see FORUM

Powhatan Food Pantry collects Th anksgiving meal donations Company 4 holds Open House to meet community members

Contributed Report

The Powhatan Food Pantry is once again holding its Thanksgiving Complete Meal food drive.

The drive, which will accept donations through Nov. 30, is meant to make sure every family has a nourishing meal for the holiday. The food pantry, located at 2500 Batterson Road, will be the point of collection and distribution. Items may be dropped off from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

The food pantry was open 13 days in September, and served 92 households consisting of 65 adults, 32 children, and 75 seniors for a total of 172 people. The food pantry has started buying turkeys for the Thanksgiving Complete Meal bags. It has 20 and needs 80 more turkeys.

The project is totally dependent on the community. The food pantry serves about 350 people each month. The need is great.

To ensure that every family gets the same identical meal packages, the food pantry asks that people include all of the items in double bags (for strength). Mark each bag “Complete” so volunteers know that every item is in the bag.

If people can only give a few items and are bringing a bag that is not complete, leave it unmarked.

Donations of a $10 Food Lion gift card would also be appreciated. People are asked to add one to their bag, if possible. Clients will be able to purchase meat or other necessary items for their meal.

Checks may be made out to: Coalition of Powhatan Churches and sent to the treasurer, Theresa Fields at 1520 Swiftwood Drive, Powhatan, VA 23139.

To be marked complete, a bag must contain: one 40-ounce can of yams or sweet potatoes; one 13-ounce box of mashed potatoes; one 16-ounce can of cranberry sauce; two 15-ounce cans of corn; two 15-ounce cans of green vegetables; two 10-ounce cans of gravy; two 6-ounce packages of stuffi ng mix; one box of hot chocolate; one small box or jar of ice tea/bags, and one complete family dessert item.

For more information, call the pantry at 804-372-9526. Email copcpow@outlook.com.

CALENDAR

Continued from pg. 4 the donations, making sure items are clean, and selling the items in the tack shop, which has many saddles, bridles, blankets, and just about anything for the horse. The group is willing to pay someone to manage this. Call Karen at 804-318-6485.

The Powhatan Food Pantry is currently seeking volunteer drivers who can pick up food from local grocery stores on Saturday mornings and transport them to the nonprofit at 2500 Batterson

Road. Contact the pantry at 804-372-9526 or powhatanvafoodpantry@gmail.com.

In honor of its 10th anniversary year, Backpacks of Love is holding its 2021 Peanut Butter Drive.

The community is asked donate peanut butter to help kids during their breaks from school. The goal is to collect 2,021 jars of peanut butter (16 ounces) by Dec. 10, 2021. People can order at the Amazon link and have them shipped directly to Backpacks of Love or drop them off at the pantry. Visit https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ ls/2FQYFYIV4J5S?ref_=wl_share.

Volunteer mental health professionals are needed to staff the expanded behavioral health programs offered by the Free Clinic of Powhatan.

Psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners and counselors are needed for adult patients at the Clinic at 2320 Skaggs Road as well as with students on-site at Powhatan Middle and

High schools. Times are flexible and can change based on provider availability. Contact Betsy

Blandford, volunteer coordinator, at bblandford@ freeclinicofpowhatan.org or 804-380-1270.

The Free Clinic of Powhatan serves patients at its location at 2320 Skaggs Road. Services at the Free Clinic include medical, dental, dietary, counseling, and women’s health.

Patient appointments are by appointment only.

Registration for new patients is Monday from 5 to 8 p.m. by appointment and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays by walk-in. Administration hours are from 2 to 8 p.m. on Mondays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesday, and Thursdays, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Fridays. Medical appointments are from 2 to 8 p.m. on Mondays and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursdays. Dental appointments are from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Mondays, noon to 8 p.m. on Thursdays, and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Fridays.

Behavior health appointment hours are from 2 to 8 p.m. on Mondays, 2 to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursdays. Contact 804598-5637.

The Friends of Powhatan County Public Library’s

Bookshop is open during library hours and accepting donations again. The bookshop accepts books, movies, audiobooks, CDs, and magazines. Materials can be given to a library staff member or placed in the book shop corner (tuck them by the file cabinet in the back), which is at the end of the passageway once you come in the front door. Proceeds from the book sale are used for additional library programming.

The Powhatan County Cooperative Extension

Master Gardener Help Desk is here for yet another growing season. Although office hours are reduced because of COVID-19 restrictions, the Help Desk is still ready and available. Email questions and detailed photos of your stricken plants to gpmastergardener@gmail.com and volunteers will try and find a solution for you.

You can also directly call the Powhatan County

Extension at 804-598-5640 and leave a message.

The Help Desk will be in touch. If a real-life diagnosis or determination is needed, large plant samples including root, stem and leaves can be dropped off at the Powhatan County Extension’s office after consulting with Master Gardener volunteer. If you have plants/shrubs/trees needing identification in your yard, or are new to the

Powhatan or Goochland area, we also offer free one to two-hour site visits.

Available now Emergency Housing relief funds to assist with rent, mortgage or other housing concerns. Powhatan Community Action Agency has received funding for housing relief for families in Powhatan County who have been affected by

COVID-19. Contact Renee Van Natter at valerie. vannatter@dss.virginia.gov or via cell at 804 8145332.

Habitat for Humanity-Powhatan is looking for donations of gently used appliances such as refrigerators, clothes washers and dryers, and stoves; cabinets, and furniture such as dining room and bedroom sets (no mattresses). Call for a pick up at 804-594-7009.

The Free Clinic of Powhatan is looking for volunteers to provide front desk assistance on days with and without patients. No special skills needed, just a friendly face and a willingness to help. Front desk volunteers are needed from 8:30 see CALENDAR, pg. 7 CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

Powhatan Volunteer Fire Department Company 4 (Fine Creek) held an Open House on Oct. 31 to let the community get to know the station better. Members greeted many families with candy for the children and offered hands-on tours of the fire engine, tanker and brush truck.

FORUM

Continued from pg. 1 held Nov. 4 at Independence Golf Course in Powhatan, and brought together representatives from around the region. In addition to RRTPO, representatives from PlanRVA and Central Virginia Transportation Authority (CVTA) were invited to share what the organizations have accomplished so far, current initiatives and what the future may hold.

The nine localities that make up the region are Powhatan, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, Chesterfi eld, Charles City and New Kent counties, as well as the Town of Ashland and the City of Richmond.

RRTPO chair and Powhatan supervisor David Williams said he hoped the forum would help spread the word about how these three organizations, which have many overlapping members, are excited about what is going on in transportation in the region and how they are working together to plan and fund transportation projects that previously weren’t possible.

“Having the forum was well worthwhile because it is discussing where we need to go. This is not something that gets put up on the shelf; it is a dynamic process that is going on right now where we are evolving. From that standpoint it is still good to be discussing this. We are gaining a better understanding every meeting,” Williams said.

He said the importance of acting like a region and how that benefi ts everyone involved was well articulated during one of the panels by Carlos Brown, senior vice president, general counsel and chief compliance offi cer for Dominion Energy and Richmond District representative for the Commonwealth Transportation Board.

“It is a growing process. It doesn’t happen overnight. But (Brown) got into that,” Williams said, “and then he got into reiterating the need we had to create the authority to facilitate the regional benefi t of acting and performing like a region and being able to attract the economic development, the things we want as a region, which is a benefi t to everybody.”

The forum also shined a spotlight on how the CVTA funds are benefi ting the nine localities in Planning District 15, both for their individual goals and the regional projects that have a collaborative benefi t, he said. Moving forward, having CVTA funds should give the region a competitive advantage when it is going up against other localities with more resources for funding such as SMART Scale.

The monies in the Central Virginia Transportation Fund come from two tax levies – an additional 0.7% on sales and use taxes and 2.1% on the wholesale gas tax. Each participating locality receives 50% of the funds collected within its borders to be used to fund local transportation projects. Another 35% will be disbursed by the 16-member CVTA governing board and the remaining 15% goes to the Greater Richmond Transit Company.

One of three panel discussions held at the forum focused on the fi rst project the CVTA governing board will focus on with its funding, the Fall Line Trail system, said Chet Parsons, director of transportation for PlanRVA. The Fall Line trail courses through seven localities – Ashland, Hanover, Henrico, Richmond, Chesterfi eld, Colonial Heights and Petersburg – and fi ve of those are within the planning district.

“It is an urban corridor. It is a rural corridor. It kind of hits all of those marks,” Parsons said. Named for its unique geography along the trail corridor, the Fall Line denotes the area where the Piedmont plateau and Atlantic Coastal Plain meet, resulting in a number of rapids and waterfalls. The Fall Line trail came together as an opportunity to “connect the dots” of active transportation networks taking shape in the greater Richmond region. Several sections of the trail already existed or were planned in localities’ comprehensive and special area plans. A natural corridor for a long-distance trail began to emerge that would provide opportunities for active transportation, recreation and economic development.

Williams pointed out that since the trail only goes through fi ve of the planning district’s nine localities, the remaining four, including Powhatan, will receive additional consideration for CVTA funding for projects they propose.

“So that is a huge boon for Powhatan County,” he said.

The forum was rounded out by looking to the future. The RRTPO fi nished the most recent update to its long-range transportation plan in October, Parsons said. Building on the adoption of that plan, the organizations want to think about a concept called scenario planning, which involves considering future infl uences that might impact decision making in the region.

“When I say future infl uences, I am thinking about things like housing choices, density of development, where employers locate, environmental issues like sea level rise or other climate change, or land use,” Parsons said. “All of those things actually impact each other and scenario planning is a tool. It is a computer model and format to test how all those things could impact each other and then change the way decisions are made.”

Laura McFarland may be reached at Lmcfarland@powhatantoday.com.

November 10, 2021

How do you honor veterans on Veterans Day? E-mail answers to editor@powhatantoday.com or share them on the Powhatan Today’s Facebook page.

Page 7A

High voter turnout should be just the start

By Laura McFarland

Managing Editor

Talk about rocking the vote! Congratulations Powhatan County on a 71.43% voter turnout in the 2021 General Election.

When I started visiting polling precincts on Election Day 2021, the surprising turnout was the fi rst thing every election offi cial mentioned. They couldn’t exactly compare the turnout to what the county sees in an election year – the 2020 election was about 85% – but to so thoroughly blow the last gubernatorial election turnout out of the water (55% in 2017) was amazing.

And that is exactly the attitude I witnessed among poll workers – one of positive delight at this exceptional show of enthusiasm for one of our greatest rights as citizens to choose the men and women who will lead us. Even the polling offi cials who knew they had an even longer day ahead of them than usual because of the need to hand count nonscannable ballots (see full story on Page 3A) were still excited to see so many people wanting to make their voices heard.

They may have had their own wishes about seeing what the actual results of the different races would be, but the men and women I spoke with made it clear that the greatest value of each vote was that it was cast in the fi rst place.

The attitudes I witnessed among voters represented a little more of a grab bag of emotions. In my observations and conversations on Nov. 2, I noted there were some people who were obviously bubbly and excited about voting, some who were stoic and focused, and some who were anxious and watchful.

There was a combination of relief to have the actual process of voting done and recognition of the hours-long wait to learn the results of those very races. There was trust of the voting process, mistrust of it and some who seemed halfway in between.

The sheer volume of voter turnout in this election shows how important it was to so many people either wanting to see a change in direction in the state or hoping to keep it on its current course. Regardless of where you fell in that scenario, I have a small question for you: What comes next?

While there is no denying that the results of this election will have farreaching impacts on Virginia in the next four years, the 103 people elected to a state offi ce – governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and 100 delegates – and the many other men and women who won victories in local elections are not the “fi nal answer” to all the problems or challenges we as Virginians are facing. Yes, they will have a major infl uence on how these problems and challenges are approached and dealt with; the whole point of elections is that they do have an impact on our nation, our state and our local communities.

But while the extreme political polarization we have been experiencing for the last few years might be good for voter turnout, it is also extremely divisive and doesn’t generally make for good governance. We can’t as a country or as a state keep adopting the attitude of “when our people are in charge everything will be better.”

“We the People” have to stay involved between the elections and the campaigns at all levels of government regardless of who is in charge. Because the truth is, regardless of who is in charge, we all still live here and are impacted by how this country operates. We have to keep talking to our elected representatives and, more importantly, talking to each other.

At one point in this election process, I literally had a conversation with someone who was worried about making clear their political allegiance for fear their house might get burned down. This is obviously an extreme view, but the fact that the thought even crossed this person’s mind is extremely troubling to me and not, I hope, what the people of this county really want their neighbors to be feeling, even if they have different viewpoints.

Laura McFarland may be reached at Lmcfarland@powhatantoday.com.

By Jim Ridolphi

Contributing Columnist

It was a passing comment ignored by most listeners as a team of sports announcers prepped for the opening game of this year’s American League playoff series.

“Ernie Johnson has the night off,” one mentioned. No one replied.

That seemingly insignifi cant comment immediately grabbed my attention, and I felt a cold chill in my spine. I had no reason to believe that Johnson’s absence was somehow associated with his son, but something in my gut told me that it was.

I’m sure most of you have never heard of Ernie Johnson, but for sports afi cionados nationwide, Johnson is a gem of a play-byplay guy, known for his vast knowledge of basketball and baseball. He’s an award-winning announcer who has a style that appeals to almost everyone, a nonthreatening everyman’s approach to the games and players he covers.

While I am not an NBA fan, and baseball appeals to me only at this time of year, I am an Ernie Johnson fan. A set of circumstances placed Johnson and I in similar situations, kindred spirits of a sort.

Several years ago, I learned of Ernie’s dedication to his son Michael, a child with disabilities he and his wife adopted from Romania. The Johnsons have six chidden, two of their own and four adopted.

Michael suffered from a number of medical issues, the most signifi cant being Muscular Dystrophy, a rare and degenerative muscle disease that affects mostly young males.

I followed the plight of Ernie and Michael as the disease progressed. It became more diffi cult to expose Michael to the things he loved like car shows, but Ernie persisted performing each tedious task with a smile. The amount of joy Ernie derived from just caring for his son was inspirational.

The story became even more important when I learned of my son’s diagnosis, and I immediately knew that Ernie and Michael’s story also belonged to my son Jack and I. I must admit seeing the immense responsibility that lay ahead for our family was somewhat frightening but also inspiring.

In many ways Michael’s accomplishments became part of our journey, and Ernie’s dedication to his son became a personal inspiration for me. If a template could be provided for how to care for a child with MD, there was no better model than Ernie.

Last month, Michael lost his battle with MD at age 33. That may seem young to most people, but to kids with Duchennes, it’s more than a lifetime. Ernie’s care and Michael’s tenacious spirit offered hope to all of us affected by this terrible and cruel disease, and his zest for life leaves a lasting legacy for a community that depends on inspiration and hope to meet the next challenge.

That doesn’t lessen the sorrow and pain now being experienced by the Johnson family, and I know Ernie is hurting. It’s way too soon for them to celebrate or recognize the enormous contribution Michael made to the MD community.

Michael’s refusal to give up and the love and support of Ernie and his family leaves a lasting impression on those who know all too well the challenges they endured. It’s a legacy that provides hope for a better future, one where kids will not suffer and die from a killer that has no conscience.

On a more personal note, I’d like to acknowledge Ernie and Michael for what they have provided to Jack and my family. Their example taught us important lessons that allow us to carry on. They showed us how not wallowing in despair is a far more effective approach to these challenges and living with hope beats the heck out of living in fear.

We all mourn the death of Michael Johnson and will never forget his contributions made in his limited time on earth. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ernie and the Johnson family as they grieve the loss of their son and sibling.

And we’ll never forget a kid from Romania who packed in a lot of life in 33 years.

Short life produced a LETTERS TO THE EDITOR strong lasting message What labels are ruling our lives Dear Editor,

The greatest majority of Virginians and Americans everywhere are peaceful, law-abiding people who care about this country. Virginia is the cradle of democracy, but it has been under assault in recent years. Citizens want to be able to raise their children to be properly educated for their life ahead. They want a good job or an opportunity to start or carry on a business to feed, clothe and shelter their family. Freedom of speech and the right to worship as they so choose are essential. Safety is paramount and they want criminals to be where they belong – behind bars, not roaming the streets of our cities. Our constitutional rights must be preserved. Unfortunately, politicians have sought to divide us. Pitting one group of people against another is a tactic designed to win elections. They have used our children as pawns in this quest. Vast expansion of social programs is draining our workforce of productive individuals. It is further condemning these people to generations of living off the fruits of the labor of others. All the while, people are frustrated and angry because they fi nd it hard to break away from this system. The biggest dividing and everexpanding term is “people of color.” Politicians, aided by the media, want to convince these people that they are being abused by other groups and should vote for them as their saviors. What is wrong with labelling someone as a Virginian or an American, rather than by the color of their skin or some fi ctitious theory dreamed up by 1960s and 1970s radicals? That would tear a page out of the playbook of how to win elections. My fellow Virginians and Americans, let’s get tearing this page up into little shreds, appreciate people for who they are and what they have done to be productive members of society, not their physical appearance.

Richard F. O’Hare Powhatan County

a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday. Patient registration volunteers are needed from 5 to 8 p.m. on Mondays and from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays. Volunteers can work as little as once a month or more frequently if desired. Consider joining the dedicated group of volunteers who are working to keep Powhatan residents healthy in mind, body and spirit. Contact Betsy Blandford, volunteer coordinator, at 804-380-1270. Ride Assist Services is accepting rider registrations from Powhatan county seniors, age 60+, and unable to drive. Call 804-698-0438 or email RAServices.PVA@ gmail.com to be registered as a rider in the program. Registered riders are able to request transportation by volunteer drivers for medical, dental appointments and personal business such as grocery, pharmacy, local agencies. Ride Assist Services is accepting

CALENDAR applications from those interested in making a positive impact in our Continued from pg. 6 community! Join our amazing team of volunteer drivers, and provide rides when you’re able - for Powhatan County seniors age 60+ who are unable to drive but want to remain in their homes. Call Transportation Coordinator at 804-6980438 or email RAServices.PVA@gmail. com to sign up or to learn more about the program. The Coalition of Powhatan Churches has available resources to help people who would like assistance in learning to manage their finances. If you know of anyone who needs or would like to have this service, or to get more information, call Robin Cupka at 804-801-9851. Habitat For Humanity - Powhatan needs appliance and furniture donations for the Habitat Store. Email hfh.powhatan@gmail. com or call 804-594-7009. Habitat does pick-ups for a $20 donation to the Critical Repair program.

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Publisher Joy Monopoli jmonopoli@rsnva.com

Managing Editor Laura McFarland lmcfarland@powhatantoday.com

Sports Editor Dave Lawrence dlawrence@mechlocal.com

WE WANT TO PUBLISH YOUR ISSUE-DRIVEN LETTERS

Powhatan Today welcomes your Letters to the Editor on topics of concern to you and the community. Letters, which should be no longer than 400 words, must include the name, address and telephone number of the author. Th e deadline is noon the Th ursday before publication, but letters may be held until the following week upon the editor’s discretion. Th e publisher or editor of Powhatan Today reserves the right to edit or withhold from publication any letter for any reason whatsoever. Once received, all letters become the possession of Powhatan Today. Letters refl ect the opinion of the author, not necessarily that of Powhatan Today or its staff . Powhatan Today is published weekly on Wednesday with offices located at 8460 Times Dispatch Blvd., Mechanicsville, Va 23116. Periodical Postage paid at Powhatan, Va. 23139. USPS # 000-035 © 2021 by Richmond Suburban Newspapers. All advertising and editorial matter is fully protected and may not be reproduced in any manner without the permission of the publisher. CAC Audited Circulation: 11,026.