Category Archives: community

RIC/RVA – 400 years of Revolution, Innovation, and Change in #RVA

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From online poster:

In partnership with the American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar, the Library of Virginia, the Valentine Richmond History Center, Floricane is excited to present: RIC/RVA – 400 years of Revolution, Innovation, and Change in #RVA. It’s an i.e.* sanctioned series, and we think it’s going to change the way you think about #RVA’s past – and its future.

Presented in four separate events, beginning March 14th, RIC/RVA will introduce participants to a whole new way of looking at Richmond; past, present, and future. From the River City’s earliest drug lords to a celebration of our current creative renaissance, this event series will be part education, part creative engagement, and 100% entertaining!

Check out the details for each FREE event below, and get ready to see your city with new eyes!

FOUR WEDNESDAYS
5:30PM – 8:00PM
STARTING MARCH 14*

The third session on April 11 is at Tredegar.

Late Notice On Visit to Mali

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Chris Maxwell reminded me that this is happening–

The Vicarious Traveler’s series offers an opportunity to travel and learn about customs and cultures around the world. Though shared pictures, stories, music and discussions we can start to understand how interrelated we are and our role in this world we inhabit. This experience will hopefully make us all better stewards of our land and cultures.

Saturdays in February & March
February 4: Easter Island- Kristin Smith, lifelong traveler, will talk about her trip to Easter Island and how to save money traveling abroad.
February 25: Jordan- Virginia Vasser will talk about her trip to Jordan and offer other insights into Muslim culture.
March 3: Mali and Senegal- Dr. Robin Poulton and Virginia Vasser discuss their visits to two former French colonies. Dr. Poulton’s recent book oabout Mali will be available for purchase at the hostel after the program.
March 31: Tanzania- Alice Baird presents slides of Tanzania’s gorgeous scenery and amazing wildlife.
3:30-5 p.m.
Richmond Main Library

Refreshments provided by the Richmond Hostel Committee. Programs are free and the public is invited.

The series is part of Hostelling International’s Opening Doors, Opening Minds initiative, which brings into sharp focus a vision that hostellers can become caring world citizens who are catalysts in creating a more peaceful world.

Programs will be followed by an optional tour of the future Richmond Hostel under
development near the Main Library.

A couple of quick editorial notes/comments-

Segou, Mali is one of Richmond’s Sister Cities.

While the Times Disgrace continues to trumpet the corporate development plans, it’s things like the Sister Cities program and the future Richmond Hostel that really speak for sustainable, intelligent tourism in Richmond.

Storefront for Community Design Trolley Tour on Saturday

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Harry Kollatz has a post about tomorrow’s (Saturday, March 3) trolley/bus tour sponsored by the Storefront for Community Design and lead by Oregon Hill resident Tyler Potterfield (Click here for link).

The 1-year-old nonprofit works with homeowners, businesses and organizations to “encourage high-quality community development and strengthen Richmond’s urban neighborhoods by providing access to design and planning resources.”
Giles Harnsberger, manager of Storefront for Community Design, explains that there’ll be no stops. “We’ll keep rolling to go by the 22 sites that Storefront has worked on.”

She explains that Storefront is a workshop where anything goes. “It’s a place where people can come and work with a designer on a whole range of projects, which is what we’re showing with this tour.” Some of the projects are completed, while others are in the planning pipeline.

Some examples are the Wiliam Byrd Community House in Oregon Hill, where Storefront is assisting their plan for a nutrition center and a kitchen learning center.

Volunteer For New Trees For Oregon Hill

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From email:

As I mentioned last night at the OHNA meeting, from 2002 until Marty Jewell was elected, over 400 street trees were planted in Oregon Hill. Despite humble requests to our councilperson for budget consideration to continue this progress, all communication was ignored so only trees planted were by privateers during that period.

We have a chance to make a new start in this area with no money needed, only volunteer labor. Although trees will be small, with care they will grow to provide us with many benefits as urban dwellers.

I have included the schedule and details below for a tree giveaway sponsored (ed.- I have edited out for this post, we don’t need competition for the trees!)

In order for us to make the most of this opportunity, a 5 step volunteer process is necessary and you are very welcome to help out in one or all of these areas as follows:

1. Identification of empty prospective tree well sites. If you need a tree near your house or would care to inventory our tree stock and come up with suggestions, that would be great and report back would need to be done in the next 2 weeks or so.

2. Preparation of identified tree wells. Unfortunately since we dont have a stump grinder, only clean, non stumped sites will work (unless you want to rent a grinder). It is necessary to dig up and loosen dirt in the wells BEFORE HAND so everything will go smoothly for the planting. This is the hardest part (but not that hard).

3. Pick up of trees at site. We need a good idea how many we need and what types of trees. 10 allowed per person and we need to get there early.

4. PLANTING. Oh the joy! Kids especially welcome! Supervision by tree stewards available.

5. AND MOST IMPORTANT! We need volunteers to adopt the baby trees and water them during the dry times. They should get 15 gallons a week during the dry months and this is essential to their survival for the first couple years. They will pay you back with MANY benefits!

If you can help, please email me, Todd, at or call and leave a message at 783-8829 giving me your name and contact info. We will have 1 or 2 short organizational meetings along the way and I will keep you advised on this group and hopefully on the blogsite. Time is tight!

Todd.