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February 28, 2018 | Page 1
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Suffolk News-Herald | Strides 2018
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Table of contents Page 4 | February 28, 2018
Suffolk News-Herald | Strides 2018
You learned your ABC’s before you were even in school. But do you know the ABC’s of Suffolk? In this special edition, you’ll be introduced to one special part of Suffolk for each letter of the alphabet, from Art League to Zoom. From history to high-tech, we’re sure you’ll find something in this edition that you love, someplace you’ve been, somebody you’ve met, something you’ve done or somewhere you want to go. When you go from A to Z, you can’t miss anything. So sit back, relax and enjoy the read. And if you find yourself with the alphabet song stuck in your head, try reading the section again. We’re sure that will help.
Main Street .....pg 22
Underdog .....pg 33
NRPA .....pg 24
Visitor Center .....pg 34
Art League .....pg 5
Great Dismal .....pg 14
Organs .....pg 25
Water .....pg 38
Bowser .....pg 6
Horton .....pg 15
Phillips-Dawson House.....pg 26
X marks the spot.....pg 39
Cheer Fund .....pg 8
Italy .....pg 17
Quiver .....pg 28
Youth Athletics....pg 40
Damiani .....pg 9
Jalopies .....pg 18
Recording .....pg 29
Zoom in .....pg 41
Entertainment .....pg 11
Karate .....pg 20
Seaboard Trail.....pg 30
Fred Cherry .....pg 12
Lone Star Lakes.....pg 21
Tour de Cure .....pg 31
Answers for “Zoom,” page 41: 1. The cow on top of Bennett’s Creek Farm Market 2. The ballet slipper on a statue of a dancer at Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts 3. The monocle on Mr. Peanut at Character Corner 4. The explorer statue in front of the Riverfront neighborhood 5. A tube of paint on a statue at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts 6. The clock in front of TowneBank in Harbour View
Strides 2018 | Suffolk News-Herald
February 28, 2018 | Page 5
rt League
Crossing boundaries with art
BY TRACY AGNEW EDITOR
The Suffolk Art League has been promoting art in the community for 42 years, and it has been making a special effort to ensure it reaches everyone in the community the past few years. For the first 10 years of the art league’s existence, it was housed at Riddick’s Folly, in people’s kitchens and in various other places along the way, longtime Executive Director Linda Bunch said. It’s now housed at the Suffolk Art Gallery, located at 118 Bosley Ave. near the downtown area. But even though it is based there, the art league lately has been taking great strides in making sure it reaches everyone in the city. “We are trying to reach out into the community more,” Bunch said. “We are the Suffolk Art League, and Suffolk is much bigger than downtown.” The art league has started taking its programs and workshops out into the community, rather than having them all at the gallery. “We are trying to find ways to bring our programs further into the community rather than being so centralized here at the gallery, while still having
a full schedule here at the gallery,” Bunch said. Education Coordinator Beth Netts said the league held about 75 to 80 classes last year. The biggest area of focus is North Suffolk, where the league is seeking partnerships to help bring their programs to more people. It has worked with the library, senior living communities and others to make its presence known. “North Suffolk is really having a growth spurt,” said John Pruitt, president of the league’s board of directors. “I have a feeling we’ve seen only the start. Every time I go up there, there are new businesses and plenty of See ART LEAGUE page 7
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JEN JAQUA/SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD
Beth Netts and Linda Bunch of the Suffolk Art League organize artwork entered in the Exhibition of Excellence in February.
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owser
Suffolk News-Herald | Strides 2018
An influential legacy BY KELLIE LAGOY STAFF WRITER
Bowser
Not only did Florence B. Bowser spend her life as an educator, but she also spent a good part of her life growing education in Suffolk. Bowser spent her childhood in Norfolk, and she was educated in the Norfolk Public School system before leaving for the Virginia Industrial and Collegiate Institute. She graduated in 1892. Her teaching career started close to Suffolk, in the counties of Princess Anne and Isle of Wight, but later in her career she trans-
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ferred to Nansemond County, in the Sleepy Hole District. While teaching in Nansemond County, Bowser did what she could to make the county better. She founded the Sleepy Hole District Improvement league, where she worked for a consolidated school. Even after Bowser transferred to Driver to teach, she continued to work and raise money to improve school conditions. The money was raised through bake sales and donations of funding as well as land. Bower’s dedication and love for the community can be described
as altruism, and that is a value she left for her children, grandchildren and even her great-grandchildren. “I hope that I embody just a small amount of Mrs. Bowser’s attributes: faith, family values, altruism and a zeal for the concept of education for all,” said Karyn Childs, one of Bowser’s greatgranddaughters. Bowser’s love and passion for the education system was the reason for her name to be put on more than one school building. The Rosenwald School at Shoulders Hill, the school built See BOWSER page 7
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ART LEAGUE continued from page 5
BOWSER continued from page 6
new houses.” The art league works hard to ensure there are programs that are accessible to everyone, regardless of where they live, their
socioeconomic status, their age or their artistic ability. “We have something that everyone can afford, and we hope everyone finds something of interest,” Bunch said. “You don’t have to be on some level to come to us,” Pruitt added. The league also pays special attention to promoting the literary arts as well as the visual artistic pursuits. It hosts a
quarterly event called Poetry, Prose and Pizza, where authors can read their own short work or excerpts of others’ work. The league also has been involved in Tidewater Reads. Netts said the league can help connect artists with those seeking event speakers or commissioned work. The league also manages student scholarships to help youngsters in grades 6 through 12 pursue their artistic passion in the visual, literary, musical or performing arts.
through donations she helped raise, was renamed the Florence Graded School in her honor. Florence Bowser Elementary School is her other namesake school, and the school is currently being rebuilt. Her legacy is important “because of the early work she, rallying the community and other educators, was able to accomplish in the city of Suffolk and the entire commonwealth by helping to bring public education to new levels from the turn of the last century and for well over 100 years,” Childs said. Bowser’s legacy not only lives on through school buildings, but also through her own kin. Two of her children, Viola Bowser and Irma Bowser, followed in their mother’s footsteps. They both attended her alma mater and became elementary school teachers in Virginia. After being widowed, Bowser’s later teaching career led her to Accomack County on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. She passed away there, in Cape Charles, in April 1949.
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Suffolk News-Herald | Strides 2018
heer Fund
FILE PHOTO
Shawanee Waters and Stevie Shackmuth examine the gift selection at the Salvation Army, all purchased through the Suffolk News-Herald Cheer Fund.
Christmas Helps Everyone Engage in Rejoicing BY TRACY AGNEW EDITOR
Christmas is always a joyous time in Suffolk, and that’s partially thanks to a longstanding community tradition called the Cheer Fund. The Suffolk Cheer Fund started during the Great Depression to help provide essentials for those in need. It eventually
morphed into providing toys and teamed up with the Salvation Army to distribute those toys. The community contributes generously each year, giving donations large and small that all add up to a very large contribution toward buying toys. In 2017, the Cheer Fund collected $41,608. Suffolk News-Herald staff See CHEER FUND page 10
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February 28, 2018 | Page 9
amiani
Legend leaves legacy
FILE PHOTOS
Below, Andy Damiani interviews a political candidate on his television program. At right, he returns to the loft apartment he kept in his mall on West Washington Street.
FROM STAFF REPORTS SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD
Suffolk lost a legend, a cheerleader and a beloved storyteller in 2017. Andy Damiani died on Aug. 5 and since that time has been honored with the naming of Damiani Square, a small park at the center of his beloved downtown. Widely known as Mr. Downtown for his love of the city’s historic community, Damiani served as a member of City Council from 1970 to 1992 and as mayor from
1982 to 1986. But he never stopped campaigning for the city, even long after he had left politics. Nobody has been quite so well identified with downtown Suffolk as Damiani. “You can’t quite imagine downtown Suffolk without him,” Mayor Linda Johnson said in August. “He never, ever wanted to say no to a business coming to Suffolk. That’s how we’ll remember him; he was always promoting the city. He always continued being the cheerleader for the city.” Johnson recalled that Damiani had met with her soon after she became the mayor and that he offered her advice on what she should do. “He was never shy to tell me what he thought I needed to be doing,” she said. “But he was always kind and gentle. He gave his heart to our city. That heartbeat will be felt in our city for a long, long time.” In May, Damiani was honored by the Salvation Army of Suffolk as a life member of its advisory board. Even he couldn’t recall how See DAMIANI page 10
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Suffolk News-Herald | Strides 2018
CHEER FUND continued from page 8
provide all needed functions for the Cheer Fund, including publicity and bookkeeping, so that all donations can go toward purchasing toys. “The Cheer Fund is a way to embrace ‘Christmas Helps Everyone Engage in Rejoicing’ by giving back at Christmas time and helping others engage in charitable acts of kindness that lead to much rejoicing by the gift giver and receiver,” said Cheer Fund “head elf” Margie Wiley. “Thank you, Suffolk, for the love you show the children of our community each year.” Salvation Army Capt. Shauntrice Anthony said the Cheer Fund makes a tremendous impact for the Salvation Army’s Christmas program. It helped 2,470 children at Christmas 2017, she said. “We wouldn’t be able to run our Christmas program
DAMIANI continued from page 9
successfully without the funds from the Cheer Fund,” she said. “Without the funds from the Cheer Fund, I really don’t’ know how we would have been able to provide all the gifts that we did. I don’t think we would have been able to give as much as we were able to this year.” Parents and guardians who qualify for assistance are able to choose three gifts per child from a selection purchased with Cheer Fund money. This year, the parents also
received gift-filled stockings for each child, stuffed animals for their younger children, dolls for their daughters, a board game for each family and wrapping paper to keep it all secret until Christmas. “We are very grateful for the time and effort the committee puts in and the support from the Suffolk NewsHerald,” Anthony said. Donations for the Cheer Fund are accepted yearround. To give, write a check payable to the Cheer Fund and mail it to P.O. Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439, or stop by our office at 130 S. Saratoga St. Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Online giving is also available. Visit Suffolk Cheer Fund on Facebook to find a PayPal link.
long he’d been a member of that board — records from the organization showed it had been longer than 30 years — but his work with the Salvation Army had been vital to its success in Suffolk. Damiani recalled giving the Salvation Army a rent-free space he owned at 109 Pinner St. for its thrift store many decades ago. Capt. Shauntrice Anthony recalled that when she and her husband, Johnny, arrived in Suffolk two years ago, Damiani was one of the first people to welcome them to town. “When we first got here, one of the first things I was told was, ‘If you know anybody, you need to know Mr. Damiani,’” Anthony said during the ceremony to honor him. There’s a good chance that Damiani’s original connection to the Salvation Army is revealed in one of the thousands of newspaper clippings he kept through the years. He kept the collection in a series of metal filing cabinets and boxes in his loft apartment and office on West Washington Street, where he moved several years after his wife, Mary, died. In 2015, he donated the collection, along with other memorabilia, to the Historical Society of Virginia in Richmond.
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ntertainment The center of it all
BY ALEX PERRY STAFF WRITER
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Performers act out Disney’s “Shrek the Musical” at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts.
Some Suffolk residents see it as an entertainment venue. Others wander its halls with fond memories of the classrooms where their futures were shaped. The Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts is both a hub of activity for artists and patrons throughout Hampton Roads and a monument to the tireless transformation that made it such a popular attraction. The center began after Suffolk High School’s end. The historic high school closed its doors in 1990 after 68 years of academics and crowdroaring athletics. It then fell into disrepair as squirrels, pigeons and other critters added to the structural decay in the years that followed. “It was quite in disarray, and it was not a good sight for the city of Suffolk,” said Susan Lawrence, director of development for the arts center. Lawrence was a member of the 1998 task force headed by Betsy Brothers — a 1958 Suffolk High School graduate invested in its resurrection — to plan a renovation for the high school as an adaptive-reuse project, according to “The Heart of Suffolk: The Transformation of Suffolk High School into the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts.” Surveys and consultations determined that the best use for the site would be as the area’s only full-service cultural arts venue, catering to citizens and attracting major companies to the city. “A lot of major companies are that way,” said
See ENTERTAINMENT page 13
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Suffolk News-Herald | Strides 2018
red Cherry A legacy of service BY KELLIE LAGOY STAFF WRITER
Cherry
Some will remember him as a prisoner of war, but most will remember him as another country boy from Suffolk. Col. Fred V. Cherry didn’t spend his whole life in Suffolk, but he never forgot where he came from during his time in the Air Force. “He would go back anytime he could,” said Cynthia Leon, one of Cherry’s daughters. “He’s a country boy at heart. Whenever
he could he would visit his sister, Beulah Watts, because she raised him.” Cherry’s military story is known and revered worldwide. He was a prisoner of war for more than seven years during the Vietnam War until his release Feb. 12, 1973. The friendship forged in captivity with another prisoner, Porter Halyburton, was recounted in the book “Two Souls Indivisible: The Friendship that Saved Two POWs in Vietnam” by James S. Hirsch. But Cherry’s story starts before his days in the Air Force, as just a kid from a poor family dreaming about flying planes.
“They were poor sharecrop farmers, and he used to tell us how he got this desire to fly jets for the Navy,” Leon said. “When he was a child, he would dream of flying fighter planes for the military.” Cherry’s sister had high hopes for him and wanted him to become a doctor once he finished with his education at Virginia Union University, but Cherry decided to enlist in the military and become the pilot he always dreamed of being. Cherry attempted to join the Navy, but they didn’t want him flying planes. He decided to stick See FRED CHERRY page 13
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Executive Director Jackie Cherry, who was also part of the task force. “They look for opportunities not only for staff but their families. They’re looking for good schools, good culture, places, parks and all sorts of things.” The roughly $20 million venture was paid for by city funding, state and federal tax credits and nearly $5 million in private donations. The ribbon was cut on Aug. 20, 2006, and the center’s first season opened with a performance by Dionne Warwick the following month. Approximately 650 artists display their work at the center each year, according to its website. About 35,000 peo-
FRED CHERRY continued from page 12
ple visit the center annually, and roughly 10,000 of these visitors are under
the age of 18. “We’re really big on education with the partnerships we have with Suffolk Public Schools and private schools,” Cherry said. Many facets of the original high school are still proudly featured. Chalkboards are found in offices, and the staircase still has deep impressions from decades of foot traffic. A historic classroom is kept as a look into the past. Alumni have even been greeted at the door on some occasions by former Suffolk High School Principal Bill Peachy, Cherry said. “They remember the fun times they had here, and they’re thrilled that it’s still here,” she said.
with his dream, enlisted in the Air Force and went through its officer training program to become a commissioned second lieutenant. Just one year later, he received his pilot’s wings. Cherry flew F-84 Thunderjets on hundreds of missions, but it was the one on Oct. 22, 1965, that would prove to change the course of his life. His plane was shot down, and he became a prisoner. “No one ever knows what it feels like to have your life to be hanging by a thread. Anyone who goes through that experience changed. The stuff that would normally have affected a human never affected him,” Leon said. “He rose above it, soared above it. He was a different type of person. The stakes were too high to worry about the little
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things.” The way Cherry handled his military experiences gave him a different attitude when he was around his children. Leon said, “He had this grandness about him, felt like you were in the presence of greatness.” After he came home, Cherry settled in Maryland, and his daughter soon moved in with him around the age of 17. She remembers him coming back to Suffolk “every other weekend.” “He was humble as he can be and never gloated about what he did. That’s what he thought he was supposed to do for his country,” Leon said. Cherry died on Feb. 16, 2016 — 43 years to the day that he came back from Vietnam and touched down on American soil.
Page 14 | February 28, 2018
Suffolk News-Herald | Strides 2018
reat Dismal
More attractive than it sounds
BY ALEX PERRY STAFF WRITER
Those seeking an escape from the rate race can drive to refuge less than 12 miles south of downtown Suffolk. The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge possesses more than 112,000 acres of forested wetlands, with the 3,100acre Lake Drummond at its center and some of the most important wildlife habitat in the mid-Atlantic region. Col. William Byrd II, an 18thcentury planter, is credited with
giving the swamp its name during his 1728 expedition to survey the border between Virginia and North Carolina, according to the 1962 book “The Great Dismal Swamp” by Hubert Davis. Davis wrote that Byrd and his party were beset by yellow flies, chiggers and ticks on top of getting lost and running out of food. Logging and further manmade destruction claimed up to 90 percent of the swampland that was once more than 1 million acres. The tide shifted when the Union Camp Corporation donated for preservation the initial 49,100
swampy acres in 1973. The Great Dismal Swamp Act of 1974 formally established the refuge to restore and maintain the natural biological diversity that existed in the swamp prior to human interference. Visitors from around the world come to the refuge for that diversity. Bird watchers flock to the refuge between April and June, when migratory birds fill the trees. More than 200 bird species have been identified in the refuge since 1974, including the popular Swainson’s warbler. “Real avid birders have a bird
list, and Swainson’s is one that’s sought after,” said Visitor Services Manager Deloras Freeman. The non-descript, olive-greenand-gold warbler tends to “sing like a ventriloquist,” making them especially difficult to spot, Freeman said. “They may be mid-story in a tree, then throw their heads
See GREAT DISMAL page 16
ALEX PERRY/SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD
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orton
February 28, 2018 | Page 15
Veterans cemetery inspires awe
KELLIE LAGOY/SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD
Albert G. Horton Jr.’s tombstone was the first erected at the cemetery.
BY KELLIE LAGOY STAFF WRITER
A few turns down Suffolk’s rural country roads leads one to crisp lines of white headstones covering green gardens. Occasionally the headstones have flowers, and sometimes even an American flag. There is a peacefulness when driving into the Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery. It’s a peacefulness that comes
from the quiet grounds and the beautiful scenery. The veterans’ cemetery is the only one in Virginia that has a name dedicated to it, and that is because of the tireless work Albert G. Horton Jr. did to make sure the area had a state cemetery. The national cemetery in Hampton was practically full except for spouses by 1997, and the next closest cemetery,
Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery, is located in Amelia, more than 100 miles away from Suffolk. “It was named after him because he spent the last couple years of his life making sure that Hampton Roads had a cemetery. He recognized a need for one in the area,” said Director of Cemeteries Dan Kemano. In April 2001, 5310 Milners Road was chosen as the new site for a state veterans cemetery, but it wasn’t until September 2003 when they held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new See HORTON page 16
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cemetery, almost a year after Horton had passed. Horton and his wife, Evelyn, were the first burials on the grounds on Dec. 13, 2004, and since that day the cemetery has buried more than 10,000 veterans and their dependents. Located in such a large military area, the cemetery has a full schedule of burials every day, and it doesn’t stop or slow down very often. “We have to do a 45-minute timeframe to get everybody done so that we don’t have to have a two-week waiting period,” Kemano said. “We normally can get everyone in, but our schedule is really tight.” The community comes together to give the veterans and their memories respect and love every chance they can. Loved ones can often be found visiting gravesites, but the holidays bring just as much joy to the site.
Suffolk News-Herald | Strides 2018 GREAT DISMAL continued from page 14
Every year around Christmas, the Horton Wreath Society purchases wreaths and places them on each gravesite and columbarium row. The society spends the rest of the year raising the funds to be able to put a wreath on every site. Burial at the cemetery is available to all service members who died on active duty, retired or were honorably discharged, as well as their spouse and unmarried minor children under the age of 21. Some Reserve and National Guard members are also eligible. Except for the $300 administrative fee for the spouse, there is no cost for the site, opening and closing of the site, headstone, double-depth crypt for veteran and spouse, funeral services and perpetual care. Standard military honors such as the flag to drape the casket and honor guard at the service also are provided at no charge.
back and cast their voices real high,” she said. “If you don’t know that, then you’re going to look up higher than they’re probably sitting.” Nearly 100 species of butterflies have been identified in the refuge as well, and it’s home to one of the largest black bear populations on the East Coast. Freeman said one of the most popular attractions is Lake Drummond, one of only two natural freshwater lakes in Virginia. Between 200 and 300 vehicles on average make their way to the lake each week, she said. Among those driving to the lake are fishermen, photographers and others that simply want to be out on the serene quiet of the water. “One thing that our visitors say is that it’s shocking that you can be 40 minutes from downtown Norfolk, and then be out there on the lake and feel like you’re in total wilderness,” Freeman said. “The lake is right at the center of the refuge, so it’s surrounded by all that acreage. “Occasionally you’ll have an airplane fly over, but that’s about it.”
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February 28, 2018 | Page 17
taly
Suffolk’s sisterhood
BY ELENA VITULLO CORRESPONDENT
While pasta and peanuts might not seem like a natural combination, the Suffolk Sister Cities organization has blended the two together for more than 20 years. Since 1995, Suffolk has partnered with Oderzo, Italy, a city just north of Venice, as part of the Sister Cities International organization. Oderzo is the birthplace of Amedeo Obici, the co-founder of Planters Nut and Chocolate Company. Obici moved to Suffolk in 1913 along with the company and remained here until his death in 1947. He is honored throughout the city,
most obviously as the namesake of Obici Hospital and his family home, Obici House. According to Donna Standish, a member of the board of directors for Suffolk Sister Cities and a former president of the organization, the connection happened by chance. “One day,” she says wistfully, “these two Italian men showed up on the steps of City Hall.” Although the identities of those men have been lost to the annals of history, what they did was not. According to Standish, the two men were on a road trip through America and decided to make a pilgrimage to Suffolk to honor “the most notable citizen of Oderzo.” After that,
it seemed only natural to forge a connection between the two cities. Suffolk had been involved with the Sister Cities since 1981, when Mayor Andy Damiani linked the city with Suffolk, England. The organization was started by former President Dwight D. Eisenhower and, according to its mission, was designed “to promote peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation.” Suffolk fulfills that mission by hosting a variety of cultural events and exchanges. The most popular of these is the exchange program, which allows highSee ITALY page 19
SUBMITTED PHOTOS
Below, Italians and Americans dine together during an exchange program. At right is the Obici-Oderzo Fountain.
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Page 18 | February 28, 2018
alopies
Suffolk News-Herald | Strides 2018
Old cars get overhauls
BY ALEX PERRY STAFF WRITER
There’s an art to transforming old jalopies into slick, well-oiled machines, and that’s exactly the sort of artistry found at Yocum’s Signature Hot Rods. Kyle Yocum, 29, opened his car restoration shop on Progress Road about five years ago after working for another restoration shop for four years. He had been working on cars since he was 15 years old and was anxious to set out on his own. “I’ve wanted to open my own business since I was a kid,” Yocum said. “My dad owned a construction company, so business ownership is in my blood.” Numerous client cars fill the garage, with some models dating as far back as 1917. Yocum and his associates draft designs based on customer specifications, then take care of fabricating the metal,
tweaking the frames, applying fresh paint and installing new upholstery. “We work on pretty much anything, as long as they want it done right,” Yocum said. Client cars come from all over the country, each with their own backstories and disrepair. A 1928 Stutz speedster with a factory high-compression engine had turned out to be a modified coupe from the early 1900s. There’s a 1955 Ford Thunderbird, a faded gray antique from the first year that Ford manufactured the car,
Yocum said. “We’ve done a lot of sheet metal work already, and it still needs a lot more,” Yocum said about the 100-point restoration in store for the Thunderbird. A hulking, 1955 Chevy Truck is being modified for four-wheel drive, along with a new fender and doors. The old truck will be powered by a mid-‘80s Chevy
small block engine. “It’s not in there for a huge amount of power, just reliability,” Yocum said. There’s a 1972 Datsun 240z being restored as the client’s dream car from his high school years, Yocum said. A 1941 Cadillac from another restoration shop is having the doors adjusted See JALOPY page 19
ALEX PERRY/SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD
Eric Mickelson works on a ’67 Toyota FJ-45LV Land Cruiser.
Strides 2018 | Suffolk News-Herald
February 28, 2018 | Page 19
JALOPY continued from page 18
green and brown film on the metal from years of oxidization. “I’m making sure I do all my welds on the sides that are going to affect the original paint the least.” Some owners, Mickelson explained, enjoy their jalopies just as they look. “There’s beauty in its age,” he said.
school aged students as well as adults from both countries to travel to the sister city. Standish was on the first of these trips as well as the most recent one last fall. Those who visit are made to feel like “guests of the town,” she said. Oderzo was a crossroads in the Roman Empire, a very important trade stop. The city is “rich with ruins,” as well as architecture from the Medieval and Renaissance periods. Of course, it also features several homages to its famous son, with an Amedeo Obici High School and even its own Obici Hospital, although Standish says Italian guests to Suffolk believe our Obici Hospital is more impressive. As with any sisterhood, there has also been an exchange of gifts. In 2003, the Obici-Oderzo Fountain, built with Italian marble and designed by an Oderzo native, was given to Suffolk. In 2012, Suffolk gifted Oderzo with a plaque commemorating Obici and his accomplishments. The cities also share matching Mr. Peanut statues, with the Italian statue sitting outside of the Obici High School. Standish encourages 10 those interested in becoming involved with Sister Cities to visit the program’s website, consider hosting any future guests and to apply for the exchange program. “It is truly an enriching and wonderful experience,” she said.
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exterior, and the client wants the rust removed and the car to run smoothly. He also, however, wants the faded, worn look to remain intact, fabricator Eric Mickelson said as he welded together metal for the roof. “It takes a whole lot of attention to not mess up the patina,” Mickelson said, referring to the
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so they fit properly in the frame. “We’ll make sure all the lines are nice, crisp and even, then send it back to let them finish it,” he said. Then there’s an unorthodox request for a 1967 Toyota FJ-45LV Land Cruiser. Rust covers the faded paint of the
ITALY continued from page 17
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Page 20 | February 28, 2018
Suffolk News-Herald | Strides 2018
arate
Suffolk dojo trains youth BY ALEX PERRY STAFF WRITER
Students have spent the past year traveling to Eclipse to improve their kicks, punches and overall discipline in their shared dojo. The Dojo Mount Everest Karate Studio on Eclipse Drive opened its doors in January 2017. The karate studio is a labor of love for Karate Master Carlos Rivas, known to his students as Kyoshi, a Japanese title for senior martial arts instructors. Rivas has an eighth-degree black belt in Karate and Kubudo — martial arts weapons — and has practiced in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Canada, Japan, El Salvador, Honduras and across the United States.
He taught the Suffolk Parks and Recreation “Karate 4 Kidz” program for eight years. “I enjoy teaching children from different backgrounds, so they can have the opportunity to learn the beauty of karate and its components,” Rivas said. Dozens of Dojo students train for about 10 hours each week. They hone their
“kata,” or form, and execute their moves in relentless tandem. These exercises prepare students for national competitions, and Rivas has trained several competition winners in the past year. They were also visited by ninth-degree grand master Keishun Kakinohana from Okinawa, along with ninth-degree black belt Mark Greville from Australia, a friend of Kakinohana’s. “He not only taught the students karate techniques but also he shared with them the old way of karate,” Rivas said about Kakinohana. He added See KARATE page 27
ALEX PERRY/SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD
Brian Lemus and Alaina Spears train at The Dojo Mount Everest Karate Studio.
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February 28, 2018 | Page 21
one Star Lakes A scenic view in Suffolk
incredibly steep from being dug out, according to park ranger J.R. Ruggiero. Lone Star Lakes offers scenic The lakes also differ in depth views and a multitude of activities throughout the park. Some of the for those that enjoy getting outside lakes can be more than 40 feet and exploring. deep, where some of the others are The lakes were formed by minonly 10 feet. ing for marl. The city purchased the Out of all 11 lakes on site, the property in the 1970s after mining largest by far is Crane Lake, which stopped in the ‘60s. sits at the top of the park. Eleven lakes are now spread out “Crane Lake is the largest, and over the 1,000-acre land, and those the smallest would be Rainbow lakes are suitable for a plethora of Lake. They vary from 4 to 65 acres. activities. Butler Tract is 47 acres, and they The only activity no one gets the aren’t teeny lakes,” Ruggiero said. opportunity to partake in is swimOne of the most popular activities ming. That’s due to the banks being at See LONE STAR LAKES page 27 BY KELLIE LAGOY STAFF WRITER
KELLIE LAGOY/SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD
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Suffolk News-Herald | Strides 2018
ain Street
Where memories are made
BY ALEX PERRY STAFF WRITER
There’s a lot of history in Suffolk, and much of it can be found on downtown’s Main Street. Some of the historical treasures are gleaming restorations. Others have been repurposed for modern needs, and some of the most significant structures have been destroyed by fire or time. “This was a major thoroughfare,” said historian Sue Woodward. “When George Washington came to Nansemond County to take care of his real estate on White Marsh Road, he would have gone down Main Street, or Front Street as it was once allegedly called.” The Riddick’s Folly House
Museum represents Main Street’s historical prominence. The home was built on North Main Street after the 1837 fire to house Mills Riddick and his 12 children, according to “Suffolk: A Celebration of History” by Kermit Hobbs and William Paquette. The Riddick family occupied the house for the next 130 years. When his son, Nathaniel, fled the Civil War with his wife and children, Maj. Gen. John Peck took the home for his headquarters during the Union occupation of Suffolk. “When that Union general came to town, I guess he looked for the biggest and the best, so he picked that house for his headquarters,” Woodward said. Sitting on the Nansemond River down the road is Constant’s Wharf
Park and Marina, near which John Constant — rumored to be the area’s first English settler — had his busy trading post. Woodward explained how Constance Road was created right in front of the wharf to ease the city’s traffic burdens and ended up being an infamous misprint. “That was supposed to be the bypass to end all traffic woes in Suffolk, but when they made the signs, they misspelled them,” she said. “Somehow, it’s never gotten straight. Apparently, you can’t just make new signs and change everybody’s address.” But some of the most important landmarks are no longer standing. One of those was the City Market, See MAIN STREET page 27
Strides 2018 | Suffolk News-Herald
JEN JAQUA/SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD AND SUBMITTED BY SUFFOLK-NANSEMOND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Present and past views of North Main Street seem to shift into one another.
February 28, 2018 | Page 23
Page 24 | February 28, 2018
RPA
Suffolk News-Herald | Strides 2018
Education and protection for the river
BY ALEX PERRY STAFF WRITER
Since 2009, members of the Nansemond River Preservation Alliance have gotten their hands dirty to protect and restore the waterways that are part of Suffolk’s charm. What began with 17 concerned Suffolk residents has swelled to a 22-member board, four operating committees and more than 200 annual volunteers. The goal is to raise public awareness and encourage environmental stewardship of Suffolk’s creeks and tributaries, the Nansemond River and 27,000 acres of tidal wetlands. The nonprofit organization creates and implements programs and projects in collaboration with other nonprofits, plus businesses, universities and government departments from local to national levels. “That’s why we have ‘alliance’ in our name,” said NRPA President Elizabeth Taraski. “To work together with likeminded organizations and businesses.” The Virginia Department of Health’s Division of Shellfish Sanitation has closed 60 percent of Suffolk’s waterways to shellfish
harvesting due to bacteria levels. NRPA’s Water Quality Committee publishes a bi-annual State of the Nansemond River and its Tributaries Report. The organization has participated in bacterial source tracking with Suffolk Public Works, the Virginia Department of Health and Hampton Roads Sanitation District since 2016. Shoreline Committee members and volunteers have planted native plants and shrubs at Bennett’s Creek Park, Sleepy Hole Park and elsewhere to collect rainwater runoff, stabilize banks and create habitats for wildlife. The Environmental Education Committee has educated more than 6,000 students from kindergarteners to high school seniors since 2011, with more than 1,000 student participants annually. Marshfield studies and boat trips offer hands-on experience outside the classroom. High school students volunteer for the riparian buffer projects and teach younger students through the Nansemond Watershed Initiative. They’re investigating sea level rise
Its roots are deep in the economy as well, from tobacco in the 18th century to peanuts, soybeans and cotton today. According to Taraski, part of the city’s future is found on its shorelines. “Suffolk is the next frontier for development,” she said. “Everyone is looking forward to economic prosperity, but we also are very See NRPA page 32
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in Hampton Roads and submitting their own data contributions. The Public Access Committee worked with the city and National Park Service to include Suffolk’s waterways in the John Smith National Historic Trail. The legacy of the Nansemond Watershed is found in its once thriving population of oyster, crab and shad fisheries that declined because of pollution and loss of habitat.
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rgans
Perfect harmony in Suffolk
BY ELENA VITULLO CORRESPONDENT
A behemoth sits on Main Street, hiding in plain sight, waking on Sundays, shaking the ground with its bellowing calls and striking awe in the hearts of all who hear it. The Suffolk Christian Church pipe organ consists of more than 2,000 pipes and has been 125 years in the making. The original organ was installed in 1893 by Jardine & Son, a New York-based company and would have cost more than $90,000 today. It was originally powered by a water pump, although it was converted to electricity in 1913. Over the century, it went through a series of renovations and refurbishes in order to keep up with the technology. The organ in the church today was rebuilt and installed in 2002 by the A.E. Schlueter Pipe Organ Company. The instrument was removed for the first time in its history and taken to Georgia to be repaired. Although some original pipes were saved, many needed to be replaced completely. According to the church’s historians, the new organ was made as an “homage to Victorian organ building,” preserving the unique sound and clarity of the original instrument. However, it was also brought into the modern age, and is now a “hybrid of pipes and electronic voices.” Mary Huber has been a member of Suffolk Christian Church for 30 years and is the current organist for the church. She says the instrument’s “tonal quality” sets it apart from any other instruments she has played.
ELENA VITULLO PHOTO
Mary Huber plays the organ at Suffolk Christian Church.
See ORGANS page 32
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Page 26 | February 28, 2018
Suffolk News-Herald | Strides 2018
hillips-Dawson House A historical feature
BY KELLIE LAGOY STAFF WRITER
Old money and big families have deep roots in the heart of Downtown Suffolk, and the history is right at the fingertips of every resident. Turning onto Bank Street takes you back to the late 1800s, when lumber and last names ruled the town, and the lavish houses were all your eyes could see. One of
those lavish houses is located at 137 Bank St. The Phillips-Dawson house has been a staple on Bank Street since Horace B. Phillips purchased it in 1881. “The house, when they built it, was only two rooms wide and two rooms deep, and the door used to face Franklin Street,” said SuffolkNansemond Historical Society Executive Director Kimberly Blair-Greene. “As the family pros-
pered, the house grew, and it’s now 5,000 square feet.” Before Bank Street came to such acclaim in Suffolk, the PhillipsDawson House had its entrance facing Franklin Street, but this changed somewhere between 1910 and 1920, when the Truitt Mansion was built across the street. The Phillipses made the Bank Street entrance more lavish to match. There isn’t much surviving history of the house from when
the Phillipses resided there, but a wealth of information sits under the roof from the next, and only other, set of owners of the house. Dr. and Mrs. Challis Dawson moved in and rented the Bank Street residence it the late 1930s before purchasing the property in 1941. The two raised their only child, Gerard, in the house. “When they bought the house in Suffolk, Dr. Dawson was a general See PHILLIPS-DAWSON HOUSE page 32
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KARATE continued from page 20
LONE STAR LAKES continued from page 21
that Greville worked well with the students, who had many questions about life in Australia. “He shared with the students the different animals he constantly sees roaming in Australia like koala bears, kangaroos, box jellyfish and great whites,” he said. Their training makes them better competitors, but the lessons go beyond medals and trophies. The younger chil-
dren are taught to respect their mentors and how to listen. Older students understand how to maintain self-control against bullies. “The importance of self-control is to never to lash out in anger, and to control your feelings and emotions,” Rivas said. Rivas and the students organize fundraisers like car washes to cover the tournament fees and travel expenses.
MAIN STREET continued from page 22
which was honored with a life-size mural by Chip Wilkerson and Kevin Jacobson on the wall of the building adjacent to the original market site. Built in the early 1890s on the east side of Main Street and demolished in 1962, it held the Academy of Music’s vaudeville shows, music recitals and plays. Stalls on the first floor were filled with everything from meat to produce. The police department was there, along with dances, basketball games and roller skating, according to “Suffolk in Vintage Postcards” by Henry Fraser and Woodward. There were even Sunday
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school classes. “It was all things to all people,” Woodward said. Street names and paintings hint at the stories buried in the past, but as downtown continues to remodel Main Street, the past gets harder to see. “There’s such a lack of really early buildings, whether they were destroyed by fire — which has certainly happened many times — or whether they were destroyed in the name of progress,” Woodward said. “You have to look hard to find Suffolk’s earliest history on Main Street.”
Without hesitation, the brave men and women of our volunteer fire departments often risk their own lives and safety to save the lives of others. For their selflessness and bravery, we salute them. Their call of duty extends beyond the difficult task of protecting us from ferocious fires; they are also among the first on the scene anytime someone dials 911. From providing lifesaving first-aid care to life-saving rescues, our firefighters are always at the ready.
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CHUCKATUCK VOLUNTEER Fire Department 300 Kings Highway, Suffolk 757-514-7596
DRIVER VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT 4869 Bennett’s Pasture Rd, Suffolk 757-514-7597
WHALEYVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT 6302 Whaleyville Blvd, Suffolk 757-514-7599
the park is fishing, and those who choose to cast their line will find a plethora of fish in the lakes. Every lake has something interesting to offer fishermen. “Every lake is different. Some have the same fish, but like Crane Lake for example is a brackish lake because Chuckatuck Creek runs into it. So, you have all your saltwater species and some of your freshwater still,” said Ruggiero. Not only do fishermen get a great place to fish, but also Suffolk residents get the opportunity to go out on the lakes and take in the beautiful scenery. “Kayaking is huge and really popular. We are trying to get paddleboards,” said Ruggiero. The staff hopes everyone wears a life vest while kayaking, canoeing and hopefully paddleboarding. While it’s
not a requirement, safety is important to the park staff, and with differing depths, it’s important to wear a vest. While fishing or heading onto the water isn’t for everyone, the park has plenty of other activities for park-goers. One of their most popular activities is the deer hunt they hold a few times every year. For quite some time, the park was overrun with deer, but now they have the problem under control due to their quota hunts. Hunters have to apply and be chosen, and only four hunters are chosen for each hunt. The parks are closed during these hunts. While many come to enjoy activities once or twice, the park does have quite a few regulars. Ruggiero said that these regulars even have their own “favorite” parking spots.
Thank You To All Our Sponsors! Leader of the Pack Jani King Jana Boyd DDS Cat’s Meow Sponsors Mike Duman Automotive Superstore Suffolk Animal Hospital Freedom Street Partners; Margie Wiley Bayport Credit Union InDigiMar, Inc. Monet Masterpiece Sponsors Ferguson, Rawls, and Raines P.C. LW’s Lawn Care Services LLC Visionary Van Gogh Sponsors Farmers Bank Johnson, Gardy, & Teumer ADS Management Group Friends of Frogland Farms First Team Subaru Suffolk Ruritan Club Beamon & Johnson Automotive Parts & Paint
Picture “Purfect” Picasso Sponsors Al Rudd Auto Parts Inc. Harbour Vet Office Suffolk Gas & Aluminum Bowles Jewelers Bronco Federal Credit Union Roger Fawcett, City Councilman Nansemond Insurance Agency Bob & Sherry Stanley Rose & Womble Realty Company Cross Realty Holiday Ice Parr Development Company Captain George’s Seafood Restaurant Eddie Moore Kozak, Davis, Renninger, & Belote P.C. Randall Page P.C. Hilton Garden Inn
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Page 28 | February 28, 2018
Suffolk News-Herald | Strides 2018
uiver
Archery goes a long way
BY KELLIE LAGOY STAFF WRITER
It’s just like riding a bike — no matter how long you’ve been gone, it will always come back. Archery in Suffolk provides relaxation for folks no matter the type. The sport has evolved since the group, the Kingsboro Bowmen, came together in 1979. When the Bowmen first got started, they enjoyed traditional field archery. Field archery, as well as indoor archery, consists of shooting at targets from 20 yards away, but the type of archery evolved as the sport did. “Field archery was shooting a round of 14 targets, shooting four arrows at each target and you shoot two rounds. That’s 28 targets, and that was a little long,” said Ed Bickham, a longtime Kingsboro Bowmen member. “People decided they didn’t want to shoot that many arrows. So, 3D archery was born so to speak.” While the group still offers field archery, the Bowmen have a wide array of 3D targets that get set up on the archery range located at Lone Star Lakes Park. The targets range from the size of buffalo, about nine feet, to the size of a javelin, about four feet. “We’ve since put a half a field range
back in to see if we could get interest again, but there really isn’t any. I think it’s more of a hunting community of archers around here,” said Mike Serig, the Bowmen’s president. “We have a lot of transient archery in the military, and for some reason they are more interested in the 3D.” The Bowmen’s range at Lone Star Lakes is one of only a few in Virginia, with two others in Newport News and Petersburg. It provides an opportunity for archers from all over to come and shoot. They hold shoots at the range that anyone can participate in, and they cater to all ages and skill levels, and even different types of bows. Some people still use recurve bows, while some people prefer to use a compound bow, which can be more accurate, because it makes archery a little easier, according to Bickham. “We try to have a place for everybody to shoot so that you’re against people approximately all equal in shooting,” Bickham said. Along with the shoots they hold, members get together once a month and shoot around the range. The range consists of a mile and a half loop with targets set around. The group sometimes has someone cooking food, or sometimes they just provide snacks.
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KELLIE LAGOY/SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD
Ed Bickham shoots his bow at Lone Star Lakes Park.
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February 28, 2018 | Page 29
Local stories wanted for posterity
BY ALEX PERRY STAFF WRITER
Suffolk Public Library staff are keeping their eyes and ears open for local residents with stories to tell. Since last spring, library staffers have been recording conversations for Suffolk Speaks, an oral history project meant to gather a vast collection of Suffolk experiences from anyone who’s worked, lived or played in the city.
“What we’re really looking for is a diverse picture of Suffolk,” said Megan Mulvey, library outreach and program services manager. “We want to make sure that we have stories from every demographic.” Those interested in recording their story can go to an open recording event at one of the libraries, make an appointment for a recording session or meet library staff at one of their outreach events
throughout the city. Staffers use an iPad, microphone and a list of conversation-starting questions. They might ask interviewees about a place in Suffolk where they made lasting memories or how the city has changed over time. Mulvey said the project has been a learning experience for staff members, and that the hardest part has simply been
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Ashley Reed is ready with the library’s recording equipment.
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Page 30 | February 28, 2018
Suffolk News-Herald | Strides 2018
eaboard Trail Going off the rails BY ELENA VITULLO CORRESPONDENT
The old railroads of Suffolk have been given a second chance at life, but this time with a new type of traffic. The Suffolk Seaboard Coastline Trail, which is built on abandoned right-ofway of the Seaboard Coastline Railroad, is a project that eventually will connect Suffolk with Virginia Beach as part of the South Hampton Roads Trail. Upon completion, the Seaboard Coastline Trail will be 11.5 miles, running from the Seaboard Station Railroad Museum in downtown Suffolk to the city line with Chesapeake. According to Helen Gabriel, the assistant director of Suffolk Parks and Recreation, this trail has been in the works since the late 1990s, with the first portion of the trail officially opening in October 2015. Since its opening, the trail has been embraced by the community. According to Gabriel, a 5K has taken place on the trail during the annual Driver Days festival every year since its opening. “Lots of runners and cyclists meet up on the trail as their starting point,” Gabriel says, “Some tell me they love to go into the village after their ride and grab lunch from one of the local shops.” For Suffolk resident Erin Bonney, 18, the Seaboard Coastline Trail has given
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her a new interest. “I used to hate running, because I could never get used to a treadmill, and there weren’t any nice trails by me,” Bonney said, “but the first time I came here I just loved it.” Bonney says she prefers the trail because it is close to home, easy to navigate and well maintained. Now, as she is training for a half-marathon, she says the trail has become a part of her weekly workouts. She estimates that she visits it about three or four times a week. “I like to mix it up, but I always know what to expect on this trail, so I prefer it,” she said. Bonney said her family is very active, and the trail is a great way for them to bond during their rare free time. “Actually,” she says, “we’ve come here to walk for the past two Christmases, so it’s almost become a tradition I guess.” The fact that the trail is versatile to a variety of users makes it even more appealing as a family activity. While Bonney runs, her younger brother rides his scooter, and her parents like to walk it. She has even seen horse riders on the trail. She also believes it has been a great addition to the community. “The trail is always packed on the weekend, and sometimes seeing friendly faces and people walking their dogs makes the run that much better.” Geocache hunters See SEABOARD TRAIL page 32 have
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Strides 2018 | Suffolk News-Herald
February 28, 2018 | Page 31
our de Cure
American Diabetes Association fundraiser
FILE PHOTO
Riders set off on the course at the 2017 Tour de Cure.
BY TRACY AGNEW EDITOR
Since the Tour de Cure first came to Suffolk in 2012, more Suffolk folks than ever have gotten involved in the American Diabetes Association’s fundraiser cycling ride. After six years in Suffolk, the event is undergoing some changes
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for the 2018 rendition, which will be held on April 28. King’s Fork High School previously hosted the start and finish lines, but this year’s routes will start and end at Suffolk Executive Airport. Routes of 10, 25, 65 or 100 miles are available. In addition, the event will feature a 5K run and walk this year to allow more people to participate, as well as an expanded health and wellness area where people can get screenings for diabetes and other health issues and learn more about how to
prevent or manage diabetes. Participants say the event is an important one. “Riding in Tour de Cure gives me an opportunity to do what I can to help others living with diabetes have a hope for a future of a cure for this disease,” said Chris Petty, a “Red Rider” — participant who lives with diabetes — and a team captain for the Casual Cyclists. “The Tour de Cure means the world to Team Portsmouth, whose mission is safe, supSee TOUR DE CURE page 35
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Page 32 | February 28, 2018
Suffolk News-Herald | Strides 2018
NRPA continued from page 24
PHILLIPS-DAWSON HOUSE continued from page 26
much a voice for environmental sustainability.” How do you achieve environmental sustainability?
“You encourage, educate and inspire all citizens to be environmental stewards,” she said.
ORGANS continued from page 25
“It has this romantic, melodic tone that is absolutely wonderful,” Huber said. She adds that sound was common for the Victorian era, and she was delighted to see that it could still exist in modern pipe organs. The current organ dominates the interior of the church, with pipes on both sides of the sanctuary. Although the pipes are now a simple white and gold design, an original pipe, with the elaborate Victorian style, is preserved and mounted on the wall. Hidden behind the prominently displayed pipes are
two small rooms, full of even more pipes, each with their own unique sounds. The wooden console, which includes three keyboards and a complex system of levers, pedals, knobs and switches, was custom made for the new organ. Janet Rock, the director of music at Suffolk Christian Church, cites the organ as her reason for choosing the church. “Organ playing is a dying art,” she says, remembering that she at first believed it was just a decoration. “To hear it played in here, that was what truly drew me to the church.”
suffolklivingmag.com
practitioner and he saw patients in the house,” Blair-Greene said. The house was always busy with people, whether it was Dr. Dawson’s patients coming in and out of the front door or the students making a lot of noise taking piano lessons from Madame Dawson. These activities are still very much part of the house today. A piano sits in the back of the house, and Dr. Dawson’s office still has copious amounts of medical tools from his practice. There are also plenty of Dawson’s paintings throughout the house, because in his spare time Dr. Dawson did pencil drawings and watercolor paintings of the house and Suffolk scenery. Gerard Dawson spent his childhood in the home but eventually left to
attend Harvard. After his education, he began working at Tiffany & Co., and he worked there until his retirement. After retirement, he would spend half of the year on Bank Street keeping up the house, and occasionally adding his own flair. Two fireplaces in the house, one upstairs and one downstairs, have painted tiles from Gerard. After Gerard’s passing, he gave the house to the Suffolk-Nansemond Historical Society to use. “When he died in the 1980s, he gave the house to the historical society for its use. We own it but we have to use it,” Blair-Greene said. While the society’s headquarters is in the house, it also frequently welcomes the public for exhibits and educational speakers.
SEABOARD TRAIL continued from page 30
been spotted on the trail, as well as Suffolk Rocks, rocks painted with pictures and message, all of which make the trail more interesting and inviting for Bonney and her family.
As the trail gains popularity and foot traffic, Gabriel said, the next step is engineering the portion of the trail leading into downtown Suffolk, further connecting the city.
suffolklivingmag.com
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February 28, 2018 | Page 33
nderdogs
Suffolk teams have been down that road
BY NIQKO MARSHALL STAFF WRITER
Suffolk teams defeated the odds in more ways than one during the last year. Everyone has played an underdog at some point in his life. Has it always had to deal with sports? Maybe, but it happens in other areas of life as well. There might have been that one time you were young and won a board game against older relatives at a family gathering. Or you could have been the older relative the younger kids wrote off for being too old in a game of pickup basketball at the reunion. The most common feeling about being an underdog is that you have to prove to some people that they were wrong about you and, in some instances, you learn things about yourself you never thought you were capable of. Many people sympathize and develop an emotional attachment with the underdog, because it represents a lot
of what we see in ourselves sometimes — underestimated, underappreciated and overlooked. Suffolk sports were a part of many underdog stories in 2017, but perhaps none was as notable as King’s Fork High School’s football win over Oscar Smith High School. Oscar Smith is nationally known as a football powerhouse. The Tigers had a winning streak of 99 Southeastern District wins that stretched back 11 years. That is, they did until Nov. 3, 2017. The Bulldogs defeated the Tigers 29-23 in a game that could have been a Hollywood movie. It was a familiar story that was repeated in Super Bowl LII. Tom Brady and the dynasty the New England Patriots have built is Oscar Smith. The Eagles were the Bulldogs — the team that was very talented but deemed not good enough to slay the dragon. But the Eagles won on the strength of superior play-calling and uncharacteristic mistakes on
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the part of the Patriots. Suffolk soccer also had an incredible spring season. The Nansemond River High School boys’ soccer team and the King’s Fork girls’ soccer both accomplished history. They reached the state tournaments and went the furthest a Suffolk Public School boys’ or girls’ soccer team has gone. Many didn’t give either a chance to make it through their regions. As yet another example, last February, the Lakeland High School boys’ track and field team won the 3A Regional Championship. Before the meet, they were not even projected to finish among the top three teams. Whether it’s a game of chess, basketball, Monopoly or any endeavor, the underdog — young or old — eventually achieves what it deserves.
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Justin German prepares to throw a pass during the historic King’s Fork High School 2017 football season.
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Suffolk News-Herald | Strides 2018
isitor Center
Hidden attraction for Suffolk residents
BY TRACY AGNEW EDITOR
It might be hard to imagine why a Suffolk resident would want to visit the Suffolk Visitor Center, but there’s just as much there for local citizens as there is for tourists and out-of-town guests. “We’ve been growing considerably over the years,” said Theresa Earles, tourism development manager for the city. Since the department moved into the renovated Nansemond County Courthouse in 2010, numbers of visitors to the Visitor Center have grown.
The highest year has been 14,000, and the number usually hovers somewhere between 12,000 and 13,000. A map displayed on the wall shows the visitors have come from 49 states — North Dakota is the only outlier. And those are only the ones who have signed the guestbook. But the Visitor Center can be just as useful to Suffolk citizens as those from the far reaches of the United States, Earles said.
Suffolk folks planning their vacation will find brochures and information on more than 60 other areas and attractions across the state, Earles noted. If the reverse is happening — other folks are visiting you — it’s easy to stop in and get ideas on how to entertain your guests. “They’re not used to being a tourist in their own town,” Earles said. A gift shop is kept well stocked with Suffolk items of all price points, perfect for the peanut enthusiast, the local history buff or the one that bleeds Suffolk through and through. “We do try to keep an eclectic
gift shop,” Earles said. Many of the items in the gift shop are produced by local artists and authors. Suffolkians are also likely to visit the Visitor Center to buy tickets to local events, including four-day passes for Peanut Fest, Shrimp Feast, Suffolk Leadership Prayer Breakfast, the Suffolk Business Women Wine Festival and more. The Great Dismal Swamp Gallery also gives folks a sneak peek at what See VISITORS CENTER page 35
JEN JAQUA/SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD
The Suffolk Visitor Center sees between 12,000 and 13,000 visitors per year.
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February 28, 2018 | Page 35
RECORDING continued from page 29
TOUR DE CURE continued from page 31
convincing people that they have something worth sharing. “People tell us over and over that they haven’t done anything interesting, but that’s so not the case,” she said. “Everyone has a story to tell.” Some have talked about their civil rights activism in the city, both recently and decades ago. Others talked about growing up on local farms
and memories with their sweethearts. Ashley Reed, adult program services coordinator, said some of the best stories have come from retirement communities. “I always get such good stories from them,” Reed said. “One lady I talked to was a seamstress who had photos from all of her works over decades.” Their plan is to reach more people with the help of local businesses and community partners. More open recording
sessions are scheduled, and there are talks of combining the project with genealogy and local history services. Reed hopes that the project allows people to better connect in an ever-changing city. “Suffolk is undergoing a lot of change, and really rapidly,” she said. “Sometimes you have groups that aren’t superfamiliar with one another come together. Hopefully this gives them the opportunity to find out more about people and groups they might not know much about.”
VISTOR CENTER continued from page 34
they can see if they drive just a few miles south to the city’s No. 1 attraction. A taxidermy black bear, raccoon, fox, skunk and array of birds from the swamp are on display. Earles said Suffolk residents also should make the Visitor Center their first stop when
planning a family reunion, wedding, or large meeting for their group or company. The staff there can do everything from arrange private tours to give hotel leads, Earles said. “We really go out of our way to hold their hand and give them a great experience,” she said.
portive and social long distance cycling that is ‘Cranking for a Cure in Our Lifetime,’” said John Maher, team captain for the Tour’s largest team. “Knowing that diabetes is currently a chronic disease with no cure yet, our team has been riding since 2006. We’ve also learned about the benefits of cycling as a cardiovascular exercise that along with dietary changes and weight loss can even reverse the onset of diabetes. With over $600,000 raised for diabetes and other worth causes, Team Portsmouth is dedicated to finding a cure in our lifetime.” Deanie Eldridge, Virginia and West Virginia area executive director for the American Diabetes Association, said the Suffolk community has been very supportive of the event. “The city of Suffolk and the entire community has been so welcoming and supportive of our annual Tour de Cure event the past six years, and for that, our Association is very grateful,” Eldridge said. “Diabetes has become an epidemic, with approximately one-third of Western Tidewater’s adult population currently living with diabetes or pre-diabetes. Together, we can make positive changes and build a healthier community, through education, awareness, and opportunities to get moving.” Visit diabetes.org/hrtdc or call 424-6662 ext. 3269 for more information.
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Suffolk News-Herald | Strides 2018
ater
They keep it flowing BY TRACY AGNEW EDITOR
Folks in Suffolk probably rarely think about the G. Robert House Jr. Water Treatment Plant in Chuckatuck when they turn on their tap, but the majority of the water they drink, cook with and wash with has been filtered through there. The high-tech facility on Kings Highway was constructed in 1980 and went online in 1982. Originally, it treated only surface water, but groundwater treatment capabilities were added in 1990. The plant now has the ability to treat about 4.5 million gallons of water per day, and the 28 people who work there are on the job around the clock to make sure the job is done well. “We
have very talented people here,� said Al Moor, the public utilities director for the city of Suffolk. The plant uses a variety of methods to treat the water, and hundreds of tests per day are performed on the water. Some of them are required by state and federal authorities; the others are done just so the city knows everything is going right. The lab can turn on any number of taps and get water from various points in the treatment process for testing, said Vicki Smith, who works in the lab at the plant. The lab at the plant is also able to test well water for Suffolk residents who still have wells, Smith See WATER page 42
TRACY AGNEW/ SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD
Steven Kvaternik tests water at the G. Robert House Water Treatment Plant.
Strides 2018 | Suffolk News-Herald
February 28, 2018 | Page 39
marks the spot
Geocaching adventures JEN JAQUA/ SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD
Geocaches include logs to sign.
BY TRACY AGNEW EDITOR
Geocaching is equal parts scavenger hunt and treasure hunt, but it’s definitely all fun once you get
started. Don’t know what geocaching is? It’s a GPSassisted treasure hunt with a huge online community. All you need to do to get started is download the Geocaching app to your phone, create an account and start caching! There are scores of geocaches in Suffolk, and you’re probably no more than a few miles from one right now. The app has a map of all of the geocaches, so you can seek out the ones you’d like to try to find. Once
you’re in the general area, use the app to guide you to the right spot. Some geocaches are small, and there’s only space for a logbook so you can make your mark. Others are larger than a shoebox, and there’s plenty of space to leave, take and trade swag — items that you can take and keep — and trackables, which are items that should be left for enjoyment or moved from cache to cache. Some geocaches are fake mushrooms, logs or bricks.
One of the most important tips for geocachers — don’t let “muggles,” or those who don’t know about geocaching, see you or figure out what you’re doing. Some tips for newbies: 4Bring your own pen to sign the logbook. 4Always sign the physical logbook and log your find online. 4Be stealthy in busy, muggle-filled geocache locations. 4Write great logs! Geocache owners and See X MARKS THE SPOT page 42
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Page 40 | February 28, 2018
Suffolk News-Herald | Strides 2018
outh athletics Sports provide outlets gives the young kids assistance. Some kids have had trouble in school or with their attitudes, and these programs have helped kids improve on that.
BY NIQKO MARSHALL STAFF WRITER
Thousands of kids in Suffolk have a positive outlet for their energy through youth athletics. “It is very outstanding and very important to have these different outlets,” Robert Faulk of the Suffolk Inner City Youth said. “It
Tutoring and counseling are offered through these different types of sports. It’s just good for the kids and gives them direction.” In an era where technology
FILE PHOTO
rules and streaming services are booming, young people might have some trouble stepping away from the television or the tablet or the phone. However, youth sports are a way to provide balance. Suffolk has numerous outlets programs for youth sports, including the Suffolk Youth Athletic Association, Straighten Up and Fly Right program, the Holland Athletic Association and the Inner City Athletic Association. They all give kids a chance to build character through sports. A lot of kids who have participated in these organizations have gone on to have successful high school careers, and some even provided themselves a free education through their talent and hard work. These organizations allow kids to have a healthy pastime while also building the spirit
Suffolk Surge 8U, a Suffolk Youth Athletics team, after winning the section championship last summer.
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See YOUTH ATHLETICS page 42
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oom in
A closer look at Suffolk’s icons
JEN JAQUA/SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD
Sometimes, a close look is all that is needed to better understand yourself and your surroundings. Challenge yourself and see if you can guess the location of these super-zoomed-in photos of Suffolk icons and landmarks. Answers are at the bottom of page 4.
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Suffolk News-Herald | Strides 2018
WATER continued from page 38
X MARKS THE SPOT continued from page 39
said. If someone who is connected to city water detects an odd color, smell or taste in their water, they can also request a test. “We’ll try to pinpoint where the problem is,” Smith said. “That’s what we’re here for, to catch things.” Randy Brooks supervises the operations of the plant. He’s a U.S. Navy veteran who also worked in Portsmouth for eight years before coming to work in Suffolk. “Seven days a week, we’re here,” Brooks said. He makes sure testing and maintenance are being kept up with. “It’s a big concerted effort between the lab and the operators,” he said. Vernon Land also works at the plant supervising the overall process. “I keep everybody on the same sheet of music,” he said. That sheet of music makes sure treated water keeps flowing through the city’s 400 miles of water pipes, 24 hours a day, every day of the year, to the Suffolk citizens who rely upon it.
other geocachers love to read about your experience, and they might help the next newbie locate the cache. 4Pay attention to the terrain rating. Terrain ratings of 1 can be easily walked to, while Terrain 5 will likely require special equipment like rock-climbing or scubadiving gear. 4Pay attention to the size rat-
ing to give you a better idea of what you’re looking for. The size can range from about the size of a film canister or smaller to shoe box or larger. 4When you get to within about 30 feet, put your phone down and search with your eyes and hands. 4Pliers, a flashlight, a magnet, a mirror, magnifying glass and
tweezers might help locate or grab some smaller or more difficult caches. 4A trackable is a game piece that moves from cache to cache. If you find one, don’t hang on to it. Keep it moving! 4Geocaches should never be buried, so don’t dig in the ground. 4Respect the area — CITO (Cache In, Trash Out)
YOUTH ATHLETICS continued from page 40
of teamwork and competition among one another. Those same children who play with and against each other in these Suffolk organizations sometimes go on to have teammates and opponents who become best friends with each other. Young people can carry the things they learn in
youth sports throughout the rest of their lives, even if they never play another down, cheer another game, or pitch another softball. Some of those things
include discipline, work ethic and teamwork. SYAA offers opportunities for the youth to compete in different softball, baseball, field hockey and soccer teams. Straighten Up and Fly Straight is a program that provides inexpensive sports for youth. HAA seeks to enhance the interest in youth sports, and the ICAA seeks to help youth become better people for the community.
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