Candidate Profile: Amy L. Drewry (Surry County Board of Supervisors, Dendron District)

Amy L. Drewry is a candidate for the Surry County Board of Supervisors, Dendron District. Her name will appear on the ballot on November 7, 2023.

Drewry is running against Brenton J. Byrd.

10 On Your Side reached out to all of the candidates running in this race with specific questions. The responses below came directly from the candidate and are unedited. If you do not see the candidate listed with a profile, we did not receive one.

Name: Amy Drewry

Age: 65

Race: Surry County Board of Supervisors, Dendron District

Website: Amy Drewry

Biography: Amy Drewry is an award-winning independent documentary filmmaker, recently completing a 6 part podcast series titled RURAL that was picked up by National Public Radio’s website.  Before that, her 4th PBS affiliate documentary, a historical and agricultural film The Virginia Peanut Story was produced with support from the Virginia Humanities & other organizations and aired in over 100 PBS markets nationwide.  Her previous documentaries include; Wired for Life, Early Childhood Education & Care; Surviving Abundance, Overweight Kids in Crisis; & Kingdom By The Sea, Fortress Monroe. Some other works include  HAMPTON’S HIDDEN HISTORY, and advocacy films for many non-profits.

Amy holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and her work in film, theater, television, corporate and digital web-based platforms has allowed her to produce in multi-genres as both Director and Producer. She directed the theatrical production “Ruined” for one of the most respected historically black universities, Hampton University. Other theater directing credits include “Crimes of the Heart” “Smokey Joe’s Cafe” “Dracula” “Steel Magnolias” and others.

5 years spent working in the feature film industry included the following feature films and broadcast television shows:

Historical Fiction Gone to Texas ..starring Sam Elliott,

Biography The George McKenna Story starring Denzel Washington

Comedy Romance –   Full Moon in Blue Water starring Gene Hackman, Burgess Meredith and Terry Garr

Medical Buck James for Life starring Dennis Weaver

Foreign Miller and Muller a series for German television

Horror – The Lamp 

Additional projects include web films for the U.S. Department of Energy, advocacy films for the National Parks Conservation Association, media campaigns for a variety of non-profits, tribute films including JoAnn Falletta, Virginia Symphony conductor and Frank Batten, creator of The Weather Channel, 

In the late 80’s and early 90’s Amy produced the largest environmental awareness series in the country for the oil and gas industry, which consisted of over 100 films and included teacher guides and instructions manuals.  Much more provided on request. 

Amy and her husband farmer husband Michael Drewry run Drewry Farms Blueberries in Wakefield, VA.

Why are you running for this office?

My reasons for running are many: 

While producing RURAL for public radio on the hollowing out of rural America, I was exposed to many diverse benefits and challenges rural communities face and also exposed to some of the brightest minds who are thinking deeply on how to face those challenges.  The interviews and conversations with these folks provided many creative and good ideas on how to tackle, and turn around, our population decline.  Attracting young people is a challenge and we have to be creative.  I would like to work on solutions to many of the challenges over the next 4 years.  

Second, despite our aging and dwindling population, our taxes in Surry County have increased 3 years in a row with the approval of our present board, which is surprising given the population decline within our county.  

 Third, I am concerned with the divisions between citizens that I see in our society and county at the present.  Rural communities don’t have the luxury of division, we all know, and need, each other.  I want to assist government actions that will foster an environment of citizenship and participation.”

What is the most important issue facing the county, and what is your position on it?

Citizen interests and citizen engagement.  

Supervisors and staff need to be out in the county, talking with a diverse group of citizens, taking the pulse of who are their constituents, discovering what their needs and wants might be.  Positive actions on the part of county leaders to obtain citizen input on what should be the county priorities would help in the process.  Creating an annual citizen forum where any citizen may speak as to what they believe is an issue, and how it can be solved.  Creating citizen-committees to research solutions and develop action plans would be a good first step.  The end result should be a document that is used as a guide in drafting the annual budget.  Most of all, creating an atmosphere of respect and inclusion where citizens gladly give their time and energy to help should also be a top priority.  Let’s welcome the talent.”

 What it the top challenge facing your district, and how would you address it?  

Population decline and the hollowing out of rural America, where the targeting of rural communities with little resources by powerful and wealthy industries, continues to change and harm small, agricultural, rural towns. 

What we do know is that everything we have done over the past 50 years has not stopped this hollowing out.  We have to begin thinking in new paradigms, calling on all our diverse residents to contribute and create connections.

How do you feel about the politicization of public education?

Politicization of issues facing the public are usually harmful to citizens and I believe that if you have diverse citizens working together in groups in a civil and decorous manner, solutions are there to be found.  We should be helping create venues and the environment for this to happen. 

How do you plan to manage growth while also protecting the quality-of-life residents bought into?  

It is not for me alone to do this task.  It will depend on what the citizen’s want and need, and their interpretation of quality of life.  

What is your view on unlimited campaign contributions? Should that change?  

Unlike most of the country, Virginia allows donations from the energy sector that the legislators regulate.  It is wide open to corruption and influence peddling.  We should separate the interest of government from the private interest of capitalism and greatly limit contributions. 

How will you still value constituents and politicians with whom you disagree? 

I welcome people who will disagree.  Most successful organizations include at least 3 types of members on their teams:  Those who are alike; some moderate outsiders; and a disruptor or two.  When the organizations have too many people who are simpatico, weaknesses are amplified.  A moderate outsider is going to have a different perspective, and with a disruptor, someone is going to come up with a good idea.  We have to begin to think of our diverse viewpoints as a gift and embrace the differences.  This is how the most successful organizations are structured and how big problems are solved.  We have an opportunity to role model possibilities and let go of our fear of change.  The ideas are out there, we need to listen.  Surry County has many great people. Together the citizens can implement ideas to reverse the present trends. Citizens must engage and we have to create avenues for this to happen.