When Ameena and Jay Lewis moved their family to Sutherlyn Estates thirteen years ago, they moved in order to have a one story home built in a good school district and to be closer to family in Great Bridge. Little did they know then that the move came with a huge and joyous bonus, a loving community both in their neighbors and their fellow
Great Bridge residents.
“Our neighbors are the best we have ever had,” Ameena said. “Some are former military and we dread the possibility of them ever moving. We would do anything for them and feel the same for us. To be a part of this community is a blessing though because we do not only look out for one another, but we support each other.”
Jay Lewis is a Chesapeake native, having lived here all his life. He and Ameena met through a friend in March, 1998 and the couple was married in December, 1999. At the time, Ameena was working as a CPA at a local firm, but when their son, Connor came along a few years into their marriage, Ameena decided to follow her heart and start her own tax services business so she would be afforded the flexibility and means they needed to raise a family.
At the time they met, Jay was working at the Norfolk Ford assembly plant and was there until it closed in 2007. He then went to ECPI and obtained a degree in computer science with a major in network security. Today, Jay works for a government contractor that supports the US Coast Guard as a systems administrator and Ameena is still running her own tax services company, Lewis Accounting and Tax Service, Inc. which has blossomed into a very successful business.
“Jay has been supportive since day one of me starting my own business and works alongside me in running it,” Ameena shared with appreciation. “He is our go to for all things logistic and information systems. By day, he works his career and at night, he is hard at work in our office.” Together, the couple has three children, Conner, who is 19 years old, and twin girls, Allison (Alli) and Lauryn who are 18 years old. As a family, they enjoy concerts and the summertime. When they aren’t working you can often find them
relaxing at the pool with family and friends.
But the Lewis Family’s lives are not without their own set of challenges. When Alli and Lauryn, who are identical twins, were born at 26 weeks they were just one pound and eight ounces each. They were in the NICU the first five months of their lives and it was a very scary time for everyone. “At times during their hospital stay we didn’t know if they were going to make it,” Ameena recalled. “They both have overcome many challenges, like sicknesses and surgeries, and are now lovely, healthy, amazing young ladies.”
Currently, Connor, Alli and Lauryn are thriving. Conner is a great big brother to his twin sisters. He supports the family in any way they need, whether it’s mom’s business or helping Alli, who lives with cerebral palsy. He enjoys concerts, video games, and his pet fish and crested gecko named Worm. Connor is a hard worker with a job at a pet store. He is attending Tidewater Community College right now to get his 2-year degree with plans to attend Old Dominion University afterwards to continue his education further.
Allison is described by those who know and love her as the friendliest love you could ever meet, she is the type of warm person who knows no stranger. She loves video games, cuckoo clocks, and summertime because she gets to attend summer camp at Ability Center of Virginia where she gets to catch up with long-time friends and go on field trips. Alli goes to Great Bridge High School and will attend until she is 21.
Lauryn is the one with the creative spirit, excelling most in writing and drawing. She enjoys music, watching Netflix, puzzles, horses and the joy of a good deal at a local thrift store.
Like her older brother, Lauryn is a hard worker, currently she works at a movie theater and is a junior at Great Bridge High school and is always available and willing to help her twin sister, Alli, in any way she can. “In my family, we place each other first. Life is busy, but we would not trade each other for anything,” Ameena said.
“Our motto is family first, work hard, and enjoy life more.” Through Alli’s disability, the Lewis family has found a supportive and loving community here in Hampton Roads. Alli’s
aide, Meghan, has been with the Lewis Family for 13 years and they love her and her family as if they were family themselves. The Lewis’s also actively support and contribute to The Ability Center of Virginia Beach whose team has made a huge impact on Alli and the Lewises.
“The team at The Ability Center of Virginia Beach is amazing and has been a large part of our life,” Ameena said. “We sell greeting cards in our office made by their participants to support them throughout the year and often participate in their various functions like the Gala and summer camps.” Outside of their work with The Ability Center of Virginia Beach, Ameena is also a part of the Chesapeake Rotary Club and has sponsored a tent at the Chesapeake Spring Art Festival for the past two years.
“Being a part of the Rotary is an avenue where I can support our local community and be involved,” she said. “Through the Rotary, I also spearhead the Strive Program. This program focuses on a select group of students within a high school out of Virginia Beach. The students work to raise their GPA to the best of their ability throughout the school year for the chance to win a Scholarship. Throughout the school year, they meet with me for one hour a month to learn life skills.”
In all, The Lewis Family is grateful to have found a community that is loving and supportive in so many different facets of their lives. It means a great deal to know that the people of Great Bridge have their back. “I would like for my neighbors to know that I appreciate their support and look forward to working with them year after year. I want them to understand how much I truly do enjoy living in and being a part of the neighborhood.”
