Thumbs up to Hylan Hubbard III, better known in his hometown simply as “Hank,” for his involvement with so many community organizations, all with the goal of making Lynchburg a better place to live.
Hubbard, who was profiled earlier this week in The News & Advance by reporter Richard Chumney, graduated from Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in 1965. The salutatorian of his class — he missed being named valedictorian by one-tenth of one percentage point — Hubbard went on to study at Bowdoin College in Maine, after receiving a scholarship to one of the most selective private colleges in the country. He majored in math and German and, following graduation, began a 27-year career with insurance giant Aetna. He retired in 1996 as a senior vice president and moved to Florida with his wife, Christine. But retirement proved to be shortlived — he co-founded New America Insurance Company with the goals of providing insurance to minorities working with underserved insurance agents.
But within 10 years, the Hubbards were both feeling the pull toward home, and they returned to Lynchburg in 2007. Sadly, Christine Hubbard died in 2015.
Since returning home. organizations as varied as Randolph College, Amazement Square, the Lynchburg City Schools’ STEP with Links program and the Dunbar High School Legacy Fund have all benefited from his labors.
On behalf of us all, thank you, sir. May you be an inspiration to young people for generations to come.
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Thumbs up to the members of the Campbell County Farm Bureau Women’s Program for hosting a festival today in Rustburg to raise money to support agricultural education efforts in the county’s public schools and across the state.
The Bluegrass Crops & Critters Festival will take place this afternoon from 2 to 9 indoors at Rustburg High School. The proceeds will be donated to Virginia Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC), an effort begun 31 years ago by the Virginia Farm Bureau to promote agriculture education.
Since 1987, more than 469,000 students and almost 17,000 teachers have benefited from the nonprofit’s efforts.
The music festival, a first for the Campbell group, will also feature artisan and crafter exhibits, food trucks and bake sales.
Come on out for a great cause ... and some great music and food.