Churchland boys are citywide swim champs

The Churchland High school boys swim team is regular season city-wide champion. Earlier this month, the undefeated team beat rival Maury High school, something it has never done. On Feb. 4, they’ll compete against all Norfolk and Portsmouth high schools in a district contest. Marcy Pronovost coaches both the boys and the girls teams, who practice together but compete separately. She tells me this year’s group is different from past teams. It’s smaller, with 11 boys and 12 girls, instead of the usual 20 kids on each side. The team has two sets of siblings – William and Natalie Wirt, each 100-yard freestyle winners – and Josh and Risa Fly. It’s also a younger team, with only three returning swimmers. Marcy says she has incredible freshmen swimmers, including Scott Harrington, who swam with the Williamsburg Aquatic club last year, and Chandler LeSueur of the Churchland Swim Club. “I’m looking forward to seeing what this team accomplishes in the future,” she says.

Everything Eddie Linnett touches turns to gold. Not quite a year after opening Churchland Jewelry and Pawn in the Poplar Hill Shopping Center, the Greenfield Farms resident has opened a third shop in Portsmouth. His first shop is on the Outer Banks. The economy has boosted his business, but Eddie says his success comes from meeting the needs of his customers and treating them right. His shops are open on weekends when banks aren’t and no credit check is required for services. The boutique-like stores are clean and safe, with video surveillance. Eddie is a fourth-generation jeweler who specializes in repair, appraisals, and casting. Eddie is teaching his children what he learned from his dad, grandfather and great-grandfather. His son Justin manages the Outer Banks store. Daughter Lauren works alongside him at the Poplar Hill Shop. The new Portsmouth location is at 4241 Portsmouth Boulevard in the old Wachovia Bank building behind Big Lots.

Members of Churchland Boy Scout Troop 207 conducted the flag ceremony that opened Portsmouth’s Jan. 10 City Council meeting. It was one of the requirements for the Citizenship in the Community merit badge. The troop, which meets at St. Andrew Lutheran Church, has 40 Scouts and 18 assistant scoutmasters and leaders. Scoutmaster Ward Posey has directed the troop for a year and a half, picking up the mantle from seven-year leader Bill Moore. Ward says Bill created a great program that focuses on scout skills, advancement and community service. Though Ward and his sons have been with Troop 207 for five years, he is hardly new to scouting. He began as a Cub Scout Bobcat and advanced to Life Scout. He’s a member of the Order of the Arrow, scouting’s national honor society. Troop 207 just returned from a winter camping trip at Pipsico Scout Reservation near Surry. They camp again next month while working on map, compass and geocaching skills.

It’s not too early to start thinking about Paint Your Heart Out, the annual community beautification effort jointly sponsored by the Portsmouth and Churchland Rotary. Club members and about 300 volunteers will perform exterior painting, yard cleanup and minor exterior repairs for up to 10 residents of Portsmouth and Western Branch. The program is open to any elderly, handicapped or financially burdened homeowner. There is no cost to recipients as all materials are donated by local businesses and individuals. To nominate someone, or if you feel you are eligible, call 513-3422 and leave a message with the homeowner’s name, address, telephone number by the March 19 cut-off date. This year’s Paint Your Heart Out work day is April 21.

The Churchland Y supports our local schools. Court Street Academy and Christopher Academy students meet there for physical fitness. Swim teams from Churchland and Western Branch high schools use the pool for practice. The Y also hosts the Swim Gym program, which provides water safety instruction and physical fitness to all second-graders in Portsmouth schools. The 3-year-old initiative is sponsored by the Portsmouth General Hospital Foundation. Foundation president Alan Gollihue finds the program both well-written and implemented. “What they’re doing for these children is amazing,” he said. The youngsters receive water safety and physical fitness drills for an hour three days a week. On the morning I visited, youngsters from Churchland Academy answered with an enthusiastic ‘yes!’ when asked if they were having fun. 

Contact me at pamelawrites@hotmail.com or 717-0628 with Churchland news you’d like to see on this page.

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