Great work at the polls

Editor, Smithfield Times
The Electoral Board of Isle of Wight would like to thank all those who served as Election Officials this past Tuesday for conducting another great election. Your dedication did not go unnoticed by your fellow citizens. We also want to highlight those young high school government students serving for the first time. Their computer skills were sorely needed in this expanding technical voting system.
We are always in need of Election Officials and welcome any registered voter who would like to serve. You may call the Director of Elections at 757-365-6230 or -6302 for more information on how you may help.
Inetha Holmes, Chair
Regina Haggerty, Vice-Chair
William Bell, Secretary

A moving experience

Editor, Smithfield times
I was at the Smithfield Farmer’s Market Fall market this past Saturday, Veteran’s Day. As I was talking to one of the vendors in the middle of the market, I could hear the beginning of the National Anthem being sung, a cappella, by the market musician, Justin Luke McCurry. I turned and noticed all near that end of the market standing with heads uncovered and hands over their hearts. As the song continued there was a noticeable wave of silence overcoming the conversations in the booths. That wave of silence moved through the marketplace from the back of the bank to Cedar Street until the entire market was silent and everyone I could see held their hands over their hearts. Truly a moving experience! Thank you Justin McCurry!
Gary Parsons
Smithfield

Serving Carrollton

Editor, Smithfield Times
The Carrollton Civic League (CCL) wishes to express its appreciation to all the residents of the historic township of Rescue, Virginia, who attended our regular monthly meeting on Monday 6th November, to air their views about the disposition of the Rescue Community Center building. We hope that all those who attended were satisfied that their views were fairly heard and that the forum was helpful in promoting the interests of the citizens of Rescue.
The CCL, which has antecedents dating back nearly a century, was founded to advance the interests of all who live within our historic area. An earlier iteration of the league even owned the property on which the early-twentieth century Carrollton High School once stood. Just as the Rescue Community League once met in its own Rescue High School building, the CCL considered the Carrollton High School building as their “Community Hall” and met there for many years.
The Smithfield Times has faithfully recorded these events over the years and we thank Carolyn Keen, president of the Isle of Wight County Historical Society, for making these items known to us.
As the civic league for what we think of as “greater Carrollton,” the CCL considers the Rescue community one of the several neighborhoods encompassed by our wonderful local waterways of Jones Creek, the James River, Batten Bay, Chuckatuck Creek, Brewers Creek and the several, as yet unnamed, lakes and ponds west of our newest community of Benn’s Grant. We would encourage all residents of these neighborhoods to attend our meetings to express any local concerns they may have.
Although individual neighborhoods like Carisbrooke, Poplar Harbor, Ashby, Eagle Harbor, Carrollton Meadows, Sugar Hill, Cedar Grove and others have their own strong identities, you all have a much stronger “voice” when uniting with all the rest of us to make this voice heard.
Albert Burckard
Carrollton

‘Thank you’ to supporters

Editor, Smithfield Times
The Carrollton Ruritan Club would like to thank everyone who supported both our twice-yearly Fish Fry Fundraiser on Saturday a week ago November 4. We also deeply appreciate sponsoring businesses whose special purchases of tickets and contributions exceed $70, or who purchased and sold 10 or more tickets, or both. These include Travis’s Auto Service, The Oaks Veterinarian Clinic, Ferguson’s Automotive, Import Car Service, Hannover Technical Sales, Jones & Jones Attorneys, Mike Duman Auto Sales, Colonial Funeral Home, Farmer’s Service, Bon Vivant Wine & Beer, Crittenden Services, Isle of Wight & Suffolk Materials.
And we appreciate the many neighbors and friends who drive in the day of the event without advanced tickets.
Our mission as Ruritans is community improvement through our fellowship, goodwill and community service. Our fundraising efforts help us to provides six scholarships totaling $4,600 as we did also last year. Other support and assistance goes to the Carrollton Library summer reading program, sponsorship for six decades of Scout Troop and Pack 36, and other support of the Western Tidewater Free Clinic, Mission of Hope, Meals on Wheels and more.
Thanks again for your support of our work in the community.
Jim Henderson
President