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SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF CHESTERFIELD COUNTY 12.15.11

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Patricia Jones-Turner, do-mestic violence coordina-tor for the Chesterfi eld County Domestic and

Sexual Violence Resource Center, was among those recently honored at the Virginia Sexual and Domes-tic Violence Action Alliance’s 30th anniversary gala.

A graduate of St. Augustine’s College in Raleigh, N.C., and Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Jones-Turner has dedicated her life to the prevention of domestic and sexual violence.

She helped write domestic-violence curriculum for Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia Department of Social

Services; helped Virginians Against Domestic Violence create the Women of Color Caucus; par-ticipated in Chesterfi eld County’s fatality review team; is helping to develop a response to the needs of Latino women; and founded LifeLines Ministries Inc., which offers support services to survivors of violence.

Jones has worked for Chester-fi eld County for 18 years as the Virginia Initiative for Employment program work experience coordi-nator at the Chesterfi eld-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services and the domestic violence coordinator for Chesterfi eld County Community Corrections

Services. She worked seven years as the

domestic violence curriculum specialist for the Virginia Institute of Social Services training activities at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work.

“Victims of sexual and domes-tic violence in Virginia had few options 30 years ago, but that has changed thanks to the honorees and countless others whose efforts have empowered and improved the lives of survivors,” said Kristi VanAudenhove, co-director of the alliance.

contributed report

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY ANNIE WARBUCKSThe Chesterfi eld Children’s Theatre is presenting a production of “The Nutcracker Prince.” The cast includes, from left, front row, Kevin Kravitz, Uncle Drosselmeyer; Ashleigh Humphries, Clara; Miranda Herold, Rat; Ali Cowardin, Rat; Sierra Shapert, Raggedy Ann; Emily Herold, Sugar Plum Fairy; and Alex Hayashi, Clown.; and, back row, Kimberly Christie, Ballerina; Cori Fischer, Clara’s Mom; Amy Morgan, Princess; Wesley Bailey, Nutcracker; Naomi Mottley, Dolly; Breshawna Swales, Snow Queen; Jasmine Height, Baby Doll, and Jesse Taylor, Rat King.

BY KOREY HUGHEScontributing writer

Mentions of the Chesterfi eld County Library don’t imme-diately bring thoughts

of monarchs to mind, but the cast of “The Nutcracker Prince” will visit some of its locations throughout the next few weeks.

The Chesterfi eld Children’s Theatre will perform the play live for library-goers this month.

Sisters Stacey and Tracey Frame co-founded the Chesterfi eld Children’s Theatre in 1997. While Stacey serves as stage director for “The Nutcracker Prince,” Tracey is the show’s artistic director.

Although the Chesterfi eld Children’s Theatre’s programs mainly include themes that appeal to youngsters, the traveling troupe employs both children and adults in its performances.

And, according to Tracey Frame, the organization is unique because it uses anyone who tries out for its shows in its stage performances.

“We’re the only local theatre group who accepts everyone who auditions for our shows and fi nds a part for them,” Frame said. “And we also use actors from various counties in our productions, not just Chester-fi eld residents.”

The collaboration between the Chesterfi eld Children’s Theatre and the Chesterfi eld County Library started when the stage company be-gan using library spaces for auditions and rehearsals.

“Basically, we began rehearsing at library facilities, and we were eventu-ally approached about doing shows there,” Frame said. “And since we were already familiar with the spaces,

Feast your eyes on a performance of

“Th e Nutcracker Prince”

MAYMONT page 5

NUTCRACKER page 6

Weekday preschool focuses on mission

New Life United Method-ist Preschool, located at 900 Old Hundred Road in Midlothian, has been

trying to teach even their youngest students how to be in mission for other people.

With students ages 2 years old through 5 years old, the weekday preschool has been focusing on various ways these very young children can help others.

Since September, children at the preschool have brought in gently used clothes for children in Mc-Dowell County, West Virginia (one of the poorest counties in the coun-try). They have brought in new toys to be delivered to those same children for Christmas. They also have brought in food for CCHASM to help deliver a Thanksgiving meal for those in need.

Their next mission project will take place next week on Dec. 15.

Every year the school holds a Christmas Make-It-Take-It where students and their parents travel around the sanctuary making many different Christmas ornaments and memories to take home.

This year, there will be a table set up for the children to make a gift for C.A.R.I.T.A.S. guests.

New Life UMC will be hosting C.A.R.I.T.A.S. through Dec. 17. This is a program where people in transition know they have a warm place to sleep and a good meal to eat.

“We are hoping that the gift the children make will brighten the evening of our guests when they return for dinner that evening,” said Tracy Cooper, preschool director.

New Life UMC Preschool is a ministry of New Life United Meth-odist Church.

“We are very fortunate to be a part of a mission-oriented con-gregation. It provides the church members, the preschool families and the community many op-portunities to help those in need,” Cooper said.

For more information about New Life UMC Preschool, visit the website at www.newlifeumc.org.

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY MICHELLE BURCHETT

Patricia Jones-Turner, domestic violence coordinator for the Chesterfi eld County Domestic and Sexual Violence Resource Center, recently was honored for her contributions in helping to prevent sexual and domestic violence.

Chesterfi eld employee honored for efforts in preventing abuse

Maymont’s upstairs and downstairsBY MARTHA STEGERcontributing writer

If you haven’t yet been caught up in the Christmas spirit, a visit to Richmond’s Maymont Mansion will do it for you.

If your life is already overfl ow-ing with holiday activities, one of the best things about Maymont’s Christmas is that it lasts long enough to give visitors ample op-portunity to experience the special holiday tours, running from noon to 5 p.m. every Tuesday through Sunday through Jan. 6.

The very best thing about Maymont at this season is discover-ing the extravagance of a Victorian Christmas among the wealthi-est couples in late 19th century America.

In that Gilded Age, when just over 4,000 millionaires lived in the United States, 23 lived in Virginia – 15 in Richmond, according to the 1892 New York Tribune Monthly.

Millionaires such as James and Sallie Dooley, owners of the

Christmas Victorian-style

PHOTO BY GARY CRALLÉ

Delano wins title at Titan Classic Page 7

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Howard Nester Jr., Lucy Nest-er and Lawrence Taylor Ill of Chesterfi eld County were among 287 voting delegates

who helped formulate legislative poli-cies during the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation 2011 Annual Convention.

Overall, three Chesterfi eld County Farm Bureau representatives attended the convention, which was held Nov. 29 through Dec. 1 in Norfolk.

The voting delegates adopted policy positions to guide Farm Bureau’s legis-lative direction during the 2012 General Assembly.

Issues that were addressed included preserving farmland; opposing any attempt to codify water quality com-mitments outside of the normal public participation process; and protecting private property rights.

Delegates also discussed the need

for best management and husbandry practices for livestock.

Delegates re-elected four members of the VFBF Board of Directors. Emily F. Edmondson of Tazewell County, Gor-don R. Metz of Henry County, Thomas E. Graves of Orange County, and M.L. Everett Jr. of Southampton County will serve three-year terms.

Delegates also elected Robert Mills Jr. of Pittsylvania County, who will rep-resent Farm Bureau producer members in Campbell, Halifax and Pittsylvania counties. He succeeds Joseph Williams of Pittsylvania County.

Convention participants also heard from several speakers.

J.J. Keever, Virginia Port Authority senior deputy executive director for ex-ternal affairs, spoke about how agricul-ture and the port authority can partner for a brighter future.

Greg Edwards, Virginia Port Author-ity director of external affairs, told members about the Port of Virginia’s export capabilities and how they can benefi t farmers.

Panel discussion participants Lisa Anne Hawkins of the law fi rm Len-hart Obenshain PC; Kevin Schmidt, coordinator for the Virginia Offi ce of Farmland Preservation; Laura Thur-man, easement project manager for the Shenandoah Valley region of the Virgin-ia Outdoors Foundation; and Wes Kent, an Augusta County farmer, spoke about conservation easements for farms.

Todd Haymore, Virginia’s secretary of agriculture and forestry, spoke about Virgina’s farm and forestry exports.

Chesterfi eld County Farm Bureau is one of 88 county Farm Bureaus in the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation.

contributed report

Chesterfi eld County Farm Bureau participate in 2011 Annual Convention

From the Lower School’s participation in the outreach program “Harvest Helpers” to Middle School students volunteering at St. Andrew’s School in Oregon Hill, students engage in

meaningful opportunities in which they develop and understand their roles and responsibilities in the com-munity, realizing they can impact change.

St. Michael’s kindergarten through fi fth grades collected canned and non-perishable packaged foods to donate to the St. Michael’s Episcopal Church Food pantry, which serves those in need in the surrounding Chesterfi eld County.

The Lower School Choir, composed of fourth and fi fth graders, held a Christmas Concert on Dec. 1, for the residents of The Crossings, a retirement center located in Bon Air. They were accompanied by Carleen Ramsey, choir director, and Dee Ramsey and Alexandra

Unger.St. Michael’s eighth graders Avery Archibald, McKen-

na Brady, Caroline Lea and William Simopoulos travel weekly to St. Andrew’s School to provide additional support in the after-school program.

During the recent Middle School Recognition As-sembly, Quint Street, Oliver Creasey and Allie Hyde were recipients of service awards. Sixth grader Quint Street volunteered at the Massey Cancer Center. Seventh grader Oliver Creasey traveled with his church to New York City to present a concert to a homeless shelter and eighth grader Alli Hyde dedicated her volunteer hours to the Richmond SPCA.

The Middle School recorded 661 hours of volunteer service during the fi rst quarter of the school year.

contributed report

Community service is a way of life for the students of St. Michael’s Episcopal School

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

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23112Nov. 294400 block of Stigall Dr.Victim reported known suspect stole prop-erty from her unsecured garage.

12700 block of Oak Lake Ct.Complainant reported suspicious suspect took property from listed loca-tion.

Nov. 305000 block of Blackbird Dr.Unknown suspect/s went into unlocked vehicle and took property.

Dec. 14600 block of Valley Crest Dr.Listed property was taken from the victim’s unlocked vehicle.

Dec. 211100 block of Hull Street Rd.Victim stated as she walked to the front door of the listed location, unknown suspect called out to her, approached her, then grabbed her purse from her shoulder. Suspect attempted to run away, fell to the ground, then got up and ran from the area.

23114Dec. 214300 block of Aldengate Rd.Listed property was taken from victim’s unlocked vehicle. The victim also observed two possible suspects looking at an-other vehicle in his drive-way and at the neighbor’s vehicle, nothing was taken from either of those vehicles.

23235Nov. 298100 block of Queen Scot Dr. Uknown suspect/s gained entry to the victim’s resi-dence and stole item.

9700 block of Snowhill Rd.

Victim reported prop-erty was stolen from his unlocked vehicle.

Nov. 3011300 block of Mall Ct.Unknown suspect/s bent the screen and attempted to force open rear window at listed location.

7700 block of Lakeforest Dr.Unknown suspect/s gained entry to the vic-tim’s residence and stole property from bedroom closet.

Dec. 11600 block of Pinchot St.Known suspect at-tempted to gain entry to the victim’s residence by kicking in the front door. Entry was not gained and at this time nothing has been reported stolen.

Dec. 2400 block of Ruthers Rd.Property was taken from victim’s unlocked vehicle.

2000 block of Deauville Rd.Both license plates stolen.

8200 block of Hull Street Rd.Both license plates stolen.

23236Nov. 302300 block of Courthouse Rd.Victim stated that prop-erty was stolen from his residence. No signs of forced entry were noted.

23832Nov. 296500 block of Sexton Dr.Unknown suspect/s broke side window and gained entry to the victim’s residence. Property was stolen.

Nov. 305000 block of Newbys Bridge Rd.Unknown suspect/s forced entry to the victim’s residence through the rear door and stole property.

All data are based on the publicly available Chesterfi eld County Police Department daily arrest and crime releases and are reported according to Federal Incident Based Reporting rules.

CRIME REPORT

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had an early ChristmasC

hesterfi eld County offi cials have announced that the county’s triple AAA bond rating has been affi rmed following an intensive

review process by Moody’s, one of the three major rating agencies.

In the wake of the downgrade of the U.S. bond rating this past summer and their sub-sequent inability to address their numerous fi scal challenges, Moody’s placed all of their AAA-rated localities on a negative watch, meaning that a rating downgrade was pos-sible pending evaluations of each individual locality.

Chesterfi eld County has completed that process, and, based on the county’s relatively scant dependence on federal government-related economic activity, its diverse eco-nomic base, and its longstanding tradition of prudent fi scal management, Moody’s has

decided to remove the county from its nega-tive watch list and fully reinstate Chesterfi eld County’s status as one of fewer than 25 coun-ties in the U.S. to receive the highest possible fi nancial rating from all three major agencies.

County Administrator James J. L. Steg-maier said Moody’s decision “not only grants Chesterfi eld County access to the lowest borrowing rates available, but also serves as a testament to the path the county has pursued through the recent fi nancial malaise, and to the cooperative leadership of the Board of Supervisors, county administration, the school division and the local business community, which have proved that, unlike Washington, D.C., they can effectively work together to meet any challenge that might arise.”

contributed report

Chesterfi eld County maintains highest ratings for fi nancial management

The 140-member Titan Band and Jazz Ensemble were featured, with a wide variety of musical styles covered.

The “musical menu” consisted of :“El Cap-itan” by John Philip Sousa, “Prairie Songs” by Pierre LaPlante, “Folk Song Suite” by Ralph Vaughn Williams, “Mt. Everest” by Rossano Galante, “Sleigh Ride” by Leroy Anderson, “The Holly and the Ivy” as recorded by the Mannheim Steamroller, and “a Fantasy of Carols” arranged by Jay Bocook.

The Jazz Ensemble performed some classic big-band styled selections.

The Titan Band earned a rating of “Supe-rior” at the State Marching Festival in Octo-ber for the third consecutive year, recorded a full length compact disc in the style of major university bands, which is being released this month, and performed by invitation at a home game at the University of Richmond.

The band has accepted the invitation made by Walt Disney World Entertainment to lead the very prestigious Disney “Main Street Electric Light Parade” at the Magic Kingdom in March 2012. This selection came as a result of a very competitive screening process.

contributed report

The Cosby Titan Band presented its Holiday Concert on Friday, Dec. 9

CONTRIBUTED PHOTOThe Cosby Titan Band spells out CHS while performing at the University of Richmond.

4 || DECEMBER 15, 2011 MIDLOTHIANEXCHANGE.COMEXPLAIN NEWS || FEATURES

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Vol. V, 45th edition

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

BY JIM RIDOLPHI

Life seems to get going at break neck speed this time of year, and it’s easy to get caught up in the pressures that accompany the holiday season.

Sometimes, it seems the season is just a month-long sprint to the fi nish on Christmas Day, and trips to the toy store or mall almost seem endless.

With such a hectic schedule, it’s easy to forget the true meaning of the holidays, and “Peace on Earth and Goodwill to Men” often seems distant as we sit in traffi c or stand in long lines at retail outlets.

Unfortunately, the Christmas season is only a reminder of hopelessness to the homeless and less fortunate as they watch others eat, celebrate and merrily go on their way.

I recently attended a showing of “Motel Families,” a fi lm that raises awareness of a growing problem in the metro area. With the large number of foreclosures and a downturned economy, many who never imagined how diffi cult life could get fi nd their families trapped in a vicious circle of transition.

Many depend on local motels and hotels to provide housing as they attempt to reclaim their lives and dignity. For many, the weekly rate is all they can afford, and even that is a daily struggle to prevent another eviction.

The fi lm was an eye-opening experience, and made me aware of an aspect of homelessness that is often overlooked and forgotten. These motel fami-lies are often referred to as the invisible homeless.

While it’s easy to see or experience poverty and homelessness in large metro areas like Richmond, the problem is less visible in suburban counties like Chesterfi eld, Hanover and Henrico.

Most of these motel families pay more than $230 in rent each week. When added up, the amount far surpasses what they would pay at many apartments in the Richmond area.

Agencies like the Salvation Army, local churches and volunteer organizations routinely fi ll the fi nan-

cial gaps for these families, and they depend on the kindness of strangers for their day-to-day existence.

Most are working toward reclaiming the sense of security they once enjoyed, longing only for an op-portunity to fi nd and secure permanent housing.

The fi lm, produced by Supportive Housing of Ashland, was a powerful reminder of just how great the need is in our area, and reaffi rmed something I already knew. Caring for the less fortunate is a responsibility shared by all, and every small contri-bution helps.

Many families in Chesterfi eld will have a Christ-mas this year thanks to the assistance of wonder-ful programs like the Christmas Mother and local service clubs and individuals taking time to care. Local social services go to extraordinary means to make sure no one is forgotten at this meaningful time of year.

There are literally thousands of volunteers in our area who wake up each day and ask, “How can I help today?”

The holidays are a great time to cherish our families, to renew old friendships and gain new outlooks for the upcoming year. It’s also a time to take stock of own personal inventory of what we’ve done to help in the past year.

I urge everyone to donate, volunteer or just be there for someone less fortunate this year. No act is too small, and no kindness goes unnoticed. Whether through your church, your community or as an individual, the life you touch will brighten your holiday spirit and revive your soul.

And when all the presents are opened and the New Year’s Eve celebrations are silent, you will enjoy the peace of mind of knowing you gave a gift that changed a life.

Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat. We must fi nd each other. -- Mother Theresa

A great time to give back

BY KOREY HUGHEScontributing writer

Unless you spend a lot of time staring up at the sky, it’s easy to ignore birds’ fl ight

patterns. The upcoming Winter Bird

Count at Dutch Gap Conserva-tion Area in Chesterfi eld, however, is a chance to learn more about the winged wonders and their seasonal travels.

According to naturalist Mark Battista, the Dutch Gap Conserva-tion Area is one of the best sites in Virginia for bird enthusiasts to view fowl in their natural habitats.

“Dutch Gap is a park site, but it’s also a conservation area,” Bat-tista said. “And it’s not your typical recreation spot because we’ve got 810 acres of wetlands here.”

Fortunately for bird enthusi-asts, Dutch Gap happens to be a stopover for quite a few species before they make their south-bound jaunts ahead of winter. And Battista can effortlessly name them all.

“Typically, waterfowl fl y south this time of year,” Battista said. “So, we get to see ring-necked ducks, widgeon, shovelers, gadwell, coots and pied-billed grebe, which are all types of

waterfowl.”“We also get other types of

birds here including sparrows and slate-colored juncos, two different species that you don’t see dur-ing the spring, summer and fall seasons. It’s also possible to see Carolina chickadees, titmice and eastern bluebirds sitting along our fence line.”

Battista said that Sunday’s event will mostly appeal to birders, but you might enjoy the proceedings even if you haven’t spent much time memorizing bird names. In fact, you might be a birder and not even know it.

“Well, there are all types of birders, but really, it’s anyone who has an interest in birds,” Battista said. “And at times, we’ll get some-one new, and it’s great because they’ll get a chance to meet people who have been birding for years.”

“I’m talking about people who can see a speck in the sky and know it’s an osprey. And even though our events are more for adults, we still need that next gen-eration of conservation-minded birders.”

Shrinking bird populations are the main reason why it’s important to track those animals’ movements.

As Battista puts it, the data col-

lected during Sunday’s census will help conservationists understand which kinds of birds are abundant and which are scarce.

“When I moved to Virginia 20 years ago, I’d see bobwhites, pintail and eastern meadowlarks,” Battista said. “Now, it’s rare to see them at all because their popula-tions are going down.”

And although Battista can’t make any promises, he also sug-gested that spectators might see one of the most majestic and recognizable American birds – the bald eagle.

“Well, we get lots of great birds, but we’re notoriously well-known for seeing the bald eagle around here,” Battista said. “So, there’s a good chance that people will see one if they come on Sunday.”

The event will happen rain or shine, so attendees should dress accordingly.

Battista also suggests that par-ticipants bring a few items along including binoculars and a birding manual.

The Winter Bird Count will be presented from 8 to 11 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 18, at the Dutch Gap Conservation Area.

To register for the event, call 804-318-8735 by 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15.

Follow fl ight patterns at the Winter Bird Count

From dream to reality, the Miracle of Christmas – Live at the Metro Rich-mond Zoo,” fast became

a favorite family tradition in the greater Richmond area.

Now in its ninth year, the zoo offers once again the re-enact-ment of the true Christmas story, presented against a period appropriate backdrop with a cast re-enacting the events that took place some 2,000 years ago.

The pageant is presented three

times each evening. Musical performances by local

community groups and church choirs perform between each pageant.

Joseph, dressed in ancient apparel, leads a donkey heavy-laden with a very pregnant Mary. They lace between the crowd of hushed onlookers on their way to the manager fi lled with goats and sheep.

METRO ZOO page 5

Six Midlothian students were named to the “President’s List” at Bryant & Stratton College’s recent academic awards convo-cation.

They are: Jennifer Barlow, Ashlyn Poole, Lynne Rau, Janita Scott, Diana Smith and Michelle Yepes.

The President’s List repre-sents full-time students who earned grade-point averages of 4.00 during the semester.

contributed report

The 2011 Winter Wish List for McGuire VA Medical Center has been released.

According to the rec-reation therapists, the following are needed:

Spinal Cord Injury & Dis-order Unit Wish List – sponsor an athlete for national programs; Kindle and gift cards for books; I-Pad, very user friendly for indi-viduals with fi ne motor defi cits; Regal Movie Tickets (10 tickets per outing); Subway gift cards (any amount appreciated); monetary donations/gift cards to support weekly community reentry out-ings (any amount appreciated); Martin’s gift cards for outings and OT Cooking Groups ($100); laptops for bed-bound patients (to watch movies, play games, access Internet); Wii games (no fi rst person shooter games) AMF Bowling, New Sports Games; Wii Fit games; AA batteries or rechargeable batteries for Wii re-motes; new release movies on DVD (please no VHS); DVD interactive games; Playstation 3 games; bowling gift certifi cates (10 patients per out-ing); Wal-Mart or Target gift cards ($100); gift certifi cates for Funny Bone (10 people per outing); tickets for local sporting events (10 people per outing); music CDs (variety of music); gift cards to local restaurants – Applebees, Mexico Restaurant, Subway; small indoor portable bas-ketball hoop; portable DVD players (3); small ball air pump.

Animal-Assisted Therapy Program Wish List – Donations of money or gift cards to Lone-some Dove Equestrian Center to assist with providing lunches for the patients.

Ongoing – gift card to PetSmart ($25);

VIST Program (Visually Im-paired Services Team) – mon-etary donations/gift cards to support monthly community reentry outings (any amount appreciated).

The following items can be purchased from Maxiaid at Maxiaid.com – dominoes with raised dots (double six); full page magnifi er – 3 pPack, 2x – 6-1/2 x 8-3/4 inches; Reizen low vision pen; three packs low vision thick line writing paper; basketball with double inside and directional beeper; travel chess set for the blind or those with low vision; and Reizen Braille Phase 10 Card Game for the Blind and Low Vision.

Mental Health Wish list – movie theater tickets – Regal and Byrd Theater (any amount appreci-ated); gift cards to local stores for supplies for cookouts, parties and equipment (Wal-Mart, Kmart, any amount appreciated); new release DVDs; tickets to Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden; sponsor for lunch for the MH Women’s group; and admission tickets to local museums

Women Veteran’s Program – Visa gift cards for monthly ladies night out events ($150);

Community Living Center (CLC) (geriatrics and extended care) – Regal Cinema gift cards ($300); X-Box 360 to use for thera-py; money to purchase adaptive fi sh-ing equipment (Vans EZ Cast-$195: includes rod, casting device, chair arm holder, and 2 clamps); spon-sor a lunch outing; AMF bowling gift cards ($200); Walmart gift cards ($300); and sponsor for the National Games (Golden Age Games, Creative Arts Festival, Wheelchair Games, and the Winter Sports Clinic).

Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center Wish list (in-patient program) – gift cards for Chester-fi eld Towne Center (any amount appreciated); Regal movie theater tickets (10 tickets per trip); Regal Cinemas Gift Card ($100); tickets for Cine Bistro (10 tickets); gift cards for Cine Bistro for food ($150); Fold-A-Hoop Basketball Game ($170 on line at Walmart); Kindle and accessories ($150); Amazon gift cards to buy books for the Kindle ($100); Kcups for the Keurig coffee pot for the patients and families (a variety of fl avors); new release DVDs; Canteen books for monthly Poker Nights ($75); gift cards for local restaurants; Texas Roadhouse, Olive Garden , O’Charley’s, Red Lobster, Jason’s Deli, Bob Evan’s, IHOP, Applebees, Tropical Smoothie, Panera, Outback Steakhouse, Buffalo Wild Wings, Cracker Barrel; Canteen books for patient programs ($50/month); and Quik Shade Weekender 144 Canopy ($159 at Dick’s Sport-ing Goods – does not have to be the exact one).

Polytrauma Network Site (out-patients program) – admis-sion tickets for CineBistro – (10 tickets); gift cards to Martin’s for cookout items ($200); gift cards to Walmart for supplies ($100); movie tickets (Regal Cinemas – 10 tickets); gift card to Regal Cinemas ($100); Wawa gift cards for patient outings ($25); local restaurant gift cards for community reintegration trips ($100 per outing); and DVDs for Move-ment & Relaxation Group ($150)

Poly Trauma Transitional Rehabilitation Program (up-dated list) – tickets for sporting events (12 per event); gift certifi cates to Dave and Buster’s (12 per visit); gift certifi cates to putt putt golf, Iron Bridge Sports Park, or batting cages; gift cards for bowling (AMF, Bowl America – 10 per outing); Martin’s gift cards; Wii games and XBOX 360 games (age appropriate please, no violent/fi rst shooter games); gift cards to Best Buy($100 or any amount is appreciated); gift certifi -cates to Applebee’s, IHOP, Buffalo Wild Wings, Chile’s, Friday’s, Ruby Tuesdays, Golden Corral, Subway, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Bottoms Up Pizza (any amount appreciated); gift certifi cates to Wal-Mart, Target, Dick’s Sporting Goods (any amount appreciated); gift cards for art sup-plies (Michael’s, Ben Franklin – any amount appreciated).

2011 Winter Wish List for McGuire VA Medical Center

“Miracle Of Christmas – Live At The Metro Richmond Zoo” Returns for it’s Ninth season

Six Midlothian students make Bryan & Stratton College’s ‘President’s List’ this semester

DECEMBER 15, 2011 || 5MIDLOTHIANEXCHANGE.COM EXPLAIN NEWS || FEATURES

100-acre Maymont ornamental estate on the James River, lived a life so over-the-top that people today “really do enjoy seeing how they lived,” Kathy Alcaine, Maymont’s manager of historical tours and interpretation, said.

For an idea of the luxury in the every-day lives of the rich at the time, imagine a ladies’ maid helping the lady of the house get dressed for her Christmas dinner party downstairs – standing in front of the one-of-a-kind Tiffany silver and whale tusk dressing table and chair that you see in her Maymont bedroom as you tour the home.

“The word millionaire had not been coined until the 1840s,” said Dale Wheary, Maymont’s director of historical collections and programs, in citing the impact of the Industrial Revolution in America, which helped to create millionaires over a relatively short period of time. “In 1861 only a handful of individuals were in this class,” she said.

Most visitors to Maymont identify more readily with the lives of servants at the man-sion: Don’t miss this exhibit on the down-stairs level – a self-guided tour – when you purchase tour tickets.

A keen eye will spot items that later reso-nate with settings in the upper fl oors, such as the two small, partially wrapped presents in the butler’s below-stairs bedroom, which you’ll recall when seeing the very elaborate gifts under the 12-foot-high tree in the mid-dle of the next, or main, fl oor of the home.

As you go through the “Belowstairs” ex-hibition – if you don’t catch yourself saying, “I remember when my grandmother used an iron like that” – you’ll undoubtedly hear oth-ers saying something like this about memo-rable objects as they go through the rooms.

The library’s holiday ceiling swags imme-diately grab your attention when you enter the main fl oor at Maymont for your guided tour. Large, red, double-faced satin bows are not only historically accurate but add a soft drape to the rooms, decorated in red, green and gold – the preference for Victorian decorators, whose top priority was dramatic effect.

It’s no wonder that some people at the time said extravagant Victorian homes took on a jungle look during the holidays.

Poinsettias, grown in local greenhouses in the late 19th century, still liberally decorate Maymont’s rooms, along with profuse greens, berries, fruit and the 12-foot-tall Christmas tree decorated with handmade ornaments.

No photographs or descriptions exist showing the house decorated for the holi-days, but, with the guidance of meticulous research over the years, collections manager Kathy Garrett-Cox has managed the installa-tion of the decorations for the past fi ve years.

In a nod to fi re safety, the staff has brought in all-silk, nonfl ammable greens and tree, but they still include the period-appropriate ash

bucket fi lled with sand – for throwing on any tree fl are-ups that might accompany the use of candles.

Beautiful, red ribbons steaming from the candle-lit chandelier make the dining room spectacular, especially with the mirror in the center of the elaborate dining table refl ect-ing the candlelight.

The china is a duplicate of Rutherford B. Hayes’ china from the White House and the holiday fare on the table reminds you of the turkey and ham you saw waiting to be carved in the “Belowstairs” pantry.

The morning room provides a glimpse of a more intimate family setting decorated for the holidays.

While the Dooleys did not have children of their own, they did welcome nieces and nephews during the holidays. The upstairs sitting room is set up for the cobweb game.

Nancy Lowden, Maymont’s program manager, said the children would each have to follow a piece of ribbon hung from the chandelier as it wove in and out of furniture until they found the present waiting for them at the end of their ribbon.

Also upstairs is the present-wrapping station with tissue paper and silk-ribbon supplies for the women of the house to use in wrapping gifts.

While the upstairs is not decorated as heavily as the fi rst fl oor for the holidays, you’ll want to take note of the original Louis Vuitton trunk in Mrs. Dooley’s bedroom – and a bed carved in the shape of a swan, which wears a garland in celebration of the holidays.

Christmas tours of the mansion take 40 minutes; the suggested donation is $5.

After you’ve reveled in the Victorian splendor, you’ll want to make a note not to miss next year’s opening Sunday of the Christmas season at Maymont, which features carriage rides, musicians, games, food and drink in addition to tours of the mansion.

For more information, www.maymont.org or 804-358-7166.

Martha Steger is a Midlothian-based free-lance writer who is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers.

MAYMONT from page 1

PHOTO BY MIKE WEEKS

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY MAYMONT FOUNDATIONS

On cue, camels from the zoo led by Wise Men parade down a path for visitors to see.

Permanent sets have been constructed at the zoo for the special production, with additions made annually. Tiny white lights sparkle from all the surrounding trees.

A zoo train helps transport visitors to and from the parking area.

The work from start to fi nish comes each year from scores of volunteers who lend their time and talents to make the pageant come alive and at no charge to the public.

The number of visitors has exceeded 13,000 in the past – and this year expects to be bigger than ever.

It all began when Jim Andelin started planning a 70-acre zoo in Moseley. While he was designing and building the new facility, he also looked for a place to make a longtime dream come true: a nativity pageant.

Frustrated with the politics of Christ-mas — with “Unity” Trees and banning the word “Christmas” in public — he decided that his zoo could be a vehicle to present the true story of Christmas to the com-munity. Others shared his dream, and soon — with the help of his own and neighbor-ing churches — “The Miracle of Christmas — Live at the Metro Richmond Zoo” was born.

This annual live nativity presentation is one of Jim’s treasured accomplishments.

With the help of many, the “Miracle of Christmas” is offered free to everyone, and Jim calls it “a gift to the community.”

A less often shared miracle always transpires as well. When neighbors and strangers mingle on the zoo grounds and gather to experience the pageant, there is a hush and a feeling of joy.

As the program ends and the crowd starts to thin, sentiments of “peace on earth, goodwill to men” are felt as strangers share a handshake or a greeting of “Merry Christmas.”

When exiting the zoo grounds, oppor-tunities are made available to meet the cast and the several of the zoo animals.

Dates are December 21, 22 and 23, with shows at 7, 7:45, and 8:30 p.m.

The Metro Richmond Zoo is located at 8300 Beaver Bridge Road in Moseley, behind Grange Hall Elementary School off Hull Street Road in Chesterfi eld County.

Admission and parking is free.Refreshments will be sold at a nominal

fee to benefi t local charities. For more information, call the zoo at

804-739-5666 or visit the website for pic-tures: www.metrorichmondzoo.com and click on the “Miracle of Christmas” tab on the right.

METRO ZOO from page 4

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we thought it would be a good idea to do performances for library audiences.”

“And we’re looking forward to a partnership of doing more of these shows with the library in the future. It’s a good way for us to reach out to audi-ences who might not otherwise attend our ticketed events.”

Traditionally, “The Nutcracker Prince” has been performed as a ballet, but the Chesterfi eld Children’s Theatre will present a musical theater take on the classic tale. The narrative chron-icles the adventures of a girl named Clara and her nutcracker doll as they travel to the Land of Sweets to defeat the Rat King.

“It’s a musical with ballet elements,” Frame said. “Our version is different than what people are used to, but I think that songs done in a musical the-ater style might hold kids’ attentions longer than a ballet.”

In any event, Frame said the show’s

holiday theme is appropriate for the Chesterfi eld County Library’s all-ages audience.

“I think the show touches a lot of people because it’s not about one par-ticular thing,” Frame said. “It celebrates the joy of Christmas with things that kids enjoy -- namely, toys and candy -- and the audience can easily relate to the story.”

The Chesterfi eld Children’s Theatre will perform “The Nutcracker Prince” from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17, at Bon Air Library, 3 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17, at LaPrade Library; from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 19, at Clover Hill Library; and from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 28. at Meadowdale Library.

Performances are free, but space is limited.

To register, go to the Chesterfi eld County Library’s website or call 804-751-CCPL.

NUTCRACKER from page 1

Breakfast with Santa

The last Santa Breakfast at Bass Pro Shops this season will get underway at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17. Haley

Gordon of Mechanicsville brought her mother and grandmother to feast on a tasty breakfast buffet followed by a visit and picture with Santa.

Tickets may be purchased at Bass Pro before Saturday. Proceeds benefi t Hanover Arc and Hanover Commu-nity Services Board, two nonprofi ts improving lives for people with disabilities and their families. For in-formation about Hanover Arc, e-mail info@hanoverarc.org, visit hanoverarc.org, or call 798-2400. For information about Hanover Community Support Services, e-mail: Info@hcss-inc.org or visit: hcss-inc.org.

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY LUCY CANTRELLHaley Gordon of Mechanicsville brought her mother and grandmother to feast on a tasty breakfast buffet followed by a visit and picture with Santa.

STUFF TO DOE-mail your event to editor@midlothianexchange.com. Subject line: EVENT

club will spotlight Salisbury Garden Club Bi-ennial Garden Tour. If you have any questions regarding the Salisbury Garden Club, contact the president, Doris Morris, at doriskmorris@comcast.net.

WEEKLY ON TUESDAYSOvereaters Anonymous Group #51606 meets each Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Central Baptist Church located at 1510 Courthouse Rd., Richmond (Misson House in rear of church). For more information, call Peg at 379-9558.

The Bethia United Methodist Church Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) program is now ac-cepting registrations and currently accepting new members for the 2011-2012 year, where they will chart their path through motherhood and see how motherhood redirects various relationships.Bethia MOPS meets from 9:30 a.m.-noon on the fi rst, third and fi fth Tuesdays from Sept. 20 through May 15. For more in-formation, contact Kara Harris at 763-6067 or karaharris@verizon.net. Bethia United Meth-odist Church is located at 10700 Winterpock Road, Chesterfi eld.

WEEKLY ON THURSDAYSMoms of Tots to Teens (MOTTS) at Bon Air Baptist Church, 2531 Buford Road, 9:45 a.m.-noon recurring every fi rst and third Thursday of the month, beginning Sept. 15 through May 17 (dates: Sept. 15, Oct. 6, Oct. 20, Nov. 3, Nov. 17, Dec. 1, Dec. 15, Jan. 5, Jan. 19, Feb. 2, Feb. 16, March 1, March 15, April 5, April 19, May 3 and May 17).Preschool childcare available. Contact Loretta Sherwood at tiandlo@aol.com or go to www.bonairbaptist.org/motts for more information.

The Al-Anon meeting Awaken to Hope is held at 7:30 p.m. each Thursday at St. John Neumann Catholic Church located at 2480 Batterson Rd. in Powhatan.

the Redeemer at 9:30 a.m. This month, the club will spotlight Sue Becker presentation, “Veggie Tales - An Introduction to Begin-ning Vegetable Gardening.” If you have any questions regarding the Salisbury Garden Club, contact the president, Doris Morris, at doriskmorris@comcast.net.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 25The Newcomers Club of Richmond will have an open enrollment during the month of Janu-ary. All Richmond women are invited. The club will meet at 11 a.m. Cost is $23 and includes social hour, business meeting and a program by Leigh Burke on “Downsizing and Simplify-ing Your Home.” Reservations by Jan. 15. Call Brenda, 754-0460, or visit newcomersrich-mond.org.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15The Salisbury Garden Club meets the third Wednesday of each month at the Church of the Redeemer at 9:30 a.m. This month, the club will spotlight Eve Roemhildt, “Make and Take: Make Your Own Flower Print Cards.” If you have any questions regarding the Salisbury Garden Club, contact the president, Doris Morris, at doriskmorris@comcast.net.

TUESDAY, MARCH 20The Salisbury Garden Club usually meets the third Wednesday of each month at the Church of the Redeemer at 9:30 a.m. This month, the club will spotlight Chuck Bateman presenta-tion, “Landscape Design 101.” If you have any questions regarding the Salisbury Garden Club, contact the president, Doris Morris, at doriskmorris@comcast.net.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18The Salisbury Garden Club meets the third Wednesday of each month at the Church of the Redeemer at 9:30 a.m. This month, the

more information, call 873-1202, 231-4463 or 677-8764.

FRIDAY, JAN. 6The Bon Air Artists Association’s monthly meeting will be held at 9:30 a.m. at the Con-gregation or Ami, located at 9400 Huguenot Rd., Richmond. Members love painting demos. January’s speaker, Mary Jo Bes-wick, will do a painting demonstration. She will inspire you to bring the fun back to your painting. For questions, contact Nell Chesley at 217-8950.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 18The Salisbury Garden Club meets the third Wednesday of each month at the Church of

THURSDAY, DEC. 15, 16 & 17A Night In Bethlehem – 6-9 p.m. This free event is an invitation to the community to “Be Apart of the Real Christmas.” Come visit the marketplace. Light refreshments provided. Family Worship Center, 7424 Belmont Road, Chesterfi eld. For more information, call 833-3228.

SATURDAY, DEC. 17Roses and Wings Girls Mentoring Program, in partnership with the Morning Star Baptist Church, will present “A Christmas to Remem-ber” pageant at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17, at the Midlothian Village Community Center at 400 Midlothian Turnpike. The afternoon will feature food, gifts and giveaways. For

DECEMBER 15, 2011 || �MiDlothianExChangE.CoM sports || fitnessEXERCISE

PHOTO BY JIM MCCONNELLTrinity Episcopal's Torey Burston (right) and Joey Graziano pressure St. Christopher's Garrett Taylor and force a turnover during the Titans' victory.

Tough Titans outlast SaintsTrinity overcomes eight-point deficit to win rivalry game in OT By JIm mCConnElljmcconnell@midlothianexchange.com

Trinity Episcopal’s boys basketball team has a chance to be special this season, and it’s

not just because the Titans have an offensively gifted 6-6 center, a freshman shooter with the “clutch gene” and ultra-quick guards capable of making life miserable for opposing ballhan-dlers.

Only a couple weeks into its first season under longtime JV coach Rick Hamlin, Trinity already has demonstrated the type of composure and “never say die” resiliency that should serve it well as the calendar flips to 2012 and games become more meaningful.

Of course, few games mean more to the Titans and their fans than their annual encoun-ters with Prep League rival St. Christopher’s.

An overflow crowd jammed into the gymnasium at Trinity’s sparkling new Estes Athletic Center to loudly welcome the visiting Saints last Friday. The atmosphere was electric 15 minutes prior to the opening tip and the game certainly lived up to that sense of anticipation.

Behind its own talented big man, wiry 6-8 junior Rodney Williams, St. Christopher’s broke open a close game midway through the fourth quarter and built an eight-point lead that represented the largest advan-tage held by either team.

But just when it appeared the Titans would once again have to

wait until next time for a chance to knock off the Saints, Trinity summoned its second consecu-tive stirring late comeback.

Center Khris Lane capped a 10-2 run and tied the game at 52 in the final minute with a thunderous dunk, then the Titans survived when Jermaine Johnson missed a heavily con-tested jumper at the buzzer.

After Johnson (16 points) buried a 3-pointer to start the overtime period, Trinity outscored St. Christopher’s 13-4 the rest of the way to secure a satisfying 65-59 victory.

“We got our heads down with about three minutes left [in regulation], but we came together and said, ‘This is our game to win,’” said Trinity guard Torey Burston, who scored 10 of his 16 points after halftime.

“It’s always like this between Trinity and St. Chris. We had lost to them the last three years. We knew this was the team to put it all together and finally beat them.”

This Trinity team has a cou-ple weapons it didn’t have last year – most notably, perhaps, a big man to counter the dynamic Williams.

Lane, who averaged 8 points per game as a sophomore at Meadowbrook last season, transferred to Trinity and has made an immediate impact; he scored a career-high 31 points and added 10 rebounds as the Titans rallied from a seven-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat

PHOTO BY JIM MCCONNELLSt. Christopher's landrum Tyson reaches in and knocks the ball away from Trinity's Khris lane, who led the Titans with 20 points and 13 rebounds.

Cosby senior takes turn in spotlight

By JIm mCConnElljmcconnell@midlothianexchange.com

For the last three years, Greg Delano has shown up for wrestling practice

every day ready to work, never making a fuss or trying to draw attention to himself, quietly determined to succeed on the mat.

First overshadowed by older brother Anthony, then former teammate (and 2011 state champion) Austin Co-burn, the Cosby High senior knows his time is now – and he’s eager to make the most of his single season in the spotlight.

“It’s a lot of pressure, but I’ve looked forward to having a chance to carry the team on my back,” Delano acknowledged Saturday after winning the 152-pound weight class at the Titan Classic.

Delano, who led 2-0 when Hampton’s Sergio Eche-zarrta suffered a knee injury

and was forced to default just 49 seconds into the final, was Cosby’s lone individual champion and led the Titans to their first team title at their own tournament.

Three of his teammates – Connor Smith (160), Tyler Powell (220) and Ryan Tay-lor (285) – reached the final of their respective weight classes and finished second as Cosby beat runner-up J.R. Tucker by 18.5 points.

“By nature, Greg is a pretty quiet kid,” Cosby coach Mike Stefanko said. “You don’t really notice him until you start practice. Then you say, ‘Who’s that kid lead-ing the pack in every sprint? And who’s that kid that’s always moving and working during drills?”

Delano was known primarily as “Anthony’s little brother” during his first two seasons at Cosby. The elder Delano was a two-time

PHOTO BY JIM MCCONNELLSenior Greg Delano won the 152-pound weight class and led host Cosby to its first team title at Saturday's Titan Classic.

The 17th annual Times-Dispatch Invitational Tour-nament (TDIT) takes place December 16, 17 and 19. The tournament features many of the top girls and boys high school basketball teams in the metro area and is truly “high school basketball at its best.”

The girls’ teams partici-pating in the tournament are: Cosby, Mills Godwin, Hermitage, Lee-Davis, Meadowbrook, Monacan, St. Catherine’s and Varina. Meadowbrook is the de-fending champion.

Participating boys’ teams are: Cosby, Henrico, Highland Springs, John Marshall, L.C. Bird, Mead-owbrook, St. Christopher’s and Thomas Jefferson. Highland Springs is the defending champion.

First round games will be played Friday evening at four sites: Cosby High School, Highland Springs High School, Monacan High School and St. Christopher’s. Girls games begin at 6 p.m. and boys games tip off at 7:30 p.m.

Second round games will be held at two neutral sites. The Friday losing teams will begin the conso-lation round with a session at Clover Hill High School on Saturday at 9 a.m.

Winning teams will enter the championship bracket with games at Crenshaw Gymnasium on the campus of Randolph-Macon College in Ashland. This session of games will begin at 3 p.m. Saturday.

The third round place-games session will be played at the Verizon Wire-less Arena at the Stuart C. Siegel Center on the campus of Virginia Com-monwealth University.

Consolation games will begin Monday at 9 a.m., followed by championship games to decide the top finish places. The girls final will begin at 6:30 p.m., fol-lowed at 8:30 by the boys final.

Tickets may be pur-chased at the school sites and at the VCU Siegel Center on game days. Tick-ets are $8 for each session. Tickets are good for all games at each site on the day purchased.

Content courtesy TDITtitAns p9

Delano has worked hard to become a champion

WrestLe p8

Local schools hosting TDIT this weekend

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PHOTO BY JIM MCCONNELLCosby's Ryan Taylor battles Dinwiddie's Matt Oakley in the 285-pound final, which Oakley won by pin in the second period.

WrestLe from p7

Dominion District champion and is one of seven members of Cosby’s “100-win club.”

That began to change last year, though. Before Anthony left for his freshman year at Virginia Tech last fall, the Delano brothers locked up in an impromptu sparring ses-sion at home and Greg finally got the upper hand.

“He tried to throw me and I put him to his back,” Delano recalled. “It was the first time I’ve ever taken him down.”

It wasn’t always a fair fight. While Anthony finished his high school wrestling career at 189 pounds, Greg competed last season at 145. Being able to take his brother down was one of the first indications that the younger Delano was getting strong enough to compete with the top wrestlers in his class.

He won his first district title in February, then placed third at the Central Region tournament and qualified for states for the first time.

Looking to build on that success, Delano spent most of the offseason in a weight-lifting program with a trainer from CJW and already has seen it pay dividends in im-proved upper-body strength.

“I used to have to rely on technique because everybody was so much stronger than I was. This is the first year I’m starting to notice that I can control people and that

PHOTO BY JIM MCCONNELLCosby's Mark Belcher fell 11-5 to Powhatan's Thomas Smith in the 170-pound semifinals.

should really help me,” he said.

Unlike many elite-level wrestlers, Delano doesn’t wrestle year-round. He participated in offseason tournaments “every now and then” last spring and summer, but recognized the need to give his mind and body a break to stay fresh for the high school season.

“I’ve gotten burned out a few times and had to get away, but I keep coming

back because I miss wres-tling,” he added.

Delano knows his time on the mat is drawing to a close. He applied for early acceptance at Virginia Tech and expects to get word from the university today.

That makes this season even more significant and his expectations are sky-high. Even though he went 0-2 at states last year, he’s gunning for a top-three fin-ish at the 2012 Group AAA

tournament.While Stefanko was

hesitant to publicly put that kind of pressure on Delano, he does expect him to effectively lead Cosby’s young squad after getting an introduction to that role when Coburn was injured early last season.

“He’s certainly put in the work,” Stefanko said. “If he doesn’t get [a top-3 finish at states], it won’t be for a lack of effort or heart.”

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. – Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) announced Friday that Darian Grubb has been named crew chief for Denny Hamlin's No. 11 FedEx Toyota NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team.

“Darian is a great ad-dition to our organization and person to lead our No. 11 FedEx team,” said Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing. “Obviously he has proven the ability to guide a team to a championship and we are excited to have him working with Denny (Hamlin) toward achieving that goal here at Joe Gibbs Racing.”

Grubb is coming off an impressive championship run with driver Tony Stew-art at Stewart-Haas Racing which included winning five of the 10 Chase races en route to capturing the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title. He spent the past three seasons as crew chief for Stewart on the No. 14 car after the driver left JGR to start his own race operation.

Prior to joining Stew-art-Haas Racing, Grubb spent six years with Hen-drick Motorsports; rising

through the organization’s engineering ranks and gaining invaluable crew chief experience.

“I’m thrilled to join Joe Gibbs Racing,” said Grubb. “The chance to work with Denny is something I’m excited about. When you sit down with Joe and J.D. Gibbs you can’t help but be excited about this opportu-nity and the team aspects of JGR. There is no question about the level of sup-port you get here and I’m looking forward to working with everyone across the entire organization.”

Over the past three sea-sons as crew chief for Stew-art, Grubb has helped lead the team to 11 victories, while amassing 33 top-five and 59 top-ten finishes over that time.

Prior to joining Stewart-Haas Racing, Grubb gained previous crew chief experi-ence while with Hendrick Motorsports. He was crew chief to Casey Mears in 2007, helping to lead the driver to his first Sprint Cup Series career victory with a win that season in the Coca-Cola 600.

Content courtesy Joe Gibbs Racing

Grubb joins Hamlin's team as crew chief

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McLean last Tuesday.Both Lane and Williams

(a transfer from Thomas Dale) are juniors and both are receiving interest from a variety of Division I col-lege programs. They’re also friendly rivals who grew up playing against each other in AAU and the Central District before making their way to the local private school ranks.

“Rodney is my boy. I love playing against him,” Lane said.

Statistically, their match-up Friday was basically a tie. Williams outscored Lane 21-20, while Lane hauled down 13 rebounds to eight for Williams.

But as Lane was quick to point out, it wasn’t a one-on-one game and his team won the only statistic that mattered: the scoreboard.

“Coach says the toughest team always wins and that’s what happened tonight,” Lane added. “We’re a team. We have no egos and we always stick together, no matter what.”

The Titans’ resolve was tested when Williams ex-ploded for five quick points – including a highlight-reel baseline drive and dunk – in a 7-0 run that gave St. Christopher’s a 48-40 lead with less than five minutes left in the game.

But Lane, who had struggled with his shot against the Saints’ aggres-sive double-team defense in the first half, answered with seven points of his own – including a jumper over Williams that swished and drew Trinity within 52-49 with 1:09 on the clock.

The Titans tied it with a Burston free throw and Lane’s one-handed dunk, then turned to another new weapon in overtime.

Freshman guard Josh Brown, who won the McLean game with a 3-pointer at the buzzer, answered Johnson’s opening trey with a pretty floater before coolly burying his own 3-pointer from the left corner to give Trinity a 57-55 lead..

Williams tied it with a basket, but Jaylen Hinton made it 59-57 with an acro-batic spinning drive and the Titans never trailed again.

St. Christopher’s strug-gles at the free-throw line loomed large in the extra session. The Saints made only 16 of 34 for the game – Williams was 5 for 14 – and while Trinity wasn’t that much better (14 for 24), the Titans made four straight in the final minute to seal the victory.

“I was surprised because he usually makes his free throws,” Burston said of Williams. “We got lucky that he missed some tonight.”

Unlike most coaches, Hamlin doesn’t dedicate a portion of every practice to free throw shooting, but he suggested there was more than luck at play when his players stepped to the line during overtime.

“We have clutch players who are winners,” he said. “I know when it counts, they’ll knock it down.”

PHOTOS BY JIM MCCONNELLTrinity's Torey Burston scored over St. Christopher's Jermaine Johnson (top), then played tough defense against Johnson (bottom) to help send the game into overtime.

titAns from p7

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