Western Branch Magazine December-January 2020

Gather A warm spot in Western Branch

december-january 2020 • vol. 4, no. 1

2 western branch magazine

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jan

what's inside?

2020

feature

10

The Gather coffeehouse and café draws its customers for the ambience, the coffee, the food and most importantly, the nonprofit organizations that it supports.

20

In the news Local inventor Steve Waddell believes he’s tapped into a new market with a bathroom faucet that also sprays up like a water fountain.

Best of 2019 Come with us on a journey to review all of the wonderful people and places that have graced these pages over the last 12 months.

Where am I? So you think you know Western Branch? Test your knowledge of its landmarks with this photo quiz. You could win a $25 gift card.

Gather A warm spot in Western Branch

december-january 2020 • vol. 4, no. 1

photo by John H. Sheally II

on the cover

Advertising rates and information available upon request.

Subscriptions are $20 annually in-state; $25 annually out-of-state; $30 for international subscriptions.

Please make checks payable to Suffolk Publications, LLC P.O. Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439

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jan

2020 EDITORIAL Tracy Agnew Editor Alex Perry Staff Writer Jimmy LaRoue Staff Writer Jen Jaqua Photographer news@westernbranchmagazine.com

ADVERTISING

Earl Jones Marketing Consultant Lindsay Richardson Marketing Consultant Kandyce Kirkland Marketing Consultant Amanda Gwaltney Marketing Consultant sales@westernbranchmagazine.com

PRODUCTION Troy Cooper Designer

ADMINISTRATION John Carr Publisher

Cathy Daughtrey Business Manager Hope Rose Production

editor's note Gather with loved ones this winter Winter has set in, and we hope you are enjoying everything Western Branch has to offer during this season.

It’s the perfect time of year for coffee and gathering with family and friends, and the Gather coffeehouse and café in Western Branch seems like the perfect place to do that. The ambience is desirable, the coffee and food are satisfying and the cause is worthy. The coffeehouse directs its profits to numerous local nonprofit organizations, including those benefiting survivors of childhood cancer, domestic violence and human trafficking. If you haven’t been by, we definitely urge you to stop and check it out. You can read more about it on page 14.

Ever wondered what is so special about Western Branch? If you’re not from here, you might have found that thought wandering through your brain.

However, Western Branch teen Shayden Schneider seems to have a great handle on what is so special about it — so much so that she won an essay contest sponsored by a local real estate agent. You can read about Shayden and read her essay on page 19.

This month, we want to take a moment to highlight our On Vacation and Through the Lens features. We think these are great ways for readers to see themselves and their work in the pages of the magazine, but they’re not getting as much participation as we’d like.

To be included in our On Vacation feature, all you have to do is take the magazine with you on vacation, get a high-resolution photo of yourself holding it at your destination, and send the photo in! You might be on the beach in a tropical locale, standing in front of a recognizable landmark, in the middle of all the action on the strip or getting some relaxation time in the middle of nowhere. Wherever you are, take Western Branch Magazine with you as you travel over the Christmas break or this upcoming year and send in your photos!

Photographers of all experience levels are welcome to submit photographs for consideration for the Through the Lens feature. In this feature, we’ll select about four to six of your best shots and present them with a paragraph about you. To be considered, send in at least six high-resolution photos and some information about yourself, including what city you live in, what you enjoy about photography and any other hobbies or activities you might be involved in. We’ll get back to you if we need anything else and let you know when you will be featured!

We hope you are enjoying Western Branch magazine. We’re always looking for your submissions for our On Vacation and Through the Lens features, answers to our Where Am I? challenge, your tips about great stories, and your suggestions for how to make this magazine even better. Please send those things to me at news@westernbranchmagazine.com.

God bless, Tracy Agnew, Editor

Western Branch Magazine is published six times per year by Suffolk Publications, LLC. P.O. Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439 www.westernbranchmagazine.com • (757) 539-3437

western branch magazine 7

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8 western branch magazine

around the branch

Noon Year's Rockin' Eve DECEMBER 31

Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake, will host “Noon Year’s Rockin’ Eve” for the little ones that can’t make it to midnight. There will be a countdown to noon and music to dance to your favorite tunes. Call 410-7024.

western branch magazine 9 ONGOING

The Western Branch Farmers Market, the first independent farmer’s market in Chesapeake, will be open from noon to 4 p.m. each Sunday at Chesapeake Square Mall, 4200 Portsmouth Blvd. The market hosts a variety of local and regional producers and is accepting applications for vendors. For more information and updates, visit www.WBFarmMarket.com, find it on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or email WesternBranchFarmersMarket@gmail.com.

Poetry, Prose & Pizza

ONGOING

Get your shag on with Boogie on the Bay Shag Club, a Portsmouth-based organization dedicated to promoting and preserving shag dancing and beach music. Weekly dance socials are held from 6 to 9:30 p.m. every Friday night at Big Woody’s Bar & Grill, 4200 Portsmouth Blvd. There is no cover, and new friends are always welcome. Free weekly Carolina Shag lessons are provided from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays, also at Big Woody’s.

Visit www.boogieonthebay.com or call 9677740.

ONGOING

The Old Dominion University Tri-Cities Center, 1070 University Blvd., Portsmouth, has an exhibit of art from local public school students on display. The center is open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, except university holidays.

ONGOING

The Dunedin Civic League meets monthly on the first Monday at the Aldersgate campus of New Creation United Methodist Church, 4320 Bruce Road, Chesapeake.

ONGOING

The Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake, holds “Hot Topics” from 10 a.m. to noon every Wednesday. Come engage in conversation about current events with other interested people.

DECEMBER 18

Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake, will host the Novel Ladies Book Club from 6 to 8 p.m. The book club meets on the third Wednesday of each month to talk about books and the plots, characters and themes that make each novel a unique work of art. Call 410-7016.

DECEMBER 20

The Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake, will hold “What A Yarn!” from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Bring your needles, yarn, patterns and unfinished projects to craft and hang out with fellow crafters. Call 410-7016.

DECEMBER 30

Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake, will host Tabletop Night from 5 to 7 p.m. The library will provide board games

and decks of cards. Come learn how to play a new game or enjoy an old favorite. The event is geared toward teens.

JANUARY 7

Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake, will host “There’s a Sign for That!” from 4 to 5 p.m. Beginners or experts in grades kindergarten through fifth are welcome to come learn American Sign Language fundamentals. Call 410-7024.

JANUARY 10

Spend a Friday night with your friends, a microphone and free pizza. Share your own poetry or applaud someone else's work at the family-friendly “Poetry, Prose & Pizza” from 6:45 to 9 p.m. at Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake. The host is renowned poet and spoken word artist Nathan Richardson. Call 410-7028.

JANUARY 11

The Chesapeake Romance Writers will meet from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake.

The chapter meeting starts at 10:30 a.m., with workshops at 12:30 p.m. Talk shop with Romance Writers of America. Adults 18 and up. Call 410-7016.

JANUARY 14

Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake, will host “There’s a Sign for That!” from 4 to 5 p.m. Beginners or experts in grades kindergarten through fifth are welcome to come learn American Sign Language fundamentals. Call 410-7024.

JANUARY 28

The Mocha Authors Club will meet from 6 to 8 p.m. at Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor

Road, Chesapeake. Stop by the information desk to discover this month’s title featuring an African American author, then check out a copy and come back for the discussion. Ages 18 and up; call 410-7016.

FEBRUARY 3

The Teen Advisory Group will meet from 6 to 7 p.m. at Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake. Ask a staff member for an application so you can get involved, build leadership skills and earn community service hours. Open to students in grades 6 to 12. Call 410-7024.

FEBRUARY 21

The American operatic tenor Orson Van Gay II will continue the 81st season of Portsmouth Community Concerts at 7:30 p.m. at Churchland High School Auditorium, 4301 Cedar Lane, Portsmouth. A native of southern California, Orson is no stranger to the Hampton Roads community. He honed his vocal talents as a vocal performance major at Old Dominion University, studying under Agnes Fuller Wynne and Kerry Jennings and later with Sondra Gelb. He was twice honored as a state and regional winner in the Mid-Atlantic National Association of Teachers Singing competition. He made his debut in the title role of Bernstein’s “Candide” at A Noise Within Theatre in Pasadena, Calif.

He has many other operatic and theater credits and has also appeared in several nationally recognized television series, major television commercials and Netflix variety shows. Single adult tickets are $25 each, free for students. Season tickets are $85 for adults, free for students. Tickets are available at the door with cash, check or credit card.

Visit portsmouthcommunityconcerts.com or call 686-5447 for tickets or more information.

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in the news

Suffolk inventor taps new market Story by Tracy Agnew Submitted photos

Steve Waddell believes he has tapped into a new market for an old indoor plumbing implement that hasn’t fundamentally changed its design in many years — and he’s doing it from right here in the Western Branch area.

In recent weeks, Waddell has cut the ribbon on his North Suffolk office, subleased from his wife’s company, and launched a Kickstarter campaign that has reached 300 percent of its goal — and isn’t over yet.

All this fuss about … a faucet? Yes, the inventor says, and he’s passionate about his product.

Waddell said he and his wife were planning a trip to Rome several years ago and

came across an online video of two girls using one of the nasoni in the Italian capital. The public fountains have a hole in the top of the downspout, allowing thirsty passersby to block the downspout with their hand to make water arc out of the top like a drinking fountain.

Waddell was left wondering, “Why don’t faucets in our homes have that?”

He researched and found there was nothing on the market.

So, he decided to create it.

Waddell started raising funding and winning several contests, including one in 2015 called Get Started Hampton Roads.

As a former senior project manager at Northrop Grumman in Newport News,

he knew how to get things done.

He went through many iterations of the design of the Da Vinci, as it came to be called, before it finally looked and felt right. He concerned himself with every detail — how the handles felt in his hand, the design of the switch that blocks the downspout to active the arc, and even the quality of the interior components.

“We made a quality faucet, but it’s more functional,” he said.

Waddell believes his faucet is useful for all sorts of things. People can use it just to take their pills or get a sip of water at night if they don’t want to go to the kitchen. Some people just don’t like cups, and they can get infested with germs, he See TAP page 11

western branch magazine 11 TAP continued from page 10

noted. The arc can be used for washing off facial products, for shaving and for brushing teeth.

He’s even heard from customers who said it helps them cope with conditions like vertigo, neck pain and back pain.

Best of all, he added, it saves water, because less water comes out of the top in a set period of time than out of the downspout.

“You’re buying it because you like the functionality, and it’s like, ‘Oh, cool, I get a benefit of water savings,’” he said.

So far, there aren’t a whole lot of people that own the Da Vinci; the Kickstarter supporters will be among the first.

After that campaign is over, manufacturer’s representatives will begin selling in six states. They’ll sell to plumber wholesalers, to homebuilders, to brick-andmortar retail and even pitch engineers and architects so they can specify it in plans for clients.

The only place Waddell doesn’t plan

The Da Vinci Fountain Faucet is useful for brushing teeth at night.

on it being is Amazon. That’s so retailers “can give customers that personalized experience,” Waddell said, “and they

don’t have to compete with Amazon for window-shopping.”

The Da Vinci is manufactured at a factory in Asia, and it comes in standard and widespread models, each with three finishes. Nasoni also sells an optional water filter.

With boundless enthusiasm about his project and seemingly endless energy, Waddell thinks Nasoni will eventually be a household name.

“It’s not often a product comes along that can disrupt a very mature industry,” he said. “We think we stand a chance of dominating the faucet market right here from Suffolk. And I don’t mean just in the U.S. We’re thinking global.”

Speaking of global, how was that trip to Rome? Well, Waddell and his wife, Becky Reed, who owns Reed Integration, still are hoping to make it there one day.

“We still want to,” he said.

Visit www.nasoni.com for more information.

Ever wish that your bank treated you better? Wish granted.

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farmersbankva.com • 757-242-6111

12 western branch magazine

Steve Waddell is the founder of Nasoni, which sells the Da Vinci Fountain Faucet.

western branch magazine 13

TAKING A TRIP? Take a Western Branch Magazine with you

l a v i t s si h Fe

Pol

ruin le B ture b a t a no eel fu And Tar H a with

june

-july

o.

3, n vol. • 9 201

Send us your travel photos with a copy of Western Branch Magazine. We'd love to publish them.

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feature story

Gather for Good

western branch magazine 15 Gather promotes a casual, relaxing atmosphere where people can work, have leisure time and more while helping a number of good local causes.

Story by Phyllis Speidell Photos by John H. Sheally II

Gather your thoughts, gather your friends and gather for good.

Gather, a Western Branch coffeehouse and café, collects all those opportunities in one bright, comfy setting. With sleek subway tile, glass walls, polished concrete floors and plush couches, Gather brings an urban ambience to a busy strip mall on Starmount Parkway, just off Portsmouth Boulevard.

The soft strains of classical guitars compliment conversations over a wide array of coffees, teas and smoothies. For those hungry for more, there is a menu filled with salads, soups, sandwiches and a selection of dishes portioned to share.

As fresh as the Gather vibe is, the non-profit café’s uniqueness is in its mission — to help customers experience a sense of community while also

helping their neighbors.

Eric Newman, a frequent customer and executive director of the Roc Solid Foundation in Western Branch, said, “When you buy a cup of coffee, you are also helping us build hope for kids with cancer.”

How does that happen?

Roc Solid is just one of numerous local non-profits to which the café directs its profits. Not only does See GATHER page 16

16 western branch magazine

Ashley McDougal, left, a Driver resident, and Brittany Landes enjoy a break at Gather.

GATHER continued from page 15

Gather contribute financially to Roc Solid’s programs of building playsets for children with cancer and assisting families with stricken children, the café offers the foundation a meeting space.

The H.E.R. Shelter of Portsmouth and Chesapeake benefits from Gather as well. The café stocks its pastry case from Sweet Haven Baked Goods, the workforce development program of the H.E.R. Shelter. Olivia Smithberger, executive director of H.E.R., said, “Gather makes the community better through support and engagement. We have also used their community space for board meetings and regularly meet there when we need a brainstorming session.”

The Justice Initiative of Virginia Beach is another Gather beneficiary. The nonprofit Justice Initiative works to prevent and end human trafficking in all of Hampton Roads and throughout Virginia.

Patrick McKenna, co-founder and director of the Justice Initiative, said Gather has been a major financial partner and has also provided meeting space for the group’s planning meetings.

“We often conduct smaller meetings there, because it simply has a great atmosphere for getting work done,” McKenna said.

Gather originated with senior pastors Michael and Megan Brueseke of Community Church. The couple led a team of investors in their vision of creating a gathering place with a positive culture and, through that, strengthening the community. Beyond all the good works, however, it’s Gather’s ambience that seems to draw people. Smithberger’s description of Gather as “fun, friendly and inviting” fits with comments from other regulars who have kept the café busy since it opened in September 2017.

On a recent morning, barista Christian Buchanan greeted guests with a cheerful “It’s a good day for coffee,” as she swirled a signature design on a large cup of smooth latte.

Tiffany Crews stood nearby placing her usual order. She works in a nearby dermatologist’s office and knows the menu options well.

“This is my place to go,” she said. “It’s hard to find a spot that offers vegan options — non meat, non-dairy.”

Sprawled on a nearby couch, 4-yearold Tanner Landes, ear phones in place, enjoyed his music, his smoothie, and a bit of people watching. His mother, Brittany Landes, sat at a table talking with real estate agent Ashley McDougal about the possibilities of settling in the Western Branch/Driver area.

McDougal, who lives in Driver, often sets up meetings at Gather.

See GATHER page 18

western branch magazine 17

Clockwise from top right, Christian Buchanan serves up a beautifully swirled coffee at Gather; Matt Wilson kicks up his heels while he gets some work done at Gather; Gather is located just off Portsmouth Boulevard.

18 western branch magazine GATHER continued from page 16

“From Driver, this is very central with a lot of food and drink options,” she said. “It’s a good place to meet, very clean and you never feel rushed.”

It’s not unusual to see tables of one or two children, heads bent over workbooks as their mothers coach them through their homeschooling assignments. Dr. Matt Wilson, a Navy orthopedist stationed at the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, may be a couple of decades older than the schoolchildren, but he, too, sat absorbed in a book, feet up and relaxed.

“I come in once or twice a week,” Wilson said. “This is a good place to come, away from your nomal four walls, to get some work done. People come in here with their laptops and enjoy.”

The laptop crowd usually sits in generously wide chairs at single tables lining the walls, focusing on their computer screens, cell phones and beverages.

The ambience wafts outdoors on the aroma of coffee to tables and chairs scattered around two sides of the building. A warm day found Stephanie Shannon at a table with her laptop.

About a year ago, she heard about Gather from a friend. The café is close to her daughter’s school and to Shannon’s business in Western Branch and a favorite stopping place for her.

“It’s a homey spot,” she said “Very peaceful here.”

As the folks at Gather might agree, “When people gather for good, the world is a better place.”

Read Western Branch Magazine

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Fall Market

Your autumn feast of Western Branch delicacies, events and more

october-november 2018 • vol. 2, no. 6

Hot Dog! Hot eats and cool beats in Western Branch

june-july 2018 • vol. 2, no. 4

Springtime Red berries and new eateries

april-may 2018 • vol. 2, no. 3

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western branch magazine 19

Western Branch teen wins essay contest Story by Alex Perry Submitted Photography

A high school student wrote a winning essay that epitomized her love for her close-knit Western Branch community.

The “Why I Love Western Branch” essay contest was started this year by Terry Fraley, a broker for Infinity Real Estate Group and a Western Branch resident since 2000. Fraley is also a member of the Churchland Rotary Club and is on the board of the Portsmouth Humane Society.

He held this essay contest to get feedback from younger residents on what they love about the Western Branch community. The contest received 11 entries over a three-week period this fall, and Fraley said he plans to continue the contest next year, as well.

Fraley and four other local residents

judged the essays, and this year’s winner was written by 16-year-old Shayden Schneider. The piece that she wrote, according to Fraley, truly captured the qualities that make the Western Branch community exceptional.

"We read them all, but this young lady captured it a little bit better, her feelings and descriptions of Western Branch. Although they were all positive, this (captured) the overall feeling of the whole Western Branch experience,” Fraley said.

Shayden is a 16-year-old senior at Western Branch High School, who will graduate early this year with plans to go to either University of Central Florida or Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida. She lives in Western Branch with her parents and six siblings.

She's part of the Student Council Association at WBHS, National Honor Society, the high school debate team, and

SHAYDEN SCHNEIDER’S ESSAY Growing up in Western Branch is a huge privilege that my siblings and I get to experience. Being a part of this community is something I find so special. There are a thousand reasons to love our community and all the kind things our community does for one another. Western Branch is a historical breath of fresh air in a hustle and bustle world; kids growing up here get to experience the history, pride and sense of community that most kids only read about in history books.

The main reason why I love our community in Western Branch is because of how close-knit everyone is. Parents and adults look out for all the children, leaving parents less worried. With having a community such as ours, there is always someone familiar wherever you go!

It's so much fun to have people recognize me based on my family or family friends. It seems like you are always one degree of separation from everyone in the area. The Western Branch community never fails to make everyone feel special and included. This inclusive and diverse culture helps build a sense of belonging for all families. Sometimes parents cannot make an event, but there is always another parent taking pictures to send to the parents or post in the community Facebook page. This simple action makes the parents, particularly military and working parents, like mine feel supported as well as the children.

Another reason to love Western Branch is how we come together for fun or in a time of need. When someone is in need the members

volunteers at Believers Church in Suffolk.

She also volunteers at PetSmart in Chesapeake Square, and her family is involved with Children's Hospital of the King’s Daughters.

Shayden received $100 for winning the contest.

"I was really happy and surprised,” she said about winning the contest. “It makes me feel good, because I felt like I had a pretty good representation of the community. I feel like when I described it, it really reflects how our community is."

The Western Branch community has supported her family and has become a place that truly feels like home to her.

"You can never go anywhere and not see someone that you know (in Western Branch). Everyone says things like, ‘this is my home,' and I feel that in Western Branch. You really get that sense wherever you go."

of our community jump at the opportunity to help. Our family has been the recipient of feeling the love of the community rallying around us when my sister has faced multiple hospitalizations. The people in Western Branch love to volunteer and never expect anything in return.

One specific event that really displays our community involvement is the homecoming parade. Many different businesses, schools, and families put effort into the event. People take time away from their day to create floats and banners, as well as local businesses donating goods and services. Western Branch can conquer anything when we work together.

The final reason why the Western Branch community is so lovable is the opportunities it provides. The schools in our area work really hard to make sure students have a fun and safe learning environment. Students are also offered many chances to be a part of different organizations and clubs. Our area also provides many jobs for people of all educational backgrounds and experience levels. With multiple opportunities for higher education, trade schools and a strong military presence, no one will ever be left without a great opportunity in our community.

Western Branch is an easy place to love! From the people, the activities, and to the support, our community is overflowing with lovable characteristics. Western Branch never fails to make me feel safe, educated, and loved all at once. Anyone would be lucky to get the chance to live here.

20 western branch magazine

Best of

Western Branch 2019

The Boogie on the Bay Shag Club consists of 190 active members that come together through a shared enthusiasm for shag dancing. Founded in 1991, the club originally met at a Holiday Inn in downtown Portsmouth.

When that hotel was torn down, the club moved to Norfolk and then eventually to Big Woody’s, partly for the sizable dance floor but also for its central location in Hampton Roads, according to club president Donna House.

“It’s close enough and the people here have been really good to us, plus we’ve been good to them,” House said.

western branch magazine 21

Kennedy’s Angel Gowns is an organization that provides a wide variety of aid to families suffering the loss of a pregnancy or a newborn.

Heather Wilson was about 36 weeks along in her pregnancy with her daughter, Kennedy Milan Wilson, when she suffered a placental abruption on Aug. 17, 2009. She didn’t know what had happened, but she realized her baby was no longer moving and went to the hospital.

“I distinctly remember trying to find Kennedy a dress,” Demitri recalled. “As beautiful as that angel is, she should be in the best.”

Heather and her husband, Demitri, now have a rainbow baby, Riley, and run the organization dedicated to giving new life to old wedding gowns.

22 western branch magazine

The Polish Festival in the Western Branch village of Sunray features traditional Polish food and dancing and attracts thousands to enjoy the cultural celebration.

western branch magazine 23

Above, Western Branch High School alumnus Donald André "Dré" Bly has an illustrious football resume. As a football player for the WBHS Bruins, the University of North Carolina Tar Heels and four different NFL teams, Dré Bly has amassed All-American honors, a place in the College Football Hall of Fame, Pro Bowl selections and a Super Bowl ring. Bly, 42, is writing another chapter of his football life as the cornerbacks coach for the UNC football team.

At right, Ernest “Rabbit” Howard looks back on his life and reflects, “Whenever my own foolish choices slammed a door, a window opened” — one of his numerous life adages, often earned the hard way.

He credits the experiences of his hardscrabble beginnings with shaping him into a wellrespected educator and a locally legendary coach at Portsmouth Catholic, Churchland and Western Branch high schools.

24 western branch magazine

Above, the Elizabeth River Project and the city of Portsmouth opened Paradise Creek Nature Park in December 2012. The city operates the 40-acre site as a public park, and it also serves as a companion education site to the Elizabeth River Project’s Learning Barge. Pictured are Paradise Creek Nature Park youth conservation interns Justin Green, 17, Hailey Wilson, 17, and Vernon Ballard, 16, with Yolima Carr, conservation landscape curator for the Elizabeth River Project.

At left, longtime shoppers and newfound fans of “Consign 4 Good” peruse tens of thousands of used, well-kept items for infants to young adults in a spacious room at Plan Bee Academy in Western Branch. Consign 4 Good holds semiannual sales at Plan Bee Academy and at Ebenezer United Methodist Church in Suffolk.

Each three-day sale features approximately 100 consigners, according to Consign 4 Good owner Ruth DiGeorge, who counted about 30,000 gently used items for the Sept. 19-21 sale at Plan Bee Academy.

western branch magazine 25

where am i?

I

n each edition the Western Branch Magazine staff provides a challenge of sorts, testing how much of Western Branch you really know. We photograph some location in Western Branch that is readily accessible and open to the public, and see if you can tell us where it is.

If you know where this photo was taken, submit your answer, along with your name and contact information to news@westernbranchmagazine.com. If you’re right, you will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift card.

So, if you know where this is, let us know. If you’re right, you could be a winner.

Go out and enjoy Western Branch!

26 western branch magazine

western branch magazine 19

where am i?

Last Edition’s Where Am I? The Where Am I? challenge in the October/November edition was an unusual one in that it partly gave away the answer. The sign featuring the name of the M. Anne Tregembo Park at Dunedin was photographed in such a way that it showed about six letters from the full name, so those who were familiar with the park were able to get it right away. Frances Edwards submitted one of the seven winning guesses and will receive a $25 gift card for her correct response. Check out this edition’s challenge on page 25!

I

n each edition the Western Branch Magazine staff provides a challenge of sorts, testing how much of Western Branch you really know. We photograph some location in Western Branch that is readily accessible and open to the public, and see if you can tell us where it is.

If you know where this photo was taken, submit your answer, along with your name and contact information to news@westernbranchmagazine.com. If you’re right, you will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift card.

So, if you know where this is, let us know. If you’re right, you could be a winner.

Go out and enjoy Western Branch!

You will love the view from here.

western branch magazine 27

scrapbook

The battle of the Monitor and the Merrimack (Virginia) happened in the waters just off Western Branch March 8-9, 1862. The Virginia, having been built on the hull of the Merrimack at the Portsmouth shipyard, moved down the Elizabeth River with crowds looking on from both the Norfolk and Portsmouth sides, the ship intent on breaking the Union blockade. The battle was indecisive but had a great impact on naval warfare. In 2002, the turret from the Monitor was recovered about 16 miles off Cape Hatteras, where the ship had sunk later in 1862, and transported to the Mariners’ Museum in Newport News in the company of Civil War re-enactors (pictured). — JOHN H. SHEALLY II PHOTO

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