Western Branch Magazine October-November 2019

Consign 4 Good A park for the community and a troop for service october-november 2019 • vol. 3, no. 6

2 western branch magazine

How do you see Western Branch?

Submit your photos to Through the Lens

news@suffolklivingmag.com

western branch magazine 3

14

nov

what's inside?

2019

feature

10

Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve is a beautiful, 142-acre habitat with wildlife, natural beauty and history for every local resident to enjoy.

20

In the news Governor's Pointe resident Dr. L.D. Britt was named the 2019 First Citizen by the Suffolk and North Suffolk Rotary Clubs in September.

'4 Good' Reasons The reasons to shop Consign 4 Good — it helps people, save money, helps them earn money, helps reuse items and helps a local charity.

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.

Consign 4 Good A park for the community and a troop for service october-november 2019 • vol. 3, no. 6

photo by Alex Perry

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

Public Servant Boy Scouts of America Troop 234 has a record of cheerful service in the area.

19 24

nov

2019 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

editor's note A unique community Western Branch is a unique community, and we are proud to tell all of its stories and share the things that make it great.

Those stories include ones like you’ll find in this edition: the many great things being accomplished by the Boy Scouts of America Troop 234 in Chesapeake; the many great reasons to be a fan of “Consign 4 Good,” a semiannual sale that happens in the Western Branch area; and the many great things you can do at the Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve.

Troop 234 is based out of Covenant United Methodist Church on Dock Landing Road and is a consistent force for good in the area. Eagle Scout projects have included the Prayer Walk at the host church itself as well as signs and benches at Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve. You can read more about Troop 234 on page 24.

Speaking of the Preserve, you can enjoy your outdoors time bird and wildlife watching, canoeing and kayaking and walking. This beautiful piece of land has been preserved from development since 1997 thanks to the work of a dedicated group. Read more about the Preserve on page 14.

Another dedicated group is the Consign 4 Good folks, who are led by Ruth DiGeorge and have their semiannual sale to help parents who love to get clothes, books, toys and electronics for their kids at bargain prices,

sales@westernbranchmagazine.com

and get to help fellow parents and a designated charity at the same time. Read more about this great group on

PRODUCTION

page 20.

Troy Cooper Designer

ADMINISTRATION John Carr Publisher

Cathy Daughtrey Business Manager Hope Rose Production

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

Not So Spooky Storytime OCTOBER 31

Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake, will host “Not So Spooky Storytime� from 11 a.m. to noon. Grinning pumpkins and giggling ghosts welcome to come have some fun with stories and spooktacular activities. Non-scary costumes are welcome. For ages 2-6; call 410-7027.

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 accepts applications for vendors throughout the season. For more information and updates, visit www.WBFarmMarket.com, find it on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or email WesternBranchFarmersMarket@gmail.com.

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.

ONGOING

Owe for overdue material? The Chesapeake Public Library can help you with that. For each non-perishable food item you bring in during the month of October, $1 in overdue fines will be reduced from your account. All food donations will benefit the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia. Call 410-7100 for more information.

OCTOBER 18

Sons of Serendip, the quartet that charmed the judges and was named as a finalist on TV's "America's Got Talent" in 2014, will open the 81st season of Portsmouth Community Concerts at 7:30 p.m. at Churchland High School Auditorium, 4301 Cedar Lane, Portsmouth. They were invited back to perform on the show's "The Champions" this past January, where they received a standing ovation from the judges. The

What a Yarn quartet, featuring harp, piano, cello and vocals, offers fresh interpretations of popular music and also original compositions.

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.

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.

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.

OCTOBER 26

Come to the Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. for Haunted Hogwarts. This is your invitation to a school of wizardry! Step onto Platform 9 3/4, get sorted into your house and enroll in a full schedule of wizardry games and classes. For ages 5-12; call 4107024.

NOVEMBER 4

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.

NOVEMBER 7

The Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake, will host a “block party” from 4 to 5 p.m. for children ages 6 to 11 to play with building toys including Legos,

K’nex, IO Blox and Straw Builders. Call 4107024.

NOVEMBER 9

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.

NOVEMBER 15

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.

NOVEMBER 26

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.

DECEMBER 6

The electrifying jazz of the Eric Mintel Quartet that has been entertaining audiences since 1993 will continue the 81st season of Portsmouth Community Concerts at 7:30 p.m. at Churchland High School Auditorium, 4301 Cedar Lane, Portsmouth. The quartet features pianist/composer/bandleader Eric Mintel and jazz musicians Nelson Hill on saxophone, Jack Hegyi on bass and Dave Mohn on drums. Recorded releases by the quartet include the new single “King’s Journey,” new album “Just Around the Corner” and “EMQ Live from the COTA Festival of the Arts” at Delaware Water Gap, Pa. 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.

10 western branch magazine

in the news

Dr. L.D. Britt, center, is awarded by North Suffolk Rotary Club president Tom Powell, left, and Suffolk Rotary Club president Steve Jackson.

Britt honored as Suffolk First Citizen Story by Jimmy LaRoue Photos by Troy Cooper

A man of immeasurable impact.

A man with a legacy of hope and healing.

A man who is selfless and gives without complaint — to his family, to his patients and to his community.

Those are just some of the ways Dr. L.D. Britt, a resident of Governor’s Pointe in North Suffolk, was praised as he received the 2019 Suffolk First Citizen Award in a ceremony before a packed auditorium at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts on Sept. 26.

“Tonight is Suffolk’s night to honor Dr. Britt as Suffolk’s native son and life-

long resident,” Mayor Linda T. Johnson said.

As others say he has done often, Britt, in a short speech, sought to take the attention away from himself.

The award is given by the Suffolk and North Suffolk Rotary Clubs to an outstanding individual who best exemplifies the spirit of citizenship and who has demonstrated leadership through time, talents or efforts to make Suffolk a better place to live.

“I want to take the honor away from me,” Britt said in brief remarks. “I’m proud of Suffolk. This is a testimony

of Suffolk. There are a lot of individuals that have done exceptional work. …

And that has defined Suffolk. I’m one, but there are many more that define this city.”

Britt, the Henry Ford Professor and Edward J. Brickhouse Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Eastern Virginia Medical School, talked of his mantra — burn the boats — in reference to how he returned to Suffolk and Hampton Roads and doesn’t plan to leave.

The legendary saying came from the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés, who in 1519 was going up against a See BRITT page 11

western branch magazine 11 BRITT continued from page 10

strong Aztec army that had not lost a war in 400 years.

“The first thing he did when he landed, is he told his men to go back and burn the boats,” Britt said, “which meant that they needed to win, or they were going to perish. … When I came back to Hampton Roads, I said ‘I’m going to burn the boats.’ And that’s what I did.”

Britt has had a storied career in the medical field, Johnson said, but his impact goes well beyond that to his efforts to help Suffolk and Hampton Roads.

“Don’t make the mistake of going on the internet and trying to print his biography, or his peer reviewed scientific publications,” Johnson said to laughter.

“You will need two reams of paper, and you will realize that you don’t have enough hours in the day to detail or highlight all of his accomplishments and his accolades.”

She touched on just a few of those accomplishments and accolades, which

included graduating at age 16 as valedictorian from Booker T. Washington High School, becoming the first African American in the country to have an endowed chair in surgery, and every Tuesday seeing patients in Suffolk — none of whom are charged.

“It’s evident that Dr. Britt learned early on in life the lesson that ambition is the path to success, and persistence is the vehicle you arrive in,” Johnson said. “He credits his strong work ethic as traits he inherited from his parents. His extensive achievements are a testament to the fact that no goal is impossible. Some just require a little bit more dedication.”

She described his legacy as one of hope and healing.

“Dr. Britt, the lives that your skilled surgeon’s hands have saved, the guidance and knowledge you passed on in your teachings and writings in the medical field, and those lives that you will continue to touch in the future are all, in

honesty, boundless,” Johnson said.

In a video, family, friends and community members were effusive in praising Britt’s impact upon them, Suffolk and the medical community, as Britt weaved his own memories of growing up in the city.

Dr. Rosa Biggs and Gregory Lawrence, who attend East End Baptist Church with Britt, said the honor was long overdue.

“We’re so proud of him,” Biggs said.

“He’s a wonderful person.”

Roland Wilson went to school with Britt at Booker T. Washington High School, and Britt’s mother was one of Wilson’s teachers. He said he was proud of Britt’s accomplishments, and noted Britt has not changed in how he treats all people with respect.

“He doesn’t put himself above anybody or anything,” Wilson said. “He just stays on that level. He’s been that way all his life.”

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12 western branch magazine

Former First Citizens pause for a photo with 2019 honoree Dr. L.D. Britt during the recognition ceremony. From left are last year’s honoree, Karla Jean Smith; George Birdsong (1996); Billy Chorey Sr. (2015); Britt; Delegate Chris Jones (2009); Whitney Saunders (2006); Councilman Curtis R. Milteer Sr. (2005); and Robert W. “Rusty” Hundley (1976).

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western branch magazine 13

TAKING A TRIP? Take a Western Branch Magazine with you

l a v i t s si h Fe

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

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

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14 western branch magazine

feature story

Heaven on Hoffler Creek Story by Phyllis Speidell Photos by John H. Sheally II

For nature lovers — or anyone who yearns for some scenic outdoor space — there is what many call “a little piece of heaven” sandwiched between suburban Churchland and busy Harbour View.

The Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve provides a refuge, 142 acres of tidal and non-tidal habitat, not only for a wide variety of birds and critters

but also for people seeking a bit of tranquility and natural beauty laced with local history.

Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve bills itself as a grass-roots, non-profit wildlife preserve where learning comes naturally and wonders never cease. Carved out of an area once destined to be sold to developers, the preserve includes Lake Ballard, a 30-

acre former borrow pit, surrounded by tall trees filled with more than 200 bird species — from songbirds to red tailed hawks, egrets and ospreys.

A few wooden lookout piers dot the shoreline, enabling visitors to watch fish, turtles and occasional otters.

The piers are carefully constructed with slanted, wide railings so the small children won’t perch on them See HOFFLER page 16

western branch magazine 15

16 western branch magazine HOFFLER continued from page 14

and topple over. Just in case a small daredevil does lose their footing, rescue flotation devices are on every pier.

The lake is surrounded by woods traced with five walking trails. Visitors report sharing the trails with animals like squirrels, raccoons, possums, fox and even a few deer.

First and foremost, Hoffler Creek remains a wildlife preserve and its few restrictions are aimed at protecting the wildlife and the habitat. Only small hand-carried boats, such as canoes and kayaks, are allowed on the lake.

Bicycling, jogging, pets and smoking are all prohibited as possibly frightening or hazardous to the animals.

Visitors are welcomed, however, and can expect to find a picnic pavilion, an education center, special programs, marsh overlooks and portable toilets.

Ashley Orgain Morgan, a Western Branch High School alumna and the newly named executive director of the preserve, is familiar with its history. Fresh out of graduate school with degrees in resource management and environmental education, she first joined the preserve staff in 1999. She assisted the preserve founder and first executive director, Randi Strutton, in laying out trails and otherwise developing the preserve. From her early years at the preserve, she remembers the naked shoreline of the borrow pit and how the hundreds of tiny loblolly seedlings she helped plant grew rapidly into the dense woods around what is now the lake.

Morgan left the staff after 14 years but recently returned to what she calls her “dream job.� She soon realized, however, that, while still beautiful, the 20-year-old preserve is in need of a bit of spiffing up.

Morgan points out areas where the grounds need to be tidied and a few structures need repair. She is reaching out to community volunteers to join the staff on the second Saturday of every month to get the grounds back in shape.

Morgan believes the deep peace of the area must have appealed to early residents of the property. The creek that bounds the preserve is said to be named for a Revolutionary War militia captain, William Hoffler, who may have settled in the area. A family See HOFFLER page 17

Egrets and other herons, above, and many species of butterflies, below, are often found at Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve.

western branch magazine 17

Ashley Orgain Morgan, left, listens as Randi Strutton, the founder and first executive director of Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve, talks about the history of the preserve.

HOFFLER continued from page 16

of truck farmers, the Ballards, settled there in the 1850s and named their farm “Floral Point.” For a century they sent their fresh produce, via barge and steam boat, to markets in Norfolk, Baltimore and beyond.

The Ballard home sat on a high point of land, surrounded by wildflowers.

From there, the family could overlook the river where the Battle of Craney Island took place during the War of 1812 and where the Civil War ironclads, the Monitor and the Merrimack, dueled half a century later.

Morgan points out the Ballard family cemetery, a plot of land covered in periwinkles. The Ballards followed the tradition that the periwinkles warded off evil spirits.

Near a pier on the creek, heritage plants and mesh bags of oyster shells, rather than rip rap or bulkheading, protect a living shoreline. The oyster shells also provide a reef to encourage the return of active oyster beds like those that once flourished there. School children

Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve

4510 Twin Pines Road, Portsmouth, VA 23703 757.686.8684 Open Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Free admission, donations welcome

www.hofflercreek.org

visit here for special programs on ecology and oyster restoration.

Morgan looks overhead to find some of the tall white cedars that remain from the rows of trees the Ballards planted along the north side of the roads that ran through their property.

Strutton was the driving force behind creation of the Hoffler Creek Wildlife preserve. In 1986, she moved from Cradock to a home with a backyard that opened to what is now the preserve. Less than 10 years later, she noticed preconstruction activity in the preserve, the last piece of undeveloped land around Hoffler Creek. The state was selling off excess land, leading Strutton to rally

a team, organize a non-profit to fight what they saw as substandard development and lobby for support locally and in Richmond. When the land was finally deeded to the city of Portsmouth, the group was the only response to a request for proposals to manage the land. In 1997, after the group raised $104,000 and developed a master plan, the city granted them a five-year trial run. Today the city of Portsmouth still owns the property, and the Hoffler Creek Wildlife Foundation originated by Strutton still manages the preserve.

Thanks to Strutton, her team and community volunteers, visitors can enjoy the peace and beauty of the preserve, and the community benefits from the preserve’s balanced ecology.

On a recent morning, local residents Paulette Lamback and D.J. Alston strolled along the lakeside trail.

“We did this on the spur of the moment to get some exercise,” Alston said.

“This is somewhere to clear our minds.”

Like a little piece of heaven.

18 western branch magazine

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western branch magazine 19

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!

20 western branch magazine

‘4 Good’

Reasons to Buy

The semiannual Consign 4 Good sale in the Western Branch area allows local parents to get toys, clothes and more at bargain prices while helping each other and local charities.

western branch magazine 21

Story and photos by Alex Perry

Longtime shoppers and newfound fans of “Consign 4 Good” perused 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.

The selection runs the gamut of toys, clothes, books, electronics and more. There are children’s boots and Spiderman shoes, Mickey Mouse toys and Lego sets, plus

clothes for teens and young adults.

The September sale at Plan Bee Academy even featured antique replica pedal cars and a mechanical horse still in the box.

“We had a robotic dinosaur last year that sold for $200,” DiGeorge said. “It was an animatronic kind of thing.”

Western Branch resident Kristin Leverett was looking at the tiny footwear stacked and organized on a long table of shoes in all makes, colors and sizes. She wanted winter gear for her 9-month-old Kamille, along with a nice toy, ideally one with lights and music.

Kamille’s birthday is on Christmas, Leverett said, and she had to make sure it was a good present. Luckily for See CONSIGN page 22

22 western branch magazine

Kristin Leverett takes a closer look at the shoe selection at the “Consign 4 Good” sale held at Plan Bee Academy in Western Branch.

CONSIGN continued from page 21

her, the Consign 4 Good selection was up to the task.

“It’s good quality stuff (and) good prices,” Leverett said, especially since children go through their toys and clothes so fast, she added.

Western Branch resident Ellen Johns was at the sale with her sister, Karen Kriebel, to look for clothes for her newborn grandson Caleb, just 1 month old.

Johns found some for now and others he’ll grow into later.

It was the first Consign 4 Good sale for both Leverett and Johns, and both were nicely surprised by the quality and prices.

“The prices are generally better than other consignment stores, and the quality of things are really, really nice,” Johns said as she looked through the pickings for her grandson, plus some girl’s clothes for her other grandchild. “He has an older sister, Olivia, who is a year and a half, so of course we had to buy some

things for her too.”

September marked the fourth spring and summer sale for Consign 4 Good at Plan Bee Academy, and the 11th year of Consign 4 Good all together, DiGeorge said. The sale’s first few years were held at the Crittenden, Eclipse & Hobson Ruritan Club in the Eclipse community of Suffolk, before DiGeorge relocated to Ebenezer United Methodist Church and then expanded to Western Branch, as well.

See CONSIGN page 23

western branch magazine 23

CONSIGN continued from page 22

She started with a former partner under the name “Cradle and All” during the 2008 financial crisis, and DiGeorge said the name Consign 4 Good came from the four good reasons for the consignment sale in the first place.

Those reasons, according to DiGeorge, are that it helps people save money shopping, helps them earn money from what they invested in their kids’ items, helps the community reuse items and helps support a local charity, as a percentage of each sale’s profits goes to a pre-selected charity.

Consignors bring in their items the Tuesday before the Thursday-throughSaturday sale in September and organize them on the tables and racks. Volunteers screen all the items the next day to remove anything that’s stained, unsanitary or has been recalled.

Consignors earn 60 to 70 percent of sales, depending on how many hours they volunteer to help at the sale, bagging purchases and sorting items and so on.

“They don’t have to be here during

the sale, but if they volunteer they’ll earn more money, so we have no trouble getting volunteers,” DiGeorge said.

Social media and word of mouth have spread the word on Consign 4 Good, and the Western Branch sale is reaching even more families in Chesapeake, DiGeorge said. The well-kept items are significantly cheaper than retail, and beyond that, parents can get some return on their

time-limited investments.

“We call it renting your clothes, because what happens is that the shoppers eventually become consigners, as their kids get older and they’re ready to sell their stuff,” DiGeorge said.

Items can sometimes go through three or four families at Consign 4 Good. DiGeorge used one particular rolling basket as an example.

One of the consignors had bought the basket at the very first consignment sale, DiGeorge said. This person then sold it at a Consign 4 Good sale at Ebenezer United Methodist Church five years ago, and the person who bought it that year brought it to Plan Bee Academy in September.

“They brought it back, consigned it and sold it last night, so we had something from the very first sale get resold at this sale, 11 years later,” DiGeorge said.

“I just think that’s awesome.”

Visit consign4good.com or email info@consign4good.com for more information.

“Consign 4 Good” volunteers Kimberly Rossler and Missy Gonse bag purchases at the sale.

24 western branch magazine

public servant

Pictured, from left, are Adam Russell, Brandon Bryant and Aaron Eure of Boy Scout Troop 234. The troop is based out of Covenant United Methodist Church on Dock Landing Road.

Public service, one project at a time Story by Alex Perry Submitted photo

Boy Scouts in Western Branch are consistently doing good, and doing it with enough enthusiasm to accomplish even more.

Tim Zemienieuski is a 15-year-old sophomore at Peninsula Catholic High School in Newport News and a member of Boy Scouts of America Troop 234 in Chesapeake. He’s also part of Blue Heron Lodge No. 349 in Virginia Beach, which is the Order of the Arrow Lodge

for the Tidewater Council.

The Order of the Arrow, according to blueheronlodge.org, is Scouting’s National Honor Society. The organization provides service and leadership opportunities for older Scouts, with a dedication to “cheerful service.”

But what exactly is “cheerful service”?

“Cheerful service is doing service without complaining,” Tim said. “(More) specifically, (it’s) doing service with a

smile, whenever needed and whenever possible.”

For 13 years, Troop 234 has been been based out of Covenant United Methodist Church on Dock Landing Road. The young men of this troop strive to do volunteerism and community service of the highest caliber, and one way they accomplish that is through their many Eagle Scout projects.

Patrick Smith, a 17-year-old senior at See SERVANT page 25

western branch magazine 25

SERVANT continued from page 24

Western Branch High School, of Troop 234 plans to help work on signage and benches at the Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve in Portsmouth. Patrick’s plan is to renovate park benches and to remake signs and maps on the trails, particularly those that need to be updated since new trails have been added.

“It will help people picture where they’re at and where to go,” he said.

Nansemond-Suffolk Academy senior Aaron Eure, 17, of Troop 234 recently had his Eagle Scout project proposal approved in September to assist Hope for Suffolk, a community development ministry of Westminster Reformed Presbyterian Church.

Aaron is a member of Westminster, and his project will focus on landscaping around the entrance — weeding, mulching, planting new flowers and more. He said he wants his work to leave a good first impression on the people that visit the church.

“It’s going to leave them with a good first impression, and I just think it’s going to make the church look better,” he said.

The troop has also had a fruitful partnership with Covenant United Methodist Church, their host in Western Branch.

They volunteer to help with the church’s barbecue fundraisers twice a year and perform regular cleanups of the church grounds.

It was Troop 234 Scout George DeBoer’s Eagle Scout project that gave the church its Prayer Walk through the nearby woods. Frank Jennings, former pastor of Covenant UMC for 18 years prior to current pastor Tommy Suh, recalled that initial project with pride.

He also looked back fondly on the subsequent Eagle Scout projects that further developed their Prayer Walk — Scouts installed posts for the stations of the cross, built a bridge and added railings to it, as well as a welcoming sign for the entranceway.

“One of the things I like is that they’re very organized,” Jennings said. “As a result, the boys involved with the troop — their parents can feel very comfortable that the boys coming up into the senior Scouting (positions) are going to be taken care of responsibly, (and) that they’re going to have activities, camping and different service projects that they do.”

Their service to the public in the Western Branch community and other nearby

cities has helped them become better leaders, outstanding citizens and helpful members of the community. Their projects have also helped them realize the great things that they can accomplish themselves.

“There’s nothing better than to see a youth who says ‘I can’t do that,’ and then to see their face when they realize that they can,” said Mike Zemienieuski, Tim Zemienieuski’s father and a representative of the Tidewater Council.

His son, Tim, has been a member of Troop 234 since 2015. Tim finished his own Eagle Scout project in April, when he renovated a shed at Portsmouth Catholic Regional School.

Tim said knowing how to re-side a shed isn’t a typical skill for a 15-year-old, but once he figured it out, he was glad to do it.

“I felt really good, because that was the school that I went to when I was in elementary and middle school,” Tim said.

“Seeing that dilapidated shack that everybody drives by pretty much become a brand-new building was rewarding to me.

“It was very rewarding, and I was proud of myself for being able to accomplish that.”

Wherever you're headed, take us.

Send us your travel photos with a copy of Western Branch Magazine.

We'd love to publish them.

26 western branch magazine

western branch magazine 19

where am i?

Last Edition’s Where Am I? The location of the last Where Am I? challenge may have seemed obvious to some, but others were stumped. The statue featured is located at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on Homestead Road in the Sunray community. Sara Small was randomly chosen from among six who correctly guessed the location, and she wins a $25 gift card. Check out page 19 for this month’s challenge.

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

Bennett’s Creek Farm Restaurant was a landmark on Route 17 in Nansemond County for many years. J.C. Matthews Sr. ran a large farm in the area that grew peaches, corn, soybeans and grain and raised cows, chickens and hogs. The family’s dairy operation supplied the restaurant. Later on, the restaurant closed and the family moved the fiberglass cow above the sign to the Bennett’s Creek Farm Market, where it remains to this day.

— COURTESY OF “PENINSULA IN PASSAGE,” BY SUFFOLK RIVER HERITAGE AND PHYLLIS SPEIDELL, JOHN H. SHEALLY II AND KARLA SMITH

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