After seeing a Sesame Street special with Elmo that featured country singer Brad Paisley and his wife, Kimberly, Brianna Drewry, 4, of Franklin decided she wanted to help Elmo collect food for hungry children.

Rather than receive gifts for her birthday party on Sunday at the Sedley Ball Field, Brianna asked friends to bring canned goods. She collected 103 cans of food and non-perishable food items, which she wants to give to Black Creek Baptist Church.

She is the daughter of Crystal and Brian Drewry. Brianna’s actual birthday was Tuesday, Nov. 1.

• J.D. “Deepy” Spivey of Franklin celebrated his 85th birthday on Sept. 10.

Other family members with recent birthdays were his wife, Anne Spivey of Dunlop House in Colonial Heights, who turned 83 on Oct. 9. Two days later, J.D.’s daughter, Kay Walsh of Harrisonburg, celebrated her birthday. J.D. and Anne’s grandchildren Davis Walsh of Williamsburg had a birthday on Oct. 14, Katie Walsh of Shijiazhuang, China, on Oct. 19 and Kelly Anne Spivey of Franklin on Oct. 27.

• Gwendolyn Wilson, a family and consumer science teacher at Southampton High School, recently attended the Occupy DC Now event in Washington, D.C.

She used the information in a lesson plan as part of Virginia Career Week, which came from a proclamation by Gov. Bob McDonnell. Her lesson plan included information on the importance of higher education, careers in high demand and job preparations skills.

A freelance photographer, Gwendolyn also covered the Martin Luther King Memorial Dedication Ceremony and the Washington Redskins/Philadelphia Eagles game while in Washington.

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