Category Archives: community

Oregon Hill Baptist Center

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River Road Church, Baptist, website has a recent post that gives a little history of one of the Centers of Care For The City, Oregon Hill Baptist Center:

From the beginning, Richmond Baptists saw the need to care for the physically and spiritually destitute in the city. In 1914 Richmond Baptists opened a pioneer institution, the House of Happiness. It quickly became a lighthouse for the needy in Richmond. As population shifted and the needs of the people changed, it became clear that more centers were needed. The Cary Street Baptist Center opened in 1940 with a Vacation Bible School. In 1974 this center was moved to its present location inside Pine Street Baptist Church and the name was changed to the Oregon Hill Baptist Center.
Today, Oregon Hill offers counseling, small group Bible studies, family activities, and youth gatherings. As the community has changed over the years, many of the ministries of the Center have changed as well. Now Oregon Hill operates an emergency food pantry and provides some financial assistance for those living in the 23219 and 23220 zip codes. RRCB’s First Sunday Food Share collection helps supply the pantry.
One of the major areas of focus is their Homeless Ministry. Several unique opportunities have emerged in this ministry. The Center offers lockers for use of the homeless. This gives them a place to leave important papers, personal items, and some clothing. A mailing address is also provided for those with no other option. With the help of volunteers, the homeless are also provided a laundry drop off and pick up service once a week.

The post goes on to identify some of the volunteer opportunities associated with the center.

Open High Students March For Climate

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The Times Dispatch has a nice article on Open High students’ participation in today’s international youth march for climate awareness.

Here’s an excerpt:

About 100 Open students – roughly half of the school’s population – left their studies in the Oregon Hill neighborhood at 9:30 a.m. and marched down Belvidere, Franklin and Broad streets to demand the city and school system take action to stop the effects of climate change.

“This is our future,” said senior Ian McCoy. “The generations before us screwed up our environment and now we have to suffer.”

McCoy helped organize the Richmond protest, one of an estimated 2,000 across the world on Friday. Global students drew inspiration from Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old Swedish activist who has held demonstrations outside the Swedish parliament since last year. Thunberg was recently nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

What I really appreciated was that the article included specific demands from Richmond students to their school administration and City government:

1. Have the city and Richmond School Board recognize the need “to include steps to mitigate climate change with the long term and short term goals.”
2. Use green building standards in school renovations and construction.
3. Have the school district stop using Styrofoam and other non-recyclable, one-time-use plastics in school lunches.
4. Reduce energy usage and improve energy efficiency in schools.
They made those requests known in a meeting Friday with Richmond Public Schools Chief of Staff Michelle Hudacsko and Mayor Levar Stoney’s Senior Policy Advisor for Youth Initiatives, Eva Colen.

Bring on the solar schools!

Benefit Dinner/Memorial Unveiling For Dirtwoman

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From the campaign page (where you can make your donation):

Donnie “Dirtwoman” Corker had a heart as big as Richmond (making the rest of her approximately the size of Delaware).
She was a beloved icon and pioneer for the LGBTQ community, a literal landmark to Richmond’s counterculture for more than 40 years, a beloved brother, and a dear friend to Richmond’s famous, infamous and not-at-all-famous alike.
Dirtwoman embodied everything about Richmond that is weird, wonderful and willing to be different while making a difference.
In honor of the everlasting impact crater Dirtwoman left on our fair city, and honoring a pledge made to her by her friends before her death in 2017, we invite YOU to a special benefit dinner and memorial plaque unveiling at Mamma Zu’s
What: Benefit Dinner/Memorial Unveiling
Where: Mamma Zu’s
When: April 7
Why: Massey Cancer Center
Huh?: Massey saved Donnie’s life
Cost: $50 donation to Massey Cancer
What Else: This event coincides with the Virginia Premier of “Spider Mites of Jesus: The Dirtwoman Documentary at the Virginia Film Festival.

BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE: After you donate, print out your donation confirmation email. This IS YOUR TICKET to attend this special Dirtwoman memorial dinner at Mamma Zu’s

James River Park Planning Meeting Last Night

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Some scenes from the James River Park Master Plan meeting last night at the Virginia War Memorial:


Much of the meeting was spent conversing and viewing and writing on maps… nothing was officially proposed…

For more information on the James River Park Master Plan, click here (and if you have not already, fill out a survey).

Oregon Hill Real Estate Market Watch

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Neighbor and real estate agent Wes Fertig put out this recent Oregon Hill Market Watch report for those that have been interested in selling their home here or moving in. Two other things to mention: Wes Fertig participates in a program that gives real estate rebates and discounts for any employee of Richmond area police department, fire department, sheriff’s office, 911 center, or EMS agency when buying or selling a home with him as the realtor. Secondly, he is OregonHill.net’s newest advertiser!



To see more of the report, click here.

Angel Needs A New Home

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From a neighbor Summer Shultz’s post (shared with permission):

Sweet Angel needs a home! She is a purebred husky, 12 years old and in excellent health. Her owner is dealing with a crisis and is no longer able to keep her. Look at this face! Do you have room in your heart for Angel, as either an emergency foster while her owner picks up the pieces, or as a forever home? Angel’s owner wants her safe and happy and is willing to give her up.

If you are able to supply such respite, please contact Summer via email- summrlyn(at)aol.com

OHNA Meeting Tomorrow Night

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From announcement:

Hey everyone! Please don’t forget that our next Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association meeting will be Tuesday, February 26th at 7pm inside St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. Below is the agenda sent by OHNA President Todd Woodson. Hope to see you all there!!!

“First, for those of you that have cats or small dogs that go outside, there is a grave danger to them existing within and adjacent to the neighborhood. 16 months ago, I was “adopted” by two mated feral cats. The male I could eventually pet while the female always ran at the sight of humans. They were not coming inside so I built an insulated house on my porch with an outdoor heating pad and fed and watered them. They went under the house during bitter cold. The female went missing 1 1/2 weeks ago, then yesterday at 5am, my indoor cat woke me up screaming but not wanting to go out. I checked the porch and my other outdoor cat was gone. A night watchman at Hollywood Cemetery confirmed last night that there are at least 7 coyotes in the cemetery that they have seen and are aware of. Right now is mating/gestation season so there will be even more coyotes coming. There was a confirmed sighting some months ago a couple alleys east of me of a coyote with a cat in its mouth. Coyotes will establish a “prey profile” of the easiest, most available food source available which they will seek with keen senses of sight, sound and smell. After research on the internet, I determined loss of cats to coyotes as well as attacks on small dogs is at an epidemic rate in the city and being near the river and an open space like Hollywood compounds the problem. Coyotes are classified as nuisance animals by the Va Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and can be killed at any time (with the exception being with a weapon on Sundays). They are not native to Virginia but populations have exploded since they have moved here. PLEASE take all measures available to safeguard your pets! I am shocked and saddened by my horrible loss and don’t want to see it spread.
Our meeting will start at 7pm with the usual updates from Police and VCU. I will then introduce Dr. Ghazala Hamshi who will speak regarding her candidacy for Virginia Senate in our district, a position currently held by Senator Glen Sturtevant. Dr. Hamshi is a lifelong democrat and she has worked as a college professor and administrator as her career calling.
I would then like to discuss the 2000 Riverfront apartment building’s Special Use Permit Application for an illuminated “2000” sign on their building. This is the apartments next to the river directly across the Lee Bridge from us. Concerns have been noted in the past on light pollution, especially near the river, and the need for such illuminated signage.
We will also have updates from Councilperson Agelasto’s office.
Take care and I look forward to seeing you Tuesday.”

Oregon Hill Blitz Cleanup

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From RVA Clean Sweep:

Arbor Earth is partnering with RVA Clean Sweep and Keep Virginia Beautiful (KVB)! They will be hosting an Oregon Hill Cleanup on the same day as Shiver in the River.

More information about Arbor Earth: https://www.arborearth.org/

Please join them on the corner of Idlewood & Laurel (at 10 am) for however long you can. All supplies will be provided.

Ray Williams

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Style has a story on the passing of Ray Williams, City homicide detective.

Excerpt:

Retired Richmond police Detective W. Ray Williams died Feb. 1 at 68 following a long battle with heart disease, tragically dying on the same day as his younger brother Tommy, a retired American Filtrona factory worker who had long suffered from Alzheimer’s.

The gravel-voiced Richmond native had a tough upbringing in the city’s Oregon Hill neighborhood.

“You had to fight to exist in Oregon Hill,” said Ray Williams, who at age 12 witnessed a neighbor get shot through the neck. Ray was the third of six children, all of whom were placed in foster care as young children for four years. His two youngest siblings would be adopted by another family. Their father, a second-generation bootleg whiskey-maker who once sold his wares to the same undercover policeman twice in a single night, was in and out of the nearby state penitentiary and prison road camps during their early years. Years later, as a young homicide detective, Ray would be called to an abandoned house in Oregon Hill, where his father was found dead on a mattress in the kitchen.

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A memorial service for Ray Williams will be held Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. at the Richmond Police Academy, 1202 W. Graham Road. His family has asked that donations be made in his name to the Richmond Police Foundation, richmondpolicefoundation.org, or Apple Dog Daycare, appledogdaycare.com.