Doughnuts can help in Haiti

You’ve heard me mention the Driver Junior Express before. Well, intent on raising money for Red Cross efforts in Haiti, the 18 kids spent their last snow day visiting Suffolk fire stations to sell Krispy Kreme doughnuts for $6 a dozen. Fifty percent of the proceeds go to the Haitian Relief Fund. The group can also accept cash, 100 percent of which will go to the Red Cross. To order doughnuts or donate via credit or debit card, call the Knot Hole Station at 538-2488. The deadline to order is Tuesday. Doughnuts will be delivered to Beech Grove Methodist Church on Driver Lane for pick-up Feb. 20.

Creekside Elementary earned a second-place, $1,000 shopping voucher from the Scholastic Book Fair for school media specialist Kim Richardson’s  over-the-top decorating for the Around the World Book Fair theme.  The money will be used to expand the library’s collections. Kim credited too many volunteers to name for transforming the school into a worldwide destination with replicas of landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Way to go Gators!

If pets touch your sweet spot, here is a Valentine treat better than a gift-wrapped box of chocolates! On Friday and Saturday evening this week, Mosaic Café in downtown Suffolk is not only serving romantic human Valentine dinners, for an extra $10 you can order special casseroles for your pets. The canine casserole has peas, carrots, green beans, chicken stock, brown rice and pumpkin. Tuna is subbed for the pumpkin in feline casseroles. Proceeds benefit Suffolk Humane and FETCH a Cure, a Richmond-based charity. Mosaic Café is in the Suffolk Center for the Cultural Arts . Call  539-6672 .

Snap to it, Suffolk! The Suffolk Department of Tourism is sponsoring a photo contest. Entries can be in lifestyle, nature/landscape and landmark categories. Open to professionals, amateurs and students, entries must have been captured in the past 12 months. Six entries may be submitted by each shutterbug, and must be submitted in a digital format. Winners will be announced in May. For details and entry forms, visit www.Suffolk-Fun.com/updates.

Share your news with me at k.billue@charter.net.

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Recycle those lesson plans

The Recycling Rangers of Northern Shores Elementary have reported for duty to do their part toward saving landfill space, energy and water. Since the program started in November, the school has recycled more than 250 pounds of paper. The Recycling Rangers program is being offered by the City of Suffolk. It was made possible by a $10,000 “Keep Suffolk Beautiful” grant from Waste Management. Once a month, a group of about 10 students empties the classroom recycling bins in their school. Waste Management collects the material from a 6-yard container outside the building. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, recycling one ton of paper saves 7,000 gallons of water, enough energy to power the average American home for six months and 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space.  

Maybe you and your honey made a resolution to lose some weight this year . How about a dance class right here in North Suffolk? Walter and Judy Schultz offer Beginner East Coast Swing on Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. at RPM Dance, behind the Bennett’s Creek Farm Market on Bridge Road. The four-week series runs $80 per couple, or they can try and match you up with a partner. If you’d rather try Intermediate Hustle, those classes begin at 8:30 p.m. In any event,   contact Walter at classic2step@verizon.net before Sunday evening. For more info,  visit www.twosteptidewater.com.

Technology education teacher Dawn Rountree and the Nansemond River High School robotics team recently traveled to Virginia Commonwealth University for the F.I.R.S.T. Robotics Competition Kick-off. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a national organization founded by Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway, to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology. While in Richmond, the students learned of the game their robot will be playing at the Virginia Regional Competition in March. The students have the next six weeks to design, build, and program a robot to play “Breakaway.” 

Is someone in your family expecting their first bundle of joy later this year? If so, the expectant mom may want to spend a few hours this month at the North Suffolk Library, 2000 Bennett’s Creek Park Road, learning about Lamaze childbirth. On Feb. 8 and 22 a library staff member, who is also a registered nurse with Lamaze certification, will present sessions at 6:30 pm. Topics in Part I will include physical and emotional changes; discomforts and comfort measures; interactive exercises; sexuality and relationship changes; concerns, cautions and pregnancy myths. Part II will include baby-building with nutrition, fetal development highlights and relaxation/stress management basics. Attendance at both sessions is recommended, but not required. Check out these free sessions and see if a Lamaze delivery is right for you. Call the reference desk at 514-7150 or visit www.suffolk.lib.va.us.

Do you have a story to share about yourself, a family member or neighbor? Please let me know at k.billue@charter.net so I can spread your news to Your Corner!

ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules of civility. Comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its Web sites. Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the "Report Violation" link below the comment.

Help your back and the Polar Plunge

If the recent bone-chilling weather has you hoping for some type of relief you might want to investigate the Toland Chiropractic Wellness Center on Bridge Road in Carrollton. You help yourself and the Virginia Special Olympics. Between now and Feb. 4, any new patients get their first visit services for $30. That includes a consultation, evaluation, X-rays and a report of the findings. This is a $300 value and all the money collected will be donated to the Feb. 6 Polar Plunge in Virginia Beach. Existing patients who donate at least $5 to Special Olympics will get a complimentary visit. If you’d like to learn more about their naturally-focused practice, visit www.tolandchiropractic.net or their office at 15145 Carrollton Blvd. You can also call 238-7780 to schedule your first appointment for a healthier and happier new year!

I never can bring myself to throw away Christmas and other cards  from family and friends. Several years ago I discovered the perfect “regifting” opportunity. After you’ve made your notations about cards sent and received, cut off the decorative fronts and bundle them into an envelope and mail them to St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, Recycled Card Program, 100 St. Jude’s St., Boulder City, NV 89005. Kids at St. Jude’s make new cards with the recycled fronts. Visit stjudesranch.org to learn more and to order a variety of cards.

Prayers and Squares is an international organization with the motto “It’s not about the quilt; it’s all about the prayers.” St. Andrew Presbyterian Church at 1885 Bridge Road has had five years of experience in making more than 275 lap quilts with thousands of prayers for sick babies, patients with cancer and AIDS, and for adults and children facing surgery or personal crisis. Twice a month, nearly a dozen women gather for a several hours to lend their personal talents to cutting, piecing, quilting, stitching, ironing and adding the all-important prayer ties. Once the quilts are finished, they await a request for someone in need. Then the prayers are added specifically for the recipient, and each knot represents a prayer.  If someone you know could be comforted with a quilt and prayers, please call Evelyn at 238-2053.

Do you have a story to share? Please let me know at k.billue@charter.net so I can spread your news.

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Hobby shop works for husband and wife

Sometimes folks are just meant for each other. Tom Atkins, a former Marine aviation mechanic, has always loved planes. His wife, Mary Grace,  has always loved dolls. Together they have melded their marriage, their home and their avocations into Eagle Hobby Shop at 4832 Godwin Blvd. –   adjacent to their home. The downstairs of the shop is Tom’s and is filled with model and radio-controlled planes of all sorts – Corsairs, Spitfires, Fokkers, Pipers, helicopters, sailplanes and gliders to name just a few.  Tom can help you customize your s. He even has a high-tech flight simulator. With the radio-control field at Lone Star Lakes practically in his backyard he has his retirement dream well in hand.  Upstairs in the shop Mary Grace’s Lee Middleton and Paradise Gallery collectible dolls range from newborn to fashion plate. The lifelike look and feel of these dolls is a far cry from  Barbie. The shop is open Wednesday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. and other times by appointment. You can reach Tom or Mary Grace at 255-4040 or visit their Web site at www.eaglehobbyshop.com.

Jan. 8 was Brunswick Stew prep day for the Men’s Fellowship at Ebenezer United Methodist Church in Eclipse. Some 250  pounds of potatoes needed peeling, 60 pounds of onions needed dicing and 160 pounds of chicken needed to be cooked, deboned and cut up. This group undertakes a Brunswick Stew fundraiser each year specifically for providing assistance to those who need it locally. With advance orders totaling more than 340 quarts, Leroy Baisden and his crew were planning to produce 400 quarts for pickup on that Saturday afternoon. I’m sure plenty of folks enjoyed their efforts that night.  I stopped by to lend moral support during the messiest part of the job, deboning the chicken.

North Suffolk’s newest medical practice officially opens Thursday at 4 p.m. Riverfront Family Medicine and Specialty Care, in the Konikoff Building at 5849 Harbour View Blvd., is affiliated with Chesapeake Regional Medical Center. Practicing at the new location are Drs. Scott Fowler, Dena Hall and Attiyah Ismaeli-Campbell. All are board-certified family physicians and are accepting new patients and all major insurance plans. Appointments can be made by calling 966-2529. Other specialists will rotate through the practice including neurologists, neurosurgeons, general surgeons, bariatric surgeons and diabetes management clinicians.

King’s Fork High School finally got its long-awaited authorization in December to begin offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP), a rigorous college-preparatory program for students in grades 11 and 12.  There are just over a thousand IB World Schools in the United States; 684 offer the diploma program. King’s Fork offers IBDP preparation classes for 63 students in grades 9 and 10. The school will begin offering the IBDP in the fall of 2010. The programs are available to students throughout Suffolk and transportation to King’s Fork High is provided . Interested students must apply in eighth grade. Completion of the pre-IB program is required for admission into the diploma program. For more information , contact Hilve Firek, IB lead teacher, at 923-5240 or Lynn Cross, assistant superintendent, at 925-6750.   If your middle-schooler is looking for a broader view of the world , you might want to investigate this opportunity .

Office Max at 6253 College Drive has announced a change in its MaxPerks printer cartridge recycling program.  As of Jan. 1, they discontinued the bulk mail-in recycling program and replaced it with an onsite alternative. Even if you only need to visit the store two or three times a year, signing up for MaxPerks will eventually benefit your wallet or bottom line. You can earn $3 in MaxPerks rewards for various  visibly undamaged  cartridges that you recycle  .

Do you have a story to share ? Contact me at k.billue@charter.net

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Get to Stumpy’s, you biker folks

Stumpy Neumann is living his dream at Stumpy’s Biker Barn on Shoulder’s Hill Road. Maybe you’ve noticed this unique establishment with a silo and a personalized mailbox outfitted with exhaust pipes. Stumpy will build, paint and/or customize any motorcycle. A Harley-certified mechanic, he has multiple workshops, showroom and parts inventory all neatly tucked inside a remodeled barn. His motto is “domestic or foreign, if it rolls on 2 or 3 wheels we fit or custom build it.” If you’d like to use these winter months to be ready to ride in the spring,  contact Stumpy at 763-9821 or stumpman2007@yahoo.com. Should the doors happen to be shut during regular business hours, and the Biker Barn appears closed, be sure to knock; Stumpy is most likely simply staying warm while working .

Routinely the first thing I do when I get on the Internet is click the Animal Rescue Site, part of the Greater Good Network. Each click is worth just over a half of bowl of food for cats and dogs in rescue situations. During 2009, more than 131 million clicks were counted, equaling more than 39 million pounds of food! That’s  78 million bowlfuls –  10 million  more than in 2008.  Click  www. theanimalrescuesite.com.

Kay Hurley, director of community outreach for the Suffolk Humane Society, wants to get the word out that Mondays are dog obedience nights at the Magnolia Ruritan Club, 1047 Nansemond P kw y. Beginning Jan. 18 and running for four weeks through Feb. 15, two sessions are being offered each evening. Choose from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., or 7:45 to 8:45 p.m. The cost is $50 per dog, or $40 with proof of adoption. Proceeds will benefit the humane society. Classes will be led by instructors from the Merrimac Dog Training Club. To register, call 538-3030, ext.6. Leave your name and phone number, and your call will be returned. Class size is limited, so don’t delay. The Magnolia Ruritan Club is closer to Your Corner than you think.

Nansemond Parkway Elementary School has restarted its  Day Without a Desk  program. Every Friday, students put away the books and participate in interactive learning activities to address different learning styles. “Day Without a Desk” was such a success last year that the school will continue it again this year and the students couldn’t be happier. Call the school at 923-4167 for more information.

Are there any church bells that regularly ring in North Suffolk? One of the quaint-town attributes I miss locally is hourly chiming and noontime and evening sounds of carols, hymns and vespers. When I worked in downtown Portsmouth, I used to enjoy a noontime serenade and an occasional reverie when I had to work late. When we travel by car, I always admire a town or locality that chooses to add this music to their mission. If any readers can share some insight, I’d be delighted to hear from you so I can hear the bells too!

Do you have a story to share about yourself, a family member or neighbor? Please let me know at k.billue@charter.net so I can spread your news to Your Corner!

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Christmas fun comes early

Here's the unedited version of my Dec. 23 column.

Christmas is almost here, and wee ones are counting the hours ‘til Santa’s arrival. Maybe you could use a bit of assistance and distraction with ‘Elf on the Shelf.’ This Web site uses all the current animation, bells and whistles to keep adults as well as kids enthralled. Check it out at www.elfontheshelf.com  Here is a hint if the drop-down or sidebar menus don’t seem to work the same as in most other websites: just click on the main wreath and it will give you the options listed. Be sure to check out the North Pole and the registry! There is even a NORAD count-down to track Santa, but you have to visit the schoolhouse to find it!

Dec. 11 was a red-letter day for theatrical students at Nansemond River High School. Joleen Neighbours, the school’s chorus and drama teacher, had arranged for a master class to be conducted by members of VCU’s Theatre Department. About 50 stage-struck students were coached on auditions, interviews, and portfolios, for potential actors, actresses, and behind the scenes technicians. I was able to hear and watch Grace Currier act a song from ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and Jessica Pyne pine for Mister Snow from ‘Carousel’. The high schoolers were enthralled with all the valuable advice and tips shared by Lorri Linberg, VCU’s Showcase Director, Asst. Professor Amy Hutton and three VCU seniors.

Suffolk’s Wreath Society honored our deceased veterans on Dec. 12 at the Alfred G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery near Everetts not far from North Suffolk. Thanks to the generosity of Suffolk citizens and businesses nearly 2400 wreaths were provided by local florist Ray Bennett. I understand a sizeable down-payment on next year’s wreaths has already been made.  A motorcycle brigade of Virginia Patriot Guard and Disabled American Veterans assisted with the wreath-laying and memorial ceremonies attended by hundreds.

For any of Your Corner High School seniors who opted for an Early Decision College selection and were accepted, our congratulations! We were on pins and needles last Friday afternoon awaiting a call from last year’s foreign exchange student Constantin from Moldova. For a month he knew his magic moment would be 3 p.m. our time Dec. 11 when he would get word from the University of Pennsylvania. I had mentally prepared all the consolatory words and phrases I could think of, anticipating the worst. Joy and bliss were the only words to describe the phone call we received about 3:15 pm; his mother was in tears with euphoria! Not only was he accepted, but the academic scholarship would cover nearly 98% of the cost. We were delighted hosting Constantin last year, and it appears we will be in a supporting role for his next 4 years. Looks like Philly trips will be in our future plans! This is proof positive that there are scholarships out there if you are persistent and do the research.

Do you need a last minute stockpile of hostess gifts for chocolate lovers? You might want to visit Bon Vivant in Governor’s Point Shoppes. My personal favorite is ‘ChocoVine-the taste of Dutch chocolate and fine red wine’. Serve very chilled and in very small quantities. At less than $12 a bottle, and with a refrigerated shelf life of up to 6 months this is a European extravagance that literally melts in your mouth. I really don’t want to know the calorie count!

Lunch With Santa on Dec. 12 at Northern Shores Recreation Center was a well planned and executed event, although there was ample space for many more kids and parents. Chic-Fil-A lunches were provided, along with multiple games and craft activities. I was delighted to hear the sounds of ‘Away in the Manger’ as I entered the facility. Participating youngsters had provided gifts for the ‘Toys for Tots’ program. Craft activities included Christmas tree pompoms, reindeer wreaths, Christmas cards with handprints, and magnetic snowmen. Miss Kenya’s face-painting of reindeer noses was a favorite with all!

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Students shine at Oakland Elementary's holiday concert

Most of Suffolk’s elementary schools had some type of holiday performance for the PTA, family and friends. But since Oakland Elementary has Suffolk’s one and only elementary school band, I chose to pay a visit Dec. 21 for their holiday presentation to the K-2 grade levels. Teachers Rena Long and Anne McCoy are at school extra early most mornings to coach these talented and enthusiastic students. Their efforts paid off sufficiently to keep their very young audience fully engaged. Nine second-year band members ably handled their clarinets, trumpets and saxophones in 3 holiday compositions. With the addition of some foot-stomps, a percussion section was also present. The chorus followed up with four holiday pieces so well rehearsed the kids rarely had to glance at their scripts. The whole experience reminded me of the movie “Mr. Holland’s Opus” but with much younger musicians.

Just when you thought you were going to honor your New Year’s Resolution to slim down, the bottom literally falls out. Premier Fitness at 1033 Champions Way off of Harbour View Boulevard was quite a state-of-the-art fitness center with nursery, yoga, personal trainer rooms, cycling, free weights, massage. Premier was particularly well known locally for its boot camp programs. A sign was posted just before Christmas saying the facility was permanently closed. While the Web site and phone number may lead you to believe they are alive and well, some of the former members are now meeting at One Life Fitness on Portsmouth Blvd.

It has been a tough year for our local golf courses. Although we all have been blessed with more than adequate rainfall, our surplus is slow to dissipate, leading to the dreaded 'cart-path only’ sign. For some erratic golfers, this can lead to even more exercise than voluntarily walking the course. Coupled with the economic downturn, the number of rounds at our local courses is down nearly 20%. Watch for a warming trend, and get out for a round. It’s good for your soul, your body and our economy!

Congratulations to the Suffolk PTA Reflections winners for 2009-2010. The theme for this year was “Beauty is…”  Your Corner honorees include: Northern Shores Elementary students James Saunders, Katherine Zabinski, Savannah Wallace, Samuel Wolfe, Kelsey Hott, and Queenique Dinh; Creekside Elementary student Michael Gazzanigo; Driver Elementary students Aleksandr Karlov, Hannah Misiunas, Skylar Old, Cody Faust and Gracie Godinez; Oakland Elementary students Jack VanStraten, Jana Nelhuebel, Ellen Patchin, Trent Sabato; Florence Bowser student Brendan Old; John Yeates Middle School students Hannah Hill, Kaylee Boger and Trinity Torres; King’s Fork Middle School student Samantha Guy; and Nansemond River High School students Brandon Gazzanigo and Charlotte Anne Matteson. First place entries have been sent to district level competition for the PTA Reflections program. Results for the district program will be announced sometime in January. 

Girls on the Run, offered at Creekside and Hillpoint elementary schools, helps to prepare girls for their teen years by teaching them how to value themselves and others. The program also physically prepares girls to complete a 5K race, helping drive home the fact that you can do anything.  Girls on the Run is a life-changing, experiential learning program for girls age 8 to 13. The 12-week program combines training for a 3.1-mile running event with self-esteem enhancing, uplifting workouts twice a week for one hour. The program culminates in a non-competitive 5K race event that gives girls the chance to shine and an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. This year’s 5K race was two weeks ago at Virginia Beach. 

If you have a story to share, please let me know at k.billue@charter.net.

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King's Fork ninth-grader will be General Assembly page

Fletcher Kyle Stephens, a ninth-grader at King’s Fork High School, is sure to have a memorable time as a Senate page/messenger for this year’s  General Assembly session. Fletcher will work in Richmond five days a week, from Jan. 11 through March 13. He submitted his application, reference letters and an essay for a statewide selection process. Page/messengers typically run errands in the House of Delegates, the Speaker’s Office, the clerk’s office, the enrolling room, the bill room and the governor’s office.  

A gingerbread house competition and a reading of Chris Van Allsburg’s “The Polar Express” was all that was necessary to entice me to the North Suffolk library Dec. 14 after dark. I was rewarded with little ones in pajamas, sleepers, blankies and bathrobes eagerly awaiting the main event. Library assistants and volunteers kept things on track. A reindeer version of the Hokey Pokey was a sight to behold! The efforts in both juvenile and adult categories of gingerbread houses were oohed and ahhed. My favorite was the submission from the Jackson family of the Riverfront neighborhood. Emma 7, Ava, 5, and Daisy Grace, 2, obviously were trying to make sure Santa knew where to find them.

Is one of your New Year’s resolutions to do something significant for your community? You might want to consider registering for the Suffolk Leadership Academy set to begin Feb. 2 and run through the end of April. Classes are Tuesday evenings from 5:30 to 8:30 in downtown Suffolk. It includes an all-day tour of Suffolk and a trip to see the General Assembly. It costs $350 a person, but there are scholarships available. Companies are encouraged to sponsor a student or enroll one of their employees. Contact Kenda Council at 539-8789 x 3339 or kcouncil@nsaacademy.org. Get applications at www. suffolk.va.us/pressrel.html. They’re due Jan. 29.

If you have a story to share, let me know at k.billue@charter.net.

ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules of civility. Comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its Web sites. Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the "Report Violation" link below the comment.

A solution to storm leftovers for North Suffolk

Let’s talk a bit of trash and recycling. A grateful thanks to the City of Suffolk for reinstating bulk pickups after our recent nor’easter, earlier than the  announced Dec. 1. Between the dozen 55-gallon bags of leaves and piles of limbs, it would have been March before we had our property presentable. For those of you in the College Drive and Harbour View area, SPSA’s recycling containers are now back in the Old College Drive cul-de-sac in the VDOT staging area next to the former Troy Marine. Going north on Bridge Road/Route 17 toward the new railroad overpass, make a right just before the overpass. It isn’t easy to describe or find, but I am encouraged that residents are somehow using it regularly. There was considerable overflow after Thanksgiving weekend. A special recycling drive is scheduled this Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at the Crittenden Road/King’s Highway recycling center. If you have a stockpile of up to 12 tires or  oversized 5-gallon plastic containers , plan your morning accordingly. Questions? Call Hattie Lester, the city’s litter control coordinator, at 514-7604. And if your family is expecting Santa to drop off some new electronics, and you’d like to know what to do with the obsolete stuff, you might want to talk to the folks at Green Alternatives in Norfolk. Call 622-1444 or visit www.greenalternativesstore.com.

We send a dozen scenic Virginia calendars to our foreign-exchange families throughout the world this time of year. However, I find a calendar with a single month at a glance no longer works for our family.  I finally found the perfect solution at www.avalanchepub.com.  I have three months visible with big date blocks to fill in appointments, birthdays and reminders. I can move each month without having to re-copy information, and I no longer get surprised with a birthday on the first of the month. There are oodles of calendars and organizer options at this site, and the shipping service is quite prompt. I admit, $20 is a bit steep for a wall calendar, but if it keeps us organized and informed with a minimum of effort, then I think the $1.66 per month is money well spent.

The musicians and chefs at Ebenezer United Methodist Church in Eclipse combined for an Advent Candlelight Christmas event Dec. 6-8. Under the direction of Doug Shomaker, the chancel choir performed an assortment of traditional and contemporary arrangements . Most of the choir members did double-duty with orchestral instrument s . Musically-talented folks all seem to multi-task remarkably well. The Ebenezer Solid Rock Quartet did a barbershop harmony of “Go Tell It on the Mountain.” A reception after the performance featured rockfish stew, white bean and Italian sausage and kale and smoked sausage with a variety of homemade desserts.

Creekside and Northern Shores elementary schools have both discovered hosting a Scholastic Book Fair during December is most advantageous. Parents and kids have Christmas gifts on their mind with lengthy lists to fill. The libraries receive substantial credits for sales, boosting  opportunities for filling their own shelves. Northern Shores media specialist Mary Bransford said Jeff Kinney’s newest “Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Dog Days” has been a bestseller. She credits volunteers Lora Crowe, Ann Dunn, Wendy Tompkins and Ricki Martin in making this an overwhelming success. Creekside’s media specialist Kim Richardson is still hoping to take top honors in Scholastic’s decorating competition for the Reading Around the World book fair theme;  volunteers  fabricated the Golden Gate Bridge, the base of the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and a London phone booth with Beefeater Guards. Kudos to faithful volunteers Diana Vavrek, Jennifer Taylor, the Panagotopulos, Katherine Allen, Connie Ketten and Edwina Griffith for their  ingenuity. Here’s hoping for a well-deserved trophy!

In conjunction with the book fairs, author and motivational speaker Kimberly P. Johnson, originally from North Carolina, spoke to second- and third-graders at both schools. Kimberly is a product of the Head Start program, and firmly believes in the “Pay It Forward” concept. While promoting literacy and character education, she donates a portion of her proceeds from 11 books to children’s literacy programs. I caught a piece of her presentation at Creekside. Each day she dons a rubber band on her wrist to remind herself to stretch her mind. I’m sure the teachers at Northern Shores and Creekside were delighted to hear themselves referred to as power sources, and that students needed to plug themselves in to the knowledge that awaits them on a daily basis. Kimberly also does writing workshops for elementary level kids, teachers and parents. Reach her at 803-628-3003 or www.simplycreativeworks.com.

Do you have a story to share about yourself, a family member or neighbor? Please let me know at k.billue@charter.net so I can spread your news to Your Corner!

ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules of civility. Comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its Web sites. Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the "Report Violation" link below the comment.

Third-grader wins state PTA writing contest

A week or two ago I wrote about a published author who attended Nansemond River High School and is now a freshman at Old Dominion University. I thought that was quite an accomplishment. However, honors for the youngest Your Corner author must go to Michael Gazzanigo, a third-grader at Creekside Elementary School, who recently took first place for Virginia in the PTA Reflections Competition in the primary literature category. The theme for the competition was “Wow,” and thousands of public school students from across the nation entered. Michael’s story, “The Magnet Who Lost Magnetism,” told of a stick magnet that lost its magnetism and was devastated by the loss of what he thought was his reason for being. As it turned out, he became part of something more important! He realized that being useful and helping others felt very good. “You can be small, but if you are part of something important, you are big!” Michael was honored Nov. 14 at a luncheon in Fredericksburg. The award was presented by officials from the Virginia State PTA and the National PTA.  

Harbour View resident Michelle Prince has a business called the Traveling Vineyard. She says wine is the perfect gift for the holidays and describes her club as the virtual passport to domestic and international wineries around the world. Michelle offers in-home wine tastings. She also serves as a docent at the Chrysler Museum. You can find her club at www.agrapeplace2b.com 

Here’s something that might save Your Corner readers a few bucks. On our daughter’s wedding day I needed an extra $50 very fast. I hit our bank ATM, inserted a card, PIN and pressed the numbers for $60. Something popped up on the screen about a $3 bank fee, which I thought odd, but at that moment I was consumed with the details of the next few hours. As I drove away I realized I had used the credit card instead of the bank’s ATM/debit card. By the time I got home I had figured out what I did wrong, and prepared my husband for boo-boos forthcoming in our finances. Not only did we get hit with the $3 bank charge, we got a $10 cash advance charge, and then a $1.12 finance charge. While I was perusing this muddle on our statements, I happened upon the Effective Annual Percentage Rate of 185.10%. I’m grateful we are able to pay off our bill promptly, but I understand how folks can get so far behind. The credit card business is run by vultures!

Harbour View resident Moncia Barnes has 17 years under her belt with Mary Kay. She has also been rewarded with 7 new cars over the years through the company’s incentive program. Monica has a knack for bundling and packaging Mary Kay products with bonus items in attractive baskets and novel containers. A NASA engineer by day, in her spare hours she is a Mary Kay devotee. I saw her product line at Riverfront Swim Club along with other vendors. Monica goes the extra mile to mix, match and embellish Mary Kay products to make it an instantly deliverable gift. If you’d like to schedule a home party, call her at 686-8966 or e-mail monicabarnes@marykay.com.

Perhaps you’ve thought of going global with a foreign exchange student. Maybe you want to segue into the process with own your kids. Au pairs might be the answer, especially if you have multiple young ones and an extra room at your house. Your Corner’s Vawny Sullivan is the area director of Au Pair International and can be reached at ssullivan60@charter.net or 375-1311. Au pairs are between 18 and 26 years old, healthy with a minimum of 200 hours of documented childcare experience, proficient in conversational English, high school graduates, insured, most have a valid driver’s license, and have passed a battery of vetting including criminal background check. It’s a great way to have live-in childcare. If you’d like to explore more before contacting Vawny, visit www.aupairint.com. The John Yeates Middle School Chargers have been busy collecting canned food as part of their civic mission to help restock area food banks. The student council association kicked off its campaign in September. The empty shelves in the school cafeteria were turned into the Charger Can Cupboard. Each grade level was given shelves to stock full of cans. Two student volunteers went around daily with their Charger Can Cart to collect the goods. The food will be going to the area Salvation Army and the Union Mission who will be using them to stock shelves in their food banks to supply needy families. 

Northern Shores Recreation Center at 6701 Respass Beach Road will sponsor its eighth annual Lunch with Santa this Saturday. Children ages 10 and younger can enjoy lunch, fun, games and a visit with the jolly ol’ elf himself. A donation of a new unwrapped toy is the fee for this family event. The deadline for registration was yesterday, but if you’d like to attend, call 514-7250 and see if space is still available.

Do you have a story to share about yourself, a family member or neighbor? Please let me know at k.billue@charter.net so I can spread your news to Your Corner!

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