Golden Hammer Nominees

There are two nominee projects in the neighborhood for the A.C.O.R.N. 2010 Golden Hammer Awards.

The Alliance to Conserve Old Richmond Neighborhoods initiated the Golden Hammer Awards in 2000 to thank and recognize those who had rehabilitated blighted properties in Richmond’s oldest and most neglected communities, bringing new life to the individual buildings– thereby promoting the revitalization of their surroundings. As improvements were made, the results inspired others; and the number of renovations increased until it was great enough to bring several neighborhoods back from total decay.

Nominee for BEST COMMERCIAL RENOVATION
IVNA Building & Clinic, 219-223 South Cherry Street ~ Oregon Hill
Gammino Realty & Development
(click here for previous post on Gammino interview)

Nominee for BEST URBAN INFILL PROJECT
Paul & Phyllis Galanti Education Center, 621 S. Belvidere Street ~ Oregon Hill
Commonwealth of Virginia
(click here for previous post on this development)

See the other nominees and get more info by clicking here.

Yard Sale at 619 W. Cary (Jacob House/OHHIC) This Saturday

From Oregon Hill Home Improvement Council Board President Jennifer Hancock:

OHHIC will be having a yard sale on Saturday from 8 until 1 PM at the Jacob House at 619 W. Cary St. I will be running this event. If anyone wishes to volunteer to help, drop me an email. I could use some help. OHHIC will be selling tools, construction over runs, some office furniture, and excess office supplies.

VCU Student Neighborhood Clean Up Campaign This Saturday

Culled from email announcements:

The Student Government Association (SGA) of Virginia Commonwealth University is holding a neighborhood clean up for four neighborhoods on Saturday. Volunteers will meet at Monroe Park at 9 AM for a rally to kick off this event. Debbie Anderson (OHNA Secretary) will be the Team Captain for the Oregon Hill neighborhood. After the rally, the volunteers will be divided into four groups and return to the neighborhoods for the clean up. At noon, the groups will head to their respective neighborhood’s meeting places for a party. Oregon Hill will be meeting at the William Byrd Community House.

VCU is providing 6 pizzas, 3 boxes of wings, and 3 sodas for the party after the clean up. Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association will be providing plates, napkins, cups, and, maybe, ice.

The Story On Ellis

The Times Dispatch ran an article on Wilbur E. Ellis, who at age 90 still works at the firm that hired him almost 70 years ago.

You might have gathered by now that Ellis is a little on the spirited side. Tough, too.

You’d be that way, too, if you were a poor, short kid growing up on Oregon Hill where, in that era, fighting was as popular a sport as baseball or football. Yet, he never took anything off anybody.

At age 8, he was working for a few pennies a week at Tredegar Iron Works, where his father was a foreman. At John Marshall High, he remained south of 5 feet and the most vertically challenged member of the cadet corps. He wound up playing trumpet.

He got mixed up with bootleggers, running illegal whisky, before his future wife, Phyllis Franck, persuaded him to change his ways. He read of an opening at Atlantic Electrical and applied. He was hired, along with another man, for a monthlong tryout. Whoever performed best would get the job full time. The next week, the other guy was arrested for stealing a typewriter from a house.

Richmond Zine Festival yesterday

Congratulations to neighbor Liz Canfield and other Richmond Zine Festival organizers for a great event.
Although it was not held in Oregon Hill, but the Gay Community Center, it was nice to see all the local tie-ins, like the Books-On-Wheels presence, plus the traveling zine folks.

Wingnut:

Flying Brick:

Parcell Press from Philadelphia:

Click here to see another recent review.

Police Roll Call On Wednesday

According to an email from Lt. Hood, Richmond Police and possibly VCU Police will meet at the corners of China and Pine (near Open High School) on Wednesday, October 20th at 4 PM for a roll call. Once the Roll Call is over, about 5-10 minutes, the Sector 413 officers will walk and/or bike around Oregon Hill. If you have been wanting to raise an issue with the police department, this would be the perfect time to do so.

HandsOn Open High This Saturday

This coming Saturday Hands On Greater Richmond is hosting a big volunteer day with projects all over the region. There are at least two of them that are directly related to Oregon Hill. One is at the William Byrd Community House and one is at Open High School. Here is the Open High one’s details:

Description:

Open High School’s mission is to produce students who will be goal oriented individuals proficient in all of the core subject areas. Equally important is our commitment to fostering competence in and an appreciation for the arts and humanities. In addition, we view students as individuals, competent in the use of technology as well as community resources to further their personal and academic goals. Through shared decision-making and community service, it is our belief that students will develop a sense of personal and social responsibility that will guide their future decisions and actions as democratic citizens.

In lieu of a cafeteria, Open High School has a student lounge where students can eat lunch and interact when not in class. But the lounge desperately needs your help to make it an inviting place to hang out!

Specific Tasks:
– Paint the lounge
– Assemble new furniture and tables to be used for eating and studying
– Construct student cubbies

The minimum age for volunteers is 16 years old. All volunteers under the age of 18 are required to bring a signed copy of the Youth Waiver form to the project in order to participate.

Please note: HandsOn Day will start with a Kick Off Celebration at Richmond International Raceway.

Impact Areas: Other

Interests: The interests recommended for this project are:
Construction/Home Repair, Education, Special Events

Skills: The skills helpful for participation in this project are:
Construction, No skills needed

Click here for direct link to the HandsOn Greater Richmond Open High project.

Click here for direct link to the HandsOn WBCH project.