All That Went Right in 2025
In spite of the ills that regularly grab the headlines, the Advance made a point to shine a light on all that went right this past year.
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It’s easy to get lost in all the difficulties 2025 brought, and all too easy to forget what went right, brought hope, and inspired us to be better people.
Here’s a look at 25 things the Advance reported on this year that show the strength of our region and the people in it.
25. At Courtland High School, Education is a Generational Effort
Courtland High School has built a community culture that not only builds successful young adults, but it brings many of them back as teachers to ensure the schools’ future stays strong.
24. Stafford Girl’s LemonAid Stand Raises More than $3,500 for Pediatric Cancer Treatment
Eleven-year-old Ava Lester raised just over $3,500 for pediatric cancer treatment at her LemonAid stand on Sunday afternoon—exceeding her goal by $3,000.
23. $1 Million Gifts Strengthened Local Communities
The Advance reported on not one, not two, but three $1 million gifts that will be used to strengthen our region.
22. UMW Poised to Be a Leader in 'AI Pluralism'
The University of Mary Washington is positioning itself to become one of the leaders in the AI discussion by launching the Center for AI and the Liberal Arts at UMW. Professor Anand Rao will head this project and is himself an emerging leader in discussing how we “take the best of AI and the humanities and blend them together so that the humanities are shaping the growth of AI in an ethical and humanistic way,” Rao told the Advance in a phone interview.
21. Falmouth Bridge Repairs Complete
The most heavily traveled bridge in the region got a long-overdue upgrade to ensure ongoing safe passage.
20. "Thank You for Coming Home"
For the men of the Mike 3-1 Marines, the months in Vietnam stay with them, but they’re finally telling their stories for others, and for themselves. And in so doing, they are teaching how to deal with difficulty.
19. Unexpected Friday Delight: A New State Song?
The Virginia Legislature may not yet be onboard, but a local singer has written what should become Virginia’s state song.
18. Empowerhouse's Susan Sigmon is an "Unsung Hero"
Susan Sigmon, Justice Services director at Empowerhouse, is already a hero to the hundreds of local domestic violence survivors she has accompanied and advocated for on their journey through the court system. On Tuesday, Virginia’s Attorney General, Jason Miyares, put a statewide spotlight on Sigmon’s 13 years of service by honoring her with the “Unsung Hero” award.
17. Loisann’s Hope House and Legal Aid Works Eviction Prevention Pilot Program Starting Today
During the last two weeks of June last year, there were 52 eviction hearings scheduled in Spotsylvania General District Court. During the same period this year, there were 139 hearings scheduled—a 167% increase. A new pilot program that launches tomorrow aims to prevent at least a handful of the increasing number of low-income Spotsylvania families who are the defendants in these hearings from being branded with what Ann Kloeckner, executive director of Legal Aid Works, calls “the Scarlet E”—eviction.
16. Walker-Grant Middle School Ribbon-cutting Welcomes Guests, Awaits Students
Joseph Braggs drove all night from his home in Georgia to attend Wednesday morning’s ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Walker-Grant Middle School.
15. Where to Give and Get Help this Holiday Season
At a time that more families than ever are struggling, the nonprofit sector is stepping up to fill the need.
14. Falmouth Elementary Celebrates Project Learning Garden Grant
Grant from Captain Planet Foundation and Cox Enterprises will help maintain the garden and establish an after-school cooking club.
13. Germanna Recognized as an ‘Opportunity’ Institution
The classification of colleges and universities by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Learning may sound like a yawner of a subject and quintessentially higher-ed insider baseball. And often, it is. A new announcement from Germanna Community College, however, that the school’s been named one of the nation’s Opportunity Colleges and Universities by Carnegie and ACE packs all the punch of a walk-off grand slam homerun at National’s Park.
12. For Kids and Parents, the Hugh Mercer Bike Bus is a Fun Way to Get to School
For Kids and Parents, the Hugh Mercer Bike Bus is a Fun Way to Get to School
11. Stafford RISE Adapting its Outreach to Meet the Needs of the County’s Unhoused Population
Stafford RISE has been around for almost two years, and in that time, the coalition has learned that there’s no one way to minister to the county’s unhoused and precariously housed population. Since July of 2023, the coalition—which is made up of individuals, nonprofits, churches, and government organizations—has been bringing aid and resources to the unhoused population clustered around the hotels and motels on U.S. 17 once a month. This model now provides resources—food, clothing, a mobile health clinic—to between 80 and 120 people in the southern part of the county, said Steven Curtis, a sergeant in the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office.
10. Fire in the Eyes
When her father, Justin, says “10 minutes,” 13-year-old Penelope transforms from carefree to laser-focused. Everything one needs to know about her commitment to racing is in her eyes.
9. “It’s Rough Out There,” But Help is Out There, Too
New Vision Community Outreach Association, a new Fredericksburg area nonprofit dedicated to addressing food insecurity, is only four months old, but already “business is booming,” founder Rodney Blake said. “It’s rough out there,” Blake added. He and co-founder Sophia Blake represented their organization at Tuesday’s second annual Community Connections Expo. The event, hosted by Fredericksburg Area Health and Support Services, brought together a host of local community organizations—and showed that as hard as things may be, help is also out there.
8. Teen-Led Nonprofit Collecting Supplies for Children Receiving Healthcare in Rural Virginia
Cora Shields may be young—a junior at Riverbend High School in Spotsylvania—but she already knows one of the keys to happiness. The simple act of helping someone else “can really turn a bad day around,” she said. This holiday season, Cora and the nonprofit she founded, Helping Hands in Healthcare, want to help hospitalized children and teens by providing them with small toys, activities, snacks, and encouraging notes.
7. Regional Food Bank Team Recognized as National “Summer Hunger Heroes”
Last summer, the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank served more than 197,000 meals—a huge increase from the 9,500 served during the summer of 2019. That expansion is due to the hard work of volunteers, partners, and staff members Carey Sealy and Curtis Dickerson—and for their efforts, they have been recognized by No Kid Hungry as national “Summer Hunger Heroes.”
6. Local Groups Come Together to Donate Home Repairs to a Veteran
Multiple local organizations and businesses came together this week to install a hot water heater and HVAC system for a Marine Corps veteran.
5. Memorial Garden Gives Those Who Have Lost a Child a Place to Remember, Grieve, Bond
In the face of a community’s losses, one parent found a way to remember, and heal.
4. Nearly Half-Billion Dollar School Budget Includes ‘Major Win’ Says Mitchell
Budget season has been bloody in Spotsylvania the past several years. New Superintendent Clint Mitchell, however, is confident that this year both the Board of Supervisors and the School Board are on a more productive path.
3. New After School Guitar Club Aims to Give City Middle School Students the “Incredible Gift” of Music
Within a few hours of publishing a Facebook post asking for donations of instruments for the after-school guitar club he hoped to establish, Peter Mealy had received 14 acoustic guitars and $1,100.
2. One Million Hours Down ...
The “Shell” for the first of several data centers at the Cosner Tech Campus is nearing completion — it’s taken 900 workers and 1,000,000 work hours to get it to this point.
1. One Immigrant’s Story
In a year that saw hatred and vile hurled at immigrants in a way not seen in a century, we were reminded how vital and truly “American” our immigrants are to our nation.
Local Obituaries
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