Inside A3 Indianettes named Grand Champions
Powhatan, Virginia B1 Indians built around family
Vol. XXXV No.. 32
February 9, 2022
Family donates $3 million+ to private school By Laura McFarland Managing Editor
POWHATAN – Blessed Sacrament Huguenot School is preparing for some big changes throughout 2022 thanks to more than $3 million donated by the Brower family for major improvements in facilities, curriculum and staff retention efforts. Retired Army Col. Keith Brower and his wife Kathleen already had a huge impact on the school in 2019 and 2020, when $2 million they donated in honor of their late granddaughter, Arabella Stuart Brower, who was once a Blessed Sacrament student, was used for infrastructure and technology upgrades as well as building a new playground in her memory. This time around, monies donated by the couple will significantly impact the entire school as it will fund major renovations to several buildings, updates to every classroom and the creation of a new creative arts center for the upper school students. Construction on all of
those projects will take place over this summer, said Paula Ledbetter, head of school. The Browers recently donated $3 million outright, are pledging another $500,000 as part of a capital campaign starting later this year, and are continuing their three-year annual fund match of up to $150,000 each year, which started in 2019 and will continue another three years. This is on top of the scholarships the couple continues to fund annually. The donations will advance the academic offerings for students by getting several teachers certified to teach dual enrollment courses and fund the creation of a new STEAM (science, technology, engineering, agriculture and math) lab, she said. On top of that, the funds will go to investing in staff through guaranteed raises for the next three years. “It is truly unbelievable and every time we talk about it or have meetings it sinks in more and more that this is a reality that is going to happen. It is something that was a dream for so far down the road, and for it to be happening now
PHOTO COURTESY OF BLESSED SACRAMENT HUGUENOT
Blessed Sacrament Huguenot head of school Paula Ledbetter, from left, discusses upcoming renovation and expansion plans with Sue Hickey, director of development, and Kathleen and Keith Brower, the couple whose donation made the changes possible.
it is unbelievable. We are incredibly blessed,” Ledbetter said.
On Jan. 26 at a meeting for more than see BSH, pg. 8
Seniors feel the love in drive-thru PCPS ceases PHOTO BY LAURA McFARLAND
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Volunteers Anna Stone, from left, Arlene Booker and Lynne LaPierre load special bags in the vehicle of Frances and Richard Hillard as part of the Community Matters Conference Call Drive-Thru held on Feb. 2.
By Laura McFarland Managing Editor
POWHATAN – Several Powhatan seniors recently got an early Valentine’s Day treat on the go with a bag of goodies filled by local groups and handed out in a special drive-thru. The Community Matters Conference Call Drive-Thru held on Feb. 2 at the Powhatan Rescue Squad saw seniors stopping by to pick up bags filled with food, activities, informational materials and sweet messages from local groups. Several seniors who could not make the drive-thru had the bags delivered to them at home. Community Matters is a weekly group that started meeting in 2020 to provide seniors with a way to stay engaged, continue learning, connect with peers and make new friends, said Jayne Lloyd, pro-
gram coordinator. The group was meeting every Wednesday at the Rescue Squad building, but when COVID-19 cases started rising, Lloyd decided to suspend meeting in person in January and February to minimize risk and evaluate the situation after that. But knowing how important connections are to seniors’ mental, emotional and physical well-being, Lloyd set up weekly phone calls at 11 a.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays that have been a surprising success. The calls have not only opened the group to local seniors who weren’t comfortable or able to meet in person but also speakers who wouldn’t normally be able to travel and meet with them. “Many have missed the meeting in person. However, what we have experienced is that we are connecting on the see SENIORS, pg. 6
contact tracing of COVID cases Staff Report Powhatan County Public Schools made the move last week to immediately end contact tracing as part of its COVID-19 mitigation efforts. In an email sent out to families and staff on Feb. 3, Dr. Eric Jones, superintendent, explained the school division would make the move after information released by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) found that in most circumstances as the current variant, Omicron, “is now the most common COVID-19 variant and is spreading so quickly, it is not possible or fruitful to track every case.” Instead, the VDH is shifting its focus to following up on outbreaks and cases in highrisk settings, as well as promoting disease prevention and health mitigation strategies. “Contact tracing has placed a significant strain on our building administrators, nurses, teachers, and others who have worked tirelessly over the past 23 months, often seven days a week, to meet these demands while also working to ensure our students receive quality instruction,” Jones wrote in the email. “These efforts are no longer sustainable, and we agree with the VDH’s assessment in this regard.” The school division also recognized that the related quarantining of close contacts has placed a significant burden on Powhatan students and their families, Jones wrote. “Many students have been quaransee CONTACT, pg. 4
Lewis celebrates 80th birthday with clippers in hand By Laura McFarland Managing Editor
POWHATAN – “I was telling the preacher this morning I never thought at 80 years old I would be up here cutting hair. If God had come down and told me years ago that on your 80th birthday you will be cutting hair, I would have said, ‘Lord I think you’re wrong on this one,’ ” Bruce Lewis said with a chuckle. After his greeting, those are some of the first words out of Lewis’ mouth on Feb 1 – his 80th birthday – when he agreed to share some of his story with the Powhatan
Today. At the time, he was busy giving a haircut to a first-time customer, but with the man’s approval, Lewis worked away as he talked about his life, his family, returning to his roots as a barber and why he is still happily cutting hair at his small shop in the Village. Lewis was bemused by the attention. It was his granddaughter’s idea to share his story, but even though he said he didn’t see what the big deal was, he went along with it. PHOTO BY LAURA McFARLAND Next month, Lewis will Powhatan barber Bruce Lewis cuts first-time customer David have run his one-man operasee LEWIS, pg. 5
Throckmorton’s hair at Lewis Barber Shop on Feb. 1, which was also Lewis’ 80th birthday.