If you stop in at the YMCA's Wiley Child Development Center during the day you will catch the preschool children learning letters, the toddlers pointing out shapes and colors, the babies enjoying music. There are always smiles, on the staff as well as the children, and everyone truly seems to be enjoying their day. Walk down to the pool area and you will catch local 2nd graders learning to swim, 3 times a week. In the early morning energetic ladies work their way to better health in the water aerobics class. Visiting the main building of the Northern Neck Family YMCA at various times during the day and evening will give you a glimpse of the diversity of both activities offered as well as the cliental served. These may include early morning workouts by those who will head to work directly from the Y and then later, the senior specialties class is enjoyed by our golden age citizens who enjoy living healthy. Retired gentlemen warm up the racquetball courts in the early afternoon for those who will come after work. After school is the time for moms grabbing a quick exercise class before heading home for family time, while primary and middle school students, well supervised and challenged, are doing homework, making friends, and having the chance to just be kids in the afterschool program. In the summer many of these same children will participate in summer day camp, allowing their parents, who have to work, peace of mind knowing their children are safe and having fun making memories.

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The Westmoreland County Museum now has on sale Cassandra Burton’s books documenting the Westmoreland County history of African Americans. Burton’s first book, African-American Education in Westmoreland County, is a wonderful collection of photos and stories celebrating the schools, educators, and students who contributed to the education of black Americans since 1870. In her acknowledgement Burton says she hopes “the children of yesterday, today, and tomorrow of all races treasure the education they receive.”

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One of the most popular clubs at Christchurch School this year is the CCS Sustainability Task Force, which formed this fall under the guidance of Mr. Will Smiley, the school's Environmental Stewardship Coordinator.

In keeping with the mission of school, it is the belief of the Sustainability Task Force that sustainability can become and remain part of the integral fabric of the school’s operations. The group promotes sustainability (development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs) daily through education and by recycling, re-using and reducing school products.

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Recently Local Accent staff had a chance to visit with members of the casts of two plays set to open locally this month: The Westmoreland Players’ staging of Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple and the Lancaster Players’ production of Jack Sharkey’s The Murder Room. The lively discussions that provided material for the story posted on our PLAY page were conducted at some of these groups’ final rehearsals. We thought readers may be interested in seeing what goes on behind the scenes before the curtain rises on Opening Night.


Signage in front of The Westmoreland Players Playhouse outside Callao


Lancaster Players Playhouse, Whitestone

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The second installment of Rappahannock Westminster-Canterbury’s Viewpoints series will be held on Monday, March 1. White Stone resident Sue Anne Bangel is organizing a presentation on “The Dogs of War,” canines who have worked beside members of the United States armed forces for nearly a century.

Bangel, a member of the Northern Neck Kennel Club, became interested in the fate of these working dogs some time ago. She points out that, although the K-9 Corps was officially organized in 1942, dogs have been used by the military since the First World War. “These dogs have served our country admirably for nearly a century,” she says. “We want everyone to realize what an important contribution they’ve made to the country, and how many are continuing to serve.”

MPO Jeffrey Wright and Havoc, Newport News Police Department

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