Churchland boy wins state prize for handwriting

April 26 was a good day for David Hayes. Not only did the fourth-grader’s report card reflect an A average for the third nine-week grading period at Portsmouth Christian School, but he also learned he was the first-place winner in a statewide handwriting contest. David beat out 325,000 entries from across the commonwealth. The 21-year-old contest is sponsored by Zaner Bloser, a company that provides teaching programs and services, and whose parent company is Highlights for Children. David received a medallion, his school got a $250 voucher to be used toward educational products, and David’s teacher, Linda Carroll, got an engraved pen set. Though David did not advance to the national level, his win is still noteworthy. The words ‘boy’ and ‘good penmanship’ aren’t often used in the same sentence. Mom Priscilla says David probably got that trait from her brother Doug, who has nice handwriting. David’s 7-year-old brother, Brett, is following in his academic footsteps; he also earned all A’s for the reporting period. The Hayes family lives in Hatton Point.

The good news continues for the Churchland schools that took part in Odyssey of the Mind, the 33-year-old educational tournament that stresses creativity and teamwork. I’ve reported how two elementary teams and one middle school team advanced to the state contest after placing at the regional competition at Wilson High School on Feb. 25. There were 118 teams competed at the state level at Menchville High in Newport News on April 14, and all of Churchland’s teams placed in the top 10. Churchland Elementary’s fourth-grade team came in fourth-place overall, the sixth-graders came in seventh, while the middle school took fifth-place honors. This is great news considering this is only the second year Churchland has participated in the contest. Vicki Sanchez-Tiller and her fellow coaches are understandably proud of their students and are ready for next year’s contest. An end-of-the-school-year pool party is being planned for the hardworking youngsters. Vicki and her team thank the school staff, PTA and parents who donated costumes and props as well as helping with fundraising to get to the team to the state contest.

Congratulations to Khia Moon, Ms. Virginia United States 2012. The Portsmouth resident was crowned in Richmond last month. I first met Khia a few years ago when she was hosting her own American Elite pageant at Churchland High School. Involved in pageantry since the age of 17, Khia started American Elite to offer a positive pageant experience for young ladies and to counteract some of the not-so-pretty things she saw behind the scenes. When the economy affected the number of girls who could participate and the businesses that could support her efforts, she closed up shop. As the reigning Ms. Virginia United States, Khia will travel throughout the state representing the pageant. Her platform remains the same: providing help and support for young girls. Her “She’s a Keeper” nonprofit pairs elementary and high school girls with positive female mentors. Through training and support, she hopes these girls will then mentor other young women. Khia will represent Virginia in the Miss United States pageant finals in Washington, D.C., in July. Follow her blog at http://msvaus2012.wordpress.com . Her next local appearance will be in Monday’s Memorial Day parade in downtown Portsmouth. 

After working nonstop since January, Carla Blechman can finally get some rest. The 2012 Relay for Life chairperson just ended another American Cancer Society campaign. This year’s overnight party was at TCC’s Portsmouth campus and ran from 7 p.m. May 11 to 7 a.m. the next morning. It included a car show, bands, food, vendors, kid’s activities, a survivors dinner and luminary ceremony. Carla says the list of people to thank is endless. She’s especially proud local young people got involved and are learning the value of volunteering. Choral students from Wilson High School performed at the survivors dinner and the relay. Students from the school’s culinary class served dinner, and the art class made the banners that graced the Relay for Life stage. Carla’s niece Miranda and nephew Carson were allowed to skip school to help out. Both kids filled luminary bags and did whatever needed to be done. Miranda worked the survivors dinner registration table, and Carson sold glow gear by walking around with the items lit up all over him. Carla’s best memories include the touching stories she heard from cancer survivors and those still fighting the disease. She’s also thankful for the hardworking volunteers, sponsors, local businesses, friends and family who made her job easier. Sleep, taking care of a neglected house and yard and perhaps a mini-vacation are in the works for Carla now.

Grove Church’s recent college tour was both informative and fun. The spring break getaway featured stops in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. Youth pastor Cardell Patillo Jr. has coordinated the trip for three years. Forty-five students from the church and local high schools went on the three-day bus trip, and several parents followed along in their cars. The group toured Howard University, the University of Maryland-College Park, Morgan State and the College of William and Mary. They also stopped at Busch Gardens and the Great Blacks in Wax Museum. The students were amazed at the size of the College Park campus, and Cardell reports that while all the guides were knowledgeable and friendly, the College Park guides were exceptional. The students also enjoyed the stop at William and Mary, where they were able to see firsthand some of the places they’d learned about in history classes. The museum presented African American history facts unknown to some in the group. I’m told it’s not unusual for students to form strong friendships on the trip and that a few have gone on to become college roommates.

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Dogged effort pays off in Portsmouth

The fourth annual Cause for Paws is another Portsmouth Humane Society success story. At Olde Towne’s North Landing Park on April 28, the event featured a 5K run, a one-mile dog walk and a festival that included live music, food vendors, kid’s activities and adoptable animals. Unpleasant weather didn’t stop the animal enthusiasts from raising more than $20,000. And that’s not the only good news. The shelter is in fourth place in its division and the only Virginia shelter to qualify for a $100,000 grant from the ASPCA. The group has partnered with Rachael Ray to offer the prize and winners were determined by the number of votes received. Executive director Christie Chipps Peters and her team are grateful for the outpouring of support and will inform the public of the campaign’s next phase. See pictures from the Cause for Paws at my blog at hamptonroads.com.

Congratulations to Joe’s Good Food Fast, winners in a Baltimore, Md., she-crab soup cook-off. Cousins and co-owners Terry Fraley and Bob Pope went up against 15 other restaurants and walked away with first place honors and a $1,000 prize. My friend Tara Turner, who lives in Churchland but hails from Baltimore, considers this an amazing feat, given Maryland’s reputation for blue crabs. She also informed me that Old Bay seasoning, used to flavor seafood, is made by McCormick, a Maryland company. After learning about the contest from a customer, the duo packed their ingredients and headed north. The contest was in the Inner Harbor section of the city and a local restaurant allowed them to use their kitchen to cook their soup. “It was a workout, but it was a lot of fun,” says Terry. Joe’s crab cakes are the best I’ve ever had. I guess I’ll have to try the soup now.  Joe’s is at 3603 High St., across from Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center.

Volunteer students and members of Churchland High School’s National Honor Society braved near 90-degree temperatures two Saturdays ago at a car wash behind the Auto Zone store in Churchland. The PTA-sponsored event raised money for their society’s $500 scholarship given annually to a graduating senior. There were also fundraisers at Dairy Queen and Chili’s throughout the school year. The group’s first prom dress donation drive has provided nearly 20 dresses for young ladies who cannot afford one. There is still time to donate a new or gently used dress. Outgoing PTA president Kathy Humphrey is hanging up her hat as her fourth child Carah graduates in a few weeks. She tells me there open slots for the upcoming PTA year and that any high school parent with time and team spirit is encouraged to apply. Experience is not necessary and there will be plenty of help available. Contact Kathy at 395-9788 to donate a dress or to volunteer for the PTA.

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Churchland plant sale in full bloom

Churchland High’s annual plant sale is becoming a booming business for the school’s horticulture students. The sale, April 26 and 27, featured vegetables, annuals and perennials. When I stopped by just before noon on the sale’s first day, there was a line of customers. I met Akeisha Gallman of Hampton and Esther Lewis of Churchland, who were checking out the tomato plants. Esther’s foster son, 2011 Churchland grad Christopher Regel, was a member of the horticulture class. All plants are grown by students and proceeds are reinvested into the program. Pansies are sold in the fall, and they alsohave sales for Valentine’s Day 0and Easter. Though they are a finicky plant, poinsettias were offered for the first time last Christmas and they quickly sold out. Co-instructor Ralph Steinert says they chose a new variety that doesn’t require light restrictions.

The spring festival at Churchland Shopping Center April 21, sponsored by the Churchland Regional Association of Businesses, combined fundraising with a good time for the whole family. Volunteers from the Portsmouth Humane Society came out with adoptable pets while Relay for Life volunteers displayed the new Jeep up for grabs in their current raffle. Bettye House of Jems from Jennie welcomed signatures on a flag to be mailed to military personnel overseas in her ongoing Support the Troops campaign. Police officers offered Ident-A-Kid and free vehicle VIN etching services. Schonna Dungan from Creative Life Cake Studio offered her amazing cupcakes and face-painting for donations to Operation First Response, while Bangkok Gardens served Pad Thai and crab rangoon samples. Vernon Martin gave a great outdoor concert, just as he does every other Thursday night at The Barrel Restaurant. Mary Kay, Jazzercise and a weight-loss drink called Skinny Coffee were some of the other grown-up vendors, while a bounce house kept smiles on the kids’ faces. This is the fifth year CRAB has raised money for charities.

The Churchland Country Day School on Taylor Road celebrated Arbor Day last month by honoring a Portsmouth legend. School director Jeanne Smith Bartlett led her youngsters in planting an Eastern Redbud on school grounds in honor of Adelaide Eberly. Known as the “Tree Lady,” Eberly raised thousands of dollars and planted more than 4,000 trees throughout Portsmouth, helping the city earn its Tree City USA designation by the National Arbor Day Foundation. Eberly died in 2010. Bartlett read a poem at the day school’s program written by her mother Lorraine Smith, who started the school 33 years ago. Students Katey Britton and David Lundy read information about Arbor Day and Eberly. Afterward, the students took turns shoveling dirt.

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Long Point Civic League meeting runs gamut

I left last month’s meeting of the Long Point Civic League with a lot of great information.  Patricia Williams explained the difference between age-related memory issues and Alzheimer’s. After caring for her mother when she suffered from the disease, Patricia determined to educate others after her death. She’s now on the speaker’s bureau for the Alzheimer’s Association. Master gardener Dan Schreiner dispelled a few lawn-care myths. He highly recommends soil testing, which costs only $10 and is performed at Virginia Tech via a test kit obtained at Portsmouth’s Cooperative extension office on Utah Street. Donovan Kelley spoke about what he’s learned during the city’s Community Emergency Response Team program, where citizens learn how to deal with emergency and disaster situations until first responders arrive. The two week course is under way now. What I enjoyed most about this meeting was that all of the speakers live in the neighborhood. It’s great to invite guest speakers, but it’s even better when neighbors share their expertise with each other.

Harvey’s Hot Dogs II will be featured on the Monday edition of “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” on the Food Network. The segment was taped last spring, but the sale of a related production company kept it off the schedule. Host Guy Fieri joined cook Jimmy Pate in the kitchen and whipped up chicken and dumplings as well as bread pudding. You’ll see a few of our neighbors in the segment, including Jimmy and Beverly Henkle, who’ve frequented the eatery for decades, and David and Chris Caddy of Churchland Glass and Mirror. Guy drew a picture of himself on the wall before leaving, and David fashioned a plexiglass covering to protect it. It’s on the left side when you enter the shop. “Drive-ins, and Dives” airs at 10 p.m.

The Portsmouth Music Club invites the public to its “Music for an Olde Towne Afternoon” on Sunday at 3 p.m. The event is part of the 89th observance of National Music Week, celebrated across the country by the National Federation of Music Clubs and those who appreciate beautiful music. Established in 1898, the federation provides music outreach to communities, aids and encourages music education and is the only musical organization recognized by the United Nations. Sunday’s program will benefit the Lancaster Music Scholarship, a fund that supports local college students majoring in music. The Lancaster scholarship winner from 2004, Kathryn McManus Kelly, will be joined by the Old James River jazz band at the performance. The program is at First Presbyterian Church, 515 Court St. Tickets may be purchased for $10 at the door.

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Churchland coach swimming toward her dreams

Ryan Marie Smith is seconds away from her dream of qualifying for the U.S. Olympic swim team. An assistant coach for the Portsmouth YMCA and the Virginia YMCA aquatic clubs at the Churchland Y, the former All-American from the University of Connecticut started swimming competitively at the age of 6. She still holds swim records at her Pennsylvania high school, where she lettered for four years and was swim team captain her senior year. By the time she graduated from UConn in 2007, she had earned a slew of other awards, including the school’s outstanding athlete and remarkable individual award. She swam at the junior nationals, senior nationals, NCAA and the U.S. Open. Ryan, who has family in Suffolk, moved to Virginia in 2007 and in 2009 began her quest for the Olympics. Her event is the 100 backstroke, which requires swimming two lengths of an Olympic-size pool on your back. The Olympic trials require a time of 1:03.99 or better. Ryan is at 1:04.59, down from her original time of 1:09. She will compete at George Mason University before the Olympic trials in June. 

Healthy Girls LLC needs assistance from the community so it can continue helping young girls. For eight years, the company has developed programs that encourage and increase self-esteem in first- through eighth-grade girls at its Village Street clubhouse and in classrooms at local private schools. With a focus on exercise and nutrition education, they’ve put together a kit that contains a 30-minute DVD made by and for girls, an exercise ball and pump, a poster for correct body positioning, a food journal and a booklet outlining the program. The nonprofit hopes to provide its program free to under-served areas. To that end, they’re looking for grant writers who can lend their expertise. They’d also like help from anyone skilled in social media and website design and maintenance. Finally, the shed in which the group has been storing its DVD kits is falling apart. The company hopes a local storage facility will provide space for their stock. Those wishing to help in any of these areas may call Kathy Young at 478-4282.

Members of the Merrifields Garden Club visited Christopher Academy and gave a lesson on recycling. Lorraine Ladd read a story about recycling, and club president Mary Ellen Jones introduced the youngsters to Chucky Chipmunk (also known as Betty Osborne). Shirley Frenia filled a garbage bag with trash. and each child took a turn pulling something out of the bag and deciding if it was recyclable or if it was trash. They must have listened to the story very well because they all answered correctly. The children then made bird feeders out of recycled milk jugs, filled them with bird seed and hung them in the trees around the school’s playground. Each child came up to Chucky Chipmunk at the end of the program and gave him a big hug, even the shy ones. The club donated two books on recycling to the school’s library.

Thanks for sharing your Churchland news with our neighbors. Contact me at 717-0628 or pamelawrites@hotmail.com.

Portsmouth gala was Roc Solid effort

The fourth annual Roc Solid Night for the Fight gala was March 31 at the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. Roc Solid is a 3-year-old nonprofit that provides support and hope to children battling cancer. With the help of local businesses and individuals, pediatric cancer survivor and Western Branch resident Eric Newman and team have built 24 backyard play sets through the Play It Forward campaign. Roc Solid Ready Bags have helped families face unexpected hospital stays. The theme of this year’s event centered on what young cancer patients and survivors want to be when they grow up. Allison Burr, 7, has dreams of becoming a fashion designer, so Eric put her in touch with Kate Pringle, a fashion marketing teacher at Tallwood High in Virginia Beach. In the weeks leading up to the gala, Allison’s bone cancer returned and she was re-admitted to Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters for a second round of chemotherapy. To lift her spirits, Eric arranged to have one of the dresses she designed constructed for her to wear to the gala. The more than $20,000 raised by the gala will help Roc Solid keep making dreams come true for pediatric cancer patients.

The 2012 season of the Portsmouth farmers market starts this weekend, but you wouldn’t know it. Thanks to our mild winter, the 2011 year never really ended as the vendors and those who appreciate locally grown food met regularly during the off-season. Though the year was supposed to wrap up in November, special classes like December’s wreath workshop combined with small markets and meetings inside the Portsmouth Art and Cultural Center extended the buying and selling season. New and returning shoppers can expect the same fresh produce, eggs, meat and desserts from local favorites such as Broken Arrows Farm, Batten Bay Farm and West Pierhead Bakery. Farmer’s market vendors dropped by Port Norfolk on April 7 to take part in the civic league’s citywide party, which, in addition to a bike rodeo, craft fair and chili cook-off, introduced a walking trail as part of the Healthy Portsmouth initiative. The Olde Towne farmers market kicks off this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. behind the Portsmouth Art and Cultural Center, at the corner of High and Court streets. The market meets weekly until mid-November – unless we have another warm winter.

Alexandra Clements is a lean, mean cookie-selling machine. The Junior Scout from Churchland’s Troop 117 sold 1,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies during the past cookie season. Though she sold 450 boxes last year, the fourth-year Junior Scout wanted to increase her sales this time around and came up with a plan. She organized the addresses of her Point Elizabeth town home neighbors in a notebook, and spent her after-school and weekend hours going door to door selling the treats. A check was placed next to the addresses where no one was home and a return visit was made the next day. Alex also sold a lot of cookies at Portsmouth’s Parkview Elementary, where mom Emily is a music instructor and where she used to attend until the family moved to Western Branch. Initially, Emily thought the goal was unrealistic, but decided not to burst her daughter’s bubble. She says that of all the extracurricular activities Alex has tried, Girl Scouts and horseback riding are the two she has enjoyed the most. In fact, Alex has already won contests in her first year with Acquibob’s in Western Branch. Girl Scouts of Colonial Coast is treating Alex and other high-selling scouts to an expense-paid visit to Great Wolf Lodge for their hard work.

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Take a walk in the woods for Hoffler Creek

Grab your sneakers and head over to Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve for the Kids in the Woods walkathon April 22. The event will fund a 5-acre interactive outdoor playscape for children ages 2-12 and is an answer for the issue of kids who don’t play outside anymore because of stranger danger, packed schedules and the popularity of electronic games. Hoffler Creek needs $20,000 to build the retreat, and you can help in several ways: sign up as an individual or a grab a group of pals and join the walk; submit pledges from supportive friends and family; or sign on as an event donor or sponsor. Can’t make the walk but still want to help the kids? Online donations are accepted. An actor portraying Portsmouth founder Col. Crawford will lead the mile-long walk around Lake Ballard promptly at 1 p.m. The walk begins at noon that Sunday, which is also Earth Day. Mother Earth will be there to mingle with the crowd. After the walk, enjoy food, drinks, games, exhibits and acoustic guitar music by Luke Hartman. Register and learn more at www.hofflercreek.org.

Churchland library’s local history program had a full house last month as current and former residents of Waterview came out to share their memories of one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods. The community’s civic league is gathering recollections and items from years gone by to share with new members and as a preservation effort. Dozens shared fond memories, such as jumping and crabbing off neighborhood piers and shopping at Brown’s convenience store. Someone brought in a 1930s newspaper article detailing the time the Elizabeth River froze over. Residents explained the difference between “big Waterview” and “little Waterview” to library manager LeoNard Thompson. Big Waterview has the most homes and is accessed by taking a right onto Shenandoah Road once crossing the bridge out of Churchland. Little Waterview is on the opposite side of High Street. Rose Rakowski of Point Elizabeth lived in the 300 block of Rockbridge Road from the late 1940s until she married in 1974. She recalls that she and her older sister were the only girls on the street for a while and that they were treated like little sisters by their male neighbors. 

Students at Christopher Academy brought the “Stone Soup” story to life March 14. The old folk tale, in which peddler persuade community members to supply food needed to make a soup that is eventually enjoyed by all, was read to the kindergartners by teachers Tammy Penland and Donna Keene. The class then decided to plan a lunch for the less fortunate and it turned into a school-wide adventure. The kindergarten class members brought in specific soup ingredients – carrots, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, broth and sausage – and made the first pot of soup in the morning. After school, 49 elementary students chopped vegetables and prepared more soup. Tammy and her husband, Mark, served as chief cooks with assistance from parents, grandparents and teacher volunteers. In the end, the school made four pots of soup for Oasis Social Ministries. Preschoolers brought in bread and cookies to complete the meal, and the kindergarteners donated fresh fruit. Napkins were supplied and decorated with a St. Patrick’s Day theme. Gerry Mattoon, the grandfather of two Christopher Academy students, delivered and served the soup at Oasis.  The hands-on lesson on cooperation and sharing is one the students won’t forget anytime soon. 

The summer programs at Green Acres Presbyterian Church prepare preschoolers for “big school” coming up in the fall. The camp is offered in three five-day sessions, and kids can join any or all of the camps. The first session is June 4-8 and features an “Over in the Garden’ theme with a walking tour of a garden and teaching on growing your own food. The “Rumble in the Jungle” camp is scheduled for July 9-13. Kids will enjoy puppetry and arts and crafts while learning about jungle creatures. Aug. 6-10 is reserved for “Nature Art” camp, where little ones will explore, collect and create their own art with items found in nature. Camp time is 9 a.m. to noon and includes a snack. Cost is $125 per session and is open to children ages 3-5 by Sept. 30. As an added bonus, kids can remain for an extra hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays to enjoy a planned activity and share lunch with their teacher. This costs an added $5, and kids should bring their meal. Green Acres is at 3135 Hanley Road, at the entrance to the Sterling Point neighborhood. Call them at 484-5125.

Thanks for sharing your Churchland news with our neighbors. Contact me at 717-0628 or pamelawrites@hotmail.com.  

Churchland orthodontists plan charity fun

The public is invited to Drs. Morris and Taylor’s third annual community day 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 12. This year’s event in the orthodontists’ parking lot coincides with spring break and has plenty of fun for kids, including games, a bounce house, sack races, pony rides and a duck pond. Churchland High School students will offer face painting and balloon animals. Hot dogs, cotton candy and barbecue will keep the hunger at bay. Locals DJ Flick and DJ Dria will provide the music. Dr. Taylor has agreed to sit in the dunk tank for an hour, but he won’t say what hour that is. It has all the makings of a fun day, but it has a serious side: all funds will be donated to the American Cancer Society. Staff member Carla Blechman is the 2012 Relay for Life chairperson. The office of Drs. Morris and Taylor is at 5857 Trucker St., between Kroger and Tyre Neck Road.

At the Beadworkz Beading with Friends event, women gather to work on unfinished projects but so much more happens. Co-owners and sisters Carol Mayo and Charlotte Miller dreamed of an elegant place where creative women could gather for encouragement and fellowship. “We feel like a group of sisters,” Charlotte says. I stopped by one of the twice-monthly get-togethers and met Cindy French, who’s won national awards for her quilts, and Gail White, who sells her handmade jewelry at local crafts shows. Glenn Tinsley, who leads the knitting group at the Churchland library, showed me how easy it is to make a pretty wire bracelet. Her daughter Emma has been coming to Beadworkz for three years. “It feels so good to be here,” she says. Grab your unfinished jewelry projects and head over to the next Beading with Friends, 11:30 a.m. April 20 at 11:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. April 26. New faces are welcome. Visit www.beadworkzstore.com for info and class offerings. The store is in the Academy Crossing shopping center. 

During my volunteer gig at the Churchland library, I happened upon a book by local author Anna Richardson Shepard. In “What Could Our Child Possibly Teach Us?” Anna spells out the lessons that she learned from parenting her developmentally challenged daughter and how she applied those lessons to her teaching career and life. The book was published a decade ago, and I wondered whether the author was still in the area. She is. Anna lives in Siesta Gardens, and her daughter Kelley, now 35, is ‘”the sweetest child,” the proud mom reports. Anna was a teacher at Churchland Elementary School for seven years beginning in 1983 before moving to Churchland Middle School, where she remained for six years. Her teaching career spanned 30 years. One of the book’s many points is pertinent whether you’re a teacher or a parent: You have to get into the child’s world. Anna is grateful to her late mother, Lois Richardson; the Portsmouth public school system; and the fellow members of Aldersgate UMC for their support of her family. Two copies of Anna’s volume are at The Book Nook, along with dozens of other interesting titles. Paperbacks are $2, and hardcovers are $3. The Book Nook is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

If you’ve got a gently used prom dress taking up space in your closet, consider donating it to the Churchland PTA. The group is collecting dresses for students who can’t afford to pay full price for one. The girls will pay $10 for the dress, and the proceeds will benefit the PTA, which will in turn use the money to help the school. PTA president Kathy Humphrey got the idea from another locality.  If you’d like to buy and donate a new gown, that’s acceptable too. Dresses will be received through the start of May; pick-up is available. Call 395-9788.

The Inspired Ink writer’s workshop aims to help new and not-so-new writers develop their craft and achieve their writing and publishing goals. The monthly 90-minute session will include a lesson on the mechanics of writing and an exercise. Guest speakers will lend their expertise to the class. Writers of appropriate material in all genres are welcome. The inaugural meeting is 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Churchland library. The workshop is free but registration is required. Call 717-0628.

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Churchland Odyssey took many helping hands

I mentioned Churchland Elementary’s success at Odyssey of the Mind in a previous column. There’s more to the story. Students and coaches began prepping for the international competition in October, staying after school two nights weekly. By February, the teams were meeting every night for two hours. This was the school’s second time at the competition, but the kids had a lot to overcome – namely, the volume of schools from Northern states whose teachers received a $900 stipend for coaching. Funds needed for the competition were received from donations or raised by the PTA. Committed school staff and family members voluntarily stepped up to coach the kids. Retired engineer Jerry Dudley, grandfather to fifth-grader Rileigh Langemeir, was the perfect choice to teach how and why things move. Sixth-grader Abby Herrod’s grandmother – former school board member Linda Ridenour – coached a team. Elementary teachers Liza Fly and Laurie Allen led a middle school team. Third-grade teacher Emma Rawls and her daughter Sandra Rawls, a teacher at another Portsmouth school, also rolled up their sleeves. PTA director and fourth-grade paraprofessional Vicki Sanchez Tiller completed the coaching team. Gifted and talented instructor Carol Beaver served as the school’s Odyssey representative. The result of this teamwork was three first-place wins and a third-place honor. The first-place teams will report to the state competition in April. Odyssey is over, but the coaches and students still share a bond. Students drop by their coaches’ classrooms to say hi and the kids still try to get the gang together after school.

Attention, crafters: There’s still time to get a spot at Centenary UMC’s annual craft supply sale next month. Rent a table for $20 and sell excess yarn, sewing supplies, and scrapbooking or other craft material. This sale is for craft supplies only, not finished crafts. Rent as many tables as you need. Rental fees will be used to support Portsmouth’s homeless population. The last sale allowed the church to provide kits that contained hats, scarves, gloves, socks, personal hygiene items and snacks for each client. The sale is 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 14. Stop by the church to reserve your table or mail your fee to Centenary UMC, 3312 Cedar Lane, Portsmouth, 23703. Include your phone number. Call the church at 484-5051.

The Pilot Club of Portsmouth celebrated its 64th anniversary this month. The Portsmouth charter is part of a worldwide service organization that has, since 2001, focused on lifelong brain protection for kids and adults. They deliver this message in their Brain Minders program in day-care centers and private schools. Using cartoon animals such as Penny Panda, Gerald Giraffe, Martin Monkey and Fiona Fox, the group teaches seat-belt and helmet safety, playground rules and how to cross the street. Members also visit nursing homes and senior care centers to teach older adults the correct way to maneuver curbs, so a fall won’t cause a head injury. The March meeting was at the Elizabeth Manor Country Club, with Virginia District Gov.-elect Cathy Gore as guest speaker. Ann Stewart of Churchland is the group’s president, and Donna Woods of Brittany Woods is vice president.

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Lefcoe students put lessons to use

The annual Lefcoe Leadership Course has trained and encouraged future leaders in Portsmouth for 15 years. Facilitated by Don Comer of Western Branch, the three-month course covers local politics, education, volunteerism and other topics. Classroom guests have included our school superintendent, TCC’s provost, former U.S. Rep. G. William Whitehurst and former state Sen. Fred Quayle. In addition to training, each class participates in a community service project. With the support of local businesses and foundations, the 2012 class provided interior and exterior upgrades to the Westhaven Boys Home, a residential group home for boys ages 12-17, on Race Street. Xerox provided a $1,000 grant and four of its employees helped with painting. Tidewater Youth Foundation’s $1,400 grant supplied picnic tables, a basketball goal and other sports equipment. Cherry Carpet donated four rooms of carpet tile and lent staff members to guide the class in installation.Thanks to a grant from the Beazley Foundation, 17 windows were professionally installed by MegaDors. Rose & Womble Realty donated $250, paint was given by Olympic Paints, Lowe’s provided many materials at cost and Ken Jolley of Mario’s Restaurant donated lunch. Lefcoe class members even gave $1,430 toward their project. Class member Megan Korving of the Portsmouth Service League says the assistance from the businesses shows the boys in the home that the community supports their rehabilitation. It also demonstrates positive ways for them to interact with the public, Megan said.

Some might call starting a business in our current economic environment a risky endeavor but Gary Cox begs to differ. The Willow Breeze resident recently opened All Tune and Lube at 3637 Victory Blvd. He says business has been good because people are choosing to maintain their current vehicle rather than buy a new one. He readily admits he doesn’t work under the hood, choosing instead to hire good mechanics. He also says though that he’s had a bad experience or two at repair shops, that wasn’t the reason he decided to open his own. After retiring from the Navy in 2005, then spending some time working at Newport News Shipbuilding, Gary says he had the proverbial “it’s now or never” moment. He researched carefully, then purchased the franchise. Though Gary and crew officially opened on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, plans for a grand opening celebration are still under way. Reach Gary at the shop at 673-5288,

Hop on over to St. Andrew Lutheran Church and enjoy the Eggstravaganza on Saturday. The fun starts at 1 p.m., with live music from AWAKE, games, prizes, crafts, food and drink. The Easter egg hunt starts at 2 p.m. All kids between the ages of 2 and 11 are welcome to bring their baskets to fill. The children will be separated by age during the hunt. The band returns at 3 p.m. and so does the rest of the fun. The Easter bunny will be there for pictures and the day will also include a piñata. St. Andrew is at 4811 High Street West, across from the Churchland library. Enter the parking lot from Sterling Point Drive.

Thanks for sharing your Churchland news with our neighbors. Contact me at pamelawrites@hotmail.com or 717-0628.