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Congratulations to VersAbility Resources and Raising Record Funds at 2019 Annual Gala

Congratulations to our friends at VersAbility Resources, who announced this month that their 2019 Annual VersAbility Resources Gala, presented by Old Point National Bank, raised $92,800, a record for the organization’s signature fundraiser. 

“We envision a world where people with disabilities enjoy dignified, productive lives of their choosing as fully accepted members of society,” said Kasia Grzelkowski, President and CEO. “Thanks to the generosity of our community and partners, we have even more resources to help people with disabilities live a life without limitation, and to help people with all abilities shine.” 

Success of the annual gala, held Oct. 11, 2019 at the Marriott in City Center, came thanks to sponsors, ticket sales, a silent auction and attendees moved to support the mission with donations after hearing more about the lives of people served during the event. 

“Through quality employment, day support, housing, and early intervention services, we build fulfilled lives for people with disabilities throughout Hampton Roads and beyond,” Grzelkowski said. 

In 2018, VersAbility Resources served over 1,700 people with disabilities of all ages, supporting them in leading lives of purpose and belonging. VersAbility’s employment programs are broad and diverse, including loading food on Navy ships and connecting calls for the Air Force around the globe. 

“People with disabilities are ready, willing, and able to work,” Grzelkowski said. 

VersAbility Resources’ Transition to Work program helps students with disabilities develop the hard and soft skills that allow them to successfully transition from the special education classroom to successful employment. 

The largest group served by VersAbility Resources are infants and toddlers with disabilities who need tailored therapies to reach their full potential, with early intervention services for over 1,000 children and their families in 2018. 

“Each person with a disability has their own story,” said Scott Rawles, Chief Marketing and Development Officer for VersAbility Resources. “Thanks to the generosity of so many, we can reach more and develop new services to meet emerging needs.” 

About VersAbility Resources 

VersAbility Resources has been supporting people with disabilities for over 65 years. We are a nonprofit serving over 1,700 people with disabilities of all ages with Early Childhood, Student Services, Day Support, Housing, and four diverse Employment Programs. Learn more about VersAbility Resources at versability.org.

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A Colonial Christmas Celebration at the Inn at Warner Hall

The Ware River Circle of the King’s Daughters and Sons will host their 30th annual Christmas Open House – A Colonial Christmas Celebration – at the Inn at Warner Hall on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019.

The event benefits the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, local KDS charities and the Ronald McDonald House. Tickets are $30 each and guests can choose to visit the historic property during one of four sessions (noon to 1 p.m., 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., 3 to 4 p.m., or 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.).

Learn more about the property, and purchase tickets online, at warnerhall.com. For more information, please call 804-815-0961. Tickets are also available on Gloucester Main Street at Angelwing Stationers or The Silver Box, in Ware Neck at Nuttall’s Store, or at Gloucester Point at Little England Mercantile.

This historic colonial-themed home tour will include special visits from period costumed re-enactors welcoming guests throughout Warner Hall, Santa himself, colonial-style floral décor and colonial food offerings.

Warner Hall, an active bed and breakfast, is the home of Troy and Theresa Stavens.

Ideally situated at the head of the Severn River in Gloucester County, the manor house at Warner Hall stands on a neck of land that has been occupied and built upon continually from the mid-17th century.

Referred to as “Austin’s Desire” in the 1642-land patent, the original 600-acre plantation site was established by Augustine Warner as a “land grant” from the British Crown. Augustine Warner received the acreage in exchange for bringing 12 settlers across the Atlantic Ocean to the Jamestown Settlement, a colony desperately in need of manpower to survive in the New World.

The two families associated with the property from this early period until well into the 19th century, the Warners and the Lewises, were among the most prominent families in Colonial Virginia. Over the years, Warner Hall Plantation thrived, as did the descendants of Augustine Warner.

Some of the most recognized names in American history are direct descendants of Augustine Warner – George Washington, the first president of the United States, Robert E. Lee, the most famous Civil War General and Captain Meriwether Lewis, renowned American explorer of the Lewis & Clark expedition. George Washington was a frequent visitor to his grandparent’s plantation.

Queen Elizabeth II, the current monarch of England, is a direct descendent of Augustine Warner through the Bowes-Lyon family and the Earl of Strathmore. In England, Warner Hall is referred to as “the home of the Queen’s American ancestors.”

Warner Hall is also significant for the part it played in the drama of Bacon’s rebellion, one of the most important events in early Virginia history. After leading a 1676 rebellion against the British governor and burning Jamestown, Bacon retreated to Warner Hall Plantation. At the time, Augustine Warner II, who was Speaker of the House of Burgesses and a member of the King’s Council, was in residence and very likely agitated that his plantation was taken over by opponents of the Crown.

Today, Warner Hall consists of a Colonial Revival manor house (circa 1900) which was rebuilt on the earlier 17th and 18th century foundation. Like the previous structures at Warner Hall, all of which indicated the prominence of their owners, the Colonial Revival core is a grand architectural gesture. The original 17th century west wing dependency (the plantation schoolroom and tutor’s quarters) has been completely restored and offers a rare glimpse into the past. Historic outbuildings include 18th century brick stables, a dairy barn and smokehouse. The Warner-Lewis family graveyard offers a remarkable collection of 17th and 18th century tombstones.

The Stavens began the restoration of Warner Hall in 1999.

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VersAbility Resources Breaks Fundraising Record at Annual Golf Tournament

VersAbility Resources has been serving people with disabilities and their families each year for over sixty-five years. Recently, the annual Ability Am Golf Tournament raised a record-breaking $95,000 to benefit VersAbility Resources.

“The funds raised through the Ability Am are a vital part of supporting our Employment Services program. Without the job training and support we provide, including medication and behavioral management, most of the individuals in this program would remain at home without work. That is what makes the Ability Am, more than just a golf tournament. It’s a day to come together for the purpose of creating a lasting impact in our community,” said Josi Washington, Marketing Specialist for VersAbility Resources.

Proceeds from the event supports VersAbility’s On-Site Employment program benefitting over 150 people with disabilities, including seventeen individuals who have zero funding for employment support. In addition, the On-Site Employment program helps individuals with disabilities receive the support they need to thrive within the workplace.

Be sure to save the date for VersAbility Resources’ 13th Annual Gala to be held on October 11, 2019 from 6-10 pm at the Marriott City Center in Newport News. This year’s event will focus on the Transition to Work program and will feature a special guest. Tickets and sponsorships are available now at versability.org.

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Downtown Fit, Free Community Fitness Program, Returns to Gloucester Main Street for 2019 Season

Connecting community through fitness. That’s the mission of the popular Downtown Fit program, which returns to Gloucester Main Street for the 2019 season on June 10 with the first in a series of group fitness classes, collaborations with a local brewpub and other special events for the community that run through the fall.

Presented by the Gloucester Main Street Preservation Trust and Riverside Health System, Downtown Fit sessions are taught by local instructors volunteering their time, and typically take place in the evening on the grassy field near the gazebo by the Gloucester Courthouse Circle at the intersection of Heron Cove Way and Main Street.

Most sessions are free, and offer local residents a valuable opportunity to become more physically fit in a comfortable group setting using the latest fitness tools and techniques. Sessions include group workout and endurance activities such as INSANITY, PiYo, sandbells, Tai Chi, yoga, Zumba and more.

Certain event-based activities include a nominal fee, such as the new Bootcamp & Brews and Pints & Poses sessions that will be hosted at Gloucester Brewing Company. A $10 per-person fee, which includes the participant’s first pint, will be collected on site for those events.

Organizers and local residents are excited about the return of the Downtown Fit program, which enjoyed a highly successful inaugural campaign in 2018.

“We were delighted by the enthusiastic response from the community during the first year of Downtown Fit, with so many people taking advantage of the value of this unique program,” said Jenny Crittenden, Executive Director of the Gloucester Main Street Preservation Trust. “Based on that excitement and community engagement, we have an even more impressive slate of events set up for this summer’s program – combining fitness and fun in entirely new ways.”

Fitness partners of the program include Riverside Walter Reed Hospital, Riverside Wellness & Fitness Center – Middle Peninsula, Gloucester Parks, Recreation & Tourism, Gloucester Family YMCA, Pivot Performance Gloucester, Anytime Fitness (Hayes, Va.) and Bethany Zoll, yoga teacher.

The full Downtown Fit event calendar, participant liability form and other details are available online at getdowntownfit.com.

Participants can also follow @getdowntownfit on Facebook and Instagram.

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Gloucester Arts Festival Returns June 2019

It’s here! It’s finally here - the 2019 Gloucester Arts Festival! 

Presented by the Cook Foundation, the Gloucester Arts Festival returns June 1-30, 2019 for a month-long celebration of the arts that will bring together plein air painting, Seward Johnson painted bronze statues, music, workshops, demonstrations, artist gatherings, mural painting, and community paint events for artists of all experiences and ages.

The 2019 event – which kicks off and culminates with free community concerts – features an artist invitational where more than 20 artists from the mid-Atlantic region will paint ‘en plein air’ at various scenic spots around the county and compete for more than $20,000 in prize money.

Plein air painting gained favor with the French impressionists as they took their canvases out of the studio to paint outside (‘en plein air) in order to capture the effects of transient light.

“They sought to create an art of movement, candid poses and composition, emphasizing the natural light and the viewer’s quick study,” said Adrianne Ryder-Cook Joseph of the Cook Foundation. “Not fussy or belabored, plein air painting is increasingly appreciated by today’s collectors and painters, with the number of plein air festivals increasing across the United States.”

The power of art, and plein air painting, helps celebrate “places we all inherently recognize and with which we feel a connection, vistas that revive our senses, both grounding and uplifting us, making our hearts soar with the joy of seeing what we love, as we breathe in deeply,” Joseph said.

An artist’s “fresh eye gently and unpretentiously reminds us to look up from our technological devices and take nourishment from the beautiful world in which we are so fortunate to live.”

The Gloucester Arts Festival has secured Kenn Erroll Backhaus, a Master Level Artist in both the Oil Painters of America and the American Impressionist Society, as judge and juror of the plein air painting event. He is a member and past President of the Plein Air Painters of America, the oldest and most prestigious plein air organization in the country, and has regularly judged national-level shows.

Just like in its first year, the Gloucester Arts Festival committee anticipates the contemporary plein air artists to capture the beauty of life along the rivers, fields and communities in Gloucester. Artwork will be displayed at Arts on Main and will become a part of the Heart of the River collection that was started in 2017, the first year of the festival.

More than 5,000 people are expected to attend the festival throughout the month.

Plan to be among them by mapping out your festival itinerary.

GLOUCESTER ARTS FESTIVAL EVENT LINE UP

Symphony Under the Stars Free Family Concert & Nocturne Paint Out

Saturday, June 1

For the 13th year, and its third time as part of the Gloucester Arts Festival, the Cook Foundation will present the Symphony Under the Stars, a free family concert on Main Street featuring the Virginia Symphony orchestra. Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket, and to arrive early. In the event of forecasted rain, the concert will be held at LightHouse church on George Washington Memorial Highway. Prior to the concert, festival artists will be on site painting in plein air. Paintings from this Nocturne Paint Out will be on display at the Stewart Gallery on Main Street throughout the festival.

Sculptures on Main

Sunday, June 2 through August 2019

Internationally recognized Seward Johnson painted bronze statues will return to Main Street for the community to enjoy.

Plein Air Painting

June 1-6

Plein air painting will take place at various scenic locations throughout Gloucester. There will be two public opportunities for the community to engage with the artists.

Meet the Artists Dinner

June 4

In this ticketed event held at Brent & Becky’s Bulbs, attendees can meet the plein air artists and watch them in action.

Painting Demonstrations

June 1, 2 and 8

The community is invited to watch and learn from award-winning artists.

Patrons Party & Gala

June 7

In this ticketed event for art patrons, the Heart of the River 2019 Plein Air Art Collection will be unveiled at Arts on Main.

Paint Main 2.5 & Muralist Painting & Music

June 8

Festival artists and locals will converge on Main Street to paint the downtown ‘en plein air. A muralist – Amy Bartlett Wright from Rhode Island, a native of the Eastern Shore – will continue to paint her commissioned mural on Main Street during this event. The mural will a celebration of the landscape and heritage of the county’s watermen. Soundscapes will perform on Main Street during the event, too.  

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Art Mobile & Chrysler Museum Glass Blowing Exhibit

June 8

VMFA Art Mobile visits Main Street alongside the Chrysler Museum of Art Glass Blowing Exhibit.

Paint Main Reception

June 9

A public reception at the Stewart Gallery on Main Street will showcase the works from festival artists and locals from Paint Main 2.5.

Arts at Abingdon Concert

June 13

Join the Arts at Abingdon Church for a concert with the Kitchen Dwellers.

U.S. Navy Fleet Forces Band Community Concert

June 30

Closing out the festival, the U.S. Navy Fleet Forces Band will perform a free community concert.

Visit GLOUCESTER ARTS FESTIVAL online here to get all the details about each of these events. 

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Luxury Living & Unique Waterfront from Abbitt Realty

As the spring gives way to summer, chances are you’re thinking about ways to stay cool. Maybe you’re wishing for a soft breeze off the water. Or a pool to dive right in. 

Our friends at Abbitt Realty recently shared two beautiful homes they’ve listed that have just that - luxury living with a pool and unique waterfront breezes. 

Read on below for details about these stunning homes for sale. Be sure to tell them Scout sent you when you inquire. 

Dare Road in York County, Virginia

Luxury living is waiting for you at this contemporary victorian custom built home, situated back from the main road and providing great privacy. 

Fall in love with the grand vaulted entrance complete with custom ceiling and curved staircase. 

A first floor features a spacious master bedroom suite or in-law suite with an attached master bathroom and walk-in closet. 

Beautiful hardwood and bamboo floors throughout. 

Outside, find a Trex Transcend wrap-around custom decking in the front and back, as well as upstairs. 

And one of the best parts - an in-ground pool with slide.

View the complete listing here. 

Harvest Lane in Hampton, Virginia 

Looking for a unique waterfront estate? 

This impressive property on Harvest Lane in Hampton, Virginia is available for the first time. 

Set on over two acres of private wooded land, this waterfront piece is a rare find. 

The main house is over 3,000-square-feet and has three bedrooms and three full baths. 

The location in the protected "Salt Ponds" offers deep-water safe harbor and convenient access to the Chesapeake Bay. 

Mature magnolias, tall pines and azaleas accent this private oasis. View the complete listing here. 

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Gloucester Arts Festival to Feature 10 Seward Johnson Sculptures

Community invited to unveiling event on Sunday, June 2, 2019.

Familiar faces, as part of a famous familiar series, are set to return to Main Street in Gloucester this summer, the Gloucester Arts Festival committee announced this week. 

As part of the annual summer 2019 arts event, iconic Seward Johnson life-size works of art will arrive on Main Street and kick off with a community unveiling celebration on Sunday, June 2 at 12:30 p.m. A total of 10 bronze-cast statues by Johnson will be part of summer-long public art exhibit and the unveiling of each will start at the Gloucester Brewing Company and continue up Main Street, ending at the Court Circle. Attendees are encouraged to arrive at the Gloucester Brewing Company at noon.

Internationally recognized, Johnson started his early career as a painter before turning his talents to the medium of sculpture. More than 450 of Johnson’s life-size cast bronze figures have been featured in private collections and museums in the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia, as well as prominent places in the public realm such as Times Square and Rockefeller Center in New York City, Pacific Place of Hong Kong, Les Halles in Paris, and Via Condotti in Rome.

Johnson initially became widely known for his sculptures depicting people engaged in everyday activities. Johnson’s desire to highlight the mundane in his “Celebrating the Familiar” sculpture series has brought a unique voice to the world of art in public spaces.

The Gloucester Arts Festival, with support from the Cook Foundation, first brought Johnson’s sculptures to Main Street in 2018 – a police officer in front of Olivia’s in the Village, a lawyer in front of the old Coke building and a woman sitting on the bench by the iconic and historic bank.

Once unveiled, the sculptures will remain on Main Street June through August 2019.

To learn more about the Gloucester Arts Festival and the other public art events, visit gloucesterartsfestival.com.

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Calling All Retailers: Merchandising Class Available on Gloucester Main Street May 14, 2019

YOU (whether you are a business on Main Street or a retailer in the region) ARE INVITED to the latest business education session presented by the Gloucester Main Street Preservation Trust in the Gloucester Village. 

Join the Gloucester Main Street Preservation Trust in the Gloucester Main Street Training Room (located in the Main Street Center) on Tuesday, May 14, 2019 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. for “Let’s Get Visual,” a dynamic visual merchandising session led by three very successful and business savvy women – Katelyn Spera, a visual merchandiser, Margie, Johnson, a retail consultant, and Courtney Adkins, a retail trainer.

Their mission: refresh your love for marketing the visual appeal of your store!

Katelyn will help attendees think through how to create the right look, without breaking the bank or busting your budget (helping you look good and keeping your costs low for your customers). She earned her B.S. in Fashion Merchandising and has worked with several national and regional retailers including J. Crew, Anthropologie, and Urban Outfitters. She believes in providing a high impact but low budget approach when it comes to visual merchandising.

Margie’s passion is for  growing businesses no matter their size. With her infectious go get ‘em attitude and enthusiasm for helping people, she inspires and challenges her audience to create personalized solutions that work. Her presentation will motivate you to make exciting changes to your shop that you wouldn’t necessarily think to make on your own.

Courtney’s zeal for helping businesses started after graduating from Old Dominion University with a B.S. in Retail. She worked side by side with Margie for six years and began her own division, Shop Talk II, where she continues to help businesses design and execute a retail plan. She has experience in retail and service industries. Recently, she spoke at the National Main Street Conference in Seattle.

BONUS: while all businesses in the region are invited to attend, Main Street businesses who come will have a chance to win one of these exciting opportunities:

-window display that will be matched up to $150

-same-day visual audit

-complete storefront window makeover.

Please RSVP to 804-695-0700.

Photos by Sara Harris Photography from over the years of Gloucester Village retail shops! 

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Scouted Listings from John Martin: English Country Manor, Contemporary New England, Modern Flare and Custom Built

In the market for a new home? We’ve scouted some incredible Williamsburg listings from John Martin of Shaheen, Ruth, Martin & Fonville.

East Landing

Rare to the market in exclusive Burwell's Landing is this renovated English country manor with modern day finishes and design. A true colonial work of art with extensive moldings, casings, rich mahogany paneling, two spacious master suites downstairs, completely separate guest quarters, remodeled custom kitchen, hardwood floors throughout, eight bedrooms, six full baths, study, tavern room and a private pool overlooking the second hole at the Plantation Course. See the complete listing here.

Cypress Point

This contemporary, New England style house was designed by Williamsburg architect Carlton Abbot and local builder Bob Ripley and is surrounded by wetlands and a 1,000 feet of shoreline on a private 10 acre lot. Beautifully located on a point overlooking the James River and the mouth of the Chickahominy River. The property boasts vaulted ceilings off the foyer and a cozy library with chestnut paneling custom made for over 1000 books. There are windows at every turn and the center anchor of the property is the custom sunroom with exposed beams and floor to ceiling windows. A true masterpiece of a property and one of the best locations in the region for living life on the water, but still being less than an hour from Richmond and 20 minutes from Colonial Williamsburg. See the complete listing here. 

Lake Powell

Want to move into a fully renovated custom home on five acres in the heart of Williamsburg, just passed the Williamsburg Winery? See this complete listing here.  

William Spencer

Rare to the market is this home, located in Spencer's Grant in Kingsmill on the James. This house is perfect for those looking for a newer custom-built home with a master on the first floor with tastefully designed custom kitchen, fixtures and furnishings. The home offers Brazilian cherry floors, two-toned painted cabinets with center island, stone countertops, eat-in bay window, two-story family room with coffered ceilings, master suite with extended ceilings, master bath with custom glass shower, soaking tub and ample walk-in closet space, formal dining room and bonus downstairs study or den. See the complete listing here. 

ABOUT JOHN MARTIN

With nearly two decades of real estate experience, John Martin has proven to be a top broker in the region, with the highest honors in production with over $130,000,000 in sales in the last five years alone.

John has a deep knowledge of Virginia real estate, and he has worked successfully to fill the gap between the Richmond, Williamsburg and Peninsula markets.

He understands properties of all price points, from luxury to waterfront, from Governor’s Land to Goochland, from Henrico to Kingsmill on the James, to Yorktown, Hampton and the historic Fan District of Richmond.

REAL Trends named John to its “Best Realtors in America” list for his yearly sales volume, and he has achieved countless Broker Management accolades for agent production, retention, and management.

John is a proud owner of Shaheen, Ruth, Martin & Fonville Real Estate, and he divides his time between offices in Richmond and Williamsburg.

As a founder and leader in the firm, John is firmly committed to staying on top of technology, marketing, branding, and market knowledge.

He believes character is everything, and that his own professional experience leads to better experiences for his clients and agents.

John is a graduate of Hampton Roads Academy in Newport News and Hampden-Sydney College in Farmville.

He and his wife, Holly, also a licensed Realtor with the firm, live in the City of Richmond with their three amazing children.

Contact John Direct at 804-928-6292 in Richmond or 757-870-2893 in Williamsburg.

See all of his listings here.

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7th Annual Hike for Hospice House Raises more than $81,000 for Hospice House & Support Care of Williamsburg

Congratulations to the Hospice House & Support Care of Williamsburg and their impressive fundraiser that took place just this past weekend! 

The Hospice House & Support Care of Williamsburg raised more than $81,000 at their 7th Annual Hike for Hospice House held at Governor’s Land on Saturday, May 4 - surpassing their impressive goal of $80,000.

With nearly 40 sponsors and approximately 400 walkers, the two-mile walk has grown each year and has become a tradition in which friends and families hike to remember loved ones. 

The kind and giving leadership, staff, volunteers and community members take great pride in caring for people at the end of life, comforting the bereaved and empowering others to do the same. 

“My family will never forget how tenderly you cared for my father and how kindly you adopted his family as yours while he was with you and we with him,” one family wrote about their time with the Hospice House & Support Care of Williamsburg. “Our time with you transformed sadness to peace and paved the way for a gentle parting.”

Relying entirely on the generosity of donors, Hospice House & Support Care of Williamsburg is a 501(c)(3) organization and offers programs and services including respite and end-of-life care in a beautiful residential home setting, respite support for caregivers in their own home, bereavement support, community education for caregivers, equipment lending, and an online lending library of resources.  

Programs and services for individuals and families are always free.  

To learn more about Hospice House and Support Care of Williamsburg, call 757-253-1220 or stop in the first Thursday of each month between noon and 2 p.m. for a tour.  

Pictured above (L to R) Audrey Smith, Executive Director, Mary Kay Dineen, Immediate Past President of HHSCW Board, Stacy Keating, Advancement Director, Jim Lesnick, Board President, Bob Canfield HHSCW Board, Mary Ann Dallas, Hike Chair.

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Oyster Cove Boatworks and Yacht Brokerage Opens New Facility in Gloucester, Virginia

Following nearly two years of planning and construction, Oyster Cove Boatworks and Yacht Brokerage (OCB) opened its expanded storage and showroom facility in Gloucester, Virginia earlier this month.

“We are humbled by the support the boating community has given OCB over the years and couldn’t be more proud to re-invest into our hometown of Gloucester by expanding the services offered, creating new jobs and showcasing just how much potential there is on the Middle Peninsula to do great business,” said OCB owner Chris Leigh.

Located on George Washington Memorial Highway near the Hickory Fork Road intersection in Gloucester, OCB is a full-service boat boutique, offering Intrepid Powerboats, Tidewater, C-Hawk, Cobia and Pathfinder boats, full-service brokerage, and a robust service and parts department with technicians certified on both Mercury and Yamaha outboard engines.

OCB’s expansion included construction of a new, 20,000-square-foot building that houses 24 large storage bays with 14 currently available for lease. Leigh said they opened the new building having already leased many of the units, some with long-term tenants.

The new facilities also include OCB’s new showroom and outboard motor storage.

The original building remains on the property and houses OCB’s parts, service and accounting departments.

Since the building was completed, Leigh said OCB has created at least five new jobs, with more expected to come.

The facility has also attracted new business to Gloucester, he said, including Paint Medic, a high-end auto and boat detailing company formerly based out of Virginia Beach. Paint Medic took out a long-term lease in one of the storage units to house the business.

“They saw the opportunity for growth in the marine industry on the Middle Peninsula and wanted to be a part of that,” Leigh said.

A good portion of the reason the marine industry is growing in the rural coastal Virginia region is because of the elimination of the boat tax by the Gloucester County Board of Supervisors, an effort Leigh helped lead in 2015.

“We live in a region defined by the water, and thanks to the foresight of our elected officials, they saw that eliminating the boat tax would open up recreational mariners to the region and bring economic impact in meaningful ways,” Leigh said.

Construction on the OCB expansion began in June 2018, with work behind the scenes commencing in late 2017. C.A. Barrs completed the site work and Delaware Corporation constructed the building.

“I can’t thank Gloucester County officials enough for helping us through this entire process,” Leigh said. “From helping navigate the permitting regulations required in our coastal region for expansion, to the Gloucester Economic Development Authority providing us grants to support our expansion, we’ve seen the full support of what our local and regional government offers to help us improve the economic health of our region.”

Leigh, born and raised in Gloucester, said he appreciates that any expansion of a business in the county directly impacts the services provided to residents, including job opportunities, tax base and support to community programming.

“It was never a question for us on where to locate and expand our business,” Leigh said. “I’ve seen plenty of big boat dealerships in Florida located on the side of the interstate. You don’t have to be in a marina to be able to bring that level of service and opportunity to mariners and a community.”  

Leigh, a 1998 graduate of Gloucester High School, started working at the dealership, then called Rivercraft Marine, as a kid in 1996 washing boats. He earned his college degree at Christopher Newport University in 2003, then worked at Bluewater Yacht Sales until coming back to Gloucester to rent and ultimately buy the dealership in January 2011.

“As a community, it’s important for us to focus more on reinvesting in our existing businesses, improving them and growing them,” said Steve Barrs, Chairman of the Gloucester Economic Development Authority. “This is a great example of what that support and investment can look like and the Economic Development Authority and the County has been happy to provide support to help OCB grow.”

That growth will have direct impact on the community.

OCB not only supports the recreational and commercial boaters living in the region, Barrs said, explaining that “you often see the watermen from our community repowering their workboats there.” But it also supports the growing tax base of the region by supporting customers out of state.

Each time OCB sells or brokers a boat to a customer in Florida, New York, and even overseas, the local community sees the benefit of that sale.  

“And now, what you are seeing today with this expansion, is a business owner reinvesting capital into a business here to further grow and support our community,” Barrs said.

Leigh plans to continue to support other regional businesses in creative ways in the new building, to include providing gallery wall space for Little England Mercantile, a store located at Gloucester Point, to market and sell their art.

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News You Can Use from Green Fin Studio

Green Fin Studio was founded by environmental scientists with a passion for environmental and science communication. 

With a team of scientists, communicators and designers, Green Fin Studio works all over the world helping organizations connect with their audience and inspire change.

Why is that communication so important? 

According to Green Fin Studio, today’s environmental challenges require new approaches.

“It isn’t enough to educate your audience about climate change, habitat protection, or wildlife conservation,” they write on their web site. “You need to inclusively connect with them to inspire positive behavior change.”

Green Fin Studio, in addition to the meaningful projects they’re involved directly  in, connects education with the entire community through their blog.

Here are three recent posts that we’re digging and hope you’ll enjoy reading, too. 

They’re applicable in so many ways to anyone – not just scientists – working to communicate a bigger story to a larger audience.

Enjoy!

3 Tips to Help Your Organization Stand Out

If you want your messages to be heard, they need to stand out. It’s a noisy world out there, so how do you get noticed? Read more here. 

Edward Tufte’s Tips for Successful Presentations

When the man, the myth, the legend, Edward Tufte speaks, we listen. Tufte’s approach to both visualizing and presenting information is remarkably innovative, while also being steadfastly practical. In particular, Tufte’s tips on giving presentations in front of an audience stuck. After an in-office discussion about them, we distilled the originally much longer list to the following key 7 that we felt were the most important. Read more here.

6 Secrets to Writing A Killer Press Release 

Press releases are an easy way to broaden your reach and increase awareness around your organization’s work. You can use them to highlight upcoming events, outcomes of recent events, strategic announcements about staffing opportunities or changes, or anything you want your stakeholders to know. Environmental and research organizations don’t always leverage the power of press releases to garner media attention. For some inspiration, here’s a short list of some things that are definitely worthy of a press release. Read more here. 

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Scouted Spring Homes for Sale by Abbitt Realty

As Maya Angelou said so poetically, “the ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.”

This spring, have you found yourself aching for home and surfing the web looking – dreaming – about the listings you see?

We’ve recently been doing the same, and have, with the help of our friends at Abbitt Realty, scouted out some beautiful properties throughout the region for you to check out!

James City County

Featured in the 2002 Parade of Homes, this stunning house in James City County welcomes you with a terraced landscape with an abundance of easily maintainable shrubs, bushes and trees. The grand two-story foyer leads to the living room, featuring a fireplace with marble surround, a custom-built chestnut mantle and a built-in entertainment center. Beautiful oak hardwood floors throughout. Love to entertain? You’ll love this open floor plan with ideal flow from dining room to kitchen and back again.

View the complete listing here.

York County

This spectacular waterfront all-brick, custom built home in York County was designed to capture the magical views, wildlife and full access to the Chesapeake Bay. Wake up to the mast lights of the moored sailboats nearby, and enjoy falling asleep to their twinkling lights.

View the complete listing here.

Hampton

Welcome to this beautiful, stately brick home overlooking the Hampton Roads Harbor in Hampton. The kitchen has new granite, a separate prep area, a center island, a large eat-in area, and the house has a separate formal dining room. Enjoy a large great room with a fireplace, a separate sunroom with panoramic views, screened porch on back, large finished basement, and detached garage.

View the complete listing here.

Newport News

Looking for an extensively upgraded home? First and second floor master suites? Walk-in closets? Beautiful multi-level paver patio with fire pit, lighting and irrigation system? Open kitchen with top of the line appliances and walk-in pantry? You’ll want to click through and look at this Newport News home.

View the complete listing here.

Mathews

Windward Farms in Mathews County is nothing short of elegant, set on more than 10 acres of waterfront along the North River. The features of this home feel endless, including a two-car garage with apartment, salt water pool, pool house, barn, great room with stone fireplace, cathedral ceilings, spacious porches, and first and second floor master suites.

View the complete listing here.

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The Puller Center Open House on Gloucester Main Street

You’re invited! Please join our friends at VersAbility on Gloucester Main Street for the Puller Center Open House on April 11, 2019 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

6632 Main Street, Gloucester, Virginia 23061

Come celebrate with VersAbility as they thank the community partners who generously support people with disabilities and the Puller Center.

RSVP to Keltie Klijanowicz at 757-896-6473 or keltie@versability.org.

Light lunch and drinks will be provided.

Event will be held outdoors.

ABOUT VERSABILITY’S PULLER CENTER More than 50 adults with disabilities from the 10 counties on the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck benefit from the Puller Center’s employment opportunities and day support services. The Puller Center is the only nonprofit that provides employment as well as day support services for people with disabilities in the 10-county region. 

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Honoring Great French Chefs & Beautiful French Wines at Waypoint in April

Our friends at Waypoint Seafood & Grill in Williamsburg, Virginia will celebrate the great pillars of French cuisine and the beautiful wines that come from the regions there on Sunday, April 7, 2019 during the monthly Waypoint Wine Discovery Dinner Series. 

The five-course dinner starts at 6 p.m. 

$125 per person (plus tax and gratuity).

Limited seating. Call 757-220-2228 to reserve your table. 

Want more details about the event? Here’s what Waypoint told us! 

“The Waypoint Culinary Brigade, together with Stan Davis from Robins Cellars, have come together to create a truly delectable dining experience to celebrate the great French pillars of cuisine - Ducassee, Escoffier, Bocuse, Passard and Boulud – and the wines from their country’s most notable regions - Beaujolaise Nouveaux, Pinot Noir from Burgundy, Chateau Pomerol from Bordeaux, a classic Chablis, and a Bordeaux Blanc. And of course, no French meal – or French wine experience – is complete without a true Champagne from Champagne region.”

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Dreaming of Becoming an Innkeeper in Quaint Urbanna, Virginia?

Have you ever dreamed of becoming an Innkeeper, or living (and working) in quaint Urbanna, Virginia? 

Our friends at Haley Real Estate have the perfect opportunity - which happens to also be an immediate business opportunity! 

Haley Real Estate is now listing this beautifully renovated 13 room Inn, Banquet Facility and Restaurant in Urbanna. 

Click HERE to see the full listing. 

The Inn and Banquet Facility are in current use, making for a wonderful owner/operator opportunity, and are active with many events pre-booked for the spring, summer and fall. 

The Inn itself has received Trip Advisor's Certificate of Excellence four years in a row.

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Blink and Ania Haie Spring Giveaway

We’ve SCOUTED OUT an amazing SPRING GIVEAWAY from our friends at Blink Williamsburg! Read on for the details! 

To brighten up one lucky person’s spring style with some sparkling new accessories, Blink has teamed up with Ania Haie for your chance to win this set of jewelry worth over $230! 

All you need to do to enter (before midnight on Sunday, March 17) is follow @aniahale and @blinkwilliamsburg on Instagram! 

LIKE their giveaway post on Instagram, comment on the post by telling them two friends who give you serious spring-time style envy, and then Blink will select the winner and contact them through Instagram direct message!