08/20/2014

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Powhatan, Virginia

The hometown paper of Mark Shevrin

Vol. XXVII No. 33

August 20, 2014

Local Habitat for Humanity doubling up efforts By Laura McFarland News Editor

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abitat for Humanity Powhatan has had one of the busiest years in its 13-year history, and organizers couldn’t be happier. In an effort to have as much of an impact on Powhatan County as possible, the nonprofit organization doubled its load to complete two homes this year on top of doing about 10 critical repair projects, Terry Paquette, executive director, said. Organizers take their mission of building and preserving affordable housing in the county seriously, he said, and they want to keep reaching higher and gain more community support.

“We previously only did one house a year. What changed this year was we had two families and we had enough money,” Paquette said. It is a situation Paquette said he would love to see repeated going forward. With any Habitat for Humanity operation, there are always four moving parts to consider: families in need, money, land and volunteers, he said. One component Powhatan doesn’t struggle to find is the volunteers. “We have lots of folks who want to give back.” Many people who become involved in Habitat for Humanity realize that in helping others they also are helping themselves, said see HABITAT page 6A

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Powhatan Community Church volunteers are shown after a work day installing roof sheathing and porch trusses on a house being built by Habitat for Humanity Powhatan.

Volunteers seek to preserve Corinth Church By Laura McFarland News Editor

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estled next to Judes Ferry Road deep in Powhatan County is a weathered 19th century one-room country church in need of some loving care. The “Help Save Corinth Church” sign standing nearby only affirms the message sent by the peeling white paint and weather-beaten look of the old wooden building. Concerned eyes have turned their gaze on Corinth Church, which has been PHOTO BY LAURA MCFARLAND vacant for years, to make sure it doesn’t go the way Powhatan County Historical Society President John Rothert, left, discusses plans with members about how they want to proceed with

see CHURCH page 4A preservations efforts on Corinth Church.

Teacher named state finalist in Presidential Award

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Martin Madert, right, attaches a microphone to Ron Kimler, 89, of Midlothian before beginning an interview about the older man’s experiences in World War II, which were preserved for the Library of Congress as part of the Witness to War program.

Korean, Vietnam veterans to be spotlighted By Laura McFarland News Editor

By Laura McFarland News Editor owhatan County teacher Barbara Adcock gained statewide recognition this month by being named as a state finalist in the 2014 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching Program. This is the second time Adcock, a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Academy teacher at Pocahontas Elementary School, has received the honor — she also was a state finalist in 2012 — and has been in consideration for the prestigious national Presidential Award. “I am really honored. I know there are a lot of great teachers in Virginia,”

PHOTO BY LAURA MCFARLAND

Pocahontas Elementary School teacher Barbara Adcock has been named as a state finalist in the 2014 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching Program. Shown in the school’s outdoor classroom, Adcock said she likes bringing the children there because the environment fosters learning.

PHOTO BY LAURA MCFARLAND

Adcock of Powhatan said. “When any one of us is honored like that, it is really an accomplishment of all your teammates and ev-

Inside A5 Juvenile, adult arrested in string of break-ins

erybody that works with the award, which recogyou as well.” nizes educators who deAdcock was one of velop and implement highthree science teachers see TEACHER page 7A named as state finalists for

Sports B1 Powhatan High and Blessed Sacrament gear up for another season on the gridiron

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he chronicling of Powhatan County veterans’ stories will continue in October with the return of the Witness to War Foundation. The national program that records the memories of men and women who served in the U.S. Armed Forces to preserve them in the Library of Congress is slated to come back to continue the process, although it will expand its scope, Karen Ylimaki, co-coordinator of the program, said. The program came to Powhatan on July 16 and July 17 to record the stories of World War II veterans, she said. It will return from Oct. 14 to 18 to meet with any local World War II veterans it missed who want to participate as well as expanding to include local Korean and Vietnam War veterans, she said. “The first one was super. You couldn’t have asked for a better time with the veterans themselves, the family members who brought them in, any other visitors we had, and those who see VETERANS page 2A

Index Calendar A9 Classified B8-9 Crime Report A8 Crossword A9 Horoscope A9 Obituaries A9 Opinion A8 TV Listings B6-7


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08/20/2014 by Powhatan Today - Issuu