Karen Partridge of Cartersville found a comfortable spot stretched out on a downed tree while she waited for her husband, Scott, who was helping pole the “The Brunswick Belle.”

“We plan on building our own batteau,” said Karen. Luckily Scott is a manager for a home improvement chain and she thought maybe he could get a discount on the lumber.

Although the schedule called for the craft to arrive around 4 p.m., several floated in almost two hours ahead of time, due to the fast, high water, said the crews.

While they waited for the remaining boats to land, the crowd had plenty to occupy their time.

As they are every year, the ”Tasty Critters” bunch was on hand, cooking up venison, frog legs, squirrel and other tempting dishes for spectators.

Bill West, of Chesapeake, said the group started feeding the crews about 16 years ago. Most of the group is from Tidewater.

“We take contributions,” explained West. “We can’t charge because we serve game.”

Shortly before 4 p.m. boats started coming in.

“It was the highest water for 10 years,” said Scott Partridge. “It was a beautiful trip except for the headwinds.”

Jimmy Kidd of Mineral concurred that headwinds were a problem after helping tie up the Lord Chesterfield.

“They were coming directly at us,” he said.

Nineteen vessels set out from Lynchburg June 20 and their progress was chronicled daily on the group’s Web site Batteau.org.

Paul Gross and John Scott of Richmond brought their teenage sons to watch the boats come in.

“We canoe a lot,” said Gross. “Three or four years ago we were canoeing here the same time they landed.”

“We just happened upon it,” said Scott. Now the two come out each year to watch the batteaux make landing at Maidens.

And guess what? They’re thinking about signing up as crew for any boat that will have them.

Photo by Ken Odor
Karen Partridge waits for her husband Scott, crewing on the Brunswick Belle batteau, to arrive at Maiden’s Landing last Saturday.

They got off on Route 288 and headed west on Interstate 64 and pulled into the rest stop near Oilville.

“We needed to stop,” said Smith, saying no more but with his meaning clear.

When he heard the rest stop was one of 19 picked for closing in the Virginia Department of Transportation’s recently approved six-year plan, Smith was surprised.

“These stops are important,” said Smith, who said he thought North Carolina was not closing any of its rest stops on the interstate highways.

Dara Demi, spokesperson for the North Carolina Department of Transportation, confirmed that the state had no plans to close any of its 59 rest stops.

In Goochland, rest stops on both east and westbound lanes of I-64 at Oilville will close sometime next month, said Buck Godwin, director of operations for DTH Contract Services, Inc., the firm that VDOT uses to run 32 of the state’s rest stops, including the two in Goochland. All 19 of the rest stops picked for closing are operated by DTH, he said.

Evelyn Beard, 73, who has worked for DTH at the west bound Oilville rest stop for seven years, helps keep the facility looking sharp in her job as a rest area attendant. She said she thought her last day at work would be July 21.

“I’m worried for Goochland,” she said. “They’re going to miss us.”

VDOT Assistant Division Administrator for Public Affairs Britt Drewes said the exact date of the closure had not been set.

“It will be open through the July 4th weekend and closed by the end of the month,” said Drewes.

Closing the two facilities, which were opened in 1972, will save VDOT about $740,000 per year, she said.

Drewes said the nearby exits in Goochland County were a factor in the decision to close the two rest areas. She said the decision to close the rest stops was “at this point final.”

“It’s a big hit for us,” said Godwin, who said DTH has 23 people at the two rest stops who will be laid off when they close. Statewide DTH will lay off between 200 to 250 people, he said.

“It’s really bad for the traveling public,” said Godwin of the rest stop closings.

Goochland Economic Development Director Greg Reid said the closing would be like a “double edged sword” for the county.

On the one hand it would bring more business to the gas stations and stores near the Oilville and Rockville/Manakin exits, while putting more of a burden on their facilities, said Reid.

Reid noted that the board of supervisors passed a resolution urging VDOT not to close the rest areas.

District 4 supervisor Rudy Butler, whose district encompasses the rest stops, said his major concern was safety.

“People get off 95 and there won’t be a rest stop until they are past Charlottesville,” he said, citing potential driver fatigue as a danger.

Butler echoed Reid, saying that there would be increased pressure on the rest room facilities of the businesses in Oilville and Rockville, which are on septic systems.

That pressure might accelerate the progress toward bringing water and sewer to the Oilville area, a process already started by the board of supervisors. But that would take at least two years before completion, even if there are no snags, he estimated.

“It’s a great time to go ahead with the sewer plan for Oilville and get it done,” said Butler.

“In the long run business wise we’ll pick up some business,” said Butler of the effect of the rest stop closings.

“I didn’t want to go somewhere that would be filled with other American students, so that knocked out most of the popular study places, like Spain, Italy, Germany, etc.,” Neal said. “I started looking into the Scandinavian countries, and since Tech had an agreement with University of Helsinki, I decided to go there,” she added.

And, just like that, it was off to Finland for the Goochland native, a graduate of Blessed Sacrament . On first arrival, the experience took some getting used to for the 20-year-old.

“My first impressions of Finland were that it was dark and cold. I arrived on Jan. 4, at 4 p.m. and it was already pitch black,” she said. “The first month or so I was there, I would leave my apartment at 9 a.m. and it would be just beginning to get light, and walk home from my class that ended at four in the dark.”

The days eventually lengthened and Neal settled in her small studio apartment in Helsinki, walking to class and other nearby sites in the city.”

The Finns she encountered were not rude, but they weren’t overly friendly either. “Finns are very quiet, to the point of seeming impolite to outsiders,” Neal said. “Saying “thank you” (or “kiitos” in Finnish) and “you’re welcome (“ole hyvaa”) is about as far as a transaction (say, at the grocery store) goes, and even that is not required. Small talk is unheard of, and saying “hi, how are you” to someone you don’t know really well is actually considered rude,” she added.

But the different culture didn’t deter Neal. In fact, it was something she was expecting when she planned to study abroad.

“I think it is good to live in a different place and to try to understand different types of people. I know some people probably come back with all these different insights on people and the world in general, but I don’t really have any of those. I mostly learned that people are really alike all over,” she said.

Neal studied Political Science in Helsinki and took a law class. She also took Swedish. Neal said attending class in Finland was a different experience from her Va. Tech studies.

“The universities in Finland are much more laid back than in the U.S.,” Neal said. “Students in Finland have five years to graduate (it normally only takes three), and can take any classes they want. There is no ‘core curriculum’ other than classes in their major, so you can take whatever interests you. I think that is good; you get to explore a little of everything,” she added.

And Neal also appreciated the lax deadline policies in some of her classes. “I have one paper that still isn’t due, the professor just told us to get it in sometime before the fall.”

Neal said the thing she missed the most about home was the food. “Finnish food is quite bland, and very little meat is used, because meat is so expensive. I think I was able to eat chicken twice in my entire study period” said Neal. “At one point, I know I joked that I would get on a plane and come home if I could have some country ham and a corndog.”

Studying abroad is a valuable experience for any student, according to Neal, but coming home isn’t so bad either.

“Studying abroad is a great experience. I had a great time, but it is nice to be back. It was good to live in a different culture and to get a very different perspective on the world, but really for me it just solidified that I love where I am from,” she said.

She’ll spend a few days with her new horse before heading off to Washington for another new experience. Neal has signed on as an intern in Rep. Eric Cantor’s office this summer. The political science major heads back to Tech in the fall.

No way.

Sykes, Goochland Middle School band teacher, was recently in his office hard at work organizing fall activities for the Goochland High School Marching Band.

This fall Sykes will take over direction of the high school band from long-time director Kent Gall, in addition to his duties at GMS.

Sykes, 32, was honored at the June 10 Goochland School Board meeting along with the Teacher of the Year winners from the other four schools: Amanda Tickle from Byrd Elementary, Zoe Parrish from Goochland Elementary, Elizabeth Ferguson from Randolph Elementary and Allison Brook from Goochland High School.

Sykes grew up in Henrico County and graduated from Tucker High School, before earning his bachelor’s degree in music from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2001.

Not being a “core” subject teacher and because of the high quality of the county’s teachers, Sykes said when he got a call to come to the school board meeting, he was not thinking about going away a winner.

“I was so surprised to get it for the school,” he said. “It was fantastic.”

A teacher at GMS for the last eight years, Sykes has also taught teen living and life skills and health and physical education.

He’s also a volunteer firefighter at Company 2 in Crozier, where he was captain for two years.

In 2006 and 2007 he served as Camp Director for the Fire Camp where he was a counselor from 2002-2005.

He plays in a rock band called “Sajak” (he’s the drummer) and is a percussionist in a wind ensemble called Commonwealth Winds.

At GMS his students have won numerous awards.

Under his direction, the GMS bands have earned excellent ratings at the District Band Festival from 2001-2006 and several of the bands have received significant achievements, including the GMS 7th grade band earning superior ratings at District 3 State Band Festival in 2007 and the 7th and 8th grade combined band earning superior ratings in 2008 at the District 3 State Band Festival.

But this past year, the bands reached even greater heights, as the 6th grade band earned first place, rating of superior, and was named Grand Champion middle school/high school instrumental ensemble at the Showcase Music Festival.

The GMS Combined Band earned first place and a superior rating at the same event, which was followed by the GMS Combined 7th and 8th Grade Band receiving straight superior ratings at this year’s District 3 State Band Festival.

A high point of his career so far was the Veterans’ Day Concert he put together last fall.

“It was the first one we ever did of that magnitude,” said Sykes. The band played a medley of the service hymns and Sykes said even while conducting he would peek back and watch as the veterans would stand as their branch’s hymn was played.

“It was very moving,” he said. “The kids played well.”

Sykes included a slide show that ran during the assembly, and recalled how one of his clarinetists always teared up when they played it in practice.

“It’s nice for the kids to take pride in the military,” he said.

Sykes is still recovering from a bout of major surgery, which put him out of action for several weeks and said his students’ reaction to his illness was gratifying.

“They didn’t have to come to see me in the hospital,” he said.

But they did and that got Sykes to musing on being a teacher and what it all means.

“You go into teaching to have an impact on the kids – and then the kids end up having an impact on you.”

Sykes now moves on to regional level Teacher of the Year competition with hopes of advancing to the state level.

He brought that wisdom to Goochland County last week when he addressed a group of summer basketball camp attendees.

The former University of Richmond standout spoke to the kids about bad habits and how to avoid the pitfalls associated with them. Newman said it’s a message he believes in, and spending time with kids in a mentoring role is one of his retirement duties he enjoys most.

“I think it’s important for kids to see real players who have gotten it done on every level,” Newman said. “They hear a lot from their parents, but they need to hear it from someone they may have heard of but don’t really know,” he added.

Newman’s message of personal responsibility and hard work is something he’s lived and succeeded by.

“I think it’s important to show you can set goals and achieve them,” he said.

Newman grew up in Danville and attended George Washington High School, playing for legendary coach Harry Johnson.

After four years at University of Richmond, Newman left with the school’s all time leading scorer title, a mark that stands today.

Newman was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers and played for the Knicks, Nets, Bucks, Nuggets and Mavericks during his extended career.

Newman told the campers he attributes his longevity in the NBA to a disciplined lifestyle and staying away from bad habits.

“Not many players have such a long NBA career but Johnny’s self imposed lifestyle discipline led to 16 great years,” said assistant County Administrator Greg Reid who introduced the superstar.

Newman worked out with his son Gion prior to speaking with the kids, and it’s apparent the veteran is still in game shape. He credits basketball with helping him achieve his goals.

“Basketball has helped me in every aspect of my life including business and family,” Newman said. “It helped me to make good decisions,” he added.

Newman said he began the good habits that led to his success at a young age, at the less than gentle urging of his father. “I could never have more than three people in the car with me. He said he’d whip me if did,” the prototype big guard/small forward said.

Newman said he understands now that his father was teaching him an important lesson. “You can only control yourself. You have to know when to say no and know when to say don’t do that,” he added.

Newman said hard work and discipline enabled him to perform long past the average playing time in the NBA, about five years. He completed those 16 years in the league with a disciplined work ethic and a clear focus on his goals.

“Set your goals high and you’ll reach them, and start now with your good habits,” Newman told the group of about 30 kids, aged six and up.

“All of us have dreams, and I want you to put wings on your dreams,” he said. “I want your dreams to take off,” Newman said.

Camp director Craig Anderson said Newman was the perfect choice to deliver such an important message.

“My first reason for getting Johnny was that he was a local guy who played in the NBA, but after talking to him a few times, I quickly saw he had great work ethics and he was all about kids,” Anderson said. “They need to hear this to set them on the right path.”

By the time the campers reached the D’Amores farm in western Goochland, it had started to sprinkle.

But that didn’t put a damper on the enthusiasm of the campers, as Program Director Jan Kenney and her counselors split the kids into two groups.

Half headed down to the lake for some vigorous canoeing, while the others practiced their archery skills.

While they paddled, each canoe full of campers picked up plastic balls with the color of their team. The four colors symbolized the values of the YMCA, said Kenney: blue for honesty, red for caring, green for responsibility and yellow for respect.

Meanwhile, a steady cool drizzle developed.

“It was raining and it cooled us off,” said Hunter Glaveskas (11), who helped crew one of the canoes with his twin brother William.

After each group finished their archery and canoeing, they piled back on the bus and talked about what these values mean before heading back to Goochland Courthouse for lunch. Each trip to the farm normally includes a nature adventure, such as a hike through the forest, but the steadily increasing rain canceled that for this day. Kenney said a future trip might include panning for gold during the nature segment.

Camp Gooch is designed for campers in the first through eighth grades. It operates Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. The cost is $137 per week. There are 10 one-week sessions from June 15 until Aug. 21 scheduled and campers have the option of signing up for as many weeks as they choose, said Kenney. About 20 percent of the campers receive financial help with the weekly fee, based on family income, she said.

Daily events include recreational swimming in the outdoor pool, arts and crafts and a variety of games and other activities.

Music and dance also form part of the curriculum.

Some campers are veterans of previous years at Camp Gooch.

Ten-year-old Jacob Davis, who scored a bull’s eye during the archery session at the farm, credited his performance to his previous attendance.

“I’ve got a year of experience,” he said. “I came to camp last year,” he explained.

The Goochland Family YMCA also offers Kinder Camp for children ages 3 to 5 years old. Kenney said last week Camp Gooch and Kinder Camp had a total of 58 campers enrolled.

Beyond day camps for the two age groups, the Goochland YMCA offers a variety of specialty and sport camps throughout the summer.

Kenney called particular attention to upcoming sessions of the YMCA’s Nature-Art Camp, starting July 13.

It will feature horseback riding, painting with a local artist Robin Caseri, pottery making and a visit to a recording studio to make and record music.

To find out more about the Goochland Family YMCA’s summer program, visit their Web site at http://www.goochlandymca.org or call 804 556-9887.

Photo by Ken Odor
Program Director Jan Kenney and her crew canoe in the rain last Wednesday at Camp Gooch.

He never got that chance.

Johnson, a B-29 pilot with the 29th Bomb Group, crashed over Tokyo in the fire bombings of March 10, 1945.

But memories of him forged a special relation ship between his sister, Clelia Johnson, and young Ben, both of whom grew up in Goochland County. It’s a bond that has lasted a lifetime.

On June 21, Ben Johnson, now 69, honored his cousin’s memory by taking Clelia, 95, up to see the sky that her brother loved so well—in an engineless sailplane.

“It was like roaming around in heaven,“ said Clelia, who last week vividly described the experience of soaring in the long-winged plane.

“You can see forever and almost touch the sky. If it weren’t for that canopy, I think I could’ve touched the clouds,“ she said dreamily.

“I was up in those clouds all night.“

Warren’s life and death had a profound impact on Ben and Clelia.

For Ben, his cousin’s passion for aviation became his own. He obtained his private pilot’s license in the 1960s and began flying gliders in 2001. He joined the Shenandoah Valley Soaring club based out of Eagle’s Nest Airport in Waynesboro.

“All my life, I’ve felt this was sort of a part of Warren,“ he said. “I looked up to him as a little tyke. I just remember this really impressive figure. . . .

“I read every book that I could get from the library on flying in World War II as a boy. I wanted to make the Air Force a career, but my eyes didn’t support that endeavor.“

Clelia remembers her younger brother as “very gentle and kind—and mischievous. He could play a trick on you any day and thoroughly enjoy it. He loved to tie my mother’s hand behind her with her apron strings. He was fun.“

. . .

For Clelia, the loss of her brother resulted in a search for answers that led to unlikely friendships with those on the other side of war’s tragedies.

As a histology technician from 1935 to 1984, Clelia traveled the country. Through the pathologist for whom she worked, she met a number of Japanese friends who had experienced the horrors of the war firsthand.

“I have more friends in Japan than I do here,“ she said.

One of those was Tadashi Takeuchi. As the two talked, they realized that Takeuchi’s father’s home was destroyed in the first incendiary raid—the same that claimed her brother’s life.

“That created a real close bond of tragedies on both sides,“ she said.

Another of Clelia’s Japanese friends was able to translate an account of what the family believes was Warren’s end—a crash-landing into a log pond at a Tokyo lumber mill. Of the more than 300 planes on the day’s mission, fewer than 10 were lost.

. . .

It was with Warren in mind that Ben and Clelia decided to fly in his honor.

“We were having dinner about four months ago and I was showing Clelia some pictures I’d taken in the air, and she said, ‘Oh, that’s so beautiful. I want to do that,‘“ Ben said.

Easier said than done when you’re 95.

“I told my sister I was going to do it, and she said, ‘Have you lost your mind?‘“ Clelia said.

A group of about 10 Soaring club members used a hoist attached to a golf cart to lift and place Clelia gently in the glider. A tow plane then pulled the glider into the air with a small rope and released it about 6,000 feet above Waynesboro to glide to the ground, catching pockets of air along the way.

Gliders can fly for hours, traveling hundreds of miles at speeds of 40 to 80 mph before returning to the same spot. Ben and Clelia soared for more than an hour.

“I was surprised that I was as calm as I was. I didn’t get at all nervous or concerned,“ she said. “It was fun. Now I know what buzzards see when they fly around. I’ll never stop talking about it.“

“The neat thing here is someone her age that’s willing to venture out and tackle something new,“ Ben said.

Clelia said she never hesitated for a second.

Asked if she’d do it, Clelia responds before the question is out: “Anyday,“ she said.

“I think all that would be required would be a half-hearted invitation,“ Ben added.

To see the original story please visit: http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/FLYY29_20090628-222402/276988/

Late last year, the Commission deferred action on the application to allow the developer, Manakin Properties, more time to alter its plans addressing several concerns raised in previous hearings and at meetings held with the developer and concerned citizens. First and foremost on that list was an overriding concern for traffic safety and the need for a signal light at what was described as one of the county’s most dangerous intersections.

Neighbors also expressed concern regarding the size of the buildings in the proposed development. The latest version of the proposal downsizes those buildings to a maximum size of 26,000 square feet, or about two-thirds the size of the current Food Lion in Broadview Shopping Center.

Those in opposition to the project also cited a lack of adequate buffer on the western edge of the 10-acre tract. An original agreement to include a 30-foot buffer was amended to include a 30-foot no cut strip in addition to a 20-foot planted strip, bringing the total buffering distance to 50 feet on that border.

The developers also agreed to contribute $30,000 to the envisioned traffic signal and provide left and right-hand turn lanes on both the Manakin and Broad Street Road entrances to the development.

Those traffic upgrades were not enough to satisfy commissioner Courtney Hyers who said she could not support approval on such a large project without “upgraded infrastructure.” She expressed concern over the speed limit, 45 M.P.H., near the shopping center and said exiting to Broad Street from the proposed site represented a serious safety risk.

“Timing is everything, and the timing for this project is just wrong,” she said.

Hyers objections were echoed by a host of speakers who took advantage of a public hearing to express their displeasure with the project. Many said the new shopping center is not needed in Goochland.

William Reinhart of Sycamore Creek Drive was one of many citizens who voiced opposition to the project.

“Goochland is a county where its citizens see little value in the trappings of our neighboring counties,” Reinhart said. “We, instead, enjoy, love and cherish our open spaces, the smell of the fresh-tilled soil, crops being planted and harvested. We wish to preserve this quiet, temporal quality of life we have,” he added.

Reinhart said there are many available tracts of land more suited to this type of development, and this project does not represent the best use of that land. He also noted the traffic safety problem.

Darvin Satterwhite, representing Manakin Properties, said a recent Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) survey of the site concluded the plan does meet their standards for safety.

Laura Julian said her experiences at the intersection don’t comply with those findings. “My primary concern has been and remains traffic safety, Julian said. “I don’t want to beat a dead horse, but we’d rather beat a dead horse than pick up a dead body, I don’t believe it’s a matter of if, but a matter of when,” she added.

Julian also expressed concern over the non-restricted hours of operation and what types of businesses would be allowed in the shopping center.

Richard Nuckols of Manakin Properties and co owner of the property said the latest group of proffers represented a sincere effort on his part to improve the project with concerns raised by neighbors at the forefront of the revised planning. He urged the commission to recommend approval of the long delayed project.

“I will agree with my neighbors that the first plan we brought before you did look like a strip mall,” Nuckols said. “Since then, we’ve worked with the community and made a lot of changes and we feel that what will go there is more village like, walkable, and attractive. This is not a strip mall,” he added. “We’ve done the very best we could.”

James Crews is one of the commissioners who lives in and represents the district in question. He voiced support for the project.

“I’d like to commend the property owners for the efforts they’ve made,” Crews said. “They’ve actually bent over backwards to try to address a lot of the community’s concerns. I’m in support of the project,” he added.

Commissioner Bob Rich said development of that property is inevitable. “Whether you like it or not, that property is going to be developed someday,” he said.

He motioned for a recommendation for approval, seconded by Bill Neal. The motion passed 6-4 with Hyers joined in opposition by Lowe Lunsford, Eugene Bryce and Ty Querry.

The Board of Supervisors will consider the application at its August meeting.

The summer solstice, or midsummer, represents the point when the sun is at its highest direct point, then stops and changes direction. During that period, the sun is in a period of declination, resulting in the maximum amount of sunlight and minimum nightfall.

Java Jodi’s owner Jodi Duffy said she came up with the idea to continue a tradition started last summer with an altered schedule.

“Last year, we had a midsummer party in August, so we thought today would be cooler,” Duffy said as the thermometer reached over 95 degrees outside the coffee cafe.

“Today’s the longest day of the year so we thought we’d have a party,” Duffy added.

Events began around noon with an Irish music jam featuring a variety of local musicians. Each participant named a selection and the rest was, well, music.

“We thought it would be a great opportunity to feature local Goochland bands,” Duffy said.

The Trongones, a local family group who plays Southern Rock and Blues, highlighted the afternoon bill. The group seemed like just the right mix for a Father’s Day Weekend. Father and bass guitarist John Trongone is joined by his three sons to make a May-December musical relationship that rocks.

Johnny, 14, plays the drums and Tommy assists on percussion. Andrew plays lead guitar and handles most of the vocals.

Michael and Company worked the evening shift and provided some well recognized standards. They often play events like the Lions Club picnic.

Duffy said this won’t be the last special event of the summer. The coffee café features live music and jam sessions throughout the summer, and there’s another special treat on the agenda.

Java Jodi’s won a nationally sponsored ice cream party, and Duffy plans to celebrate by offering free Edy’s delights to her customers later in the summer.

In business for a little more than two years, Duffy said the café is finding its place in the community. “It’s getting there,” she said. “We’re finding that a lot of people use us for meetings and community events,” she said. Groups will often schedule meetings for closing time and the café remains open to accommodate.

“I figure if we can do a little something extra, we should,” Duffy added.

Duffy retired from the Richmond Police Department after 23 years of service, but quickly opened Java Jodi’s. She’s still running at break neck speed two years later.

“I still think it’s a great idea, but it’s hard work,” she said. “I’m here about seven days a week, and I’ll occasionally take a day off,” she laughed. “It’s maybe not the retirement gig that I was thinking of when we opened.”

Photo by Jim Ridolphi
The festival began with an expanded, traditional Irish music jam. featuring local musicians who regularly meet at the cafe.

“I was so nervous,” said Aynsley Fisher, who led the meeting along with Wayne Dementi. The interview with Fisher was taped at the Edible Garden and the piece also included a stop at Brookview Farm.

“It painted a good picture of Goochland,” said Fisher. “Now we can shape a pitch to other stations,” she said.

The original story of the 35-mile drive is on currently on view in 18 framed pages on the walls of the Edible Garden restaurant, with plans to move the photo and story essay to other of the interested business locations in the near future.

The budding association has held several meetings, mostly brainstorming on how to capitalize on the scenic and historic assets of Goochland County and ways to promote tourism in the county which well bring dollars to local businesses.

At a meeting in April, Dementi noted that the time was ripe to promote “a getaway strategy” that focuses on day trips as inexpensive excursion opportunities.

He also reported that $2,000 of a $6,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Tourism to the Goochland Chamber of Commerce was available to help the new group promote Goochland tourism.

“Good things are happening,” said Dementi, commenting on the Channel 6 interview.

Now the group is focusing on putting together some “getaway package trips.

Lisa Dearden of the Center for Rural Culture reported that members of the Friends of the Farmers Market are eligible for raffle tickets for getaway packages each month.

Before the meeting began, the members had a wine and cheese reception prepared by Molly Harris, who along with Lisa Goldstein owns the Edible Garden.
Harris, a life-long Goochland resident, said the 35-mile drive concept is “right on target.”

The members discussed new ideas to promote their vision, including hosting a reception for travel representative reception and possible bus tour with presenters.

Fisher said the association needs to think about a Web site to promote its plan.

But the organization is still in the formative stages at this time.

“We don’t even have a bank account,” said Dementi.

Nonetheless, the group tentatively agreed to meet again on the third Wednesday in July.

Hidden Rock Park, the previous home of the Fourth of July celebration, didn’t work on several levels for county officials. First, the recent methane problem, although solved, prompted officials to begin looking elsewhere. Goochland public safety officials, including the sheriff and fire chief, were on record noting objections to the HRP location. Their main concern is limited access and egress from the site.

Parks and Recreation interim director Michelle Swalin said the new site should provide a better setting for the event. “In my personal opinion, the new location will be perfect to better serve the community,” said Swalin. “The crowds continue to grow larger every year and the limited access road to the park poses logistic challenges for large-scale events. County departments develop an emergency plan each year and all involved agree the Goochland Soccer Complex is the more suitable venue for the Fireworks,” she added.

Fireworks will originate at the Goochland Soccer Complex located between Goochland Elementary School and the middle and high school complex.

Spectators have a variety of choices in selecting a viewing area. The football field at the old high school provides the best spot to view the festivities.

The new high school parking lots will be open as well as the Fairgrounds Building parking area.

“The Department is encouraging participants to bring a blanket or lawn chair with the best vantage point to view the Fireworks Display being the Old High School Football Field (located behind the Administration Building) or the Goochland Middle and High School Complex,” Swalin said.

Spectators will not be allowed inside the “Red Zone,” the staging area for the fireworks located at the soccer complex site.

Even with the change in venue, Swalin is expecting an increase in crowds for this year’s event, which she readily admits is different from past performances.

“I believe that we have the capability of actually increasing our participation from year’s past when held at Hidden Rock Park due to the easily accessible location,” she said. “At this year’s Fireworks Display, there will be no vendors, no bounceables and no entertainment,” she added.

Swalin said the county was forced to scramble after the Hidden Rock problems arose. Finding an appropriate safe site wasn’t easy and said she had plenty of help.

“Thanks to Don Charles, Director of Community Development, who took the lead in finding the new location when we believed we were in jeopardy of losing the event for this year,” Swalin said. “Prior to Board of Supervisor approval for the new Goochland Soccer Complex there was no county owned land with public access that was 1000 x 1000 feet clear of obstruction and suitable for the Fireworks Display,” she added.

The fireworks presentation begins at 9 p.m., but spectators can arrive earlier at approved parking sites. “The public is welcome to come as early as 7 or 8 p.m. for a good seat, bring a picnic basket but as per Goochland County Sheriff’s Department, there will be NO tailgating (no open grilling). The Fireworks Display is being promoted as a family friendly event and alcohol is prohibited,” Swalin said.

Parking only will also be available at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College.

Swalin is looking forward to a well-coordinated celebration and acknowledged the fireworks display is a favorite event for locals.

“We are very proud to be coordinating the Fireworks Display and will continue working with dedication and commitment to serve Goochland County and the greater community.

“They were on the scene in what seemed like minutes to me,” White said. “I’m not sure what I would have done without them,” he added.

That incident prompted White to do something to help Fire and Rescue volunteers in Goochland County. As the owner and operator of Patriot Motorsports 2 in the Courthouse, White contributed what he had the most of — an all terrain vehicle.

“I think people should do what they can to help. We don’t think of the importance of the services the volunteers provide until we really need them, “ said White, who runs the local business with his son, also Phil, and his wife Janet.

White, IV and V, decided to donate a new child friendly ATV to the Ladies Auxiliary of Company 5 in the Courthouse. They plan to raffle off the vehicle later in the summer to raise money for operating costs.

“We were trying to come up with a way to help the county,” White said. “The rescue volunteers seemed like the perfect place to start. Let’s face it, times are hard for everybody and they have equipment to maintain and upkeep costs,” he added.

White said he was also prompted by news reports that told of charges being levied by some volunteer fire departments to cover their costs. “I think it should up to the community to make sure those services are available,” he said.

White’s son and partner in the business, said they recognized the need and contributed what seemed like an appropriate.

“We don’t have the time to volunteer, but we did have a bike we could donate to help them out,” Phil said. “We figured if they could donate their time for free, we could donate the bike,” he added.

The pair chose a child friendly Hawk 110 cc ATV for the donation. It is equipped with a remote kill switch allowing parents to shut the vehicle off from a distance. It also features a full governor and foot brakes.

“It’s basically for kids and is loaded with safety features,” the younger Phil said.

Patriot Motorsports 2 celebrates their one-year anniversary in the county July 1. “We love it here,” the elder White said. “The people are so friendly and we haven’t had one negative person since we’ve been open,” he added.

White said he feels a civic responsibility to do what he can to make sure the Rescue Services get the support they need.

He urges his fellow citizens to do the same.

“If things are going well and you’re making it, give what you can.”

For more information on the raffle, contact the Ladies Auxiliary at Company 5.

No way.

Last week found Sykes, Goochland Middle School band teacher, in his office hard at it working on organizing fall activities for the Goochland High School Marching Band.

This fall Sykes will take over direction of the high school band from long-time director Kent Gall, in addition to his duties at GMS.

Sykes, 32, was honored at the June 10 Goochland School Board meeting along with the Teacher of the Year winners from the other four schools: Amanda Tickle from Byrd Elementary, Zoe Parrish from Goochland Elementary, Elizabeth Ferguson from Randolph Elementary and Allison Brook from Goochland High School.

Sykes grew up in Henrico County and graduated from Tucker High School, before earning his bachelor’s degree in music from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2001.

Not being a “core” subject teacher and because of the high quality of the county’s teachers, Sykes said when he got a call to come to the school board meeting, he was not thinking about going away a winner.

“I was so surprised to get it for the school,” he said. “It was fantastic.”

A teacher at GMS for the last eight years, Sykes has also taught teen living and life skills and health and physical education.

Sykes, 32, was honored at the June 10 Goochland School Board meeting along with the Teacher of the Year winners from the other four schools: Amanda Tickle from Byrd Elementary, Zoe Parrish from Goochland Elementary, Elizabeth Ferguson from Randolph Elementary and Allison Brook from Goochland High School.

He’s also a volunteer firefighter at Company 2 in Crozier, where he was captain for two years.

In 2006 and 2007 he served as Camp Director for the Fire Camp where he was a counselor from 2002-2005.

He plays in a rock band called “Sajak” (he’s the drummer) and is a percussionist in a wind ensemble called Commonwealth Winds.

At GMS his students have won numerous awards.

Under his direction, the GMS bands have earned excellent ratings at the District Band Festival from 2001-2006 and several of the bands have received significant achievements, including the GMS 7th grade band earning superior ratings at District 3 State Band Festival in 2007 and the 7th and 8th grade combined band earning superior ratings in 2008 at the District 3 State Band Festival.

But this past year, the bands reached even greater heights, as the 6th grade band earned first place, rating of superior, and was named Grand Champion middle school/high school instrumental ensemble at the Showcase Music Festival.

The GMS Combined Band earned first place and a superior rating at the same event, which was followed by the GMS Combined 7th and 8th Grade Band receiving straight superior ratings at this year’s District 3 State Band Festival.

A high point of his career so far was the Veterans’ Day Concert he put together last fall.

“It was the first one we ever did of that magnitude,” said Sykes. The band played a medley of the service hymns and Sykes said even while conducting he would peek back and watch as the veterans would stand as their branch’s hymn was played.

“It was very moving,” he said. “The kids played well.”

Sykes included a slide show that ran during the assembly, and recalled how one of his clarinetists always teared up when they played it in practice.

“It’s nice for the kids to take pride in the military,” he said.

Sykes is still recovering from a bout of major surgery, which put him out of action for several weeks and said his students’ reaction to his illness was gratifying.

“They didn’t have to come to see me in the hospital,” he said.

But they did and that got Sykes to musing on being a teacher and what it all means.

“You go into teaching to have an impact on the kids – and then the kids end up having an impact on you.”

Sykes now moves on to regional level Teacher of the Year competition with hopes of advancing to the state level.

The quilt is titled “Hooray for Authors!” and is the culmination of months of research, correspondence, waiting and sewing. The students, under the direction of Glenda Hawk, Young Explorers Resource Teacher, researched more than 50 authors and illustrators of children’s books, then wrote them letters accompanied by blank quilt blocks which had been prepared by some of the students’ parents. 

Then the anticipation began! By mid-April about 25 blocks had been returned, autographed by the authors and many including drawings or special messages to the students. Some of the authors were Kevin Henkes (Lilly’s Big Day), Eric Carle (The Very Hungry Caterpillar), Bill Adler (the Cam Jansen series), Janet Stevens (illustrator of the Anansi Books), and Laura Numeroff (If You Give a Mouse a Cookie). 

A few more weeks passed and the blocks were transformed into a quilt by Heidi Dewey, mother of Patrick, one of Mrs. Parker’s students. Dewey added a title block and a block that lists the teachers and every student who participated in this project.

The title block includes a short poem that encapsulates the process. The finishing touch was added when Dewey helped the students attach buttons to the quilt last week. And finally, on Thursday at 1 p.m., the students and teachers witnessed the finished product and rejoiced over a job well done! So many hands touched this project, and it will hold treasured memories for years to come. 

The quilt will be displayed in the hallway outside the GES Media Center, where all passersby can enjoy its cheerfulness.

Here’s the poem in the title block:

We learned about these authors

are pieced into this quilt.

And as everyone will admit, the local economy has taken a downturn.

“In October the bottom fell out,” recalled Ed Lane, 64, owner and CEO of Lane Homes & Remodeling, Inc. in a recent interview at the business located on Route 6 in eastern Goochland.

But although business slowed down, Lane Homes still hosted a planned Remodelers Advantage Executive Roundtable here, inviting a dozen remodeling firms to come and study their business.

The company, owned by Ed Lane and his son Edward Lane, has been in business since 1984.

“The last two quarters have been slow,” said Ed, 64, “but now we are seeing an uptick in inquiries.”

Ed said in past recessions sometimes business actually picked up, but this one has been longer and deeper. Lane Homes cut its staff in half, a painful process, he said.

“We had to do it,” he said, but added that the company has kept their key people in each department.

“We still have the expertise,” he maintained. “The need for repairs and remodeling never goes away, it only backs up.  We anticipate 2010 being a very good year.”

Ed and Edward, 34, said their association with Remodelers Advantage was more important than ever during the current recession.

The three-day meetings, held twice each year, help the companies study each others’ operations and learn from each other.

The visiting remodelers stayed at the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond. The roundtable visitors spent one day interviewing the department heads at Lane Homes and one day with Bobby and Jeff Ukrop of Ukrop’s Supermarkets, followed by an all-day session at the Jefferson to wind things up.

Ed Lane said regardless of business type, customer loyalty is key and lauded Ukrop’s for their vaunted customer base.

“We are envious of Ukrop’s strong brand loyalty and would love to achieve it one day,” said Ed.

The Lanes are studying ways to improve their marketing, including the addition of an online newsletter.

Another idea that sprang from the roundtable is a desire for a better computer system to monitor sales and point them in the direction of greater profitability.

The Lanes emphasized the design/build aspect of their operation.

“What we are selling is a process from beginning to end,” said Ed. “Every step has to be a positive experience, minimizing any inconvenience.”

Edward said energy efficiency is more important than ever in the remodeling business.

Succession planning is also a focus at Lane Homes, said Ed, now that he is approaching retirement age, although he doesn’t anticipate an abrupt change. Edward will gradually assume more day-to-day control, but Ed will keep his hand in too.

“I love what I do,” said Ed. “It’s not like coming to work.”