WI NTER 2010 • vol. 2, no. 1
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contents | winter 2010
EDITORIAL R.E. Spears III Editor
ADVERTISING Sue Holley General Manager Nikki J. Reeves Director of Special Projects Sue Barnes Marketing Consultant Earl Jones Marketing Consultant sales@suffolklivingmag.com
PRODUCTION Troy Cooper Designer
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enjoy expressing ourselves in a creative package,” Clarence said. For example, while baking one day, he decided on a whim to add a Reese’s cup to each cupcake before baking and then sprinkled Reese’s Pieces on top of the cream cheese frosting – and the “R&R” was born. But it wasn’t just a whim that birthed the business. After years working in the shipyard, Tanya began to pray for what she could be passionate about. “It’s the name God gave me,” Tanya said. “’Divine creations’ comes from the idea that our cupcakes and our lives have been inspired by God. We thought it would be good to let everyone know that,” Clarence added. The Wests also offer lattes and coffee to accompany their cupcakes, and they take orders for bulk cupcakes and decorated cakes. The cupcakery is located in the Centerbrooke Village shopping center off of Godwin Boulevard.
It might seem a bit cold to be thinking about summer camp right now, but your kids are, and the YMCA of South Hampton Roads is working to put together another option for them with the opening of a new day camp facility off of Kenyon Road.
26
suffolk living 59
totaled carnage
Always one of the most popular events at Suffolk’s annual Peanut Festival, the demolition derby is a chance for drivers from all over Virginia and beyond to do things in a car that would get them arrested on the street. Buckle up!
Advertising rates and information available upon request. Subscriptions are $16 annually in-state; $20 annually out-of-state; $24 for international subscriptions. Please make checks payable to Suffolk Publications, LLC PO Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439
horse country
where am I?
I
n each edition the Suffolk Living staff will provide a challenge of sorts, testing how much of Suffolk you really know. We will photograph some location in Suffolk that is readily accessible and open to the public.
36
Even as Suffolk’s human population continues to grow, the number of equine residents of the city also is on the rise. There are farms where championship horses are bred and farms where they’re allowed to run free of their stables 24 hours a day. Could Suffolk become Virginia’s new horse country?
52
connected through time
Suffolk’s Department of Fire and Rescue has a long, distinguished history of serving a growing community, and many of the material bits of that history have been saved through the years. They now have a new home and a dedicated fire official who is willing to share their stories.
59
Where is it? Identify the hiding-inplain-sight architectural feature, and you could win a prize.
If you know where this photo was taken, submit your answer, along with your name and contact information to news@
Suffolk Living is published four times per year by Suffolk Publications, LLC. P.O. Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439 www.suffolklivingmag.com (757) 539-3437
25
A new Suffolk eatery thrives on the knowledge that good things come in small packages.
Suffolk Living Magazine 7.5” x 10” Bleed (8.75” x 11.125”) 4C yes Winter 2010
7
December is a busy month in Suffolk, as folks prepare for the holidays and get ready to settle in for winter. But there’s no reason to let boredom set in during NOWin THE COMPUTER ROOMfor ISN’T January or February, either. Look our calendar NECESSARILY A COMPUTER ROOM. a few good ideas.
G
reat things often come in small packages. Nowhere is this adage better exemplified than at the newest addition to Suffolk’s food scene. Clarence and Tanya West, the husband-wife team who opened Divine Creations in October, serve up cupcakes in all different flavors — from classics like vanilla and red velvet, to more unique creations, such as Heavenly Decadence, with cream cheese and chocolate, and Karen’s Cupcake for the Cure, a trio of strawberry flavors in one creation. “Cupcakes are simple and fun, and we’ve found that people feel less guilty eating them,” Tanya said. “They offer an opportunity to be creative with various flavor combinations,” Clarence added. While both members of the business and marital partnership contribute equally, Clarence says he tends to conceive most of the flavor combinations, while Tanya figures out the recipes. “I come up with flavors on the fly by thinking about things that haven’t been tried before. We
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Inside this edition
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tiny cakes, BIG flavor
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suffolklivingmag.com. If you’re right, you will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to any one of our partner advertisers. So, if you know where this is, let us know. If you’re right, you could be a winner. Go out and enjoy Suffolk!
no . 1 • vo l. 2, R 20 10
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Brid EET Als o sW
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Cover photograph by R.E. Spears III ww w. su
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6 suffolk living
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what to do
Candlelight tour
Suffolk Holiday Parade
Sugar PLum Tea
CALENDAR OF EVENTS 12/4 — Suffolk Holiday Parade Location: Downtown Suffolk The annual downtown tradition continues this year with colorful floats, marching bands, dancers, equestrian and civic groups, and more entertaining the entire family beginning at 10 a.m. The parade is free and open to the public. Call 514-4130 for more information. 12/4-12/5 — Suffolk Nansemond Historical Society Candlelight Tour Location: Chuckatuck area The historical society’s annual candlelight tour opens Suffolk’s most historic and interesting homes and businesses to the public. Period holiday decorations, a sugar plum kitchen and more are featured. Tickets are required. Call 5392781 for more information.
Send us your news To submit your calendar or news item, simply email it to: news@suffolklivingmag.com
12/4-12/5 — Ballet Virginia’s The Nutcracker and Sugar Plum Tea Location: Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave. The region’s premier dance academy will create holiday magic in “The Nutcracker,” chronicling Clara’s journey through the Land of Sweets. The Sugar Plum Tea, held before each performance, invites children to meet the dancers, enjoy delicious treats and make a keepsake craft to remember the show. Call 923-2900. 12/5 — Holland Village Tree Lighting Location: Holland village ballpark This annual gathering of friends and family in the
village of Holland features Christmas carols, hot cocoa and the lighting of the Holland Christmas tree, all sponsored by the Holland Ruritan Club. The event is free and open to the public, and begins at 5 p.m. Visit www.HollandRuritanClub.org for more information. 12/10 — The Four Freshmen Location: Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave. The Four Freshmen will bring their unique brand of vocal harmony to the Hampton Roads audience in this holiday concert featuring seasonal favorites and classic hits. The music starts at 8 p.m. Call 923-2900. 12/11 — Cinema in the Park series: Fred Claus Location: Bennett’s Creek Park, 3000 Bennett’s Creek Park Road “Cinema in the Park” continues with “Fred Claus,”
8 suffolk living
what to do a light-hearted holiday film. Moviegoers should leave their money at home for this free event, but be sure to bring chairs and blankets. Vince Vaughn stars as the older brother of Santa Claus who is forced to help in the North Pole’s toy factory and causes a few problems. The show starts at 6 p.m. Call 514-7267. 12/11-12/12 — Christmas at Riddick’s Folly Location: Riddick’s Folly House Museum, 510 N. Main St. This annual holiday favorite features an interactive historical interpretation of Christmas at the Folly. There is an admission fee. Call 934-0822. 12/11-12/12 — Christmas with the Joneses Location: Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave. Christmas with the Joneses is a hilarious yet spiritually uplifting musical that challenges families to embrace the spirit of Christmas all year long. Call 923-2900. 1/7-1/23 Location: The Suffolk Museum, 118 Bosley Ave. The Suffolk Art League presents “Winterim: Artwork by members of Tidewater Virginia Arts Educators Association.” A reception will be held Jan. 22 in conjunction with the invitational Fine Arts and Crafts Expo. Call 925-0448. 1/15 — The Gizmo Guys Comedy Jugglers Location: Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave. The Gizmo Guys will amaze and amuse the Suffolk audience at 2 p.m. Allan
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suffolk living
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what to do Annual Photography exhibit
Jacobs and Barrett Felker have won international juggling competitions and taught at top circus schools. Their rapid-fire act will inspire side-splitting laughter. Call 923-2900. 1/28 — Clay Jenkinson is Meriwether Lewis Location: Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave. Clay Jenkinson is the nation’s leading first-person interpreter of Capt. Meriwether Lewis. With his friend William Clark, Lewis led the most successful exploration of American history. Call 923-2900. 2/1-2/27 — Exhibit of Excellence: Suffolk Student Art 2011 Location: The Suffolk Museum, 118 Bosley Ave. The Suffolk Art League’s Exhibit of Excellence annually features the best artwork from Suffolk’s high school students. Call 925-0448. 2/10 — Mark Nizer’s New 3-D Show Location: Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave. Mark Nizer uses technology, video, 3-D, juggling, music and humor to get the audience doubled over with laughter. Whether he’s juggling a burning propane tank, a running electric carving knife or a 16-pound bowling ball, Nizer’s antics will entertain young and old alike. Call 923-2900. 2/12 — An Evening of Opera and Broadway Location: Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave. The Virginia Opera brings this cabaret-style show to the center’s Taylor Ballroom. Young artists will perform Broadway melodies and opera arias while coffee and sweets are served. Call 923-2900. 2/26-2/27 — Antique Show and Sale Location: King’s Fork Middle School, 350 Kings Fork Road Featuring more than 40 mid-Atlantic antiques dealers, the annual antique show benefits Suffolk Art League’s education programs. Crystal and porcelain repair and frame restoration also will be available. There is a $5 admission charge. Call 925-0448 for more information. 3/4-4/15 — 27th Annual Photography Exhibit Location: The Suffolk Museum, 118 Bosley Ave. The Suffolk Art League sponsors its 27th annual photography exhibit. Call 925-0448. 3/5-3/13 — Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Location: Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave. The Suffolk Community Players will render their version of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical based on the Biblical story of Joseph and the coat of many colors. Shows on Saturdays and Sundays. Call 923-2900. 4/17 — Garden Club tour Location: Various homes and stables The “Bridles and Blooms” tour will feature four homes and stables for the annual Garden Club tour. Each stable will feature different shows throughout the day. The event begins at noon and goes through 6 p.m.
suffolk living
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suffolk scene Taste of Suffolk
Whether they came out for the entertainment, the exhibits, the food samples or the contests, folks from all over turned out in September for a Taste of Suffolk. Counterclockwise, from left, Lisa Herring from the band A Touch of Spice belts out a song from the main stage. J.W. Johnson contemplates his last bite of a pepper during the jalapeño-eating contest. A group of adults and children move to the music of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” bottom, and Motown, below. And Caitlyn Thalken struggles with her own jalapeño. Photos by R.E. Spears III
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suffolk scene
MUTT STRUT
Hundreds of dogs were at Sleepy Hole Park for a romp in the grass on Sept. 19. The third annual Mutt Strut to benefit the Suffolk Humane Society drew a crowd of up to 5,000 people and walkers, at top, raised more than $55,000, which exceeded last year’s entire campaign. More than 25 businesses were sponsors, and more than 80 vendors and rescue groups participated. For the canine fashion show, several dogs were dressed in their tutus, sailor outfits and witch hats. Paris, a Chihuahua, was glammed-up by her owner, Kim Wisneski, bottom center. Below, Maya Carneira, 2, plays with her family’s pooch Bella at the Mutt Strut on Saturday. Photos by Tracy Agnew & Leila G. Roche
14 suffolk living
It’s a magazine about life.
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suffolk living
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suffolk scene
Bike Rodeo
The Pilot Club of Suffolk and Nansemond River Pilot Club hosted a bicycle rodeo this summer to help children understand the importance of bicycle safety, particularly wearing a helmet. Pilot International’s focus is on helping prevent diseases, disorders and injuries of the brain. Above, Bobby Rhea Shirk, 10, maneuvered his way around the bicycle safety course at the bike rodeo at a parking lot off West Washington Street. Far left, Suffolk police officers were on hand to help instruct children in bicycle safety. Bottom left, Pilot Club member Donna Moody teaches local children about brain safety using “Brainminder” puppets. Photos by Troy Cooper
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suffolk scene
Train Opening
It had been more than 30 years since the public had boarded a passenger train and witnessed the turn of fall while traveling from Norfolk to Petersburg along the lines of the Norfolk Southern Railway. On Oct. 21, the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce brought a group of more than 200 people aboard the train for a tour of the passenger service it hopes to open in less than three years. The track covers 154 miles, beginning at Harbor Park in Norfolk. It cuts through Chesapeake and Suffolk, goes behind the Suffolk Golf Course, over Route 58 and runs parallel to Route 460 all the way to Petersburg. Passengers included Mills Staylor, top right, an avid train collector from Suffolk and Bob McBride, left, a railroad enthusiast whose family worked for railroads and brought his father’s railroad watch, far left, on the train trip. Photos by Leila G.Roche
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suffolk living
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suffolk scene
PEanut Fest
The 33rd annual Peanut Festival was one of the best on record, according to officials. Thousands turned out for a weekend of carnival rides and live entertainment and to partake in yet another year of Suffolk’s “nutty” tradition. Organized activities included a tractor pull, a peanut butter carving contest and a corn hole tournament. At bottom right, Charles Gregory, festival Co-chair, participates in the peanut butter carving contest with the Peanut Queen and her court. Children had a multitude of activities from carnival rides to crafts to treats. Athena Karalis, left, found an ice cream cone to cool her down during the festival’s warm temperatures. Evin Snyder, below left, was trying to figure out how to eat peanuts while waiting for the tractor pull to begin and Madison Patton-Holloman, bottom left, made a hat to shield her face from the sun. Peanut Fest goers also enjoyed a live performance by Molly Hatchet, one of many live entertainers at the fest this year. Photos by Leila G. Roche & R.E. Spears iii
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suffolk scene Driver Days
Oct. 23 marked the kickoff of the 17th annual Driver Days. Hundreds of people lined the streets — in some areas, three rows deep — to watch the parade, which started the weekend’s festivities. It proceeded down Kings Highway and made a left at Driver Lane. A large component of the parade was Nansemond River High School’s marching band, bottom right. The vendors, the food and the community were popular among those attending. One of the vendors there for the weekend was Billy Bernard, with Rucks BBQ Hut, who spent his time at his two barbecues full of pork at bottom center. While at Driver Days, Bailey Jones stopped with her mom and grandparents at a nearby stand to pick out a pumpkin, at left. And, as always, the antique car show was a favorite of all those attending. Photos by Leila G. ROche
ON Vacation
Michelle Prince, a Suffolk wine consultant, spent some time in France and England with Suffolk Living magazine earlier this year. Above, Prince stands above the harbor in Monaco, France, while, at right, she prepares to board a double-decker bus in London. Next time you’re headed out of town, take us along, snap a photo and send it in. We’d love to show folks where we’ve been. Submitted Photos
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summer fun New YMCA day camp promises good times story by Leila G. Roche
S
ettled at the end of a long driveway safeguarded by two lion statues sits an expansive brick building on 55 sprawling acres along Kenyon Road. It was once the home of the Hampton Roads Youth Center and holds within its property lines a world of possibilities. The YMCA of South Hampton Roads plans to make the most of those possibilities. By next summer, the building and its surrounding property will host a world of summer fun for 400 children a day as a regional day camp and a center for community activities when camps are out. “In a year from now when this is open, we hope to see this place as a hub of the commu-
nity,” said Rick Matthews, executive director of the Suffolk Family YMCA. “We want to build a place kids can now go to build friendships and memories that they can take home with them and build on for the rest of their lives.” The move toward building day camps is a reaction to the demand the YMCA experiences for its summer programs, said Charles E. Harris, president and CEO of the YMCA of South Hampton Roads, an umbrella organization that includes YMCA facilities in Suffolk and Franklin. There are currently more than 500 children enrolled in the Suffolk Family YMCA’s beforeand-after school program, according to Matthews, and each of the region’s YMCAs offers summer camp programs that fill up very quick-
ly. Those programs will continue to be offered, even after the new day camps are opened. Kenyon Road will offer parents an alternative to the programs at the regular facilities. A renovation of the facility began last summer. Once full of walls to create rooms and living areas for troubled teens, the building is now laid out in three open sections – a large center room and a wing at each side. Each has separate access to the backyard deck and its surrounding barbecue pits. There are mini-kitchen areas in each wing and a full-service and industrial kitchen located off the main area. Within the central section is a hands-on
suffolk living
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Classes Performances Workshops Special Events Shopping Food Fun
Come Alive CREATE
Fun and unique classes such as pottery, photography, animation for teens, zumba, dancing with your partner, creative writing, preschool playhouse, summer camps and more!
DISCOVER
World class and local performances, exhibits and events. There is always something happening at the Center!
PLAY The YMCA’s regional day camp on Kenyon Road is scheduled to be up and running for camps in summer 2011.
learning library, a computer area and a private chapel. But summer camp is all about fun, and the YMCA camp will offer plenty of it. Located on the property will be a water park, basketball courts, soccer fields, a community garden, a softball field, a zip line that children can use to move across the property, and an archery and “BB” rifle range further back on the property. There also will be individual shelters outside for summer camp groups to be headquartered each day. The facility and its improvements are expected to cost a total of $3.2 million, of which $2 million has already been raised, Matthews said. Having spent $1.9 million in June to buy the building, the YMCA is now campaigning to raise its final $1.2 million to finish turning the property into a regional day camp and family center. “There is no greater investment you can make than in the development of our youth, helping people learn to live healthy lives at all ages and to teach, encourage and enable social responsibility,” Matthews said. “That is what we do, and that is what this building will be an extension of.” ←
With unique shopping, dining, and event space you will come alive at the Center!
Call 757.923.0003 or visit www.suffolkcenter.org
Support Your Community Arts Center! Become A Member & Save!
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Revisions:
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5.
6.
7.
8.
9. 10. 11. 12. 13.
reat things often come in small packages. Nowhere is this adage better exemplified than at the newest addition to Suffolk’s food scene. Clarence and Tanya West, the husband-wife team who opened Divine Creations in October, serve up cupcakes in all different flavors — from classics like vanilla and red velvet, to more unique creations, such as Heavenly Decadence, with cream cheese and chocolate, and Karen’s Cupcake for the Cure, a trio of strawberry flavors in one creation. “Cupcakes are simple and fun, and we’ve found that people feel less guilty eating them,” Tanya said. “They offer an opportunity to be creative with various flavor combinations,” Clarence added. While both members of the business and marital partnership contribute equally, Clarence says he tends to conceive most of the flavor combinations, while Tanya figures out the recipes. “I come up with flavors on the fly by thinking about things that haven’t been tried before. We enjoy expressing ourselves in a creative package,”
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tiny cakes, BIG flavor Clarence said. For example, while baking one day, he decided on a whim to add a Reese’s cup to each cupcake before baking and then sprinkled Reese’s Pieces on top of the cream cheese frosting – and the “R&R” was born. But it wasn’t just a whim that birthed the business. After years working in the shipyard, Tanya began to pray for what she could be passionate about. “It’s the name God gave me,” Tanya said. “’Divine creations’ comes from the idea that our cupcakes and our lives have been inspired by God. We thought it would be good to let everyone know that,” Clarence added. The Wests also offer lattes and coffee to accompany their cupcakes, and they take orders for bulk cupcakes and decorated cakes. The cupcakery is located in the Centerbrooke Village shopping center off of Godwin Boulevard. ←
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26 suffolk living
totaled carnage Popular event puts bragging rights — and heavy metal — on the line
story and photography by R.E. Spears III
T
here are two schools of thought when it comes to choosing the perfect car for a demolition derby. The first, and perhaps more obvious, is to get the cheapest, most readily available set of wheels to be found on the theory that it will be all but worthless by the time the event is over. There are those, however, who hold to the idea that a greater investment is required. Either way, don’t expect to get the car insured, and don’t make any plans that require it to be driven away at the end of the night. One of Suffolk’s favorite annual events is the demolition derby that takes place during the city’s annual Peanut Festival in October. The bleachers fill up well before the evening event, and folks line up a dozen deep around the orange plastic fence that marks the safety zone around the field of battle. Spectators come from all over the area, and participants come from places all over Virginia and beyond. They’re all there for the same reasons — to revel in the din of crunching metal and See DERBY page 28
Repairs are part of the strategy during the demolition derby. And, like the derby itself, the repairs that keep vehicles in the running from one heat to the next are loud, dirty and reliant on brute force. See TOP 100 page 27
suffolk living
“It’s just the thrill of getting out there and smacking everybody and getting smacked. When they drop the green flag, there’s gonna be a whole lot of hittin’.” Greg Lafferty — Derby Driver
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Greg Lafferty, at right, brought his car all the way from Staunton for the demolition derby in Suffolk in October. It was his 15th entry into the event. He, his brother and father were joined by several other friends and entered a total of four cars into the competition. DERBY continued from page 26
thundering engines, in the smell of smoke and fumes. They come to relish the controlled chaos of a pastime legal only within the confines of this dirt-floored arena bounded by low concrete walls. “It’s just the thrill of getting out there and smacking everybody and getting smacked,” says Staunton’s Greg Lafferty, who has come with a group of friends who make it a habit to be in Suffolk for the derby. “When they drop the green flag, there’s gonna be a whole lot of hittin’.” Lafferty, a supervisor for F.R. Drake of Waynesboro, a manufacturer of industrial food processing equipment that sorts, conveys and loads hot dogs into packaging, is a 15-year veteran of the Suffolk derby. He is an adherent of the “invest-for-success” school of thought. His orange and green car with a lighted stop sign perched on the roof, was painted and lettered by his wife in honor of his son’s 10th birthday. It sports a different engine than it did when he bought it, something he hopes will give him the power to push it and the opposing vehicles around the arena. Lafferty and seven of his friends and family from the Staunton/Harrisonburg area have come to Suffolk with four different cars, and they spend their time before the derby tinkering under the hoods, getting engines in their best condition, tying down parts and making sure their vehicles were ready to get smashed in the
safest possible way. Nearby in what passes for pit row on the Peanut Festival site at the Suffolk airport, Suffolk native John Branch laughs about what’s really important in the demolition derby. “We’ve got the best-looking paint job out here,” he says. His old black station wagon features a pink ribbon design with white accents. But the 12year derby veteran knows that even a crowdpleasing paint job won’t keep the car moving if someone scores a couple of solid, well-placed hits during the competition, so he quickly corrects himself. “It’s all about ‘runability,’” he says. Branch once finished the derby in second place, and his pride has him wanting to try to better that record. A back injury that’s bothering him on this day, however, has him wondering if he should let a friend substitute for him in this particular event. Derby drivers wear helmets and safety harnesses, but there’s no getting around the fact that they’re smashing into — and being smashed by — other cars. Over and over again. Until only one car is left moving. Whoever drives Branch’s car in the derby will wake up sore the following morning. But whoever walks away the winner will have bragging rights for the whole year. And for those participants from Suffolk, that means a lot
of opportunities to gloat around other Suffolk competitors. “It’s about being able to talk junk to your friends later on,” he says. “I know about half the [drivers] out here. We’ll be trash-talking all the way to the end.” Even among friends who show up at the event together, the competitive spirit reigns. Branch is another “investor” when it comes to choosing his derby car. “The cars, I buy,” he says, “usually, somebody is driving it when I buy them.” He’s willing to pay well over the event’s total $1,500 purse for a car with enough weight and power behind it to punish the competition. His brother, Craig, however, has a different philosophy. Driving in the compact class, Craig Branch is less worried about the size and weight of his car than he is about the impact it will have on his wallet. Something cheap is great. Something free is perfect, as long as he can get it running for the event. The federal government’s cash-for-clunkers program has made it harder to find cars to use in the derby, contestants agree. And sometimes it’s prudent not to tell a current owner that her beloved vehicle could wind up broken and busted with bent wheels, stuck inside a demolition derby arena waiting for a bulldozer to pick it up and carry it to a field where a flatbed tow truck will load it and carry it away to be scrapped. See DERBY page 29
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Pit row, as seen from the top of the nearby carnival slide, is a relatively quiet place, despite the dozens of cars and trucks lined up there on the afternoon before the demolition derby. All that changes as the time approaches for the first heat. Drivers and their crews spend the last hour or two before the derby making adjustments to engines, tires and auto bodies.
Whatever a derby contestant’s philosophy on choosing a competition car, one thing is sure: It will need repairs if it’s going to stay in the event through more than one heat. In the demolition derby, “repair” is a relative term, and fixing a broken car requires, as often as not, sledgehammers, pry bars, saws and grinders. Contestants are often not mechanics, but they usually have a fair bit of mechanical know-how, or at least, as John Branch puts it, the ability to do some quick “red-neck engineering.” While they await the final event of the night, setting winners from previous heats against one another, those winners are hard at work back in the pit area prying metal away from tires, grinding down broken parts and doing their best to give new life to engines that have been pressed beyond their limits. In contrast to the throaty roar of engines over in the arena, the pits are a cacophony of grinding, pounding, banging and the occasional curse word. Cars, flatbed tow trucks and bulldozers do their dance here without impact, while back in the ring it is an altogether different story. The drivers in the pit area are either celebrating their epic losses or hoping for a win of even greater proportions. The atmosphere mixes genial competition with what feels like an almost giddy sense of release as the adrenaline wears off following each heat. There are plenty of smiles to go around, even from those forced to watch their cars hauled out of the arena by the heavy equipment on hand for the job. It’s a spirit that had been predicted by one of the event’s organizers during a pre-derby drivers’ meeting. “This is about having some fun and wrecking some cars and not going to jail at the end of the night for it,” he said. “If you came out here tonight to have anything but fun, you picked a [poor] sport to be involved in.” ←
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get to know
calling it like they see it
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Exposing the truth behind the men in black story and photography by Andrew Giermak
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n a good day, Geoff Payne and Bucky Payton are almost invisible in their second jobs. On the best days, no one remembers them or anything they did. But as referees for a couple of second-tier sports in the area’s high school and youth leagues, the men have made an indelible mark in youth sports in and around Suffolk. It has been a surprising journey for both men, however. Geoff Payne played field hockey in his youth in England, where it’s predominantly a male sport. The first field hockey game Bucky Payton saw was his first one as Nansemond River’s head coach. Payne hasn’t played the sport in many years, and Payton hasn’t coached it in over a decade, but they still give tons of time and energy to keep the sport going and growing. Payne also officiates soccer and girls’ lacrosse, so he stays largely local with the games he calls. As “offseason” tournaments, indoor leagues and select leagues have begun to gain in popularity, Payton has been able to dedicate himself exclusively to field hockey. He’s worked 300-plus matches each of the last three years, with this year’s travels ranging from Pennsylvania and Florida to Arizona and California. “I love the game of hockey and what it does for kids,” Payton said. “It’s a good game. It teaches about self and getting along with others. All sports do that, of course, but hockey especially seems to do so.” “I enjoy doing it for the kids. I hope that what I do helps them enjoy it more and it gives them a better game,” Payne said. Payton, whose parents were missionaries, grew up in Thailand. He played soccer and basketball in Thailand and in high school in Georgia. He continued with soccer collegiately until suffering a knee injury. Payton, who moved with his wife from Georgia to Suffolk in 1987, coached basketball and football for four years at Suffolk and John Yeates high schools. Nansemond River opened, and John Yeates became a middle school in 1990. There were no coaching openings for NR’s first fall, except for See REFEREES page 34
Suffolk residents Geoff Payne, left, and Bucky Payton have been calling area high school field hockey matches for years. Payne also officiates soccer and girls lacrosse while volunteering a great deal of time for Suffolk Youth Athletic Association. Payton, a teacher and former coach at Nansemond River, referees 300-plus field hockey games a year around the country.
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the new sport of field hockey. The principal suggested Payton head up the new team. “No one in the city knew anything about it,” Payton said. “I was told, ‘It’s soccer with sticks.’” In spite of that initial game plan, the Lady Warriors learned quickly under Payton. The leader in NR’s first trip to the Bay Rivers District playoffs was senior Tara McClenney, who, 19 years later, is Lakeland head coach Tara Worley. Lakeland has won 21 Southeastern season and tourney titles under Worley. Lakeland won its first state title on Nov. 13. Nansemond River won five straight district titles before Payton left teaching and coaching in 1999. Lakeland won its first district title in 2000. Payton “dabbled” in officiating field hockey, softball and basketball. He returned to teaching at Lakeland, then King’s Fork, and coached girls’ basketball for the Lady Bulldogs. A health issue made Payton leave coaching in 2007. “I’ve found the one exercise I really enjoy is officiating hockey,” he said. Payne’s route to a whistle started with his son. He entered Jonathan, at age five, into the fledgling soccer league at Suffolk Youth Athletic Association. It was nearly traumatic for someone used to “soccer” across the Atlantic. “The rules had been thought up by people who were well-meaning, but the rules were somewhat strange,” Payne said. Most notably, defenders couldn’t cross midfield into the offensive half and vice-versa for the forwards. “The first game, I saw this, and I said, ‘What is everyone doing? And why are they doing it?’” Payne said. Payne coached some, but soon saw officiating and getting others to become certified refs as the way to improve soccer at SYAA. He’s been recruited into field hockey and lacrosse in recent years out of a need for local officials. “When I started (lacrosse), there were three certified officials in the area,” See REFEREES page 35
Bucky Payton referees a match at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy this past fall. Payton travels from California to Florida to officiate at field hockey tournaments and showcases. He was introduced to the sport in 1990 when he was named the head coach of Nansemond River’s inaugural field hockey team.
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Payne said. “Schools would call an official and ask, ‘When can we schedule a game? When can you be there?’” Payne saw a match at Old Dominion and read the rule book before calling his first lacrosse match. So what’s it like to officiate sports that most people, even sports fans, know nothing about? Parents still have things to say. Coaches, of course, do too. “I’m not perfect. I quit trying to be perfect a long time ago. I do the best I can. I’ve resorted to this only a few times, but I’ve had to tell a coach, ‘I’ll call a perfect game one day after you quit,’” Payton said. Profanity has no place, from anyone, Payton says. The only other problem he has is a claim a ref is “jobbing someone or a team on purpose.” “It can be a parent, or a coach with 12 state championships, if you question my neutrality, you’re going to Geoff Payne makes a call during a Nansemond River at Great Bridge field have an issue,” Payton said. For the most part, both hockey match in October. Payne played players and parents are well- field hockey in his youth in England, where it’s primarily a male sport. Payne started and behaved. “Field hockey and lacrosse runs a program to teach teenagers how to players rarely say anything at be soccer officials at Suffolk Youth Athletic all. You make the call. Every- Association. one simply gets on with it,” Payne said. “Kids mirror adults. If the parents in the stands aren’t screaming and hollering, it helps, even if it’s largely because they don’t know the rules anyway,” Payton said. “It’s just about playing, and there’s a beauty to that. No one’s in field hockey because it’s a way to make money or be famous,” Payton said. Refs don’t care who wins, but they have goals. Payton strives to advance up the certification ladder. The biggest step isn’t mastering the rules. It’s physically keeping up with elite athletes playing an incredibly fast game. “The top-level official has to be able to call an international-level men’s game,” Payton said. “I don’t know if I can get to that elite level, but I don’t want to say I never tried,” the 48-year-old said. A couple decades after his interesting introduction, Payne’s goals revolve a lot around SYAA. He has developed and runs a program that brings youth into soccer officiating. Older kids, for example, call almost all of the younger division soccer matches at SYAA. He’s taught about 250 kids in 10 years. Most Saturdays, Payne’s teaching at SYAA for eight hours or more. The kids make some money and get to be around a sport they like. “It takes a lot to be a good ref. I think it gives the kids personal growth. It takes a lot, with peers, parents, strangers there, to be in the middle of the field and take charge,” Payne said. But the adrenaline rush is still there, even after all the years of experience. “I still get butterflies and adrenaline when I’m on the field and a match is about to start. As long as I’ve got that, I’ll keep officiating,” Payton said. ←
Every Child a Star ... Together, We Help Them Shine!
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Sharon Morgan works in a rink with her horse Apollo, the leader of the “Frat Boys.� Morgan has been housing Apollo at HorseSpa Farm since it opened.
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Suffolk continues to attract equine enthusiasts story by Leila G. Roche photography by R.E. Spears III
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country
endy Parker had dreamed of the day she would open her own horse farm, where her horse could run, roam and kick up dust with other horses, instead of being in a stall. With one drill of a posthole, her dreams found justification. In 2003, standing within what was once a cotton field, Parker drilled one posthole for practice, to see how the equipment worked. “The second post was the real thing,” she said. She shoved the drill down into the dry earth and pulled it back up. At the end of the drill was a horse’s lead line, brown and cracked from age. “It was kind of eerie, but a confirmation that we were building something good,” Parker said. Parker called the previous owner, who confirmed that horses had been kept on the property to help with the farming about 50 years ago. Now, seven years after Parker put in that first post, 34 horses roam the extensive acreage at HorseSpa Farm near Chuckatuck, off Crittenden Road. Watching the herds peacefully graze or ride the trails surrounding the farm, it’s easy to forget that the 158-acre farm is just a few miles from busy I-664. It’s also easy to see why the owners of 34 horses, many of whom live in Portsmouth, Chesapeake and Virginia Beach, keep their beloved animals in Suffolk. “That’s why we bought the land here,” said Parker, who lives in Norfolk. “We looked all around Hampton Roads for good land at a good price. This was originally not See HORSES page 38
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listed, but our real estate agent knew the owner had been trying to sell it. When we saw it, we knew we had to have it. I fell in love with it.” While Suffolk is no Middleburg, the 430 square miles that are situated near the rest of Hampton Roads have attracted horse owners and equine-related businesses for years. “Suffolk is the perfect environment for this kind of lifestyle,” said Mary Rombs, who owns Liberty Arabians with her husband, Bob. “I don’t think we’d ever leave Suffolk. It has everything we need.” Halfway across the city from the HorseSpa Farm, Liberty Arabians is nestled on 26 acres off Lake Cohoon Road. Since founding the farm in 1985, Mary and Bob Rombs have focused on breeding Arabians, boarding clients’ horses and training them in “natural horsemanship.” Natural horsemanship is based on working with the animal’s intellectual abilities, rather than trying to physically overcome the horse or use fear to motivate it. Horses bred and trained there have earned Liberty Arabians national recognition and have won national, state and regional championships and numerous accolades. Mary and Bob Rombs breed one or two foals every other year and train them in the discipline that seems most fit, whether that be western trail riding, jumping, dressage or something else entirely. Their passion for horses grew from the time Bob spent riding on his grandfather’s ranch and the time Mary rode as a child in her native Germany. Not long after marrying, they decided they wanted to start a farm. “We searched high and low for somewhere to build,” Mary said. At the time, they were living in Virginia Beach, “and there was a lot of development going on. The right piece of property was hard to find, and if you did find one it was expensive. Suffolk had a lot of raw property.” Since building the farm and the stables, the couple has stayed put in Suffolk. Two of their friends from Virginia Beach and Chesapeake soon followed after them, one to establish another breeding farm, the other to build an equine hospital, which became Dominion Equine Clinic, providing service throughout southeastern Virginia, northeastern North Carolina and the Eastern Shore. Even before they moved here, however, Bob and Mary said, Suffolk had quite a few horse farms and backyard horses. “Even then, Suffolk was a huge equine area,” Mary said. “There is a lot of support from the agricultural community. There are several hay and seed stores and tack shops in the community. Those types of things are necessary to conduct a business or own a horse.” Having a surgical facility in the area is also a draw for horse owners, Bob added. But land and location remain the primary reasons Suffolk has attracted horse owners.
Fenton Shugrue and her horse Rabbit with Sharon Morgan and her horse Apollo walk over a bridge, part of a Parelli training course at the HorseSpa Farm. The course helps horses break their fear of situations that might normally spook them.
“There were a lot of horse farms, and a lot of people who wanted to have their horse on their property lived and were moving here because there was so much land,” Mary said. “You’re seeing a lot more of that now, too,” Bob added. “Families buy five or 10 acres to have their horse in their backyard.” “It’s certainly contributed to the growth of the area,” Mary said. “Over the years people from Hampton Roads are moving into Suffolk to have a horse, and if they aren’t, a lot of them are keeping their horses at a Suffolk farm, because there’s just so many of them.” The Rombs have been around long enough to see old facilities change hands and to see the birth of a number of new facilities in the area, including HorseSpa Farm. That farm started with just a handful of horses, but in just a few years grew to the maximum capacity with which owner Wendy Parker is comfortable. “We started with just two horses,” Parker said. “By that summer, we already had seven or eight horses. By the end of the first year, we had 12, and the next year we had 20. Now, we have a waiting list.” Various pastures have been set up to accommodate and feed the small equine community. As Suffolk has its boroughs, HorseSpa Farms is split into different pastures to accommodate each of its seven herds. The Romeos are known for their charm. The Moody Mares are mostly older female horses with cantankerous attitudes. Their younger
counterparts are the Sweet Tarts, whose mellower peers are the Cupcakes. The Stud Muffins have an attitude that comes across as chivalrous. The Homies are a tight-knit group of males, and the Frat Boys are a group of young thoroughbreds that like to play. The horses live in their herds, and each herd has two or three pastures to graze on and a “sacrifice” area to romp and run in. Each herd also has its own run-in shelter for harsher weather. “I can’t imagine how someone could ever look at a horse and believe it should live in a stall,” Parker said. “But we know that when they’re out and running around they can get nicked. So every day we inspect them to make sure everyone is okay. We want the horses to be as healthy as possible – both mentally and physically.” The property includes a training area, three small hills for the horses to climb, 20 stalls mostly used for sick horses, a farmhouse where an employee lives and a rubber and sand ring to provide cushion for fallen riders training their horses. There is also a Parelli training course to help train horses to do what might normally spook them — such as crossing bridges — and winding trails around the property and through part of a forest offer a relaxing ride. Lone Star Lakes Park is just around the corner for riders who want a change of scenery. “We love the trail rides,” said Sharon Morgan, who owns Apollo, the leader of the Frat Boys herd. “It’s so wonderful here. It’s the best place I’ve ever kept any of my horses. My horses get See HORSES page 39
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the best treatment here. It’s so peaceful here. People come here to relax. It’s safe and quiet.” From a farm with a name like HorseSpa, it is, perhaps, not surprising to learn that there is a concentration on equine fitness of all kinds. One program at the farm, for example, offers equine-assisted psychotherapy, which has been effectively used to treat human behavioral issues like attention deficit disorder, substance abuse, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, relationship issues and communicaGood land at a good price — that was also close tion problems. All sesto family — were what brought Wendy Parker to sions are supervised by Suffolk to start HorseSpa Farm. a clinical social worker and an equine specialist trained through Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association. “It’s a good feeling knowing the horse can live in peace and be healthy,” Parker said. “I just don’t know how people can look at a horse and think it should live in a box. After we opened, I was driving down Crittenden Road and saw three or four women trotting down the road and I thought ‘This is it. This is what I wanted to create,’” Parker said. ←
Experience the Duke difference.
Lydia Duke, President
dukeauto.com Main Street Suffolk 1-800-733-9325
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wedding style in suffolk
Everyone gets married ... Or knows someone who does. Suffolk offers a wide variety of vendors and locations to help make the big day extra special. Take a peek inside to see a small sampling of what Suffolk has to offer, no matter what the season. All photography in the section courtesy of Rebecca Keeling Gagnon of Rebecca Keeling Studios
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Winter
Lauren Flaim Hiles, 22, models an Oleg Cassini ballroom gown, $399. Photo taken at Vintage Tavern. Wedding dress courtesy of Renaissance Bridal at The First Lady. Hairstyle by Salon Amore.
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Cakes
Whimsical season-inspired wedding cakes by Merrill’s Desserts of downtown Suffolk Table top items, top left and bottom left, are Mariposa pearled cake stands, $155; and a Portmeirion lavender server, $30. Stands courtesy of UniquelyLeo’s Specialty Boutique
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Attendants Camryn DelosReyes, age 6 Nathan Legg, age 6 Tucker Legg, age 4
Clothes courtesy of LuAnn’s for Kids in Suffolk Boys are wearing Lito 5-piece suits, $89.99 ea. Camryn is wearing a Majestic Bridal collection flower girl dress, $120.99 and bow by Miss Ashley, $7.99. Photos taken at Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts.
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Spring Valencia Hall Moore, 30, models a Mary’s couture gown, $499 from Renaissance Bridal at The First Lady. Shot on location at The First Lady. Hairstyle by Elegante Beauty Center.
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Summer
Newlyweds Melanie Boffo Williams, 27 and Kevin Williams, 29 Wedding dress is a Galini gown, $299 courtesy of Renaissance Bridal at The First Lady. Shot on location at the Hilton Garden Inn & Conference Center. Hairstyle by Salon Amore.
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Gifts
Redneck Wine Glass, $19.99 4-pack Hampton Roads coaster set, $49.99 One Line a Day Memory Book, $16.95 Men’s travel bags, $24.99; Groom’s picture frame, $19.99 On the Rocks ice chiller set, $34.99 All gifts courtesy of A. Dodson’s
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Flowers
Top left, winter bouquet of white lilies. Bouquet design by Johnson’s Gardens, Inc. Top right, spring bouquet of mini Gerber daisies, tulips, wax flower, freesia and spray roses. Bouquet design by Hollydays! Bottom left, summer bouquet of yellow calla lilies, purple variegated Dendrobium orchids, white bridal roses, stargazer lilies, green Hypericum berries, ivy and bear grass. Bouquet design by Ray’s Florist. Bottom right, fall bouquet is composed of stargazers, sunflowers, mini roses, pom poms and golden aster. Bouquet design by Johnson’s Gardens, Inc.
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Autumn
Allison Gicz, 27, models a Michaelangelo gown priced at $399, courtesy of Renaissance Bridal at the First Lady. Shot on location at Vintage Tavern. Hairstyle by Salon Amore.
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Meet the Models
Top left, Lauren Flaim Hiles, 22, is the owner and lead stylist at Salon Amore. Top right, Valencia Hall Moore, 30, is sales manager at the downtown Suffolk Hilton Garden Inn. Bottom left, Melanie Boffo Williams, 27, works at Entercom Communications; Kevin Williams, 29, works as a contractor for Northrop Grumman. Bottom right, Allison Gicz, 27, is a stylist at Salon Amore.
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Jewelry
Top left, 14 kt White gold micro pave’ diamond engagement ring with matching band 1.01 ct. Total weight $2,255.00 Top right, Tungsten 7 mm grooved and beveled edge gents band by Chisel $124.00 Below, 3 stone diamond engagement ring set in platinum with 2.0 ct total weight of ideal cut SI1/VS2 G-color diamonds, mounting by Stuller $12,000.00 Inset bottom top right, 14 kt white gold pearl drop earrings with 0.11 ct total weight diamonds $500.00 Inset bottom right, 14 kt white gold 1.00 ct total weight round diamond eternity band $1,450.00 Jewelry courtesy of DB Bowles Jewelers
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A log book from Suffolk’s fire company in 1916 records the names of city officials, including the police and fire chiefs and commissioner of the revenue.
connected through time story by Tracy Agnew photography by R.E. Spears III
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t all started when a firefighter rookie was asked to clean out a closet in the fire station. T.W. “Buck” Johnson obeyed his commander and discovered a career-long obsession in the process. At the bottom of the pile of things in the closet, Johnson found a stack of photo albums, daily logs and scrapbooks stuffed with news clippings. The young recruit was entranced. The aging photos documented big blazes, firefighter get-
togethers and activities. Yellowed clippings from the local papers recorded the newsworthy infernos. The daily log memorialized all the action, from the historical to the mundane, in scrolling handwriting on oversized pages. For Johnson, that was all he needed to start him on the trail of collecting pieces of the fire department’s history. “We’ve got a long history of our family being in this fire department,” said Johnson, now a captain in the Suffolk Department of Fire and
Rescue. “I guess that’s why it means so much to me.” With his commander’s permission, Johnson began squirreling away every piece of Suffolk’s fire service history he found. Medals and trophies. Portraits of former chiefs. Shoulder patches and name plates. At first, the memorabilia simply took up one file in his drawer. Then, the drawer was full to bursting. Soon, the collection occupied an entire closet. See FIREFIGHTER page 53
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But there came a day when the collection wouldn’t fit in a closet anymore — the day he and others in the fire department decided to restore a 1928 Metropolitan ladder truck that had been one of the department’s first motorized vehicles. That was when Johnson hatched an idea that would only be fully realized last August. That’s when fire department and city officials cut the ribbon on the King’s Fork Public Safety Center, a combination space that houses a fire station, fire department administration and emergency operations center. The building’s lobby is fully dedicated to the fire department’s history, housing the hundreds of pieces of history Johnson collected throughout the years. “These things that you see are priceless,” Johnson said, standing in the lobby and looking around at the collection. “This is all our stuff. This is nobody else’s.” Every piece in the collection comes from Suffolk — right down to the trophies the all-volunteer fire company won in regional firefighter competitions in the 1800s. Johnson routinely takes curious visitors on tours around the fire truck and in front of the display cases, talking about the collection just as easily as if he’s reciting his own family history. In many ways, he is. Johnson’s father, brother and nephew all either retired from Suffolk Fire and Rescue or still serve in the organization. Johnson’s tours typically start at the beginning — with a display case housing items from 1884 to 1911, when Suffolk’s fire service was an all-volunteer outfit known as the Phoenix Steam Fire Engine Company. The Phoenix company had a band — the Phoenix Military Band — and much of the memorabilia from the day is about the band rather than their firefighting prowess. However, they did bring home trophies from regional fire skills competitions in events like hose-pulling and ladder-raising. See FIREFIGHTER page 54
Capt. T.W. “Buck” Johnson runs his hand across the paint on a restored 1928 Metropolitan ladder truck. The truck sits in the lobby of the King’s Fork Public Safety Center, a space dedicated to the Suffolk Department of Fire and Rescue’s history.
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Badges and pins for a variety of ranks within the Suffolk Department of Fire and Rescue are displayed in a glass case at the King’s Fork Public Safety Center. FIREFIGHTER continued from page 53
The town of Suffolk gave what soon became the Suffolk Fire Company $100 a year, and the company earned the rest of the money it needed through fish fries and barbecue sales. In 1912, the town decided to hire its first paid fire chief, Eugene Worley, who had been a longtime volunteer. Worley was followed by Chief R.L. Jacobs and Chief H.A. Applewhite. Under Applewhite’s command, a second station was built, necessitating another name change — this time to Suffolk Fire Department. Under portraits of Worley, Jacobs and Applewhite in the display cases rest photos of fires, daily logs and even a voting box with white and black marbles. According to Johnson, members of the fire service long ago would vote on new members using the marbles. If even one black marble showed up in the box when it was opened, the potential member would not be initiated. Another of Applewhite’s achievements was purchasing the Metropolitan truck that now sits in the museum. The truck was in full service in the Suffolk department for 44 years when it gave out in 1972 at a peanut plant fire. The truck sat in a metal storage building for some time — that is, until Johnson gravitated toward it. “As a rookie, I would ask the officer on duty if I could go out there and play with it and try to
get it started,” Johnson said. He eventually got the antique running, and all the firefighters pitched in to restore it, from the paint and detailing to the parts under the hood. For years, the truck made appearances in Peanut Festival and Christmas parades, until it conked out again. Once again, the truck was fully restored to its former glory in anticipation of someday having a space to display it — a possibility that was looking more and more like reality through the last decade. “This is its final resting place,” Johnson said. Near the truck is another popular icon of fire history — a fire pole. This isn’t just any fire pole, though, but one that came from the Morgan Street station where Capt. Ben Rawles Sr. died after being overcome with smoke at a peanut facility fire. The pole is anchored to the ceiling with a plaque signed by City Council, city administration and fire department members during the August 2010 opening of the new King’s Fork facility. Nearby, a display case shows off some of the department’s more recent history. More and more fire stations were added throughout the years. The city added a third shift to prevent firefighters from working too many hours. Firefighters also became certified in emergency medical services, causing the department to change its name once again to the Suffolk De-
partment of Fire and Rescue. Current Chief Mark Outlaw rose to his current position in 1994. He could be the last chief from Suffolk to head up the department — another reason Johnson felt compelled to have the museum up and running soon. “We’ve been fortunate that all of our chiefs have been homegrown,” Johnson said. “This stuff means something to them. Who knows about a chief that comes from across the country?” Outlaw himself says you “can’t put a dollar figure” on the items in the fire station’s lobby. “The fire service is known for its history and its tradition,” Outlaw said. “Sometimes I think we just lose history in the past, but we should preserve it. As long as I’m here, we’re going to do that.” Johnson acknowledged the extraordinary amount of trust various chiefs placed in him through the years to save the department’s history. He’s currently grooming some younger firefighters — one of them the great-grandson of a former chief — to take on the duty of preserving the department’s history. “You can’t just read this stuff and remember it the next day,” Johnson said. “It takes somebody dedicated to it. It’s got to be somebody that’s got some kind of connection to it. “Hopefully, there will be somebody like that that will carry it on.” ←
Age 9: Discovered a mutual delight in practical jokes during a Scouts’ outing. Age 20: Every Friday night, drinks with the boys. Age 35: Jobs in different towns and family obligations – difficult to keep in touch. Age 57: Both recall the pact they made as kids to be “lifelong buddies.” Age 76: Reunited when they both moved to The Village. And quickly rediscovered their delight in practical jokes.
Keeping your friends close. It’s one of the values that defines the essence of retirement living at The Village. You’ll find not only a closeknit community where your neighbors become your friends, you’ll also enjoy spacious apartments and cottages with a maintenance-free lifestyle. This means you’ll have more time for what’s really important – even if it’s just pulling a fast one on your buddy. Learn more about The Village at Woods Edge. Please visit us at www.villageatwoodsedge.com or call (757) 562-3100.
The Village at Woods Edge
Small town charm. Engaging senior living.
Small town charm. Engaging senior living. 1401 North High Street • Franklin, VA 23851 • www.villageatwoodsedge.com • (757) 562-3100 • fax: (757) 562-0051
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A black bear is posed in a corner at Debbie Daugherty’s wildlife studio on Pruden Boulevard.
mounting passion
story by Tracy Agnew photography by R.E. Spears III
Artist uses a different kind of canvas
E
very aspect of an artistic work is important, but this particular artist takes great care with her model’s faces. They’re the most important part to her clients. She’s working to create a lifelike deer, and it’s almost done. The body has been carefully formed, the ears crafted just so and the snout portrayed mid-sniff. But the eyes and mouth are the most difficult parts, because they create the expression. The artist traces the deer’s mouth into a slight smile. Then she goes to work on the eyes, ensuring the lids are rounded and the eyes are shining. With a final touch, she makes sure the whiskers are in the right place, then brushes the entire work See TAXIDERMY page 57
suffolk living 57 TAXIDERMY continued from page 56
to clean off extra dust before it’s finished. When she delivers a piece to her client, Debbie Daugherty is always nervous. “I always get butterflies when I’m getting ready to show a piece,” she said. “Have I achieved here what we’re after?” Daugherty’s works are often complete strangers to the client, but sometimes they’re longtime loved ones. That’s why it’s so important to make sure they look the same as when they were alive. Daugherty, who owns Blackwater Wildlife Studio, is part artist and part funeral director. Her clients task her with the impossible job of turning death into life. It all started about 37 years ago, when she was training bird dogs. Her clients started asking her where they could have their dogs’ first retrieve mounted. Income from the seasonal training work only went so far, so she began to supplement it by meeting both of her clients’ needs. Daugherty took some courses by mail and learned the rest from mentors and trial and error. Soon, her side job overtook the training job and she began taxidermy full-time. “At that time, it was kind of unusual for a woman to be in taxidermy,” she said. “It’s not anymore, which tickles me.” In her studio on Pruden Boulevard, animals she mounted more than 20 years ago look as real as when they were alive. Otters and porcupines bare their teeth against perceived threats, while a mouse smaller than a human’s pinkie finger is perched inquisitively on a piece of wood. Bears, deer, sheep, mallard ducklings and even a largemouthed bass line the walls and floor space in the dimly lit studio. The wall space that isn’t taken up with mounts has photos of other projects, among them, a young giraffe — the client had purchased the skin of a zoo loss and brought it to Daugherty. “That was an interesting project,” Daugherty said. When she’s starting on a new piece, Daugherty must first separate the skin from the body. That’s the most difficult part, but not for the reason one might think. “I don’t like ticks, but they like me,” Daugherty said. “You’re something warm with something that is no longer warm.” The skin is then cleaned, tanned, salted and stored in a freezer until she’s ready to work on it. The artistry of the craft comes through in the making of the “mount,” a sort of mold of the animal that goes under the skin. Many mounts are available for purchase, but for unusual jobs — like the giraffe, or the tarantula she once did for a friend — Daugherty must sculpt a mold herself. It’s a skill she learned many years ago when few varieties of mounts were on the market. “I am grateful for having had that background, so I can sculpt something if I need to,” she said.
Taxidermist Debbie Daugherty brushes the hackles of an otter in her wildlife studio. The otter won best in its category in a competition in 1987.
“I always get butterflies when I’m getting ready to show a piece. Have I achieved here what we’re after?” Debbie Daugherty — Taxidermist
The mounts used to be made of plaster of Paris. These days, polyurethane foam is the most popular choice for a mount. Daugherty takes precise measurements of the skin to determine the exact dimensions of the mount. Once it’s finished, she fits the skin onto the mount and holds it in place with hide paste, which she allows to dry for several weeks. Finishing touches include facial details — including glass eyes, mouth position and more — as well as smoothing the hair down and brushing a moth-repellant powder into the hair. “He had a cowlick that was a pain,” Daugherty says of one particular deer as she brushes him. She uses a special tool to shape the lids around the glass eyes and demonstrates how she formed the mouth. “It’s easy to cut that slot straight,” she said, but
shows off how she instead turned the ends of the deer’s mouth slightly upward. Hunting kills are one thing, but family pets make her nervous. The smallest details of an animal’s expression can make the difference between a satisfied client and one who doesn’t recognize his longtime friend. “Nobody knew him like a family member,” Daugherty said, noting that many in her profession won’t even take pets. “Good photos help.” She’s been fortunate to have many satisfied clients, but two of her most prized works were personal projects. An otter — teeth showing, hackles up — is prominently displayed in her showroom, along with the best-in-category ribbon it won at the Virginia State Taxidermists’ Conference in 1987. A nearby group of mallard ducklings, however, upstaged the otter that year. The six hatchery losses — one with its webbed foot dipped in the water made of resin — took best in show in the same competition. Daugherty hasn’t taken another piece to competition since. “In horse shows, they don’t often bring the grand champion back,” she says, by way of explanation. Through the years, though, Daugherty has done many projects for hundreds of customers. A 740-pound bear. Coyotes. Foxes. Peregrine falcons and bald eagles. Even snakes. But when she’s working on a particular piece, she keeps it all in perspective. “You look at each mount as something important individually.” ←
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suffolk living 59
where am I?
I
n each edition the Suffolk Living staff will provide a challenge of sorts, testing how much of Suffolk you really know. We will photograph some location in Suffolk that is readily accessible and open to the public. If you know where this photo was taken, submit your answer, along with your name and contact information to news@
suffolklivingmag.com. If you’re right, you will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to any one of our partner advertisers. So, if you know where this is, let us know. If you’re right, you could be a winner. Go out and enjoy Suffolk!
suffolk living
index of advertisers AllState Insurance Willis Roberts....................12 Array 700..........................12 Atlantic Shores Heating & Cooling.............................10 Atlantic Urogynecology.......4 Autumn Care of Suffolk.......9 Bon Secours Medical........63 Bronco Federal Credit Union........................3 Carver Memorial...............20 Charter Communications..24 Chippoke’s Plantation.........9 Chorey & Associates..........64 City of Suffolk....................31 D.B. Bowles Jewelers........39 Down to Earth Boutique......9 Duke Automotive..........6, 39 Eclipse Lawn Care.............14 Ellen Drames.......................2 Farmers Bank....................20 FLEXA Furniture................12 Fowler Sales & Service...6, 61 Hampton Roads Financial...8 Holiday Inn Express.............6 Isle of Wight Academy.......58 LuAnn’s for Kids...................9 River Stone Chop House....12 Manry Rawls......................14 Meadowbrook Memorial...60
Last issue’s Where am I?
Mike Duman Auto Sales.....30 Nancy’s Calico Patch...........8 Nansemond Suffolk Academy.............................8 ObGyn Associates of Hampton...........................34 PAHRS..........................35 Parr Funeral Home.............58 Powell Home.....................16 Producers Peanuts.............30 Rawlings Mechanical.........58 Rays Florist........................16 Rebecca Keeling Studios...40 RL Howell..........................58 Salon Amore......................35 Saunders & Ojeda.............16 Smithfield Gardens.............8 Starr Motors......................18 State Farm Insurance Ken Deloach......................16 Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts.................23 Suffolk Insurance...............58 Suffolk Public Schools.......35 Suffolk Quality Cleaners.....35 United Way........................61 Village at Woods Edge......55 Virginia Soaps & Scents....17 Womble Generators..........58
suffolk living 39
Perhaps the challenge we posed in the fall edition’s “Where Am I?” feature was a where am I? bit too easy. A bunch of folks I were quick to give the correct answer, the old bank building at the corner of Washington and Main streets. Ashleigh Kennedy was the first to do so and wins a $25 gift certificate for her powers of observation. When you’re trying to find these scenes, don’t forget to look up. n each edition the Suffolk Living staff will provide a challenge of sorts, testing how much of Suffolk you really know. We will photograph some location in Suffolk that is readily accessible and open to the public.
If you know where this photo was taken, submit your answer, along with your name and contact information to news@suffolklivingmag.com. If you’re right, you will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to any one of our partner advertisers. So, if you know where this is, let us know. If you’re right, you could be a winner. Go out and enjoy Suffolk!
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THANK LIVE UNITED
YOU FOR YOUR GIFT!
With your generous gift you have ensured that working families are fed and warm this holiday season and that the homeless have somewhere to go during this winter. Just like you, we feel the strain of a bad economy, but we need your help because the community needs ours.
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% Interest For 36 mo. wac
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62 suffolk living
scrapbook
Snowy Courthouse: The old Nansemond County Courthouse, shown circa 1960, was built after the Great Fire of 1837 destroyed the previous courthouse on the same site. The courthouse was in use until the new Mills E. Godwin Courts Complex opened up the street in 1998. The old building, located at the intersection of North Main Street and Constance Road, reopened this fall as the Suffolk Visitor Center.
— Photo courtesy of the Suffolk-Nansemond Historical Society
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