THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 20, 1995 TAG: 9512190123
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 20 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAWSON MILLS
LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
Nine months ago the residents of Deerwood Trace were singing the blues. Now they're singing Christmas carols.
Last March, residents of the 157 townhouses in the quiet, 20-year-old development off Great Neck Road were concerned about what was happening in their community. Incidents of vandalism were up. The elderly were afraid. Many feared drugs were finding their way in. On St. Patrick's Day, a stranger tried to lure several children into his car.
That was the last straw. The residents decided to confront their concerns head-on.
The long-dormant civic league was revitalized, with meetings and a monthly newsletter, the ``Deerwood Trace Gazette.'' City officials were invited to speak at neighborhood meetings. Area businesses pitched in. A Neighborhood Watch program was instituted.
``This neighborhood has turned around,'' reports civic league president Bernie Fay. ``In less than a year the area has had a 50 percent drop in crime.''
On Saturday, more than a dozen young people, ages 6 to 16, will go caroling throughout the community. With a little help from their elders, they're going to do it right.
They've been rehearsing for an hour each Tuesday and Friday since Dec. 1. The civic league raffled off a set of automated Mr. and Mrs. Santas and used the proceeds to buy 16 matching Christmas sweatshirts, electric candles and bells. The kids who carol on the 23rd get to keep the shirts. There are also song books for each caroler made by copying sheet music of Christmas favorites and assembling them into booklets.
Neighborhood watch block captain Rose Gilman volunteered to direct the neighborhood chorus. Suzanne Stevens offered to assist.
``We just looked at each other and said, `We're gonna do it,' '' explains Gilman. ``The kids' favorite is `Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer.' It's not in the book, but I think we'll let them sing it.''
A recent Friday found 14 happy, excited youngsters lifting their voices in song. Brigit Cisarikova, 16, an exchange student from Bratislava, Slovakia, who is staying with Stevens, played ``Greensleeves'' on the flute.
Yashil Basseri, 11, and brother Yashar, 12, will add a violin and viola as soon as some broken strings are replaced.
``It's something new in this neighborhood,'' says Amy Hall, 16. ``We never had anything like this before. It sounded like fun.''
``I do it every year with my church group,'' notes Krissy Black, 14. ``We've done it at retirement homes. I think it's good for the old folks; people who're retired and don't have a family to be with on Christmas Eve.''
Fay, civic league vice president Mary Stevens, and treasurer Bernice O'Brien also are singing the praises of city officials whom they say helped them reclaim their neighborhood.
``What made this all possible,'' says Fay, ``was the help from Bobby Mathieson, the city's Neighborhood Watch coordinator; Sgt. Kevin Perry of the Virginia Beach Police; Dale Dozier with Code Enforcement; Alex Davis with Housing Preservation; and Roger Huff of Landscaping.''
The caroling, adds Fay, is a symbol of the changes that have taken place since last March. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by DAWSON MILLS
These children from Deerwood Trace plan to go caroling in their
community on Saturday.
by CNB