Inside A3 Local fire stations hold Santa Runs
Powhatan, Virginia B1 Middle schooler swims fastest 100 IM age-group time in U.S.
Vol. XXXIV No. o. 23
December 9, 2020
Christmas Mother program wraps up 2020 season By Laura McFarland Editor
POWHATAN – The Powhatan Christmas Mother Headquarters was as busy as Santa’s Workshop last week as volunteers worked to put the finishing touches on this year’s Christmas offerings. With clients scheduled to pick up presents on Dec. 8 and 9 and the final presents being delivered on Dec. 11, the headquarters has been a hive of activity the last few weeks preparing for the final push getting the presents out the door, said 2020 Powhatan Christmas Mother JoAnn Woodson. Woodson, whose husband Jim is the Christmas Father, was overjoyed as she talked about the amazing last few months in their roles despite the
PHOTO BY LAURA McFARLAND
Loretta Hawkes, from left, Kathy Ware, and Ginny Broughton wrap presents at the Powhatan Christmas Mother Headquarters on Dec. 4. Headquarters was hopping with the last of the shopping and wrapping.
restrictions caused by COVID-19. Chief in her praise is the volunteers who make the Christmas Mother program possible by putting in countless hours processing applications, buying gifts, wrapping, sorting, and more. The Powhatan Christmas Everyday Committee is a force to be reckoned with and they know how to make Christmas special for people, she said. Woodson said she lost count of the times she was told not to worry, to enjoy her time as Christmas Mother, and that they would tell her what she needed to do. “They all said that – ‘we’ll tell you what to do.’ And they do and then we just do it and it works,” she said with a laugh. Woodson also praised her husband, see CHRISTMAS, pg. 4
Drink it in Richmond West Craft Beverage Trail includes three Powhatan businesses
By Laura McFarland Editor
P
OWHATAN – A local organization whose goal it is to shine a light on 11 craft beverage producers located in Powhatan and Goochland counties is work-
ing to reinvigorate itself heading into 2021. The Richmond West Craft Beverage Trail was started in 2016 to connect people with the natural beauty that lies roughly 30 minutes outside of downtown Richmond and see CRAFT, pg. 6
Former supervisor Bob Cosby dies By Laura McFarland Editor
POWHATAN – Powhatan native Robert “Bob” Cosby, a former dairy farmer who served on the board of supervisors for four decades, died over the weekend at the age of 83. Cosby, who died on Saturday, Dec. 5, was well known in Powhatan for serving as a supervisor from 1972 until 2011, when he decided not to run for re-election. Being a supervisor was a job Cosby BOB COSBY aspired to when he was young and stayed devoted to over his many years of service, said his son, Hank Cosby. His dad told him that, from an early age, his two goals in life were to be a farmer like his own father and a supervisor.
DELIVER TO: Postal Patron Powhatan, VA 23139
Prsrt. Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Powhatan, VA Permit No.19
see COSBY, pg. 8
PCPS distributes 2,000 donated books to children Contributed Report More than 2,000 new free children’s and chapter books — enough to fill a large county van twice—were distributed by Powhatan 4-H to area children and families recently. The estimated value of the books donated to Powhatan County youth is between $15,000 and $20,000. The colorful storybooks, featuring fun themes and characters, covered a range of grades and age levels. Powhatan gained access to the books through a Virginia 4-H partnership with The Molina Foundation for the Book Buddies 2020 Families Learning Together literacy program. This national initiative helps encourage literacy and reading skills during the summer and the back-to-school season as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Giving children books to keep is an action step that reinforces a positive message about reading. According to Cathy Howland, Powhatan 4-H Extension Agent, she and two volunteers traveled to Appomattox on two different occasions to fill the county van with books. “Getting the books loaded from a hot warehouse in August, and then unloaded, was the tough job,” she said. “Being able to bring joy to children in the form of a book was easy.”
CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
Brothers Conner and Brandon Walters volunteered to help pick up 2,000 books from a warehouse in Appomattox that were later distributed to Powhatan children such as Chloe Minor, right.
The books from Disney Publishing were distributed lobuted lo cally through Powhatan's Department of Social Services, Head Start, Little Zion Workshop Way Preschool, and Powhatan County Public Schools. Howland partnered with Tracey Ingle, English instructional specialist with Powhatan Public Schools, to make sure the books landed in the
hands of the students needing them most. A large bulk of the books were middle school reading level, so two fifthgrade classes received chapter books to take home. “The books are high quality and high interest,” Ingle said. “The reading levels range from pre-k to high school. Books are being distributed to students through
random giveaways, classroom projects, and meal distributions.” Howland said, “We, as a community organization, were thrilled to be a part of this book distribution effort. It’s great to encourage children and families to read together and share stories, especially now during these troubled times.” She added, “We care about supporting support the success of children and families we serve. Literacy is the key to progress for our community.” As a part of this national initiative, Families Learning Togethl er’s e goal is to help stop the th “summer slide,” the tendency for children to te lose lo some of the academic gains they made during g the school year. Additionally, ally school closures due to the coronavirus have put children at risk of severe child learning loss in addition to learn the typical summer slide. t More than 1.5 million books and magazines have been distributed through this program nationwide in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Virginia 4-H brought 140,000 books to counties and cities across the Commonwealth as an opportunity to place free learning resources into the hands of children, parents, and caregivsee BOOKS, pg. 6