Western Branch June-July 2019

Polish Festival And a notable Bruin with a Tar Heel future

june-july 2019 • vol. 3, no. 4

2 western branch magazine

western branch magazine 3

June 22-29, 2019

Featuring independently owned and operated eateries offering chef-created delicacies and simple three-course, price fixed menus.

DELUXE $10 lunch/$20 dinner PREMIER $15 lunch/$30 dinner ULTIMATE $20 lunch/$40 dinner

SuffolkRestaurantWeekVa.com

12

july

what's inside?

2019

feature

10

DrĂŠ Bly, a Western Branch High School alumnus, is the new cornerbacks coach for the UNC Tar Heels.

18

In the news Students at Western Branch Middle School put their artistic skills to good use to brighten up trashcans.

Polish Pride in Western Branch Traditional dance, food and faith come together in this annual celebration of the Polish heritage in the village of Sunray.

Through the Lens See the world from the point of view of Daniel Williams III.

Polish Festival And a notable Bruin with a Tar Heel future

june-july 2019 • vol. 3, no. 4

photo by Troy Cooper

on the cover

Advertising rates and information available upon request.

Subscriptions are $20 annually in-state; $25 annually out-of-state; $30 for international subscriptions.

Please make checks payable to Suffolk Publications, LLC P.O. Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439

Where am I? So you think you know Western Branch? Test your knowledge of its landmarks with this photo quiz. You could win a $25 gift card.

16 17

july

2019 EDITORIAL Tracy Agnew Editor Alex Perry Staff Writer Jimmy LaRoue Staff Writer Jen Jaqua Photographer news@westernbranchmagazine.com

ADVERTISING

Earl Jones Marketing Consultant Lindsay Richardson Marketing Consultant Kandyce Kirkland Marketing Consultant sales@westernbranchmagazine.com

PRODUCTION Troy Cooper Designer

ADMINISTRATION John Carr Publisher

Cathy Daughtrey Business Manager

editor's note Football glory from Western Branch Dré Bly is practically football legend around these parts.

Having graduated from Western Branch High School as an All-State selection for the Bruins, he went on to tear up the field for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels and for four NFL teams during a successful 11-year career.

When his playing career was over, Bly decided to return to coaching. And he’s recently landed with none other than the Tar Heels themselves.

It’s safe to say that everyone around these parts is cheering for our native son, even if they can’t quite bring themselves to cheer for the actual Tar Heels.

You can read about Bly on pages 12-15.

If you want your mouth to water for the scent and taste of amazing Polish food, turn to pages 18 to 21. It’s not scratch-and-sniff, but you’ll still practically be able to smell the aroma of sausage, sauerkraut, pierogies and more.

The photos come from the annual Polish Festival in the Western Branch village of Sunray, and we’re sure you’ll want to go next year so you can treat your senses.

Students at Western Branch Middle School spent their school year this year making sure that their school would be brightened up in an unusual way. They painted trash cans with lots of delightful illustrations, ranging from popcorn to aliens, and the trash cans will be used at the school for the years to come. We love this idea and think it’s the perfect way to put artistic skills to good use. As the saying goes, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

We hope you are enjoying Western Branch magazine. We’re always looking for your submissions for our On Vacation and Through the Lens features, answers to our Where Am I? challenge, your tips about great stories, and your suggestions for how to make this magazine even better. Please send those things to me at news@westernbranchmagazine.com.

God bless, Tracy Agnew, Editor

Hope Rose Production

Western Branch Magazine is published six times per year by Suffolk Publications, LLC. P.O. Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439 www.westernbranchmagazine.com • (757) 539-3437

western branch magazine 7

Read Western Branch Magazine

ONLINE

Fall Market

Your autumn feast of Western Branch delicacies, events and more

october-november 2018 • vol. 2, no. 6

Hot Dog! Hot eats and cool beats in Western Branch

june-july 2018 • vol. 2, no. 4

issuu.com/suffolk

Springtime Red berries and new eateries

april-may 2018 • vol. 2, no. 3

8 western branch magazine

around the branch

Tiny Farm Baby Zoo JUNE 18

The Teeny Tiny Farm Baby Zoo will be at the Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake, from 11 a.m. to noon. Meet mini goats, sheep, pigs, ferrets, rats, chicks, turtles and more. Call 410-7024 for more information.

western branch magazine 9 July 2 The Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake, will have Movie Mania from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sit back, relax and enjoy a movie and feel free to bring light snacks and covered drinks. After the movie, relax with a good book. Call 410-7024 for more information.

JULY 8

Optical illusions cause a unique connection between your eyes and your brain. Come find out how they work and create some of your own to challenge your friends. The Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake, will host the event from 11 a.m. to noon for ages 9 to 11. Call 410-7024.

JULY 9

The Mix Book Club

ONGOING

The Western Branch Farmers Market, the first independent farmer’s market in Chesapeake, will be open from noon to 4 p.m. each Sunday inside Chesapeake Square Mall, 4200 Portsmouth Blvd. The market hosts a variety of local and regional producers and accepts applications for vendors throughout the season. For more information and updates, visit www.WBFarmMarket.com, find it on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or email WesternBranchFarmersMarket@gmail.com.

ONGOING

Get your shag on with Boogie on the Bay Shag Club, a Portsmouth-based organization dedicated to promoting and preserving shag dancing and beach music. Weekly dance socials are held from 6 to 9:30 p.m. every Friday night at Big Woody’s Bar & Grill, 4200 Portsmouth Blvd. There is no cover, and new friends are always welcome. Free weekly Carolina Shag lessons are provided from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays, also at Big Woody’s.

Visit www.boogieonthebay.com or call 9677740.

ONGOING

The Old Dominion University Tri-Cities Center, 1070 University Blvd., Portsmouth, has an exhibit of art from local public school students on display. The center is open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, except university holidays.

ONGOING

The Dunedin Civic League meets monthly on the first Monday at the Aldersgate campus of New Creation United Methodist Church, 4320 Bruce Road, Chesapeake.

ONGOING

The Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake, holds “Hot Topics” from 10 a.m. to noon every Wednesday. Come engage in conversation about current events with other interested people.

JUNE 18

The Mix Book Club will meet from 6 to 7:45 p.m. at the Churchland Branch of Portsmouth Public Library, 4934 High St. W., Portsmouth.

JUNE 20

The Naval Museum Lecture Series will continue with a Naval Shipyard speaker from 3 to 5:45 p.m. at the Churchland Branch of Portsmouth Public Library, 4934 High St. W., Portsmouth.

JUNE 21

The Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake, will hold “What A Yarn!” from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Bring your needles, yarn, patterns and unfinished projects to craft and hang out with fellow crafters. Call 410-7016.

JUNE 25

Summer magic is happening at the Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake. Magician John Kingry will perform from 11 a.m. to noon. Call 410-7024 for more information.

JUNE 29-30

Friends of the Library will hold its book sale all day at the Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake. Discover great deals on gently used books, magazines, movies and more. Each purchase supports library classes and events. Call 410-2016 for more information.

What happens if you meet a mouse at the library? The Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake, will host this event with reading, dancing and playing using Laura Numeroff’s popular picture book series. Meet Mouse and ask him to share his cookies. Call 410-7024 for more information.

July 11 Learn a whole new language without using your voice at Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake, from 4 to 5 p.m.

Fundamentals of American Sign Language will be taught for ages 6 to 11. Call 410-7024 for more information.

JULY 19

The Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake, will hold “What A Yarn!” from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Bring your needles, yarn, patterns and unfinished projects to craft and hang out with fellow crafters. Call 410-7016.

JULY 23

The Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake, will host Virginia Living Museum as it presents “Remarkable Reptiles.” Come to the library from 11 a.m. to noon to get a close-up look at some favorite reptiles and learn some fascinating facts about these scaly creatures. Call 410-7024.

JULY 26

The Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake, will hold Poetry, Prose and Pizza open mic night from 6:45 to 9 p.m.

Share your own work or applaud someone else’s at this family-friendly event with host, local celebrated poet Nathan Richardson.

Registration is not required. Call 710-7028.

OCTOBER 12

Western Branch High School Class of 2009 will have its 10-year reunion on the Spirit of Norfolk from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. The price is $85 and includes dinner buffet, two-hour cruise, DJ, dockside party, cash bar and more. Register on eventbrite.com.

10 western branch magazine

in the news

Man’s trash becomes child’s masterpiece Western Branch Middle School Art Teacher Gabby Toni and her art club students, with more than a dozen of their painted trash cans.

Story and photos by Alex Perry

Students in the Western Branch Middle School Art Club unveiled their unbridled creativity in May with a ribbon cutting ceremony for their painted trash cans.

More than a dozen art club students spent their school year painting these trash cans under the direction of WBMS art teacher Gabby Toni. Their creative receptables will brighten the hallways with unique designs and colorful personality for years to come, unified under a theme of “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

“This is a special place because of the students and because of teachers like Ms. Toni,” WBMS Principal Dr. S. Kambar Khoshaba told students, teachers and faculty at the ceremony.

Toni said that she got the idea last year when she saw large trash bins in Virginia Beach that were painted for Earth Day. “They turned these ugly Dumpsters into gorgeous works of art, so I got inspired by that and I thought, ‘Why not do that in the school and make these boring trash cans come to life,’” she said.

“That’s where ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure’ came to be.’”

The students poured their time, sweat and paint into more than a dozen decorated trashcans and worked whenever they could during their school days to finish their designs. These wild creations have shark fins, aliens, popcorn and other eye-catching features, and all of them are decorated with beautiful color

schemes.

“This is so unique. I’ve seen a couple of other schools where there were trashcans that were decorated, but not like this,” Toni said.

Toni, who has taught art at WBMS for 20 years, gave high praise to her art club students for putting their hearts into this project.

“I have a passion for art and creativity, so I try to nurture that in my students,” she said. “Student rapport and having really close relationships — getting to know your kids and encouraging them artistically and just in life — really makes them become better children and better artists. They want to do great stuff for you, and they really just get really into it.”

western branch magazine 11

GROW WITH US

We have supported our customers for five generations by providing the trusted banking services needed to make personal finances and businesses grow. As we celebrate this year we are taking time out to thank YOU, our loyal customers, community partners, neighbors and friends. We are looking forward to the next 100 years of nurturing existing relationships and building new ones!

FARMERS BANK C E L E B R AT I N G 1 0 0 Y E A R S

farmersbankva.com • 757-242-6111

12 western branch magazine

feature story

BRUIN, TAR HEEL AND COACH Story by Alex Perry Submitted photos

Western Branch High School alumnus Donald André "Dré" Bly has an illustrious football resume.

As a football player for the WBHS Bruins, the University of North Carolina Tar Heels and four different NFL teams, Dré Bly has amassed All-American honors, a place in the College Football Hall of Fame, Pro Bowl selections and a Super Bowl ring.

Bly, 42, will write another chapter of his football life as the cornerbacks coach for the UNC football team. He was brought back to Chapel Hill, N.C., by Head Coach Mack Brown, who was hired to replace former head coach Larry Fedora last fall.

This will be the second stint with the UNC football program for both men. Brown coached the Tar Heels from 1988 to 1997, with Bly on the roster from 1996 to 1998.

Bly will help raise the bar for the team’s cornerbacks, re-energize that “Rude Boy” mentality in his players and take UNC football back to when it had one of the toughest defenses in the country — all under Brown’s leadership once again.

"To be back here (at UNC) and to be back here with the man who helped me experience that, it's an amazing feeling,” Bly said in a phone interview.

Bly’s football vocation began at WBHS, where he was an All-State player. He also showed talent as a baseball player while at Western Branch but ultimately committed to football.

He said WBHS cultivated a slew of excellent players during his high school years, and he credited that to the excellent support system provided by its coaches and teachers.

See BLY page 14

western branch magazine 13

DrÊ Bly has played for the Western Branch High School Bruins, the University of North Carolina Tar Heels and four NFL teams. He’s now a coach for the Heels.

14 western branch magazine BLY continued from page 12

"It was the support system that we had at Western Branch. We had great teachers and people who really cared about us academically. I think that’s why we were able to go off to go to school,” he said.

Bly hit the ground running when he first came to UNC. In his redshirt freshman year in 1996, he had 11 interceptions and became the first freshman in ACC history to earn consensus first-team All-American honors, according to goheels.com.

Furthermore, Bly became the fifth freshman in NCAA history to be named to the Associated Press All-America first team.

"I had a great redshirt freshman year, (and) I realized that football was going to be my ticket,” Bly said.

He earned back-to-back first team AllAmerican status in 1997, and by the end of his collegiate career he had 20 total interceptions. In 2014, he was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.

Coach Brown is confident about what made Bly such an exceptional athlete in college.

“First off, Dré could really run,” Brown wrote in an email. “He was one of those guys that was just naturally fast, which allowed him to be aggressive and make so many plays. He also had tremendous instincts, could break on the ball really well, and had some of the best hands I’ve ever seen.”

Bly brought those talents to the NFL when the then-St. Louis Rams drafted him in the second round of the 1999 NFL draft. He played four seasons with the Rams, and it was in just his first season with the team that they became champions.

In Super Bowl XXXIV, held in Atlanta, Ga., in January 2000, the Rams beat the Tennessee Titans 23-16 to become the NFL champion of the 1999 season. It was the second Super Bowl appearance in the team’s history and its first Super Bowl victory. They headed into this game with a 13-3 regular season record.

Bly won his Super Bowl ring in the

Dré Bly was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014 after an 11-year NFL career that included 43 interceptions, 420 tackles and seven defensive touchdowns.

culmination of his rookie year with the Rams. He returned to that stage when the Rams lost to the New England Patriots 20-17 in Super Bowl XXXVI — his second Super Bowl appearance in his first three years as an NFL cornerback.

He said nothing can replace what he experienced in Atlanta in his first year with the Rams and in his first Super Bowl as part of a brotherhood of outstanding players.

"That’s why we prepare every day,” he said. “That’s why we put in those long hours with our brothers — to ultimately be crowned champion at the end of the day. The brotherhood and friendship and

bond that I shared with those guys will forever be special with me. Those times in St. Louis were the best times of my life.”

Bly spent four seasons with the Rams from 1999 to 2002, then played for the Detroit Lions from 2003 to 2006. He would go on to play for the Denver Broncos in 2007 and 2008 and the San Francisco 49ers in 2009. He rejoined the Lions in 2010 but was released later that year.

Bly was selected for two Pro Bowls during his four-year tenure with the Lions. He finished his 11-year NFL career with 43 interceptions, 420 tackles

western branch magazine 15

and seven defensive touchdowns, according to pro-footballreference.com.

He’s now using that skillset to hone the young cornerbacks at UNC, a role that he said suits him well.

"You (just) have to have the personality for it, and I think my personality suits this profession,” he said. “You have to be very social, you have to be positive, you have to be confident — and that’s me."

Brown described Bly as “a passionate young man who loves to compete,” and he thinks those skills and his approach will help Bly succeed in his coaching position.

“He brings so much energy every day, and he loves this place.

That really shows in the way he recruits,” Brown wrote. “He’s able to tell his story to the young men and is a living example of what North Carolina can do to help them achieve their goals both in football and in life.”

Part of that recruitment philosophy is bringing players from Hampton Roads and other parts of Virginia, like how Bly came to Chapel Hill in the first place. “We've got to go back to Virginia and treat that like (it’s) in-state,” Bly said.

"Going to college shouldn’t be a four-year decision, it should be a 40-year decision,” he said. “Going to the University of North Carolina can benefit you for the next 40 years. I’m a living witness of that."

When Bly and his fellow Tar Heel-blue cornerbacks played together in his collegiate years, each of them played with the same “rude boy” mentality. It’s a name that started long before Bly’s days on the team, he said.

It’s a tradition in which every position on the team had a name that they stood by — a brotherhood that carried them game to game, play-by-play.

"It’s a certain standard that we play with, and that’s something I emphasize every day and will continue to emphasize every day.

How we live and how we conduct our business every day, (both) on and off the field,” he said.

There’s a standard of excellence in both life and football that he holds his players to every single day.

"For your group to go out there and be successful, there has to be a brotherhood and camaraderie, and I think if each group has a value that they stand for, it leads to team success,” he said.

The Tar Heels football program has struggled in recent years.

The team finished the 2017 season with a 3-9 record and posted a 2-9 record in 2018 under Fedora, who was fired after seven seasons with the team.

The team’s mindset going into the 2019 season this fall is about living up to the standards that they need to turn things around.

"One thing Brown really emphasizes is doing the right thing, being where you’re supposed to be and doing what you’re supposed to do,” Bly said. “You don’t have to be the most talented team to win games, just the most disciplined. I’ve seen him do it here.

"He’s had some talented players, (and) if you can have a disciplined team plus talented players, that equals out to being special. That’s what we’re trying to be, because we’ve got some talented guys, and that’s the plan for us to be special."

Brown was “pleasantly surprised” with the talent on this roster when he came back to Chapel Hill, he wrote, and they’re building trust among everyone. Brown wants to rebuild the players’ confidence, and that starts with building trust.

“We’ve worked really hard as a staff to gain the trust of our current players, and we think we’re doing that,” he wrote.

“Once you do that, then you have a common purpose, and our common purpose is to win all the games with good kids who graduate and go on to be successful husbands, fathers and citizens. If we can build that mindset, gain confidence and make sure we’re doing all the little things, we’ll have a good chance to be successful this season.”

Bly’s talent for recruitment and his ability to connect with current players will help the Tar Heels succeed this college football season.

“He takes great pride in the defensive back lineage here at Carolina, and he’s bringing that passion to his room,” he wrote.

“I think our players are really going to benefit from his expertise and approach.

“At the end of the day, who wouldn’t want to be coached by a Hall of Fame cornerback?”

PERFECT EYEBROWS

MICROBLADING NO MAKE UP • NO MESS UPS

(757) 774-5180 www.skin2ospa.com 5833 Harbour View • Suffolk

16 western branch magazine

through the lens:

Daniel Williams III

Daniel Williams III of DW3 Photography lives in North Suffolk and frequently spends time in Western Branch with his two sons. He has been taking photos since 2010 and initially favored landscapes but now is doing more portrait photography. He uses a Sony A9 with a 50mm 1.8 lens and a 24 to 240mm 3.5 lens. If you’d like to see your photos featured on this page, send an email to news@westernbranchmagazine.com. We work with amateurs, professionals and everyone in between.

western branch magazine 17

where am i?

I

n each edition the Western Branch Magazine staff provides a challenge of sorts, testing how much of Western Branch you really know. We photograph some location in Western Branch that is readily accessible and open to the public, and see if you can tell us where it is.

If you know where this photo was taken, submit your answer, along with your name and contact information to news@westernbranchmagazine.com. If you’re right, you will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift card.

So, if you know where this is, let us know. If you’re right, you could be a winner.

Go out and enjoy Western Branch!

18 western branch magazine

POLISH PRIDE

in Western Branch

western branch magazine 19

Members of the Ojczyzna Polish folk dance group perform for the crowd at the Polish Festival. The dance group comes from the Baltimore, Md., area.

Story and photos by Troy Cooper

On the last weekend of April each year, the aromas of the Polish spice palate fill the springtime air in the little village of Sunray in the Bowers Hill part of Western Branch. And what began as a humble celebration for the arrival of Polish church officials has become a not-so-humble gathering of hundreds that is now known as the Polish Festival at St. Mary's Catholic Parish. Festival-goers from all over the eastern seaboard seek out this quaint little village to hear good music, consume traditional Polish food and beverages, and learn about the proud and rich heritage of Polish people that have flourished for more than a century in Western Branch.

St. Mary's Catholic Parish was founded and built by Polish immigrants. The original structure stands, and the community's pride in their heritage continues to this day.

The church is located in Bowers Hill, 536 Homestead Road, Chesapeake.

20 western branch magazine

Volunteer Tim Neal mans the griddle at the potato cake tent. The cakes are made of a mixture of potatoes, onion and spices, fried up and served with applesauce and sour cream.

Liz and Laura Poplawsky serve up Polish dinners to the eager crowd at the Polish Festival. The dinners contain Polish sausage, a cabbage roll, pierogies and sauerkraut.

Nick Terry, wearing the Polish flag, sits with Suzanne Powrozmick to enjoy the food and fun under a tent at the Polish Festival. They came all the way from Hopewell to visit the festival.

The Ojczyzna Dancers teach festival attendees the Polonez, a traditional dance of Poland.

western branch magazine 21

St. Mary’s Catholic Church, where the Polish festival is held, was founded in 1916, and the altar is an actual import from Poland.

22 western branch magazine

Last Edition’s Where Am I? We thought the Where Am I challenge in the April-May edition would be a little where am i? easier, but only three people knew the location of this friendly-looking caterpillar.

It’s located at Western Branch Park. Eli Wikel knew the location and will receive a $25 gift card for the correct I guess. Check out page 17 for this edition’s challenge!

western branch magazine 13

n each edition the Western Branch Magazine staff provides a challenge of sorts, testing how much of Western Branch you really know. We photograph some location in Western Branch that is readily accessible and open to the public, and see if you can tell us where it is.

If you know where this photo was taken, submit your answer, along with your name and contact information to news@westernbranchmagazine.com. If you’re right, you will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift card.

So, if you know where this is, let us know. If you’re right, you could be a winner.

Go out and enjoy Western Branch!

western branch magazine 23

scrapbook

The old West Norfolk Bridge is shown in an undated photo.

— COURTESY OF “TRUCKIN’ ON THE WESTERN BRANCH” BY PHYLLIS SPEIDELL, JOHN H. SHEALLY II AND KARLA SMITH

If your pet had a medical emergency, would you know where to go?

757.935.9111

When minutes count – count on The COVE. A world-class 24/7 animal emergency and specialty hospital – in your own backyard.

Advanced care by referral: + Cardiology + ER/Critical Care + Dentistry + Surgery Located 1/4 mile from Hwy 664 N. @ College Drive exit.

6550 Hampton Roads Pkwy, #113 • Suffolk, VA 23435 • thecovevets.com Jeff Stallings, DVM, DACVS • Merrilee Small, DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology) Jacqueline Nobles, DVM, DACVECC • Colleen Fox, DVM