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Freemason Street Area Association
September 2026 Newsletter
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Happy Fall neighbors and looking forward to the cooler weather. We are so sorry that we had to cancel the Labor Day picnic last week. Unfortunately, Dreason, our great chef, came down with something and was admitted to the hospital. Get well my friend. Again, I want to thank Steve Sigmon and his Crew for really making the neighborhood shine, especially the work on the tree wells. Lots more to do, as the next cleanup will be Saturday, September 19th, meeting at the corner of College Place and College Cross. Please come out and join us for coffee and donuts. Thanks also to Mark Fulton and his Wisconsin Square Crew for all the work they have done there. I sure wish we could raise enough money to power seed Freemason Green! Congratulations to Steve Sigmon who was recently voted in as Vice President of the FSAA. And a million thanks to him, his wife Vanessa and Malia McGee for their herculean IT efforts developing a new email for FSAA members to get information. BZ team and my personal thanks for taking a huge workload off of my aging back. Hope to see you all at the YMCA on Wednesday, September 17th at 7 PM. Our speakers will be Steve Briggs on the Great Schooner Race, two folks running for School Board and our own city councilman Jeremy McGee. Sincerely,
Jack Kavanaugh
FSAA President
ocs1062@cox.net
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FSAA General Meeting
Wednesday, September 16th 7:00 PM
Blocker Family YMCA Teen Center SPEAKERS
Steve Briggs - The Great Chesapeake Bay Schoner Race
Jeremy McGee - Norfolk City Council, Superward 6
Michael Spencer and Shawn Wilkerson, Jr. - School Board Candidates Next FSAA Board Meeting
October 21, 2026 Next General Meeting
November 18, 2026 Other Events
Neighborhood Clean Up - September 19th, 9:00 am - College Green
Holiday Bow Hanging - November 21st, 9:00 am - College Green
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WE NEED YOU! Join us on November 19th for a festive morning of holiday bow hanging! Coffee and donuts will keep your nourished. We will meet at 9:00 am at the College Green. Bows and ladders are provided, if you have a spare pair of scissors to bring, they would be helpful! |
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If you're a YMCA member, you most certainly notice a ray of sunshine when you arrive at Blocker’s front desk. That sunshine is Dr. Chris Miller or simply "Chris." She has many superpowers, but the two which stand out to members are 1) her ability to brighten your day as early as 5:00 AM with a smile and greeting you by name (she has a scary memory) and because of that 2) she's an amazing fundraiser for very worthy YMCA programs! Chris retired as a Navy Captain after 37 years of active and reserve service. She was a "Mustang", which means she worked her way up the ranks from an E-1 journalist to a Navy Public Affairs Captain. Chris holds a PhD in Radio/TV/Film from Northwestern. Chris and her late husband Bob, who passed away earlier this year, moved to Norfolk 16 years ago. For ten years she commuted to Washington DC where she provided telecommunications support to the Intelligence community. The job required high level security clearances and Chris jokes she had to sit in the hot seat (lie detector test) three times to gain those credentials. After retirement from the Naval Reserves in 2010 and her civilian position in 2021, she knew she wasn't a stay-at-home retiree. She thought working at the Y "looked promising" and Blocker thought so too! Chris, thank you for your service to our country and helping make the YMCA and Freemason special places to be!
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Thank you to Marion Lidmann and Pam Cannady for “adopting” this wayward tree box on Botetourt Street. They’ve tidied it up and added a few pollinator friendly plants along with this cute sign! Just a friendly reminder that the cleanup and maintenance of tree boxes bordering your property are your responsibility!
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Join Us—Your Voice Matters!Joining the Freemason Street Area Association Civic League is just $10—a small investment that can make a meaningful difference in our neighborhood. We understand that not everyone has the time to attend meetings, volunteer, or get involved in every activity, and becoming a member is another important way to show your support. Our city, like all cities, faces challenges. One of the best ways we can help confront them is by being active and engaged in our own neighborhood. With our proximity to downtown, our rich history, and the important role Freemason plays in the fabric of Norfolk, we believe our neighborhood has the potential to be a powerful voice. That voice is strongest when it represents a large, active and engaged community. Click the image above to join and help ensure that our neighborhood continues to have a strong voice in Norfolk's future!
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The 2026 Schooner Race will be October 13-19, 2026. The vessels will dock in Freemason Harbor at the Pagoda and on October 17th the docks will be open from 8:00 am - 1:00 pm with some open for tours. See the website for more details on this unique annual event! Volunteer opportunities for the end of the race in Norfolk include: Docking assistance as the schooners arrive. Liaison with and hospitality for schooners and racers. Assistance with dockside educational program. Assistance with the All Hands Party.
The All Hands Party is a private party for captains and crews. Volunteering is your ticket to this fun event! If you would like to volunteer in Norfolk, please email tugantine@yahoo.com.tugantine@yahoo.com.
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Check out The Hunter House Victorian Museum website (by clicking the logo)! They have loads of really good upcoming events including the FREE Poe-etry Picnic in the Garden on Saturday September 12th at 2pm and Blood and Bootleg: A Hunter House Mystery on September 29th. |
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Something big is happening at Nauticus this month! For the first time since arriving at her permanent home on December 7, 2000, the Battleship Wisconsin will be moved away from the pier. From September 8–11, a marine fender replacement project will require the massive ship to be pushed approximately four to five feet from the dock—a rare sight more than 25 years in the making. To make the move possible, the pedestrian bridge connecting the ship to Nauticus will be removed and the heavy chains securing the Wisconsin to the dock will be released. While the Battleship Wisconsin will be closed to the public September 8–11, Nauticus WILL BE OPEN and ready to welcome visitors! We can’t wait to share a behind-the-scenes look at this unique project, so keep an eye on Nauticus’ social media for photos and videos as the work unfolds.
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Thank you to our FSAA Business Members
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Info at your fingertips….City Maintenance & Waste Disposal Info City Council Info Norfolk Public Schools City Resource Info Norfolk News The Official City of Norfolk Newsletter Sign-up Contact the Virginian Pilot Norfolk reporter, Trevor Metcalfe, with questions, comments, concerns, corrections, and ideas at trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com. Subscribe to the Norfolk Currents newsletter and never miss a beat. The newsletter from Virginia Mercury is your daily dose of independent, nonpartisan coverage of state government, healthcare, criminal justice, and more.
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