Lake of the Woods Living Independently in our Community (LOWLINC) is a nonprofit organization (501(c)(3)) based in the Lake of the Woods (LOW) community in Orange County, Virginia. It was established in 2015-16 by three longtime LOW residents who, aging themselves, recognized the need for support for people who wanted to remain in their homes as they aged. After the …
Photo by Lake Anna Photography Tammy Purcell is changing the way Louisa County residents engage with their local government—one meeting, one article, and one newsletter at a time. As the voice behind Engage Louisa, a nonpartisan newsletter with more than 3,500 subscribers, she’s providing consistent, reliable coverage in a place that, like so many rural areas, has been at risk …
This is RuraLove, a ministry of the Goshen Baptist Association. Since its co-founding by Joy Dickens and her late husband Tommy (Joy now serves as Goshen Ministry Assistant), it has embodied the commitment to “Neighbor Helping Neighbor.” In the 1990s, the Dickens family, recognizing the growing needs in central Virginia, envisioned a comprehensive ministry to address them. At their urging, …
If you’re looking for a worldwide volunteer service organization, Rotary International—founded in 1905 and currently with more than 1.2 million members—would be at or near the front of the line. The Rotary name was chosen by its two initial members based on the rotation of local meetings between their offices. If, however, your search is for a local volunteer organization, …
On May 13th, the Fluvanna-Louisa Housing Foundation (FLHF) held a groundbreaking ceremony for a planned affordable housing project to be constructed on a lot adjacent to the foundation’s headquarters location in Louisa. The new project, currently in the final planning and permit phase, will contain 16 one-bedroom and 9 two-bedroom units, funded by a combination of grants and donations. These …
Look where you will, and you won’t find many facilities with a history as long and varied as the one we now know as the Louisa Arts Center. First constructed in 1905, the building originally housed the local high school. A fire in 1924 destroyed much of the structure, prompting a major rebuild. In 1940, the building was converted into …
If you’re a Central Virginia animal down on your luck and in need of rescue and support, several places can help you get back on your paws—or hooves. In Louisa County, especially if you’re neither canine nor feline, one invaluable option is Hooves and Paws (H&P), located on Poindexter Road west of Louisa. H&P was founded in 2002 in Southern …
The Lake Anna Roosters and Foxes gathered for their fourth annual Thanksgiving Donation Dinner, hosted by John and Lori Pope at Cooling Pond Brewery. Reflecting on their humble beginnings—just ten friends sharing a meal at Callie Opie’s in 2020—the group has grown into a powerful force for good in the Lake Anna community. One of their primary focuses this season …
When, in 1991, local pastor Rev. John von Hemmert recognized a need for help with the basics of life among many in his Louisa congregation and beyond and founded a modest effort to provide these services to a few hundred individuals and families, he likely didn’t expect that his effort would grow into a major county-wide organization with multiple programs …
Introducing our latest Q&A feature, we are proud to spotlight Laura Austin, who has recently been named 2023-2024’s Teacher of the Year for Livingston Elementary, a Spotsylvania County School. Laura has been an inspiring force in education for six years, with experience across multiple grade levels. She began her teaching journey as a para educator in Louisa County in 2018 …
