Category Archives: community

GoogleMaps Virtual Roadtripsters To Be Interviewed On NPR

Posted on by
Reply

I mentioned Pete’s excellent adventure earlier this week. Our brave armchair travelers have fallen a bit behind- they were supposed to finish Wednesday evening but from the looks of things, they are in Arkansas somewhere. Anyway, they are scheduled to be interviewed on National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition tomorrow morning for a short segment between 8 am and 9 am. Evidently their following picked up after the Google Maps folks got them to fix the Google logo and Twittered about the project to their 1.3. million followers.

WBCH Carnival on August 20th

Posted on by
1

William Byrd Community House will hold its annual CARNIVAL on Thursday, August 20, 2009 from 4:00- 7:00 pm. Traditionally for WBCH program participants and their families, this year’s event is open to the public. Come and visit the information and enrollment booths for our Early Childhood Education (ages 3-5), AfterSchool (ages 5-12), and Career Readiness programs (ages 14-24), as well as our Library & Byrd House Market and Family Support & Emergency Services programs.

The annual CARNIVAL co-sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Richmond and Capital One will feature games, arts and craft activities, moon bounces, slides, food and drink.

Founded in 1923, William Byrd Community House provides a full range of prevention-oriented, community-based programs to empower the individual, strengthen the family, and enhance neighborhoods. William Byrd Community House gives the working poor access to services for their most pressing needs such as viable housing, health care, employment and education. The goal of the agency is to work with community partners to find the appropriate pathway to success for those who walk through the door looking for help.

For more information contact Jessica Turner, Development Associate at 643-2717 or jturner@wbch.org.

5 great richmond neighborhoods: oregon hill

Posted on by
Reply

Oregon Hill gets some HGTV internet attention-

http://www.frontdoor.com/city-guide/Richmond-VA-USA/5-Great-Neighborhoods-in-Richmond/p3

Historically a working-class neighborhood, early residents of Oregon Hill worked at the Tredegar Iron Works and Albemarle Paper Company during Reconstruction. These days, the neighborhood welcomes new faces while retaining its funky vibe.

Flagship Address: Cherry Street

Sandwiched between Cary Street and the river, Oregon Hill offers spectacular views of downtown and the James. New townhouses are being built and historic buildings are being renovated and restored, with revitalization efforts strengthening the already independent and tight-knit community.

Benny-Fit For Hospice – Sept. 12

Posted on by
Reply

September 12 may be the opening date for Center Stage, but it is also the date of the Benny’s Reunion. Kozmicsdogz has the details.

Benny’s was a club on Main Street across from Monroe Park where in the 80s every band in Richmond played and is now a part of the collective unconsciousness of those old enough to remember and even those who only remember through a haze of smoke and beer.

The club is gone but Benny Waldbauer the owner and general manger is not. This September 12th at the Playing Field at 7801 W. Broad you can see some of the bands from the past at the Benny-Fit For Hospice.

The lineup so far includes: Beex, Dirty Secrets, Diversions, The Big Good Guys, the Ortotonics, and White Cross.

Also see previous post by clicking here.

Center Stage Siphoning Off Landmark Theater Funding?

Posted on by
4

There’s a rumor on the street that the soon-to-open downtown Center Stage project is now taking funding away from the Landmark Theater renovation.

Instead of getting it out of City of the Future funds, the way it was supposed to,
the Landmark actually got its money from the excess surplus from the Manchester Project. But CenterStage leadership is rumored to be negotiating with Council to get the money that would have gone to the Landmark. (Remember when the City of the Future was supposed to be mainly about renovating and building new schools?)

Many Oregon Hill residents have questioned the Center Stage project from the beginning. Now as it gets closer to opening day, more and more people are raising questions. And yet, even more amazing, this sad, wasteful story just keeps growing.

The Landmark renovations will most likely get finished no matter what, but if this rumor proves true then what other public priorities is Center Stage distracting money and attention from?

New Construction At Albemarle Fire Site?

Posted on by
Reply

IMG_0265

Looks like like there will soon be new construction to replace the historic row houses that burned down earlier this year. Meanwhile, this article appeared.

We should have had a better idea of what the houses would look like before we ever made it back to Richmond. We’d been in pretty heavy contact with our friends back home who watched them burn. We had seen pictures of the fire itself on Max’s phone (thank goodness for technology these days). We had seen the charred remains of other fires on television and on the news before. But we had no idea that the damage would have been that bad. No idea. The sight of it was too much for me to handle. The front of the house didn’t exist, except for a smoky skeleton that had once been the framework of the house. You could see into the remains of our bedrooms, but there wasn’t much to look at. All we could make out by the light of the construction workers were impressions of our former belongings — charred shapes that represented bookshelves, desks, and beds.

Looking Forward to ‘CoffeeBRAKES’ and Run To The River

Posted on by
1

Hopefully not at the same time…seriously though, two quick announcements for upcoming events (also don’t forget the Richmond Folk Festival from Oct. 9-11):

The CoffeeBRAKE is a traditional program from Off Campus Student Services with USC&A, that allows sponsors to gather or distribute information to students. This is an excellent opportunity for program promotions, membership drives, and volunteer opportunities. Starting Fall 2009, programs will be weekly, one sponsor at a time in the new Off Campus Student Services office, Room 119, in the Commons. Talk to 75 to 100 students per CoffeeBRAKE. For details on how to sponsor a Commuter CoffeeBRAKE in the University Student Commons, go to our website.

http://www.usca.vcu.edu/offcampus/coffee.php

We look forward to sharing a cup of coffee with you!

Martha Harper
University Student Commons & Activities
Off Campus Student Services Coordinator
Virginia Commonwealth University.
907 Floyd Ave. Room 104b
Richmond Virginia 23284
804-828-6500

FAX 804-828-6182
www.usca.vcu.edu/offcampus
¡Manos a la obra!

——————————–

Run to the River is a challenging 10k hill race, 5k community walk and 1k fun run to benefit the Neighborhood Resource Center (NRC). Runners will tackle three hills as they dash over cobblestone streets, through historic neighborhoods, and along the banks of the James River. Enjoy live music, refreshments, a free massage or a health check at the finish line party and health fair. Run to the River is one of the most difficult and scenic races in Richmond – and one of the most rewarding. All event proceeds directly support the NRC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing quality resources to families with limited means in the Greater Fulton community of Richmond, VA. The NRC helps youth achieve academic success through individual tutoring and a sliding-scale Montessori preschool. Art and music programs provide youth creative outlets to express themselves. Parents earn their GED and conduct job searches at the NRC. To register or learn more about the race, visit
www.runtotheriver.org.