March 2023 Briefs

John Marshall Justices Reign Supreme

The John Marshall Justices, pride of the Northside, won the Class 2 Boys State Final last month, defeating, in their final game of the season, the Radford Bobcats with a 91-34 win. This is the fourth time since 2014, the John Marshall High School basketball team has won this statewide championship. The Justices won 18 of their last 19 games by astonishing margins.

“I am so proud of the John Marshall Boys Basketball team,” says Third District Councilwoman Ann-Frances Lambert. “On and off the basketball court, they represented excellence, humility and team work . . . hard work pays off.”

John Shinholser Retires as President of McShin Foundation

John Shinholser, co-founder of The McShin Foundation has retired from his role as president of this organization. A tireless advocate for those in recovery, he will continue to serve at McShin as Senior Peer. The organization will now be led by Honesty Liller, who was named CEO of the Foundation nine years ago. Honesty is an alum of McShin and excited about the future of the organization. 

“We want to thank John for creating a foundation that helps those with addiction, and their families,” says Honesty.

Since its founding in 2004, McShin has inspired and educated the community about recovery. It was formed by Carol McDaid and John, both of whom are in recovery, and have dedicated their lives to helping individuals and families in or seeking recovery from the disease of addiction. The McShin Foundation operates on the founders’ belief that by helping others find and sustain recovery, they can better sustain their own recovery.

The McShin Foundation is Virginia’s leading non-profit, full-service Recovery Community

Organization (RCO), committed to serving Individuals and families in their fight against substance use disorders. 

Hazardous Intersection of Laburnum and Hermitage

Even with the removal of the pedestal and statue at the juncture of Hermitage Road and Laburnum Avenue, this intersection remains one of the most treacherous in the city. Cars and pickups barrel along Laburnum Avenue at excessive speeds frequently paying no attention at all to the school zone (Holton Elementary School is located on the northeast corner of the intersection). It’s clear that the posted speed limit on both Laburnum and Hermitage needs to be reduced to 25 miles per hour. And others have suggested putting in speed humps along both roads, which makes sense since they traverse residential communities. 

The city is supposedly studying the intersection and ways of remedying the problems there.

Ramps RVA Building Independence and Mobility

Rachel is in a wheelchair full-time and has to be carried down the steps by her two grown daughters, putting them all at risk for a catastrophic fall. Gary can't use his legs and hasn't been outside in months, except to go to a doctor's appointment with the help of his elderly brother. Gladys, who has lost the use of her legs, had to call the rescue squad to get to medical appointments. 

What do they all have in common? Their lives got a lot better recently because of RampsRVA.

Founded in 2005 by three Collegiate students who wanted to serve their community, RampsRVA builds free wheelchair ramps for people in serious medical need who can't afford to purchase one. There are now over 300 students from 13 local high schools willing to donate their time and funds to build ramps for those who need them.

RampsRVA also benefits from valuable community partnerships. Corporate partners built and funded 18 ramps last year, not only serving their community but also enjoying a day of teambuilding.

This spring, RampsRVA is thrilled to announce a special partnership with C&F Financial Corporation, which includes C&F Bank, C&F Finance Company, C&F Mortgage and C&F Wealth Management. C& F joins RampsRVA with plans to make a powerful impact on the mobility needs of our community. 

Fund-raising, two refurbishment days, and two ramp builds are already underway for the spring. 

For more information please visit rampsrva.org 

Renaming Ginter Park Elementary School

Symbols of white supremacy and the Confederacy are dropping like flies across the South. Not long ago the last Confederate statue in Richmond came down with the removal of A.P. Hill on the Northside. But more than memorials are being removed. Recently the name of Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia was changed to Fort Walker, which honors an actual American hero, Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, the only woman ever awarded the Medal of Honor.

There is now a move to change the name of Ginter Park Elementary School, which was named after Major Lewis Ginter, a prominent businessman and developer, who served in the Confederate Army. Ginter, in essence, was responsible for creating what we now call Northside Richmond.