Barbara Jones stopped by the other day to share a photo of six Courtland-area ladies who have been playing Chinese checkers every Tuesday for 20 years.

Maggie Plummer, Helen Nixon, Helen Pope, Adeline Kitchen, Bernice Wilson and Jackie Shearin take turns meeting at each other’s homes. The hostess provides refreshments.

Barbara said the tradition got started when the women played the game at a picnic and kept it up.

They play three hours a week year round.

• Georgia and Melvin Murphy of Franklin have their grandson, Horace Smith III, staying with them this week. The 22-year-old is coaching a three-day football camp at Paul D. Camp Community College.

A graduate of Norfolk State University with a degree in sports medicine, Smith has been hired to coach softball at Hampton University. He also lives in Hampton.

Smith grew up in Emporia, where he played basketball, football and baseball for Greensville High School. He is the son of Tania and Horace Smith II, who both grew up in Franklin.

Melvin Murphy is pastor at United Christian Community Church in Franklin.

• The Franklin Redevelopment Authority is always doing something for its residents under the leadership of LaVerne Copeland.

Over the summer, the organization that oversees public housing in the city, sponsored a Summer Reading Club. Taylor Vaughan read books to youth. Each received a book after answering questions about related to the books. They book each received was titled “I Like Myself.”

GWEN ALBERS is managing editor of The Tidewater News. Her email address is gwen.albers@tidewaternews.com.