My Community: Hanover
Tell us what's happening in Hanover County! Maybe there's a community event planned at your child's school, or youth recreation signups are under way. Is your club recruiting new members? Have you - or someone close to you - received an honor lately? Maybe your church is looking for volunteers for a service project. Let us know by posting your news. Send us your photos too. Click here to submit your post. Please keep your post related to the county.

The recently formed Ashland Fraternal Order of Eagles is currently recruiting new members and planning activites to benefit the community.
The Fraternal Order of Eagles, an international non-profit organization, unites fraternally in the spirit of liberty, truth, justice, and equality, to make human life more desirable by lessening its ills, and by promoting peace, prosperity, gladness and hope.

With a motto of “people helping people,“ Eagle members are very actively involved in their local communities. Many of our activities focus on children and improving their quality of life.

Eagles aeries and auxiliaries conduct toy drives, we send young victims of domestic violence to camp, hold baby showers for needy families, provide Christmas and Thanksgiving baskets, provide backpacks and school supplies, make quilts for nursing homes, and the list goes on…

We donate millions of dollars each year to hospitals and research centers, churches, schools and universities and organizations, such as the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, which battle life-threatening diseases. Funds are raised through any number of activities including bake sales, car shows, bus trips, auctions, dinners, dances and sports.

We will have an information booth October 11th at the HANOVER INDUSTRIAL AIRPARK BUSINESS ASSOCIATION’s 33rd Annual Shrimp & BBQ Feast. Proceeds benefit Shriner’s Hospital’s for Children and Hanover County Volunteer & Service Organizations  

Come out and meet us, enjoy some great food, entertainment, and support a great cause.

The 4th Annual Ashland Harvest Run 10K run/5K walk-run is set for 9am Saturday, October 20 beginning at Carter Park in Ashland and winding through tree-lined neighborhoods and along the historic railroad tracks. 

Come and help support ACES (Ashland Christian Emergency Services) and Hanover Safe Place (in memory of Lt. George Hansen of the Ashland Police force). 

After the race, enjoy refreshments and music by Brent Small.  The first 250 registrants receive a Tshirt and everyone gets a participation ribbon. 

We’ll look forward to seeing you there!
For further information, donation and volunteer opportunities and registration go to:  http://www.AshlandHarvestRun.com

Ashcake Woman’s Club
Ph: 804-343-5714

Randolph Ashton successfully defended his doctoral thesis and earned his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY.  He is now Dr. Randolph Ashton!  Randy was a track standout at the Governor’s School (GSGIS) here in Richmond, graduated from GSGIS in 1999, and from Hampton University in 2002.

A bear destroyed all my bird feeders on May 19, 2007, both humming bird feeders as well as regular seed feeders.  I re-hung one on May 20 and left in the afternoon and when we came home about 7 p.m. it had been completely destroyed.  The pictures made on May 21 were taken through my glass back door.  The bear seemed to be coming toward the back stoop where my husband’s cooler which he keeps fish in was.  When I snapped the picture, he turned and started across our garage apron.  The one with the injured left rear leg which he is holding out to his side was taken about 7:30 p.m. on May 22.  We live about one-half mile off the road (Belsches Road) in Hanover County on 380 acres of woods and other people had seen in years past bears crossing our property across the open field on the front of our property but this is the first year we have seen them or that they have bothered our bird feeders.  We saw evidence last year where they had trampled down vegetation getting to wild blackberries on our place.
Addie Winfrey

Brittany Long, a senior at Lee Davis High School, has been awarded a $5,000 scholarship from American Family Fitness.  Long plans to study physical education at Longwood University in the fall.

Graduating seniors from Colonial Heights, Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico were eligible to apply for the scholarship, the first one sponsored by American Family Fitness.  Criteria included having an intended college major in fitness or business, having maintained a minimum 3.0 GPA in high school, serving at least 20 hours of community service and exhibiting strong leadership abilities.  In the last four years, Long has contributed more than 600 volunteer hours to various organizations including the Girl Scouts, Lee Davis High School S.O.D.A. (Student Organization for Developing Attitudes) and Green Arbor Lake Farm.  She also was a member of Lee Davis - cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field teams, serving as captain of each team for two years and earning a total of 12 varsity letters.

American Family Fitness is sponsoring this scholarship as a way to encourage the young adults in our community to continue their education in the growing field of health and fitness,“ said Brian Evans, president of Richmond Fitness, the parent company of American Family Fitness.  “Brittany’s record of academic and athletic excellence as well as her impressive commitment to volunteer service makes her the perfect recipient for the first American Family Fitness scholarship.“

Richmond Fitness Inc. operates seven American Family Fitness locations throughout Fredericksburg and Central Virginia with approximately 100,000 members.  American Family Fitness was ranked the 34th largest for-profit health club in North America in 2005, according to Club Industry magazine.  American Family Fitness facilities are located in the Richmond/Petersburg area in Mechanicsville, Southside, Northside, Colonial Heights, the West End and Swift Creek near Brandermill and in Fredericksburg.  For more information, visit http://www.amfamfit.com.

Mr. Adam Lantz recently received his Juris Doctor degree from Regent University’s School of Law.  Lantz was one of more than 1,005 graduates, the largest in the school’s 29-year history.

In ceremonies held May 5 on the university’s library plaza, former Governor of Massachusetts Mitt Romney delivered the commencement address following an introduction by Dr. M. G. “Pat” Robertson, Regent’s founder and chancellor. 
 
Lantz graduated from Atlee High School, Mechanicsville in 2000.  His undergraduate studies were completed at VCU in 2994.  He is the son of Robert and Julie Lantz.

While at Regent, Lantz was a member of the Moot Court Board and a member of the team that won the J. Braxton Craven Moot Court Competition in 2007. 

Anna Best, the daughter of Barbara Myers and Al Best of Ashland, VA, was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree from Earlham College during commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 5. Best majored in Geosciences at Earlham.

Best received College Honors.

Earlham is a selective, liberal arts college in Richmond, Indiana. Engaging students with a changing world, Earlham is dedicated to the development of effective ways to integrate international perspectives in education. The College offers 40 majors in the sciences, humanities, and social sciences. More than 75 percent of Earlham’s graduates pursue postgraduate study; many will go on to earn doctoral degrees. Earlham is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III school.

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi is pleased to announce that Catherine Louise McGinley, of Mechanicsville, VA, was recently initiated into the Phi Kappa Phi Chapter at Radford University, where she is completing her Bachelors of Business Administration.
Catherine, who graduated from Atlee High School, is the daughter of Ernest and Faye McGinley, formerly of Mechanicsville.

Four new Hanover County Animal Control officers were sworn in on March 20 in the historic Hanover Courthouse where Patrick Henry once practiced law. The Honorable Hanover Circuit Court Judge John R. Alderman performed the Oath of Office to Jeanne McFeaters, Jason Hazelwood, Jeff Parker and Pam Bland.

The new Animal Control officers successfully completed extensive training, including 120 hours in criminal justice, veterinary science and animal control procedures. It is the largest class of new Animal Control officers and restores the Department to full strength.

“I am very proud of the hard work and dedication this new group of officers have put into the advancement of their new careers,“ said Command Sgt. Kevin Kilgore, Chief of Animal Control. “The sacrifice of working new schedules and learning to cope with the fatigue of being on-call and handling dangerous and stressful situations every minute of every day takes a strong willed individual with integrity and loyalty to their communities.  This group of officers are the most motivated I have ever met.“

Animal Control Officers serve Hanover County residents by enforcing State and County laws and regulations. They impound stray, sick or injured animals and hold possible rabid animals for either quarantine or preparation for testing at the state lab.

Duties performed by Animal Control Officers include investigating possible cruelty to animals; responding to citizens’ complaints; catching stray, dangerous or destructive animals; investigating livestock damage or death for compensation claims; neighbor/civil disputes; and assisting the Hanover Sheriff’s Office, Game Warden and Hanover Fire-EMS with animal-related calls.

Hanover approves land-use plan. After months of debate, Hanover County’s Board of Supervisors adopted a controversial countywide growth plan last night. Click here for the story.

What do you think about the county’s plan? Share your thoughts with other Hanover residents by clicking on comments.

Last night was amazing!  Over 1000 Hanoverians turned out to voice opposition to the County’s proposed Comp Plan revisions!  The Hanover High School auditorium was SRO!  It was democracy in action and it made me feel so proud to live in Hanover County!  We still have to keep the pressure on - tell your Supervisor they need to send this Comp Plan Update back to the drawing table!  Citizen committees need to be formed and given as much weight as real estate developers!  The data used to create this revisions was flawed - tell the County to get its numbers right this time…so they don’t SUPERSIZE the SSA due to faulty math and logic!

See the article: Supervisors delay vote on Hanover land-use

OK, I need some advice from you kind readers. I’ve been meaning for years to go to Randolph-Macon College’s Keeble Observatory.  I see that it is open to the public on Tuesday nights this time of year. The first open night of this semester was this past Tuesday. Did anyone go? I’d love to go and would love some advice. I’ll do some investigating on my own. Something tells me it would be a really cool experience and worth the quick trip up north to Ashland.

Phil Riggan
DiscoverRichmond.com

I have been heading north of Richmond to Hanover County a lot recently for DiscoverRichmond.com.  There is a lot to do, and plenty of quality attractions. Before December, I’d never been to Poor Farm Park (mountain biking and nature trails are popular and excellent). After four visits, it is among my favorite parks in the Richmond area, and I haven’t even been to a game of any kind there (though I did cover a football game next door at Patrick Henry H.S. back in the early 90s—great fans).  A fall visit to Pole Green Park for Saturday football and soccer was fun.

Ashland is a great little town.  My family loves the seeing the constant trains on Center Street, as well as the restaurants and shops. I want to hang out there some more and get some good pictures of those trains.

I’ve been to several Civil War sites, especially the ones around Cold Harbor in the southeastern part of the county.

There is so much historical significance to the sites in the area. What should be my next adventure in Hanover?

Phil Riggan
DiscoverRichmond.com

brought to you by the Hanover Sheriff’s Office

Slow down, anticipate deer when driving through wooded and densely vegetated areas. Watch for deer crossing at locations where you have seen them before.

If one deer runs across the road, slow down and look for others (deer seldom run alone).

Be especially cautious at dusk through the early evening hours and in the hours prior to sunrise when deer are most active.

Drivers encountering deer on the roadways should flash their headlights at the deer and blow the horn to scare them away.

If you hit a deer, don’t touch it. If it’s alive, it may be dangerous. Call the police.

During rutting season (October through December), bucks move almost constantly in search of does. Deer are unpredictable.

Keep your eyes moving; don’t focus on the middle of the road.

A deer is visible less than 200 feet from your vehicle; it takes a car about 317 feet to stop at 55 MPH under optimum conditions.

Buckle your safety belts. Most people seriously injured in deer crashes are not buckled-up.