Inside A8 PHS students visit VMFA
Powhatan, Virginia B1 Girls, boys basketball preps for new season
Vol. XXXV No.. 22
December 1, 2021
Local churches share holiday meals PHOTOS BY LAURA McFARLAND
Passion Community Church
Unity Community Church, Passion Community Church and Graceland Baptist Church all held free community Thanksgiving events that served people holiday lunches that they could take out or sit down onsite and share together. See more photos on Page 5.
Unity Community Church
By Laura McFarland Managing Editor
POWHATAN – After Anita French spooned a helping of mashed potatoes onto a stranger’s Thanksgiving plate, she looked up and smiled at the man across the table and asked if she could get him something else. He declined, thanked her and walked on, and a child stepped up be-
Graceland Baptist Church
hind him, met once again with French’s big smile. Most years in the past, French wouldn’t have been there at Passion Community Church on Thanksgiving Day. She would have been at home, hosting a holiday meal with about 40 people over to celebrate. But with the loss of her husband about 14 months ago and the family holding the big meal on a different day, French said
she wanted to do something different this year by serving at her church’s annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner. “I wanted to be around people so that I could just go through my grief process and be able to serve them. So I have people around me for today,” she said on Thanksgiving Day. Different reasons drew people out see THANKSGIVING, pg. 4
Supervisors split on new park slated for Village By Laura McFarland Managing Editor
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POWHATAN – A proposal
for a new park in the heart of the Courthouse Village was back in front of the Powhatan County Board of Supervisors last week in a tense discussion that ended with it being approved in a split vote. During the board’s meeting on Monday, Nov. 22, members reexamined an issue that seemed to be put to rest almost two months earlier when members considered a proposal for a small park near the corners of Marion Harland Lane and Old Buckingham Road. But the arrival of newly-elected board member Steve McClung, who represents District 2, revived the issue after he had proposed the park be placed on the board’s agenda again. He said he was motivated by feedback he received from constituents during his campaign in support of the
PHOTO COURTESY OF NORBERT “NOBBY” HICKS
A group of 27 seniors traveled to The Center at Belvedere on Nov. 16 to get brainstorming ideas for a local senior center.
Residents explore possibilities Road trip offers ideas for local senior center By Laura McFarland
see PARK, pg. 3
POWHATAN – A motivated group of residents recently hit the road in search of ideas for resources that could improve the lives of Powhatan seniors. On Nov. 16, a group of 27 seniors took a road trip to The Center at Belvedere, a se-
Managing Editor
see SENIOR CENTER, pg. 7
Free Clinic patients receive preventative screenings Contributed Report
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Larry Denson and Leslie Cave, co-owners of Virginia Cardiovascular Imaging, provided free prevention screenings to Free Clinic patients.
Virginia Cardiovascular Imaging, a locally-owned imaging firm, recently provided free stroke and heart attack prevention screenings at the Free Clinic of Powhatan. Twelve current patients signed up to have five lifesaving screenings performed – an echocardiogram, ankle brachial index, carotid ultrasound, arterial doppler and EKG. On Saturday, Nov. 6, co-owners Leslie Cave, CMA, and Larry Denson, CVT, along with Melissa Restrepro, cardiac sonography student, brought all the equipment and supplies to provide this important preventative health care to Free Clinic patients. “Luckily, none of the patients showed any severe health risks,” said Eva Ogunde, the clinic’s medical case manager. “However, two of our patients had arterial blockages that will require closer monitoring and see FREE CLINIC, pg. 3