This link goes to an online PDF of a printed profile of William Byrd Community House Executive Board President Margaret Friedenberg in the Richmond Free Press. Given the the Free Press’ past treatment of it online content, I doubt this link will work in the long term.
The Virginia Girls Choir, a city-wide choir for girls in grades 4-7, will sing Evensong at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Oregon Hill, Sunday, Jan. 11 at 5 p.m. The 20-member choir formed in September 2008 and is a city-wide music ministry of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. Choristers audition for the competitive slots and come from a variety of schools and backgrounds. The service will feature the music of contemporary American composer Vernon Williams and a setting of Charles Wood’s carol Mater Ora Filium. Evensong is one of the Free and open.
This big tree came down on 500 block of Pine Street recently. Some residents believe this portends new development on this lot, near Mama Zu’s.
Published with permission from OH email discussion, another take on the changing relationship between VCU students and the neighborhood:
My observation is that there is an increasing trend for students living in our neighborhood and others surrounding VCU to be ever more and more oblivious to certain aspects of urban living and coexistence, including having loud disturbing parties, putting trash on the sidewalk and even not getting towed during street cleanings. Where is the disconnect here? Are families not preparing their kids for independent college life?
Read the entire email for more…
The beautiful morning brought lots of birds and renovation work. Somehow, despite the economy, Oregon Hill is still making progress towards complete rebirth. 
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Lines blur between monuments of apathy and installations of ‘culture’:
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On the heels of the Byrd Market and SynerGeo’s events comes this one:
Saturday, December 20, 2008
1-4pm
Downtown YMCA, 2 W. Franklin St
Richmond VA
EXPERIENCE AN ALTERNATIVE TO MALL-SHOPPING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!
-COP cool gear–clothing, bags, jewelry, artwork from 10 local designers/recyclers/vintage masters
-CHILL with beautiful people who think outside the box
-GROOVE to dope tunes on the 1s and 2s
-LAUGH OUT LOUD at any one of the ol\’ skool movies projected on the wall
-SWAP your gently used records, books, shoes, jewelry, clothing, etc. for other people\’s property (You down with OPP? Yeah, you know me!).
-CREATE your own holiday gifts by DONATING scraps (tshirts, fabric, buttons, beads,yarn, etc.)to be made into something kinda lovely. We\’ll have sewing and craft supplies on hand so you can make your own magic.
We hope to share creative energy and ideas and foster a community of fresh collaboration. This is for folks who want to re-purpose material things and re-hab their imaginations.Spread the love!
For more info: contact Sionne at sionnene@gmail.com or 323.854.2256
mark your calendars!—MONDAY DEC. 15TH
instead of the regular monthly Oregon Hill Community Dinner,
SynerGeo will be hosting an art show featuring
the kids in their after school Artsplosion program.
Come on out and show your support for the kids!
and of course to enjoy some great art and refreshments!
Richmond Boys Choir, St. Andrew’s, Oregon Hill Team Up to Help Replenish Central Virginia Food Bank
The Richmond Boys Choir and St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church are teaming up to help replenish the Central Virginia Food Bank. The Boys Choir will perform a holiday concert Friday Dec. 19 at the church. The cost of admission: a canned good or other non-perishable food item. “Across the state food banks are running bare at a time when more people than ever are going to need help,” says the Rev. Abbott Bailey, St. Andrew’s rector. “We can’t do enough to keep the shelves full, especially when the folks who need the help are our neighbors.” The Joyful Song concert is part of the church’s Music with Grace series, made possible through a generous grant from the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. For information, call 804-648-7980. www.standrewsec.org