A Few Good Deeds: Locals Going the Extra Mile
Written by William Anderson
A unique benefit of living in a town like Middleburg is having opportunities to serve neighbors in both big and small ways. Whether it’s helping local families heat their homes, maintaining Hunt Country’s bucolic vistas even down to the medians we all drive by, or lending an ear to someone in need, a few good deeds go a long way.
Median Curators
Residents of Upperville have noticed that the medians on the section of State Route 50 that runs through Upperville have fallen into disrepair. Old bark, cracked concrete, weeds, and a general state of disarray now catch attention on the otherwise scenic drive. Three local women have decided to do something about it. Catherine Boswell, Marky Dewhirst, and Jennifer Clinton are forming the Village Garden Club. “Our goal is to plant native plants in the medians and maybe even slow down traffic,” Boswell says. She notes that native plants require less water, making them lower maintenance and drought-smart. The Village Garden Club will be conscientious of water usage.
The group is still getting organized and seeking to add a few more members. They expect to begin planting in October, which means Upperville residents can look forward to a beautiful spring next year. The Village Garden Club recognizes the value of caring for the local community. They hope to improve the aesthetic quality of Upperville by doing what they enjoy: gardening.
Because this group is still forming, there is no place to donate yet. However, anyone hoping to contribute should be on the lookout for a website that will be live soon. And if you see someone pulling weeds in a median next time you pass through Upperville, slow down and give them a little honk to say thanks.
Woodchucks in The Plains
Since 1988, Grace Episcopal Church in The Plains has gathered volunteers to split and stack wood for families that cannot afford to heat their homes any other way. They call it the “Wood Ministry.” “We probably split 10 to 12 cords of wood every year,” says volunteer April Gaines, who has run the ministry in her retirement. One cord is about 128 cubic feet of stacked wood. This means every year, the Wood Ministry’s small crew of eight volunteers splits, stacks, and distributes around 1,280 to 1,536 cubic feet of wood. Currently they deliver firewood to about 15 families that depend on them for heat.
The Wood Ministry gathers in the parking lot of Grace Episcopal on select Saturdays through the winter. They welcome all volunteers, and rely on wood donated by members of the community. Recently, they’ve encountered an issue where some people dump junk wood in their parking lot. In this case, they actually have to pay to remove the unusable wood. The best way to donate wood is to fill out the form on their website, gracetheplains.org. If you or anyone you know could use this service, this is also the best way to get in contact with the Wood Ministry.
Volunteers do not have to be members of Grace Episcopal; anyone is welcome to help out. Wakefield School has been a community partner for some time. This service is of vital importance for the families that need it. One client told the ministry, “You were a lifesaver, and I mean that literally.” Another way to contact the ministry is to call the church at (540) 253-5177 or email their food pantry at peasandgrace@gmail.com.
A Listening Ear
Pedestrians walking by Virginia Regenerative Medicine in Marshall might see closed blinds and think it’s not open that day. More likely founder Jeanne Poss is helping a woman see for the first time that there’s hope. Women silently carrying trauma have been coming to Poss for a long time. “We close the door, stop everything else, and give her privacy and time. Some things matter more than business,” Poss says. “Sometimes the most important thing we do that day has nothing to do with what was on the schedule.”
Poss’ passion for helping women grew naturally from her own journey with trauma. “I know what it is to carry something quietly. And I know what it feels like to need a safe place,” she shares. “I believe that God has a purpose for each of us, and I have come to believe that even our most painful experiences can ultimately have meaning.” Poss believes that because of her own trauma, she has been given a special ability to walk alongside women on their healing journey.
Sometimes clients just need someone to listen. “We are often so quick to offer advice or fix something that we forget the power of simply sitting with someone and letting her be heard,” Poss says. She has an offer to any woman looking for assistance. “My door is open. A woman doesn’t need perfect words or even to know exactly what she needs. She can just come in, sit down, and talk. I will listen,” she promises. Poss also recognizes that part of caring is connecting someone with the right support, and she is equipped to point women to the right resources.
“I think the message is that we can all do this for one another. Pay attention. Listen. Be present,” Poss advises. “You don’t need special training to show compassion.” ML
Featured photo by Caroline Gray.
Published in the September 2026 issue of Middleburg Life.