LIONHEART RESORTS in BUCKINGHAM, VA OFFERING SOMETHING FOR ALL!

by Dan Curran

Long-held dreams are becoming reality with the opening of Lionheart Resorts, a 260-acre multiple activity property in Buckingham County.

Located off Rt. 60 and Jct 628 at High Rock Rd. near Cumberland County, Lionheart is now offering (or will soon) fine dining, a conference center and recreation opportunities for many. Embers, their new restaurant, will offer a variety of delicious food, a chef table, and hot-rock cooking, followed by a chance to dance the night away in Embers nightclub.
Recreational activities include a 3-acre lake with white sand beaches, cabins, camping, sports fields, walking trails, equine facilities and mountain bike rentals. A zip line course will follow shortly with plans for a golf range in the near future. The Executive Chef has already joined the team at Lionheart and accommodations are readying for guests. The event and conference center, along with the beautiful serene environment, make it an excellent location for weddings, special events and retreats.

With the support of the Buckingham County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors, permitting was approved for Phase I of Lionheart’s five-year plan, including two restaurants, 100 RV sites and 100 staged camping sites.
Part of the property was formally the home of what was known as the New Dominion School for Boys, which closed a few years ago.

Regionally speaking, Lionheart is conveniently located only about one hour from the metro areas of Charlottesville, Lynchburg and Richmond.

The stated mission of owners Richard and Christina Kingswell is to…”Come for a Meal…Stay for a Week.” Richard and Christina’s expertise include many years of experience in the field of social work with adolescents, children and family. This has included owning and operating diagnostic group homes in Richmond, providing mental health services, and currently offering Treatment foster care for children through Extra Special Parents in Virginia. Richard Kingswell was born and raised in England and achieved the ranking of ‘Queen Scout’, which is the U.S. equivalent of ‘Eagle Scout’. It had always been his dream to establish a boy’s summer camp in the United States after volunteering at a Boy Scout camp. Christina was born in California and served with the US Air Force before moving to the east coast where Richard and Christina met. They discovered this beautiful piece of property for sale in the summer of 2010, and after purchasing it realized the site had much more to offer the community.

The Kingswell’s are excited about what this project means to Buckingham County and surrounding neighbors. Future plans will evolve with many more exciting and interesting venues, activities and amenities. With the continued positive support of the community, the Kingswell’s see employment opportunities in the near future for over 100 new jobs to the local community. There will be memories created here, sure to last a lifetime! The Kingswell’s would love you to follow them on Facebook for the most up to date information.

MARIE SWEENEY & REV. JIMMY DUNN HONORED AT 2013 BUCKINGHAM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ANNUAL AWARDS DINNER

The Buckingham Chamber of Commerce, in 2003, began honoring county residents who have unselfishly contributed their time and talents to the greater community.

At the annual Chamber dinner each January, two awards are presented, the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Volunteer of the Year awards.

If you know of someone deserving of either of the awards below, please send your letter to the Buckingham Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 951, Dillwyn VA 23936.

Nomination Letter of Marie Sweeney As Volunteer of the Year

Marie is a seemingly tireless volunteer in many civic organizations but I will speak for the selfless devotion and hours that she pours into the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the continuation of our mission. I have had the privilege of knowing and working with Marie for the four years that I have been associated with the VFW Post 8446. Marie recruited me for the VFW after a few years of vigilant “bulldogging” which is a great segue to my first point of merit. Marie is the lead recruiter for our post, at any giving time she carries membership applications in her purse so as to always have one at hand, no matter where it may be as soon as a veteran identifies themselves to her the next question she has is “Are you a member of the VFW?” and out comes the membership application. Because of Marie’s efforts in this area we have exceeded our membership obligations for the past 5 years, an honor among all VFW posts.

Marie currently serves as Commander of Post 8446; she held this position a few years ago as the first female commander in post history, she declined re-election due to other obligations for one term, but of course remained vigilant in her other assumed duties at the post. Due to the untimely parting of our Post Commander, comrade and friend, John Marshall Harris, the position needed to be filled. Marie naturally volunteered in a time of need and was elected, unanimously, as Post Commander, once again.

The majority of our Post’s income and operating capital is generated through the rental of the Buckingham Veterans Memorial Hall, once again Marie gets all the credit for this program. She has taken charge of the program and through her efforts has created a truly viable and reliable source of income. Marie takes the reservations, meets the renter at the hall to go over the rules, the rental agreement and hand off the keys the night before each rental. After the rental Marie goes back to the hall to collect the keys, tidy up for the next renter and inspect the post for damage, most often this occurs twice a weekend. Due to her efforts the post is booked every weekend, and some weekdays throughout the year and months in advance. No other member has ever been so dedicated to this program and its success.

Every month Marie personally calls each of our 67 members to remind them of our monthly meeting and breakfast, she also takes this time to talk with each member about their well being and the well being of their families. She reports at each meeting on the status of members that need our prayer or assistance. She continues this service diligently and it is greatly appreciated by all. As commander, her duties go beyond the conduction of meetings. Marie goes above and beyond the duties of the billet performing each task with dedication and pride. She conducts speeches at Memorial Day, the 4th of July and any other patriotic events at which she may be asked to speak. She regularly visits our members that may be in assisted living facilities or the hospital. She attends JROTC and Scouting events. Marie completes all these tasks while working, running a household and seeing to her numerous family obligations. She is also an active member in other civic groups such groups as the Buckingham Active Seniors and the Friends of the Library. I can think of no one more deserving of the title Volunteer of the Year than my Commander, comrade and friend Marie F. Sweeney.

Respectfully Submitted;

George B. Stish Quartermaster / Adjutant Post 8446 and Fire Marshall Toga Volunteer Fire Department

Nomination Letter of Rev. Jimmy Dunn For Lifetime Achievement Award

submitted by Gwynn Tyler

“Hey How you doing”? Have you heard those words before? The first time I heard them was back in 1977. Phyllis and I had recently moved to Buckingham. One Saturday afternoon there was a knock at the door. I looked out and there was this young guy standing there. I opened the door and he said, “hey how you doing, my name is Jimmy Dunn. I’m the pastor at Maysville Baptist Church.” He was out visiting and stopped by to invite us to church.

We hadn’t joined a church yet so we checked out Maysville Baptist and eventually joined a few months later. It didn’t take long to realize that Jimmy was a caring pastor who was sincere in his faith, faithful to his family, and someone who had a heart for missions.

When I think of Jimmy Dunn, I think of visitation and missions. Most of you know how dedicated he is to visit church members, friends, and members of the community when they are sick or in the hospital. He visits the bereaved and ministers to those who are hurting in other ways.

Jimmy is often seen out in the community supporting young people at ball games, or participating in fund raising events. He is just one of those folks who likes to be with people. Over his many years of ministry, Jimmy has had a positive influence on people in his churches and community. Whether it was in Halifax County or Drakes Branch, Buckingham or the Northern Neck, people love and respect Jimmy as a minister who genuinely cares about them.

Jimmy has always had a love for mission work. He taught about missionaries in church, promoted mission work in the community and in other parts of the world. He also participated in mission projects himself, both here and abroad.

One program in our church involved leading young boys and teaching them about missions. Jimmy would often take the group out into the community to help elderly folks and widow ladies with yard work. Sometimes he would take them out Christmas caroling. He taught them about working together to help others while learning about the things of God. He also took them to ball games and did other things to help them not only to have fun, but also to learn about fellowship with each other.

One of those boys went on to be a college professor, one is a pastor, and others have become successful businessmen. I am confident that Jimmy’s influence played an important role in their lives.

Back in the early 1980’s Jimmy’s love for mission work took on a new role. A member of a former church was looking for volunteers to do short term mission work in Honduras. Jimmy jumped at the chance to go and helped pull together a group of other men from Buckingham to go as well. On the first trip they built classrooms at a church so they could have Bible study. The next year they helped build a new church.

For the past 30 years, Jimmy’s enthusiasm helped to spark mission teams and individuals from the James River Baptist Association to go and participate in mission projects from Boston Massachusetts, to Slidell MS, to Mexico, to Panama, to Argentina, numerous trips to Honduras, to the Indian reservation in South Dakota, and right here in Buckingham County.
Members of these teams have ministered to those affected by disaster, helped those who were sick, assisted with the construction of over a dozen churches, helped build a medical clinic, and helped meet the needs of those who are less fortunate than we are who live in poverty. While these projects were being done, the love of Jesus was being shared.
When Jimmy left Buckingham to go to the Northern Neck, he got involved with the local Hispanic ministry. When he returned here, he helped to get a Hispanic ministry going in our area to help the local Hispanics adjust to life here and to help them to feel at home.

Jimmy isn’t a block layer or a doctor. He can’t speak much Spanish, although he tries to make up a few words that occasionally get him in trouble. I don’t think he can operate a sewing machine or do much carpentry work. But you don’t need to do those things when you can surround yourself with people who can.

When you have a vision, a heart for missions, the ability to work with people, the support of your family and your church, along with a strong faith in God a lot of good things can happen. Jimmy has all of these things. As a result, over the years, his influence and leadership have resulted in a lot of good work being done both here in the States as well as overseas.
Because of his influence and his legacy, it is my privilege to recognize my friend Reverend Jimmy Dunn as the recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Thank you Jimmy for all you have done in the past, all you will continue to do, and all that you mean to each of us.

DONATIONS SOUTH FOR HERITAGE HALL PATIENT AID FUND

Heritage Hall-Dillwyn, located at 119 Brickyard Drive, is a 60-bed facility that allows the staff to work closely with residents and families. They have a hometown connection that maintains a high standard of excellence and a heritage of quality and commitment to the residents. Physical, occupational, and speech therapies are offered for individuals needing rehabilitative services. Residents renew their skills while being helped to attain their highest level of functioning. Both short-term and long term care are provided. State-of-the-art health care services include daily rehabilitative services, specialized wound care, and safety training in the home.

Most of the residents are long-term care and the facility has established a Patient Aide Fund to help accommodate activities and personal needs. The fund is used to purchase meals for residents that go on monthly trips. These trips enable the residents to interact with others and have an opportunity to be out in the community. In the past the residents have been to restaurants, bowling, the apple orchard and other places. The fund is also used to purchase personal items that a resident and/or their family are not able to purchase. For example, funds were used to purchase a wig for a resident who had lost most of her hair. The wig gave her self confidence and she started to socialize with others.

Donations can be made to the Heritage Hall- Dillwyn Patient Aid Fund in honor or in memory of a Resident.

Please feel free to contact Heritage Hall at (434)983-2058, come by for a tour, or visit their website at www.ahc.cc.

ANNUAL EVENTS IN BUCKINGHAM COUNTY

Historic Buckingham, Inc invites you to: Annual Spring Meeting
April 29th 2:30pm at Rocky Mt. Church. Speaker: David Spears, Geologist State of Va.

Annual Fall Meeting
September 20 5:30pm at Historic Village

Do You Know of a Club or Organization That Should Be Listed Here? If So, Please Contact the Buckingham Chamber of Commerce at 983-2372

The new, 15,150 sq. ft. county administration building is almost complete, and will house the Board of Supervisor’s meeting room, Treasurer’s office, Commissioner of Revenues office, Administration staff and support space, Animal Control, Recreation Department, Technology Department,

Solid Waste, Zoning and Building Inspection, public restrooms and a mechanical room. This represents a gain of about 4,000 sq. ft. from the “old” location.

The County staff will be moving into their new headquarters later this year. Upon relocation to the new building, renovation of the existing building, which was built in 1984, will take place. This will provide more space to be available for the existing VA Dept. of Health, Social Services and Voters Registrar. The Social Services and Health Department will rent the space from the County, thus providing income for payment on the Facilities.

According to County officials, “the new and renovated spaces will give residents more personable, flexible, and comfortable atmosphere to conduct business with staff.” It will also take care of public “flow” problems, fire protection concerns, assurance of adhering to the HIPA regulations, and provide sufficient space for confidential interviews and public health records for the Health Department and for the Social Services. The total price tag, for new building, renovations and all associated costs, is about $5.6 million.

The Buckingham Chamber of Commerce, in 2003, began honoring county residents who have unselfishly contributed their time and talents to the greater community.

At the annual Chamber dinner each January, two awards are presented, the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Volunteer of the Year awards.

If you know of someone deserving of either of the awards below, please send your letter to the Buckingham Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 951, Dillwyn VA 23936

NOMINATION LETTER OF WILBERT DEAN FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

by Hank Hagenau

I am nominating Mr. Wilbert M. Dean for the Lifetime Achievement Award, for bringing Buckingham Training School back from a vague, distant memory to a new reality. Ellis Acres Memorial Park is more than just a place for fun and recreation. It is also a valued asset to the community and unique piece of history.

Ellis Acres Memorial Park was once the site of the Buckingham Training School, a place on the edge of town most people in Dillwyn or Buckingham County had no knowledge of until just recently. It was just a trash dump, but this trash dump was once the site of the Buckingham Training School and later the Stephen J. Ellis Elementary School. Now is has been brought back to life again to serve future generations as it did before.

Mr. Dean did not do this by himself. It has taken many people from Dillwyn, Buckingham County and even from across Virginia. Young and old alike have worked hard to accomplish this dream. But without Mr. Wilbert Dean’s vision, drive and energy, I believe that Ellis Acres Memorial Park would not have happened. Whatever else Mr. Dean has accomplished in his lifetime, I believe this achievement, Ellis Acres Memorial Park, should stand at the top of that list of accomplishments.

Julius Rosenwald and Stephen J. Ellis are names important to the history of the Buckingham Training School. Wilbert M. Dean’s name should be added to that list. Therefore, I take great pride in nominating Mr. Wilbert M. Dean for the Buckingham Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award.

NOMINATION LETTER FOR MARY STEARRETT AS VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

by Sue Miles

If you attended Buckingham County High School anytime in the past 33 years, then you, like thousands (I estimate over 16,000) have been impacted by the dedication of Mary Stearrett. Her long time involvement as sponsor of the school’s Student Council Association (SCA) and the activities put on by its student members has impacted generations of people while creating future leaders of our society.

Over the past 33 years, as sponsor of the SCA, Mary has trained and influenced over 2300 students who served as the organization’s members. She has worked to teach future leaders of our county, state, and country by being the adult sponsor of 660 students who, over the years, served on the school’s SCA Executive Board. Many of those board members have also served at the state level of SCA and some, the national level. The principles of SCA develop students

into leaders. These students learn about the democratic system while assisting in the running of the school. Mary’s sponsorship of this important school organization and her influence on the members has produced lawyers, doctors, engineers, teachers, soldiers and public service workers who now run our county, state, and country.

Mary’s leadership has taught students to understand the value of giving to others as she teaches SCA members to consider those in need. She has been instrumental in canned food drives, stews, sports tournaments, motorcycle runs, and other fundraising projects for individuals and families in need. Her famous December penny roll project has resulted in over $25,000.00 being raised during her tenure; money that has bought much needed food, clothing, and toys for needy family in the county. Her insistence that her SCA members participate in community service has resulted in teenagers learning the value of giving to others. Those teens have become adults who continue that practice of giving. Mary has taken her future leaders on 30 regional conferences, 33 state conferences, and 10 national. That in itself is a sacrifice; think about chaperoning a group of teenagers requiring a one or two night overnight stay in a hotel. That takes dedication, belief in young people, patience, and whole lot of duct tape to put on the doors. Because of this dedication to the youth who become our future leaders, Mary has been recognized as Virginia SCA Advisor of the Year for two years, and a Region 3 national SCA Advisor of the Year.

Now, let’s talk about football and basketball games, homecoming ceremonies and homecoming dances. For many, some of their best memories of high school are attending such events. For over 33 years, Mary Stearrett has been the person, with her SCA students, who has made the dances and ceremonies a part of our high school memories. If you were ever hungry and wanted a hot dog or some hot chocolate at a game, Mary and her SCA students were running the concession stand. If you or your grandchild were part of the homecoming program, Mary and her SCA students were responsible for organizing the homecoming court ceremonies and setting up those wonderful homecoming dances. Personally, I believe that we, all of us, take for granted that all of these events and services will just take place; we rarely think about who is in the background making it happen. Mary is. And over the past 33 years everything that has been mentioned above has provided thousands of people wonderful memories of a special time in school.

But, Mary doesn’t stop with school activities. She has coached in the youth league, served as secretary of of the Buckingham County Youth League for years, and is a member of the Dillwyn Ladies Auxiliary. She is also a member of the First Baptist Church where she is a choir member and a member of their Helping Hands Committee. She serves as treasurer of Delta Kappa Gamma, serves on the Virginia Council of teachers of Mathematics, has been math department chair for 30 years, serves on the school’s scholarship committee, and has been n the Virginia SCA Advisory Committee for 31 years. This lady does not know how to say no.

What needs to be noted about this incredible lady and the strength and courage she has is a personal issue that impacted her life last year. Mary’s daughter, Krissy, who teaches at the high school, learned that she had Non Hotchkins Burkitts Lymphoma the summer of 2010. For 12 months, Krissy went through many medical procedures, including a long and very difficult series of chemotherapy. It was a very emotional and trying time for Mary and for anyone who loves Krissy and her family. Throughout this difficult time, Mary continued to teach and lead the SCA members in their service to the school, while she served in her best role-as a caring mother to a daughter who needed her very badly. The story has ended well as Krissy is cancer-free and Mary continues to do what she does best; serve the children and citizens of Buckingham County. She is an amazing woman who just gives and gives and gives. She, indeed, represents the best that Buckingham has to offer. She is a true Volunteer of the Year.

If time and logistics (allow), I feel certain I could produce literally hundreds of letters of support for the nomination of Mary Stearrett. She is loved and respected by many. I ask that you accept the four attached letters of support for this nomination. As former principal, Claude Morris, so aptly said, Mary Stearrett has had “a positive influence on many individuals that are now the backbone of our community.”

She is indeed an exceptional lady and worthy of recognition!

Some Events of the 1800s

Buckingham County turns 250 years old this year and Historic Buckingham, Inc. and the County of Buckingham have gone together to form a committee to plan for some proper celebrations. Our kick off will be Saturday, April 2nd at 2pm in the Courthouse Square complete with cake and punch! There will be music of all kinds, re-enactors in costume, and much more ! Two gentlemen of the period, Peter Francisco and Patrick Henry, are coming by horse and buggy to the event. Don’t miss it.

Of course the main event will be “Buckingham County Day” on May 14th. Coordination with The Lions Club on floats and period exhibits will make for an extra special day for all! Everyone will be encouraged to use the 250th anniversary theme.

Some other events are in the planning stage. The committee also has produced a nice assortment of souvenirs including a coffee mug , a garden flag, tiles and t-shirts.

Note: The area that is Buckingham County was originally part of the huge county of Henrico, later to be part of Albemarle and in 1761 becoming officially Buckingham County. Henrico celebrates its 400th birthday this year !

Ellis Acres Memorial Park, Inc., 245 Camden Street in Dillwyn, is converting the abandoned Buckingham Training School 9 ¼ Acre Campus into a modern community park to accommodate all family members of every age. The construction and conversion process is in progress. The history of the campus is being included in its design and offers educational as well as fitness opportunities for visitors. Currently some sections of the park are available for public use. The public is invited to utilize its picnic area, walking/jogging trail, view historic remnants of the training school [1923-1954], and participate in scheduled annual events which include Earth Day Celebration, QuickStart Tennis Summer Sessions, Fellowship and Goodwill Picnics, Motorcycles Rides, Fall Harvest Fest Activities and Christmas Tree Lighting. Come – Enjoy – Relax! The park is on the Civil Rights in Education Heritage Trail. Official opening is scheduled for November 11, 2011 for operation during daylight hours. For more information, please contact wilbertmdean@aol.com , or call (434) 547-4900. Tax deductible contributions may be mailed to Ellis Acres Memorial Park, Inc., P. O. Box 363, Dillwyn, VA 23396.