Charity

Christmas Mother Auction raises over $50,000

By Press release on December 5, 2019 Charity, Community

The 13th annual Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Christmas Mother Live/Silent Auction took place Nov.16 at the Cultural Center of India. The event brought in over $50,000 for the Christmas Mother program. The auctioneer, Wayne Covil of television station WTVR, made the evening’s bidding a festive affair. The guests enjoyed delicious heavy hors d’oeuvres and music by Uncommon. If you wish to help the Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Christmas Mother’s mission, check out their Web site, CCHchristmasmother.com

Academy for special needs youth marks first year

By Caleb M Soptelean on November 12, 2019 Charity, Chesterfield Government

Travis AkinsLt. Jason ElmoreJeff Katz It’s been almost a year since Chesterfield’s Growth Through Opportunity cadet academy began. On Friday, Nov. 8, the organization’s founder, Travis Akins, and others hosted the program’s second graduation ceremony. Included were seven graduates of the 16-week program: Camari Cobb, Benjamin Cunningham, Richard Dabney, Robert Hopkins, Tavon Macklin, David Witt and Samantha Zschaber. The cadets participated in hands-on learning experiences with mentors from Chesterfield County departments including sheriff, fire and EMS, police and general services, and vocational counselors from the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services. GTO provides young people with intellectual and developmental…

Face published in ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’

By Ellie Browning on June 25, 2019 Charity, Community

Evan, Craig, Delaney and Melissa Face during the 2017 July Jingle Run. For the last two years, Chesterfield County has held the July Jingle Run at Pocahontas State Park. With festive holiday-themed decorations, fun activities for families and a costume contest, participants are bound to find something that interests them at the annual event. Chesterfield native Melissa Face and her family have enjoyed competing in the event. A teacher at Appomattox Regional Governors School for the Arts and Technology and mother of two, Face wrote a story about the event that was recently published in the newest edition of the…

Making an impact: Teams of young people and adults help improve area homes

By Caleb M Soptelean on June 25, 2019 Charity, Community

About 100 youth converged on North Chesterfield last week to help with various projects on six homes in the Jefferson Davis Highway corridor. It was the second year that Impact Mission Camps – a subsidiary of the non-profit Baptist General Association of Virginia – came to the area to help. Glenn Maddox, the group’s missions mobilizer, said that North Chesterfield was one of five locations in Virginia and North Carolina where the teams helped. Now in its 26th year, Impact Mission Camps makes repairs to owner-occupied homes to ensure the residents are safe, warm and dry, he said. Some 20…

Food for the summer

By Press release on June 25, 2019 Charity, Community

The Chesterfield County Public Library’s Summer Learning Kick-off resulted in over 700 pounds of food donated to the Chesterfield Food Bank. Above, Mike Mabe, library services director, on right, helped deliver the food to Kim Hill, food bank director, on June 6. (Facebook photo)

Soles 4 Souls

By Press release on May 14, 2019 Charity, Community

Kaiden Walters and Lexi Decker, cousins, organized a Kind Kid Club at Harrowgate Elementary School in the 2017-2018 school year. A ‘Socks of Love’ drive resulted in over 900 pairs of socks collected for the needy. This year, the club is collecting gently used and new shoes for Soles4Souls. So far, more than 1,000 pairs of shoes have been collected. The drive runs until May 31. A collection box is located outside the school entrance. Several churches, including Grace Lutheran, Chester United Methodist and Ivey Memorial United Methodist, are also collecting shoes, which will be distributed to Haiti, Honduras, Guatemala…

Fishing with heroes

By Press release on April 23, 2019 Charity, Community

(David Harrison photo) ABOVE: Billy Borum, founder of the ‘Fishing with Heroes’ program, was recently honored by Jim Ingle of USA Iron and Metal with the ‘Patriot of the Week’ award. Fishing with Heroes gives wounded veterans, police officers and first responders an opportunity to fish at no cost in a specially equipped Bass boat. The program was conceived and founded by Borum, an Army veteran who retired from the Henrico County Police Department with a line-of-duty injury.

Volunteers inspired to help Christmas Mother program

By Eileen Abbott on December 11, 2018 Charity

An estimated 1,400 families in need will know that people care about them this month, thanks to the Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Christmas Mother program. “I’ve been volunteering for 19 years,” said Betty Thackston, a Chester resident and retired Ecoff Elementary School teacher. “I do it because I love it. There is so much love from this committee that goes to these children, families and elderly. This is the joy and meaning of Christmas — the love. It’s magic.” The Chesterfield County Fairgrounds warehouse was temporarily transformed into a cheerful wonderland of joy Friday.Toys, bikes, clothes and books filled the huge building.…

Necktie ceremony continues at Falling Creek Middle School

By Caleb M Soptelean on December 4, 2018 Activities, Charity, Schools

LEFT: Jaden Jones ties a necktie with help from Steve Knox. CENTER: Kaquan Whitus, Tevyn Bennett, Steve Knox and others. RIGHT: Khalil Anderson looks for a tie. Some good students at Falling Creek Middle School were given neckties and taught how to tie them last week. An annual event recognizes boys who have good referrals from their teachers. Sixteen were honored Nov. 29 at the school. “The sole purpose is to highlight and recognize young men with a positive attitude who understand the importance of goal-setting and being responsible,” group advisor and teacher Angela Harris said. The boys meet after school once…

GoFundMe page set up for family of nine displaced by fire

By Becky Wright on December 4, 2018 Charity, Fire & EMS

ABOVE: Russell and Theanea Boesma Two adults and seven children escaped a fire that ravaged their home Tuesday, Nov. 27 in the 300 block of Silverdust Place. A call came into emergency communications at 2:57 p.m. Lt. Jason Elmore of Chesterfield Fire and EMS said crews found heavy fire emanating from the house when they arrived on scene. The residents, who were home at the time of the fire, evacuated. The fire was so intense, a second alarm was declared at 3:23 p.m., which enabled the dispatch of additional firefighters. Firefighters were inside battling the blaze and an evacuation order…

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