Kiwanis Club of Chesapeake, VA - Photos of 2008-2009 Events

Club Activity Photos 2008-2009


At Our August 12 Meeting we were privileged to host distinguished Virginian-Pilot Historical Columnist and Author Mr. Paul Clancy as our Guest Speaker. His "Our Stories" Columns document personal stories and community developments, interlocking them to offer a unique perspective to the reader on the history of our community. Paul shared his experiences over his 40-plus years as a Journalist, and provided autographed copies of his most recent Book, "Hampton Roads Chronicles - History of the Birthplace of America". For more information on his extensive writings focused on the history of Hampton Roads, visit his website at www.paulclancystories.com.


We were pleased to host Sarah Sterzing, Executive Director of the "Reading Enriches All Children" (REACH) Program as our Guest Speaker at our July 29 Meeting. Reach was founded in 1998, and provides Reading Programs and free, new books for homeless and at risk children living in family and domestic violence shelters throughout Hampton Roads. Sarah's highly informative presentation described the Program's objectives, and how the Program interacts with other community organizations in achieving its' goals. More can be learned of this wonderful Program at the website www.reachreads.org. We also took the opportunity to welcome incoming Kiwanis Division 21 Lieutenant Governor Peter Stephenson, of the Smithfield Kiwanis Club, who will assume this Office in October from the current Lieutenant Governor, our own Past-President Linda Smith.


Div 21 Lt Gov Linda Smith, with our club, held her final Divison Council Meeting Sat 7/25 in Suffolk. Linda, Lankford, Fred, and Rick attended. Rick was nominated for Lt Gov, to take office Oct 2010. Outgoing Regional Trustee Floyd Brown thanked our division for making a diference in our communities.



The Fishing Clinic was held July 21 at James River Pier, Newport News. Weather could not have been better. We had plenty of volunteers and greater that 230 youth participate. Everyone had a great time.


On Sunday July 19 Byron, Linda, and Rick worked with fellow Kiwanians and volunteers preparing for the 9th Annual Capital District Div 21 Fishing Clinic. Wesley and Darlene Brown hosted the event in thier Smithfield backyard.


At our July 22 Meeting we received a most interesting and highly informative presentation from Judy Link of "Prevention Connections", a Program that works with individuals and community organizations to achieve optimal health through tobacco-use prevention and reduction activities. As part of the "Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth", the Program directly reaches more than 60,000 children across the Commonwealth each year with community-based classroom programs, and many more through award-winning radio and TV ads and websites. More can be learned about this wonderful Program at www.healthyyouthva.org.


On July 15 we welcomed the Honorable Judge J. Preston Grissom (Ret), as our Guest Speaker. Preston provided a most interesting and insightful perspective of newspaper coverage of the 1775 "Battle of Great Bridge". On December 13th, four days following the Battle, the Virginia Convention was emboldened to approve the first public declaration calling for "free men.. to repel force by force." The Declaration was covered broad sided by two publications of the Virginia Gazette, which paved the way for the Virginia Declaration of Rights, that in turn served as a prelude to the Declaration of Independence. Following publication in the Virginia Gazette, it was further published by newspapers in Philadelphia, New York, Boston, London, Edinburgh, and eventually world-wide through a London Magazine. Preston also described the archeological efforts to extract and preserve the building materials and other artifacts associated with the Battle of Great Bridge, that were being uncovered during the construction of the new Great Bridge Bridge.


We received a wonderful presentation at our July 8 Meeting from Jean-Marie Eagler, President of the Chesapeake Arboretum. The Arboretum, located in the Great Bridge Section of Chesapeake on Old Oak Grove Road, is a 47-acre garden dedicated to promoting horticultural and environmental awareness through displays, education and research. Jean-Marie explained the Arboretum's history, geography, and its current projects to expand environmental knowledge. She also provided a synopsis of the City of Chesapeake's new Urban Forest Management Plan, detailing how it will positively influence the City's environmental and economic characteristics. More can be learned about the Chesapeake Arboretum by visiting its website www.chesapeakearboretum.com.



At our June 24 Meeting we had the pleasure of hosting Barbara Ford, Executive Director and Founder of the EQUI-KIDS Therapeutic Riding Program in Virginia Beach as our Guest Speaker. Founded in 1989, the Program provides horseback riding lessons to children with mental and physical disabling conditions. Barbara's insightful presentation detailed the Program's history, its' current operations, and how the children benefit from this wonderful activity. More can be learned about this superb Program by visiting www.equikids.com. We were also pleased to induct our newest Club Member, Jodie Gomez-Guerrero, currently a student at Old Dominion University and former Key Club Member while attending high school.


We were very fortunate to host Educator and renowned Author Dorothy Drummond as our Guest Speaker at our June 17 Meeting. Author of the book "Holy Land, Whose Land?", it was first published in 2002 and updated in 2004. This book chronicles the complex social, religious, economic and political elements of the geographical area encompassing Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. Dorothy traveled this area extensively while researching her book, which reviews the Region's past history from the time of Abraham through the current events we now experience. Her presentation reviewed these topics, providing acute insight into the ongoing struggle there today. More can be learned of this subject by visiting Dorothy's website www.dorothydrummond.com.


At our June 10 Meeting we received an insightful and highly informative presentation from our guest, Barbara Rockwell, who is Director of Volunteer Services at the Southeastern Virginia Training Center in Chesapeake. Barbara intricately described the Center, its "village" type atmosphere, and the "one-on-one" resident care provided by the caring Staff. Several vignettes she cited regarding the residents gave us an insight as to the dedicated personal care each receives. Barbara also described the transitions underway at the Center that have come about as a result of our tough economic times. Additional information regarding the wonderful caregiving work being conducted at the Center can be found at www.sevtc.dmhmrsas.virginia.gov.


Several members Inter-clubbed with our fellow kiwanians at Freds in Franklin the evening of Jun 3rd. We were waited on by members of the Southhampton High School Key Club. There was also a nice crowd from Churchland and Great Bridge. It is always a pleasure to be part of this quarterly fund raiser.





At our June 3 Breakfast Meeting, we were delighted to present our Annual Kiwanis Club of Chesapeake College Scholarships to highly deserving Key Club Members from Indian River, Oscar Smith, Deep Creek, and Great Bridge High Schools. These High School Seniors have distinguished themselves as scholars, and their commitment to community service has been clearly demonstrated through their School and Key Club Activities. Best of luck to each of them as they pursue their College Degrees!




At our May 27 Meeting we were delighted to host Ms. Shelby Moore, Assistant Director for Development for the Tidewater Area Salvation Army. Shelby gave us a wonderful presentation of the many Programs sponsored by the Salvation Army, and the opportunities for individuals and organizations to participate in them through volunteer efforts. More can be learned of these opportunities by visiting their website www.salarmyhr.org . Shelby can be contacted directly via e-mail at shelby_moore@uss.salvationarmy.org. At their "Volunteer Appreciation" Luncheon held in Norfolk on May 19, The Salvation Army recognized our Club, and our Key Clubs and Builder's Club, for raising over $763.00 in a single day at the Battlefield Sam's Club Christmas Bellringing Donation Site on December 6, 2008.



We recently participated in a Community Service Event by loaning and setting up our Kiwanis Club Tent and Grille in support of the "Paul C. Harris Soccer Tournament Fundraiser". Held at the Great Bridge High School Stadium grounds, the Event featured High school Soccer Games, entertainment and prize drawings. The Event proceeds went to the Paul C. Harris Scholarship Fund in memory of Paul, who tragically lost his life in an automobile accident at the age of 18 in 2006.










On Saturday, May 9, Our Club was contracted to provide a dinner service for the South Hampton Roads Air Force Association (AFA) at the Virginia Beach Airport and its' Military Aircraft Museum on Princess Anne Road. The Dinner was sponsored by the AFA as a fundraiser to support the six US Air Force Junior ROTC Programs in Chesapeake High Schools, established at Indian River, Great Bridge, Grassfield, Hickory, and Deep Creek, and Western Branch. Members of the Grassfield ROTC Unit were on hand, and did an outstanding job helping with the facility setup and Dinner service. Dinner was served in the "Naval Aviation" Hanger of the Museum, which features restored and flyable military aircraft from the WW II Era, that have been profiled from this location on the Discovery Channel. In addition to preparing and serving the Dinner, Club Members enjoyed viewing the Museum Aircraft, listening to stirring musical pieces by the Army Band, and were treated to a flight demonstration of the Museum's WW II P-51 "Mustang" Fighter named "Double-Trouble Two". Our own Club Member and Air Force Veteran Charlie Hackworth rode in the rear seat of the aircraft for this demonstration. Although Charlie thoroughly enjoyed his flight, he lamented that despite the hefty first-class ticket price, carry-on luggage was prohibited, no peanuts or cocktail's were served, and bathroom facilities were limited to the "constrictive" type! Ha! However, small paper bags were readily available for "discreet" purposes.... We had a lot of fun and pulled together as a Team for this first-time event for our Club, and our service received lots of praise from the AFA sponsors and dinner guests alike. We set a fine example of teamwork for the ROTC Cadets as well.





On Thursday, May 7, We had the pleasure to Co-Sponsor and participate in the Sixteenth Annual Kiwanis Capital District, Divisions 16 and 21, Community National Day Of Prayer Breakfast. Held at the Founders Inn in Virginia Beach, the Program featured joyous and inspirational prayers and scripture messages to spiritually uplift all in attendance. Highlights included beautiful solo singing by Chesapeake City Councilman, the Honorable Cliff Hayes, with Accompanist William Brown; and the Keynote Message "Victorious", presented by the Rev. Eric Thomas, PhD, Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Norfolk. The Program concluded with everyone singing the touching Song, "Faith In Our Fathers." This was a very moving event.





On Saturday and Sunday, April 25 and 26, Our Club provided food and beverage services in support of the Hope House Foundation's Chesapeake Arts Show Fundraiser at Portlock Galleries. This two-day Event featured renowned artists' renderings in various mediums including painting, glassware, and metals. We served up hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, chips cookies, sodas and water to Hungary and thirsty adults and kids alike. Key Club Members from Oscar Smith high school provided valuable assistance while earning community service credits for their Club. Our team efforts, great food and friendly service were applauded by the Show Officials, the artists, and families in attendance. Most importantly, we had a great time working together as Kiwanians for a most worthwhile community resource.


On April 17 and 18, our Club loaned and setup our large Kiwanis Tent at Hickory High School in support of the Hampton Roads Chapter of the American Diabetes Association's "Tour De Cure" Bicycle Marathon Fundraiser. Covering round-trip routes up to 100 miles, sponsored riders began at 7:00 AM on Saturday and rode until 5:00 PM. The Diabetes Association was extremely pleased and grateful that our Club provided the tent. In the words of the Association Director, "It was the equivalent of the Kiwanis Club of Chesapeake writing us a check for $300.00!


We were privileged to receive a wonderful presentation from our guest, Mr. John Mack, Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia, at our April 22 Meeting. With a heritage dating back to 1919 in Norfolk, this Organization has grown nation-wide over the past 90 years and includes 11 Clubs in our own local area. John, with 30 years experience in youth development, explained how his organization fuses civic, business and educational community leaders to formulate and support the after school programs so important to our young people. More can be learned about this important Program that is truly making a difference at www.bgcseva.org. We were also pleased to host Members of our Indian River High School Key Club.


At our April 15 Meeting we received an eye-opening and touching presentation from Mr. Marcondes (Marc) Marques, Director of The Channel, Inc., whose Channel to Brazil for Christ (CBC) Program focuses on the poverty stricken children in Fortaleza, Brazil. Marc, born in Fortaleza, Graduated from Christopher Newport College and co-founded The Channel Inc. in 1983, which is based in Newport News. Their motto, " A Pathway Out of Poverty Through Education and Training", is carried out by their sponsored University Of Life in Fortaleza. More can be learned about this wonderful Program at www.thechannel.org. Marc also provided some fun by conducting a Brazilian Coffee raffle, selecting winners from collected business cards. We were also delighted to host members of the Virginia Beach Towne Point and Portsmouth Churchland Kiwanis Clubs as an inter-club function at our Meeting.


We received a moving and inspirational presentation at our April 8 Meeting from our guest, Marianne Chalk, Executive Director of Chesapeake's "A Place Of New Beginnings". This faith-based, non-profit organization works to assist former jail inmates in their transitional return to society. Marianne and a group of Chesapeake citizens established this important Program two years ago in conjunction with the Chesapeake Jail Ministries. They help link the former inmates to community programs ranging from counseling to job placement. More can be learned about this wonderful Program at www.aplaceofnewbeginnings.org. We were also delighted to host our Deep Creek High School Key Club Advisor Teresa Johnston, and several students from our Indian River High School Key Club.


We welcomed back, and received a highly informative presentation from, Brenda Garrett, a member of the Norfolk Kiwanis Club, and Director of the YMCA of South Hampton Roads' Kids Priority One Program at our March 25th Meeting . This Program, in partnership with the kiwanis Clubs of Hampton Roads, connects children and families with a wide range of available community resources through their website www.kidspriorityone.org. Brenda demonstrated the great utility of this website in providing information on more than 4,000 local programs, direct links to many public and non-profit's serving children and families, and links to thousands of national resources. Our Club directly participates in this Program through the pre-school children's reading at the Elizabeth River Baptist Kindergarten and Daycare Center.


We were all uplifted by the presentation at our March 18th Meeting given by Amy Thorstad, on the wonderful work being done by the EDMARC Hospice For Children. Amy, who serves on the EDMARC Board Of Directors, and is the President of the "Mercury 64 Kiwanis Club in Hampton, shared her own personal experience with EDMARC, and discussed the wide range of services available to critically ill children and their families. She further provided avenues in which we could lend our support to EDMARC, including their annual major fundraiser "Savor The South" Food Festival to be held at MacArthur Center on June 13th. More information on EDMARC can be learned at their website www.edmarc.org, and additional information on the Food Festival will be provided to Club Members via E-mail soon.


We were delighted to have Chesapeake Clipper Free Lance Writer and Author Christy Barritt as our guest speaker for our March 11th Meeting. Christy, a Chesapeake native, enlightened us with the complex process of going from "idea-to-store bookshelf" in writing and publishing a book. She further explained how her own life experiences led her to writing articles for the Chesapeake Clipper, focusing on the efforts of individuals and organizations working to make our community a wonderful place to live. Please visit her website at www.christybarritt.com. We were also pleased to have members of our Indian River High School Key Club join us to hear Christy's presentation.


We were honored to have as our guest speaker for our February 25th meeting Lt Col Dan Potas, USAF, Virginia ANG. Lt Col Potas gave an outstanding presentation on the evolution of the US Air Force's new F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft, of which he personally flies at Langley AFB. Included were its' technical and warfare capabilities and how they collectively address the threat environment faced by our Armed Forces today, and potentially in the future. Lt Col Potas also detailed plans for the upcoming Air Force Week to be conducted throughout the Hampton Roads Community April 18-26. Air Force Week activities information can be found at www.airforceweek.af.mil.


KIDS PRIORITY ONE READING PROGRAM - Our Club is in the second year of this Program, conducted at the Elizabeth River Baptist Daycare and Kindergarten Center on Sparrow Road in Chesapeake. The goal of the program is to inspire pre-kindergarten children to learn to read through lively, interactive reading sessions on books of the children's choosing. The sessions are held from 8:30 AM - 9:00AM and 3:00 - 3:30 PM, which are just prior to, and immediately following the Center's formal daily schedule. Our Club recently made a monetary donation to help build an on-site library for the children. Anyone interested in participating in this Program can contact Reggie for details.


On Wednesday evening, February 18th, we enjoyed a Kiwanis Inter-Club meeting hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Franklin and other area Kiwanis Club Members at Fred's Restaurant in downtown Franklin. Lots of good food, and camaraderie with other Kiwanian friends made for a fun evening!



On Saturday Night we held our "Extreme Bowling" Club Social at the AMF Bowling Lanes in Great Bridge. Strikes abounded, Spares were the norm, "advanced" bowling techniques were demonstrated, and many AMF Lanes' bowling records were broken....in our dreams!! Ha!! Actually, no AMF Lanes equipment was damaged, no person in lanes adjacent to ours were injured, and we managed to depart on our own power! Lankford was the high scorer, but he only achieved this distinction by bringing a much younger (and shorter), (and cuter), "relief bowler" with he and Linda to the Social! We had a great time, and the consensus was, we were ready for the tournament circuit...Dreaming again...!


We were once again pleased to host Mrs. Diana Hayes, Vice-President of Monarch Mortgage as our guest speaker for our February 18 Club Meeting. Diana presented a superb perspective on the state of the home mortgage environment in our country, and a historical background on home mortgage interest rates. She also gave an update on reverse mortgages, a presentation she had previously given to our Club in 2007. We were also delighted to host members of the Norfolk Kiwanis Club who joined us for an inter-club meeting.


At our February 11th Meeting we were given an excellent presentation on health-fitness by professional Exercise Physiologist Mr. Carmine Greco. He discussed the importance of proper diet, exercise and muscle tone in maintaining a healthy body. Carmine further demonstrated several exercises to do at home with the help of Charlie Hackworth, and the other clubmembers in attendance joined in with some "challenging" stretch and touch exercises. We all gained an additional appreciation for exercise as an important component of a healthy lifestyle.


At our February 4th Meeting we were pleased to have our Greenbrier Middle School Teacher-Advisors for our Kiwanis Builder's Club as our guests. Kathy Galford and Dani-Nicole Crawford have done a wonderful job this school year organizing and focusing their students on projects that benefit the school and local community. One very successful community event was the Salvation Army Bell-Ringing fundraiser in December where the Builder's Club greeted shoppers, sang Christmas Carols, and collected contributions to help the less fortunate in our community. Kathy and Dani were inducted as members of our Kiwanis Family in a ceremony during our meeting.


We were privileged to have Dr. Linda Rice, Provost, Tidewater Community College (TCC) Chesapeake Campus, as our guest speaker for our January 28th Meeting. Dr. Rice shared the expansive range of TCC Programs designed to prepare our community youth for careers in a wide variety of fields, in addition to providing an important starting point for a four-year college degree. These programs have a strong interaction with industry and community groups to ensure TCC students are developed to their fullest potential.


At our 21 January meeting we were pleased to host Mr. Kerry Bass, Tidewater Beekeepers Association, as our guest speaker. Kerry provided a highly informative presentation on the Beekeeping Industry. His focus on Honey Bees, which he raises, included the technology of individual hives, the wide range of products made from bees' wax, the medicinal uses for honey, and the behavior of bees under various circumstances. The Tidewater Beekeepers Association is the Largest of its type in Virginia with over 100 members.


We were delighted to have Ms. Lisa Howard, Director of Smart Beginnings of South Hampton Roads, and Ms. Marsha Goodwin, that organization's Community Engagement Coordinator as our guest speakers for our 14 January Meeting. They gave an excellent presentation detailing how their public-private partnerships are working to better prepare pre-school children across our community for entrance into kindergarten. These efforts include improving the quality of early education centers and home providers, linking families of newborn children with needed services, and raising the public awareness of the importance of quality care for children. We were also joined by members of our Great Bridge High School Key Club, who have been working hard with other local Key Clubs at our fundraisers in support of children's programs across our community.


At our first meeting for 2009 on January 7 We first took the opportunity to recognize the outstanding efforts of Mr. Mark Rowan, Information Technology Specialist at Hackworth Reprographics. Mark designed and developed our Internet website, enabling us to communicate our purpose and programs as a Kiwanis Club, as well as our schedules and activity photos, to our members, our High School Key Clubs, Middle School Builder's Club, and the local community at large. He further is doing a superb job as site Webmaster, ensuring that our website reflects all of our activities in support of children's programs across the community. We next presented a donation check to the Elizabeth River Baptist Kindergarten and Daycare Center for the development of a children's Library at the Center, in conjunction with our Club's ongoing Kiwanis Children Priority One Reading Program there. Ms. Amanda Phillips, Administrative Assistant at the Center, accepted the donation and discussed the Library development.


At our last regular meeting for 2008 on December 17, we were joined for a Kiwanis Inter-Club by members of the Kiwanis Clubs of Towne Center in Virginia Beach, and Great Bridge in Chesapeake. Each Club shared their ongoing programs and projects in support of our community's children. Many ideas were exchanged on how to improve our programs and initiate new ones. We also took the opportunity to thank Mary Lou, our Greenbrier Country Club breakfast caterer, for her hard work and ever cheerful demeanor throughout this past year ensuring that our breakfast would always be a success!





Our annual Club Christmas Party was held on 10 December at the Riverwalk Club House. After enjoying delicious delicacies prepared by our members, we drew numbers for a gift exchange that was lots of fun! Several gifts were "hijacked" along the way, and a "battle for the stuffed animals" ensued that saw these gifts change hands several times! The Club also donated toys to the U.S. Marine Corps "Toys For Tots" Program.


Deputy Chief Of Police Louis Tayon, of the Chesapeake Police Department, was our guest speaker at our November 19th Meeting. He gave a most informative "Did you know" presentation of the physical structure (roads, bridges, etc.) for the City of Chesapeake, followed by a profile of the Police Department including structure, budget, span of responsibilities, and the training and equipping of its officers. In a separate presentation by Paul Gates, Past-President Rick Gonzales was presented his Kiwanis Life Membership Certificate.


Our November 12th meeting guest speaker was Mr. Michael Erbach, Assistant Special Agent In Charge of the Norfolk FBI Office. He gave a very informative presentation on changes in the FBI since 911, and the current activities of the FBI in dealing with crime and terrorist threats.


At our November 5th meeting we were joined by four dedicated sponsors of Kiwanian youth programs in our local schools. Dani-Nicole Crawford and Kathy Galford sponsor the Kiwanis Builders Club at Greenbrier Middle School. They gave our members a presentation of the current Builders Club activities and their future plans. Many thanks to Dani-Nicole and Kathy for their efforts! Teresa Johnston and Robert Mealy sponsor the Kiwanis Key Club at Deep Creek High School. Their recent efforts supporting two club fundraisers were highly commendable! Teresa and Robert were inducted into our Kiwanis Club during this meeting in a ceremony held by Liz Gates and Fred Woodall.


Chesapeake Mayor Allen Krasnoff was the guest speaker for our 21 October meeting. His presentation detailed the efforts of city agencies to be more easily accessed by individual citizens and businesses. We were delighted to have members from the Great Bridge High School Key Club join us for breakfast and Mayor Krasnoff's informative presentation.


Our club members Lankford, Linda (div 21 Lt Gov), Joyce and Reggie participated in the Churchland Kiwanis sponsored Community Programs 5th Annual Fundraiser, "150 Reverse Raffle and Silent Auction" on October 18. Great food and prizes - lots of fun!


From October 3-18 our club members Rick, Paul, Liz, and Reggie participated with Kiwanis Clubs from Great Bridge and Pungo in raising money for community programs by providing support services for the 2008 Homearama show held in Pungo.


Our guest speaker for our 1 October Meeting was COL Dick Millar, USAF (Ret). Dick gave an informative and inspirational presentation on the challenges encountered in conducting the Post-WW II Berlin Airlift, in which he participated.


September 28 End of Year Banquet	September 28 End of Year Banquet	September 28 End of Year Banquet
		It's been a great year! Thank you Paul and Liz for hosting our banquet.
September 28 End of Year Banquet	September 28 End of Year Banquet