normal route to a successful food drive comes with laying out a large map of Stafford County and dividing up neighborhoods among scout groups. Scouts would also collect in front of stores. They would post sticky notes on doors requesting donations and return a week later, filling their trailers, trucks and vehicles with the generosity of Stafford residents. “We couldn’t do that this time,” Curran said. So word went out through email and social media. Aquia District scouts were asked to
participate to whatever extent they could based on their family’s rules for safely addressing risks associated with COVID-19. “Participation ran the gamut,” Curran said. For example, a high-risk family could help spread the word about drop-off locations. Or it could just collect food within the family and from immediate neighbors. Some scouts donned masks and gloves to facilitate the drop-off and collection efforts. Drop-off locations manned by Aquia District Scouts were carefully orchestrated to maintain distance between scouts, pantry volunteers and community members bringing in donations. “I didn’t know what to expect,” Curran said. “I think the scouts were ready to do something and meet the
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challenge. I knew I could rely on them to at least get the word out. Now, whether the community would respond was the question.” But they did. The scouts collected 5,706 pounds of food, and over $2,500 was raised for several food pantries. The no-contact food drive showed what scouts can do even during this tough time, said Tom Friedel, district executive. “Being helpful is one of the keystones of scouting,” he said. “Part of the oath really is to go beyond yourself.” The need continues as the community struggles with the fallout created by the current health crisis. The scouts are planning another food drive in August. The mission of the BSA is to
prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law. The food drive is one example of the many service projects scouts do year-round, said Mike Haas, a local coordinator. “This goes on year in and year out, regardless of the world situation,” Haas said. “And when things are particularly bad in our nation, scouts rally with a purpose.” The Aquia District is part of the National Capital Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. The district includes Stafford County and Marine Corps Base Quantico. For more on upcoming events, visit facebook.com/ AquiaDistrictNCAC
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SPORTS
Ready for the Next Step Mountain View graduate signs with New York Mets BY DAVI D FAWC ETT
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ylan Hall woke up earlier than usual the morning of June 14 to prepare for his day. He ate some breakfast, turned on his cell-phone ringer and then sat in his living room ready to go to work. There was no time for idle chatter. At 9 a.m., his quiet day turned busy real fast when five to six Major League Baseball teams reached out to him with the hope of signing the Mountain View High School graduate as an undrafted rookie free agent. MLB teams typically contact free agent candidates after the draft in a lesspressurized atmosphere. Teams offer whatever they want, players agree and there’s no immediate rush. But the coronavirus upended this year’s selection process. To save money as a result of the financial impact caused by the pandemic, Major League Baseball and the MLB
Players Association agreed to reduce the draft from 40 rounds to five, while allowing teams to sign an unlimited number of undrafted players for no more than $20,000 each. The draft was held June 10-11, followed by a 48-hour waiting period before teams could contact undrafted free agents starting at 9 a.m. With all 30 MLB teams facing the same restrictions, they needed to move quickly on signing available players. The New York Mets called Hall first, which was no surprise. They had followed him closely before the draft
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PHOTO CREDIT: CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
Pitching for Division II Central Oklahoma, Dylan Hall went 4-1 in five starts with a 3.00 ERA before the coronavirus outbreak shut down the season in mid-March.
and even contacted him June 11 during rounds 2 through 5 to tell him the organization might take him. That did not happen, but New York’s interest raised his confidence once Sunday morning came around and made the Mets the immediate frontrunner. After speaking with New York, Hall spoke with other teams he declined to name, including the general manager of one. They all made the same pitch, including offering the $20,000 maximum bonus. Hall likened the situation to the recruiting process in which a prospect has the freedom to choose what fits best for them as the team makes their best case. But the Mets stood out. Besides area scout Taylor Terrasas, Hall heard from multiple members of the Mets’ organization over two days, including general manager Brodie Van Wagenen. They all wanted
Hall to know how much they thought of him. That made the biggest difference in Hall’s decision to sign with New York on June 15. Other factors included the Mets agreeing to pay for Hall’s final year of college and a master’s degree if he chooses to pursue one, as well as the organization’s history of developing pitchers With his decision final, he called Van Wagenen first with the news. “They clearly established a good relationship and got to know me,” Hall said. Hall said New York plans to keep him as a starter. With the minor league season canceled, Hall isn’t sure what will come next and when. But he’s grateful to know it will be as a pro baseball player. He has come a long way since transferring from Virginia Tech after the new coaching staff told him they no longer had room for
him on the roster. After signing with the Hokies out of high school and pitching in 34 games over two seasons, Hall began looking for another school. Division II Central Oklahoma provided the perfect landing spot. He became the team’s No. 1 starter and set a school record for single-season strikeouts in 2019 as the team reached the NCAA Tournament. Hall began this season with a legitimate shot at being selected if the draft had gone 40 rounds. But when the coronavirus cancelled sports in mid-March and talks started about scaling back the draft, Hall evaluated his options. He could have gone back to Central Oklahoma for another season after the NCAA allowed schools to offer seniors from the spring sports season an extra year of eligibility. But the lure of turning pro appealed to him. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound right-hander went 4-1
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in five starts with a 3.00 ERA in the shortened 2020 season. Displaying a four-pitch arsenal highlighted by a 95 mph fastball, Hall struck out 45 in 30 innings for a team ranked No. 12 in the nation before the season finished early. Hall felt like his success was a good reason to bypass another year of college. Hall also knew the clock was ticking because he turns 23 in September. An increasing number of MLB teams reached out to Hall to gauge his level of interest without discussing specifics. In each case, he told them his desire was to start his pro career now. “I was ready to take the next step and turn professional,” Hall said. “The circumstances have been crazy with the whole situation. Everything worked out well. I’m thankful.” Dave Fawcett is sports editor of InsideNoVa. He can be reached at dfawcett@insidenova.com.
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COMMUNITY
MORE COUNTY SUPPORT The business grant program is one example of support the county is providing through $13.3 million in federal funding. The county has also put money toward expanded broadband, as commuters and students find themselves working from home. The Economic Development Authority will spend $250,000 to provide grants to broadband providers advancing fixed wireless in the Aquia and Hartwood districts.
County offering business recovery grants
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mong efforts by Stafford County to support businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, the county’s Economic Development Authority is launching three small business assistance grants: Stay, Sleep, and Safe in Stafford business grants. The grant programs are funded using more than $2.35 million in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds provided by the county and administered by the authority. Available to qualifying Stafford small businesses, the programs will provide direct financial assistance to those businesses impacted directly by the COVID-19 pandemic. General program eligibility requirements include businesses that are physically located within Stafford, have up to 50 full-time employees, are registered with the Stafford County Commissioner of the Revenue and can demonstrate at least a 25% loss in revenue attributed to COVID-19. Stay in Stafford grants are open to Stafford-based small businesses; the program provides grants of up to $10,000. Grant awards are calculated and based on
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the business’s lease or mortgage payments for up to three months. Small businesses in the food and beverage, entertainment and retail industries will be given preference. Safe in Stafford grants are open to all Stafford-based small businesses and nonprofit organizations; the program provides reimbursable grants of up to $5,000, for the direct costs of PPE or other COVID-19 related equipment. Priority will be given to applicants that have invested in technology to facilitate e-commerce or virtual business operations and professional services, as well as the actual costs for alterations of technology changes or improvements that the business made to respond to COVID-19. Sleep in Stafford grants are open to all Stafford-based lodging establishments (Airbnb and/or similar type individual rentals are not eligible); the program provides grants of up to $30,000. Grant award amounts are based on the establishment’s documented number of guest rooms. The EDA will accept applications from Aug. 17-26. For more information, contact Josh Summits at 540-658-8664 or email JSummits@staffordcountyva.gov.
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“Our board has been very supportive of finding alternative methods of delivering broadband to residents even before the COVID-19 epidemic,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Meg Bohmke, Falmouth. “Receiving the CARES Act funding will help us expand some of the projects we were already working on like adding WiFi to new spots around the county and help to connect those without internet and with financial hardships, particularly students.” The board funded $1.1 million to Stafford County Public Schools to purchase enough additional Chrome Books for every student. Additionally, the board provided $1.26 million for more expenditures to provide supplies and necessary safety improvements, as well as transportation for meals. Stafford’s Human Services Department already has an established system for evaluating, processing and awarding funding requests from partner agencies. Many of these organizations were lifelines for members of the community during the pandemic. Human Services was able to quickly establish a CARES Act funding request system that will distribute funding quickly to help offset the extra demand on these organizations. Public safety employees and those eligible for hazardous duty pay are being paid an additional $4 an hour for putting themselves at risk working in person while the building was closed to the public. The board also allocated funding to the Economic Development Authority to reimburse $457,000 for payroll grants provided to Stafford County businesses in the spring.
Health officials encourage back-to-school immunizations
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he Rappahannock Area Health District is urging all parents of school-age children to ensure their child is up to date on all vaccines before the start of school. Most students in Stafford County will be starting the school year with virtual instruction, but immunizations are important beyond the schoolhouse. “Due to COVID-19, we have seen that many children in Virginia have fallen behind on their immunizations,” said Dr. Donald Stern, interim district health director. “Keeping your child up to date on vaccines
helps to provide immunity, keeping them safe from potentially life-threatening diseases.” Vaccines are available from many pediatricians, family physicians and pharmacies and are often available at no cost through health insurance benefits. Families with health insurance and a primary care provider are encouraged to seek vaccines through their doctor’s office or local pharmacy. For children without health insurance or who are not able to receive vaccines through their primary care provider,
immunizations are being offered at the Stafford Health Department. These services are available by appointment only. Appointments can be made by calling the health department at 540-659-3101. In addition, the Rappahannock Area Health District is offering drive-through Tdap vaccines for rising seventh-graders on Tuesday, Aug. 18, from 4:30-7:30 p.m. An exact location has not been announced. A parent or guardian must be present for the child to be vaccinated at the drivethrough event. Children will be able to receive the vaccine regardless of insurance status, but if your child does have health insurance, bring a copy of the insurance card. COVID-19 restrictions will be in place for this event. Everyone in the vehicle over the age of 2 should be wearing a face mask, and all people in the car will receive a COVID-19 screening. If anyone is sick or has a fever, RAHD will not be able to give a vaccine that day. It will be held rain or shine. For more, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/ immunization/requirements/. For updated information from the Rappahannock health district, including the current clinical schedules, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/rappahannock/.
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QUANTICO
U.S. Marines stand with the boat they used to help rescue a father and son on the Potomac River.
Marines rescue father and son on Potomac River BY SGT. K I R ST E N SPANU M A R I N E C O R P S B A S E Q UA N T I C O
F
our Marines from Marine Corps Base Quantico saved the lives of a father and son on the Potomac River in Nanjemoy, Md., on June 14. The Marines had planned to spend the overcast Sunday relaxing on the water and having a picnic before the incident occurred. Before leaving on the boat that day, Cpl. Quinn J. Hurt, a photographer with Marine Corps Base Quantico’s Communication Strategy and
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Operations section, went over safety procedures with the rest of the Marines. “Whenever I take anyone out on the boat, I always give a basic safety brief, which people usually make fun of me for. But in this case, it definitely paid off,” said Hurt. “I tell them where the life jackets are, I tell them what we’re going to do in the worst-case scenario, and I also instruct the basics of operating a water vessel, so if something
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were to happen to me they would be able to put it in gear and get out of the situation.” When the Marines arrived at their desired destination, they noticed there was only one other boat nearby, which had a family onboard. “They were jumping off the boat and screaming, having what looked to be a fun time,” described Cpl. Andrea Rosembert, an administrative specialist with the Officer Candidates School’s Installation Personnel Admin Center on base. “We took a second glance and noticed the situation was actually pretty serious. The people on the other boat were flailing their arms and shouting ‘hey!’ and ‘help!’” Hurt quickly moved their boat closer to the family’s, being careful not to make any large waves that would further endanger the father and son struggling to stay afloat in
the water. Hurt donned a life jacket, jumped off the boat, and began to make his way toward the two individuals. “I swam up to them, and clearly they were having issues swimming,” Hurt said. “The father’s head was bobbing underwater, and he had a younger son who was holding onto him as tight as he could.” Hurt introduced himself to the pair, instructed them to stay calm, and told them he was there to help. He then positioned his body underneath the father and son to keep both of their heads above water as he used his legs to bring them toward the boat. As this was happening, Cpl. Webster Rison, a graphic artist also with Communication Strategy and Operations, also jumped in the water with the intention of bringing life jackets to the father and son, but the other Marines reached them first with their boat. “Hurt has been teaching me how to pick up wakeboarders after they fall,” said Cpl. Kayde Becerra, an administrative specialist with The Basic School’s Installation Personnel Admin Center on base. “And so, I just thought to myself, ‘Why can’t we pick them up as if they were wakeboarders?’” Once they reached the father and son, Rosembert and Becerra pulled everyone onboard, including another son who was in the water, but was not struggling nor able to help. The Marines then brought all three individuals to their boat to reunite with their other family members. All four Marines noted how smoothly the rescue went. “We were all calm and collected,” Hurt said. “I would attribute it to the stresses the Marine Corps puts on you, where it forces you to remain calm under pressure.”
SGT. KIRSTIN SPANU/U.S. MARINE CORPS PHOTO
HEAVY LIFTING Hospital Corpsman First Class Riley Adrianyon performs a deadlift during the High Intensity Tactical Training competition at Butler Stadium aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico on June 18.
LEARN GROW THRIVE
YMCA CHILDCARE As a trusted child care provider for decades, the Rappahannock Area YMCA is honored to provide safe, fun, and educational care for school age children in our community. • Sites in Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford Counties. • All day and before & after care options that support each districts fall learning model. • Thorough entry screening, distancing, and cleaning procedures to keep children and staff safe and healthy. LEARN MORE: www.family-ymca.org S TA F F O R D M AG A Z I N E
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VOICES
Integrating Stafford County schools – the Class of 1963 handed down in 1954. The court’s opinion directed that segregated school systems should be integrated with all “deliberate speed.” Sadly, nothing about school integration was speedy. Virginia’s answer was massive resistance. In a bureaucratic effort to slow down integration, African American students had to apply — in person — for a place at a white school at the Pupil Placement Board in Richmond. It was a frustrating and demeaning process, and Stafford schools were adamant about staying segregated. However, African American parents didn’t give up. Fortunately, a court decision forced the issue, and in 1961 two African American children enrolled at Stafford Elementary School. In 1962, bowing to the inevitable, Stafford integrated its only high school — 1963 would be the first integrated graduating class. That was a notable milestone because from 1946 until 1960, the county provided an education for Black students only as far as
BY DAV ID S . K E R R
I
t was 1963. The Civil Rights Act wouldn’t be passed until the following year. Restaurants and public facilities in our region were still segregated according to race. The infamous “whites only” signs had not gone away. But that year Stafford County Schools graduated its first integrated high school class. It was a monumental step. While integration had begun slowly two years earlier, Stafford High’s graduating class of 1963 signaled a new day. Segregation in Virginia, at long last, was dying. None of that means it was an easy road to school integration in Stafford. The Supreme Court decision ordering the desegregation of the nation’s schools was
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the 10th grade. After that, if Black students wanted to finish high school they had to go to Fredericksburg and attend the city’s high school for Black students, Walker-Grant. Many students, unable to make the trek, didn’t
proud of his opposition to segregation, particularly at a time when most Virginia politicians wanted to keep schools segregated. He had changed his mind about segregation when he was in the Army in Korea and thought it was time things changed in Stafford.
“In 1962, bowing to the inevitable, Stafford integrated its only high school — 1963 would be the first integrated graduating class.” finish high school. This was only partly remedied in 1960 when Stafford extended its high school program for African American students to include grades 11 and 12. Though, when you get down to it, that was only a half measure. Fortunately, not every white person in the county supported segregation. Some new county residents, who had not grown up with segregation, had no time for this kind of racism. Even some long-time residents, including a former supervisor from that era I talked to, was
The full integration of Stafford High School went smoothly. Segregation in our schools was beating its final retreat. Today, most members of that first integrated graduating class are retired and sadly some have passed on. However, they earned their place in our county’s history, and many still take pride in being a part of the Class of ’63. David Kerr is a Stafford resident, an adjunct professor of political science at VCU and has worked on Capitol Hill and for various federal agencies for many years.
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NEWS
A TRIFECTA OF LOCAL WINNERS Three lucky Stafford residents recently cashed big tickets from the Virginia Lottery. When Michelle Rivera scratched a Lucky 7s Cash Blowout and realized she’d just won the game’s $2,777,777 top prize, she couldn’t contain her excitement, according to a news release. “I kept saying, ‘I can’t believe I won!’” she told lottery officials as she claimed her prize. “The clerk told me to stop saying I won out loud and go home!” She bought her winning ticket at the 7-Eleven at 910 Garrisonville Road — the store recently added a large sign along
the road to promote the big news. Rivera waited more than four months before redeeming her ticket. She said she took the time to make a financial plan for her winnings. She had the choice of taking the $2,777,777 prize in annual payments over 30 years or a onetime cash option of $1,671,346 before taxes. She chose the annual payments. Rivera said she intends to buy a house and pay off debt. The odds of winning the top prize in Lucky 7s Cash Blowout are 1 in 979,200. She’s not the only new big winner. It had been a tough few months
NEW AREA CODE 826 COMING SOON The State Corporation Commission recently announced that the North American Numbering Plan Administrator has assigned a new area code to western and northern portions of the Commonwealth, including Stafford County. The new 826 area code will relieve the future exhaustion of phone numbers in Virginia’s 540 area code, according to a news release.
for Anya Dennis. So, when her husband called and was shouting in the phone, she thought, “Lord, I can’t take any more.” But he wasn’t calling with bad news. The Stafford couple had matched all five numbers in the Virginia Lottery’s Cash 5 game. They had bought 12 tickets for the June 14 drawing, all with the same five numbers. That means each ticket won the game’s $100,000 top prize – for total winnings of $1.2 million. “I was screaming,” Dennis told Virginia Lottery officials. “I thought, ‘This can not be real!’” All 12 winning tickets were bought at the 7-Eleven at 4800 Dale Boulevard in Dale City. The winning numbers for that drawing were 9-13-19-26-29. Dennis said she intends to use the winnings to buy a house and pay for college for
The 540 area code was created in 1995, splitting off from the 703 area code. Current estimates predict the available numbers in the 540 area code will be exhausted in 2022. The relief plan approved by the SCC superimposes the 826 area code over the same geographic footprint as the 540 area code. Although 10-digit dialing will now be required for local calls, the commission determined the overlay solution to be “more durable and less disruptive than other alternatives.” Under the plan, no residents and businesses will lose their 540 phone numbers. The telecommunications industry
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their two daughters. The odds of winning the $100,000 top prize are 1 in 278,256. And why buy a dozen tickets with the same numbers for a single drawing? “We just went out on a limb,” Dennis said. Finally, Eddie Lee Hull bought two different Cash 5 tickets from two different stores for the same drawing. He selected the same five numbers on both tickets, 9-17-22-27-34, a combination of family birthdays. Both tickets won the game’s $50,000 prize, for total winnings of $100,000. The Stafford man bought his winning tickets at the 7-Eleven at 280 Garrisonville Road and another 7-Eleven down the street at 378 Garrisonville Road. Hull, who is retired, said he has no immediate plans for his winnings except to pay bills.
reportedly prefers the overlay solution, as this relief method is the least disruptive for customers. The SCC’s order directs telecommunications industry service providers to move forward with a proposed 13-month implementation schedule. That includes a six-month period during which calls within the 540 area code can be completed using either seven or 10 digits. This period is used to ease the transition from seven-digit to 10-digit dialing so customers can be educated on the changes without having calls affected before assignment of the 826 area code.
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