Members of the Lake Anna and Louisa County community gathered on the evening of February 26 and went a little Cuckoo.
Cuckoo District Louisa County Supervisor Christopher C. McCotter held the first annual Proud To Be Cuckoo recognitions, hosted by The Waters HOA at their clubhouse where nine community leaders and volunteers were recognized for their standard setting efforts.
Louisa County Administrator Christian Goodwin was the keynote speaker and spoke to the attendees about the definition of being a community servant. Lake Anna Civic Association and Lake Anna Advisory Committee volunteer Harry Looney also gave a presentation on what volunteering means to him.
“I am incredibly honored to be able to recognize these Cuckoo community leaders and equally grateful to the team that made the evening possible, especially the members of The Waters that prepared the clubhouse, Mike from Elk Creek Country Store that donated our meal and beverages and our two speakers,” McCotter noted afterward.
McCotter said the goal of the awards wasn’t just to recognize greatness but also to inspire others to become involved in make the community better.
“Tonight was about recognizing greatness, but not the kind that draws attention to itself. No, in fact, the folks we honored embody the philosophy of quiet, humble service that doesn’t need ego-stroking atta-boys or social media preening. These folk are selfless, steadfast, reliable and probably perfectly happy to not receive the Proud To Be Cuckoo recognition. However, the other reason we are here this evening is an attempt to inspire others. As we age out of prominence, and we all do eventually, our legacy must be that of inspiring, creating and training others to give back to our community, both Lake Anna and Louisa, so that the pump is primed, and the living water flows forth for years to come.”
The recipients of the recognitions were a diverse set of Cuckoo District residents or with an organization that serves Cuckoo District.
Carol Dezorzi, 64, is a resident of Jerdone Island. She is a retired Lockheed Martin employee that enjoys painting. She serves as secretary for Louisa Clean and works once a week at the Louisa Resource Council. Carol was part of the Citizens for 24/7 EMS for LKA foundation raising funds for New Bridge Fire/EMS. Louisa Clean started simply by getting a group of friends together to pick up litter in our neighborhoods. Carol told McCotter that while the group encourages road adoption, they believe that on the long run it will take a change to the culture in Louisa County to change littering, so they are working with the schools and County to teach children and residents that littering is unacceptable.
Stephen C. Harris, 76, is resident of Apple Grove area of Cuckoo District. Harris was the youngest Commonwealth’s Attorney in Louisa County history from 1976-1983 at the ripe old age of 27. He served on the Louisa County Board of Supervisors from 1991-2000 and as Chairman for a year. He has served on the Louisa County School Board since 2007 and is a member of the School Safety Task Force. He was a member of Louisa Rotary Club from 1980-2004. He is a deacon at both South Anna Baptist Church and Gilboa Church.
Jeff Martin, 68, is a resident of the Brandywood community in the Cuckoo District. He is the co-owner of Southern Image Design Builders. He has built numerous homes, boathouses, garages and more around the area. He currently serves as chair of the Fluvanna/Louisa Housing Foundation. He has been a part of Habitat For Humanity and served on the Louisa County IDA from 2008 to 2024.
He served as President of the Lake Anna Business Partnership from 2017 to 2018, VP from 2014 to 2017 and was named the Lake Anna Business Partnership’s Richard Binns Community Service Leader in 2014.
Troy Dillard is president, chairman of the board for Louisa Rescue, Inc. as well as, driver, AIC, advanced emergency medical technician, firefighter II, a member of the Fredericksburg Rescue Squad, a life member of the Bumpass Volunteer Fire Department and a firefighter for Mineral Volunteer Fire Department. He’s a member of the Louisa County Fire & Emergency Membership Oversight Committee, the Finance Committee, the Recruitment & Retention Committee, the EMS Committee and the Thomas Jefferson EMS representative. His moto is Neighbors Helping Neighbors.
Nicole Perry, 57, resides in the Lake Anna Bumpass community and after 22 years serving in the government auto insurance business, she is now a mail carrier for the USPS Bumpass Post Office. Those on her route know she’s incredibly dedicated, makes do with whatever limitations the day may bring as far as equipment and time and spoils those on her route by often setting their packages on the porch. She told McCotter, “After 22 years with the Bumpass post office, this is more than just a job, it’s being of service and dedication to my customers. I have come to know many of them and consider them friends, just not customers. I take pride in doing a good job and seeing my customers happy and satisfied with my work. I think the best part is, when I get to chit chat with them, and I get to pat my four-legged furry friends also.
My father showed me my work ethic and taught me what a hard worker can be and do, but the one that helps me every day is my Lord Jesus Christ, without HIM, I cannot do. I am blessed by HIM and blessed to have such wonderful customers who I consider friends.”
Dr. Edward Rex Lakey Harkrader was born and raised on a beef cattle farm in Louisa and attended Louisa County Public Schools. He graduated from the University of Richmond with a Bachelor’s of Science and a Master’s of Science degree in Biology. Dr. Harkrader earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from the Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University in 1992.
He completed his internship at the Medical College of Virginia Hospital and his residency at Blackstone Family Practice, concentrating in rural care.
He has practiced medicine at Louisa Family Practice since 1995 and is a board-certified Fellow in the American Academy of Family Practice (FAAFP). He is also an Associate Clinical Professor for the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, teaching and mentoring medical students through family medicine clinical experiences.
Dr. Harkrader is an elder at Gilboa Christian Church and leads the teen Sunday School class. He and his wife, Cheryl, are the proud parents of one grown son and three grown daughters. When he’s not administering to the community’s many medical needs he enjoys gardening, hunting, and spending time with his family.
Rex is a paragon of our community, tireless in his service both in and out of the office.
Kristen Barmoy is a retired Civil Engineer who moved full time from Maryland to the Burruss Road community area of Lake Anna in 2020. She and her husband, Doug, were weekenders at Lake Anna with a house on Pigeon Cove while they were raising their children and decided to build their retirement home on Lake Anna.
Kristin was one for the original members of the LKA Rooster & Foxes Social Club and is the chair of their Charity Committee. Her committee researches charities and decides how much is available to donate to the chosen charity. Some ways the Rosters & Foxes raise money are by holding weekly dart and cornhole social events, t-shirt sales, calendar sales and direct donations. This year the Roosters and Foxes donated over $10,000 to local charities in Louisa and Spotsylvania County. Louisa Charites included The Journey Home, Giving Words, the Louisa Resource Council and the Louisa Emergency Fund.
As one of Kristin’s main goals in retirement was to become a full-time volunteer, she enjoys a number of other local volunteer activities including: Working with Louisa Clean, on projects with the Elk Creek Baptist Church, coordinating the Roosters & Foxes Christmas Child program which helped over 65 children this year and as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) who helps advise judges on the needs of children in the Foster Care Program.
James E. Duerson, Sr. received the Legacy award posthumously. Duerson was a lifetime resident of the Elk Creek community of Louisa County, growing up at Bear Castle farm with his grandparents, parents and three younger siblings. The family were lifetime farmers until the development of Lake Anna which forced James and his father, Virgil to sell most of the farmland to Virginia Power (VEPCO). Virgil and James developed Bear Castle subdivision, the first subdivision on the main lake and eventually sold their remaining land for the development of Both Waters Subdivision. In 1971, James took the lessons he had learned from his uncles and started James E Duerson Construction Company, building the first homes in Bear Castle in 1972.
James began attending Elk Creek Baptist church as an infant and faithfully attended and served in many capacities. He served as The Building and Grounds keeper and was also Treasurer, Clerk, Trustee, Deacon and Moderator. He served on the Board of Deacons for 59 years, 29 as Chair and in recent years, he was honored as Deacon Emeritus and the social hall that he built in 1984 was renamed Duerson Hall in his honor in September 2023. Up until about 10 years ago when his health began to fade, he maintained the church campus, always caring for it like he cared for his own and James did not want or expect any thanks for doing it because it was part of the values that were passed down to him.
James married Dorothy Irene Hart in 1960 and they built their home on land that James had bought in the early 1950’s that was originally the Nelson property, relatives of the family. At Fairview Farm, James and Dorothy raised four children, Irene, Jimmy, Garnett, and Donna. Six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
In 2016, James and Dorothy made the difficult decision to sell off some of the home-place which is now Elk Creek Landing.
James believed in community service and was a charter member of the Santa Council of Louisa County and Habitat for Humanity. He was also involved in the “In As Much” project and He was also a dedicated member of the Louisa County Ruritan Club for 68 years, 62 of those years he had perfect attendance. He served as Louisa Club President many terms, Zone Governor, Lt. Governor for the Rapidan/Rappahannock.
James was a Southern Gentleman who stood by his word, treated people with kindness and respect and will be remembered for the legacy that he leaves.
McCotter says he plans to hold the recognition event annually, and he will accept nominations for the awards throughout the year
“I am in awe of the amount of community leaders and volunteers in Cuckoo District, and that is also why I created this event. I want others to see how we set the standard and be inspired to take up the banner, seeking new heights to plant the flag of service and unify our community by our love of serving it and those in it. We all rise when we lift others.”
