Richmond Peace Education News

From email announcement:

Tomorrow! The U.S. in the Middle East: Community forum featuring Raed Jarrar and Larry Syverson. Thursday, April 16 at 1000 Floyd Ave., 7:30pm. Free. All are welcome. Facebook page here: More info here.

Youth Opportunities
Peace Essay Contest deadline April 20th! Write about “what inspires you.” Cash prizes for winning essays. Download the submission form here. The contest is open to students grades K through 12.

Youth Peace Summit is April 25. The theme this year is “Working for Racial Justice in Richmond.” Teens are encouraged to register today!

VCU’s “Relay for Life” Saturday

There is an all-day annual event that VCU is hosting this Saturday. It’s called ‘Relay for Life’, and it’s a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society.

It is open to the community and interested persons can sign up or donate by clicking on this link.

The event goes from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Cary St. Field.

Organizers have been working to ensure that the sound projects toward Cary St. and not the neighborhood. That said, we know that sounds can and will bounce off buildings. Should the volume become problematic residents can call VCU PD’s non-emergency number at 828-1196.

VWM 5K This Saturday

The Virginia War Memorial 5K Run/Walk To Remember will be Saturday, April 18th. The race kicks off at the Memorial @ 8:30 a.m. and will be travelling through Oregon Hill between 8:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.

Organizers are expecting 500+ participants and over 600 military running in formation. There will be Course Marshals and Fort Lee soldiers along the route and at each corner. Richmond City Police will be involved with the race too. Only 2nd street and Belvidere from Byrd Street to the Lee Bridge entrance ramp will be closed, but due to the number of participants there might be a few delays on the streets involved.

This race is a wonderful opportunity for the public to honor and remember veterans.

VWM 5K Flyer FINAL 4-18-15

Birds Bring Economic Vitality to Cities, New Study Finds

Many Oregon Hill residents love having birds in the neighborhood and recognize how lucky we are that we get a lot bird traffic due to nearby James River Park and Hollywood Cemetery, which serve as havens for wildlife and important stops for bird migrations.

A new study published last month in the journal Urban Ecosystems tries to determine what economic value residents in two comparable cities place on having birds in their backyards and parks.

From an article on the study:

“This paper shows that our interactions with birds actually have a pretty high economic return to the community where you live,” said John Marzluff, a University of Washington professor of environmental and forest sciences and the paper’s co-author. “We know that having a livable, green community that attracts birds also increases the value of homes in that area. This paper shows there’s an economic service birds are providing.”

It’s something to consider as development pressures and increased riverfront activity come to bear. There is a lot at stake.

Renegade Market Tomorrow

From Byrd House Market’s blog:

byrd_market_760wide_V2

2015 is shaping up to be a great market season

WELCOME TO OUR NEW AND RETURNING VENDORS, MUSICIANS, NONPROFITS, STORYTELLERS, FRIENDS, SHOPPERS AND VOLUNTEERS!
I am looking forward to the bounties of spring like everyone else. Eggs with clear whites and golden yolks, Asparagus tender and tall, Salad greens and sprouts tossed with the lightest of vinaigrettes, Strawberries and herbs, flowers and soft yet hearty warm breads, mushrooms bursting with savory good tones sauteed in whole butter or olive oil with chopped garlic, a dash of salt and sprinkled with chives… and make one more stew, a big one-pot treasure of the farmer’s best crops and high quality meat or poultry that feeds four for 3 meals. It is all about the food, isn’t it.

MAY 5 = OPENING DAY!

AND EVERY RENEGADE MARKET DAY TIL THEN IS THE BEST KIND OF PREVIEW!

Please Don’t Forget, Vendor Applicants!!
Please accept this quick, firm reminder that your application is not complete unless the Application Fee has been received. Make your check payable to “WBCH” then Mail or Deliver it to

WBCH
224 S. Cherry St.
Richmond, VA 23220
ATTN: BHM App

“the ‘Real World,’ only with a twist,”

The Times Dispatch has a story on the Grace-on-the-Hill program at St. Andrew’s Church, entitled “College graduates join to enrich outreach in Episcopal mission effort”.

Excerpt:

The “Grace” in Grace-on-the-Hill is part tribute to Arents. But it’s also part tribute to “grace,” as in the work of God.
While the church is now more a destination than a neighborhood hub — most Sundays, the pews are filled with people who had to drive in — Bailey said St. Andrew’s still has an obligation to lift up its community, both immediate in Oregon Hill and spread across Richmond.
It also has an obligation to lift up the people who come to help.
That’s where Fado and the five others come in. For 10 months, stretching across a traditional school year, they call Oregon Hill home but spread out in the day to help the community.
Fado and James Post work at Anna Julia Cooper, an Episcopal school across the street from public housing in the East End.
Patrick Keyser walks a few doors down the street and works in the St. Andrew’s office.
Kate McPherson works at St. Andrew’s School, next to the church and still loosely affiliated with it.
Melissa Eadie works in the mission office at the diocesan office on West Franklin Street.
And Stephanie McCullough works at the Blue Sky Fund, which provides outdoor programs to children from the city.
The six also work in the church, perform community service in Oregon Hill and, one day a week, operate a laundry ministry for the homeless.
“It’s been a good experience so far,” said Keyser, a 22-year-old from the town of Burgess, on the Northern Neck. “It hasn’t been perfect, but what is?”
“I’d say it’s been real meaningful, being able to really dig in and make an impact,” McCullough said. “That none of us is from here, and that we may all go somewhere else later in our lives, I don’t think that matters. In this moment, this is right.”

To learn more on the Grace-on-the-Hill program, click here.

WRIC Story On St. Andrew’s Farm to School Program

WRIC recently featured a story on St. Andrew’s School’s Farm To School program.

Excerpt:

What will happen if students eat only fresh, local foods in school? Will their grades improve? Will absences go down? It is a study going on at Richmond’s St. Andrew’s School, and the kids are eating it up!

There is excitement in the lunch line. Today’s menu is another great one: burgers made with beef and beet, plus plenty of produce.

“I like how at the salad bar we can have eggs and cucumbers and sometimes tomatoes,” says fifth grade student Joshua Bush.

This program is built on a partnership with a purpose. Chefs from Edible Education cook and serve up fresh food brought in by Field of Dreams Farm. About 90% is grown nearby. At the beginning of the year, nurses checked each student’s weight, height and general health. Now they are following them to see how this fresh food is fuel for the classroom.

“When you’re eating healthy, you’re able to pay attention, stay focused,” says Cyndy Weldon-Lassiter, the St. Andrew’s Head of School.

Neighbor Creates ‘Sanctuary’ to Help Formerly Incarcerated Citizens

Congratulations to Pine Street neighbor Liz Canfield!

She is featured on this WTVR report: VCU professor creates ‘Sanctuary’ to help formerly incarcerated residents ease back into society

Excerpts:

Virginia Commonwealth University and the Richmond City Sheriff’s Office have teamed up to provide formerly incarcerated Richmond-area residents and their families a place to learn, create, and transition back into society. Sanctuary, which opened March 30 at 101 W. Broad Street, will provide GED tutoring, job preparation and resources, resume building, and creative expression through art for members re-entering the community.

…

Sanctuary co-founder Dr. Liz Canfield is an assistant professor at VCU in the College of Humanities and Sciences’ Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies.

“We wanted to build a safe place on the outside where people can go when they got out,” she explained.

Sanctuary is an extension of Open-Minds, a program Canfield co-directs with VCU English professor Dr. David Coogan. Open-Minds provides dual enrollment classes for VCU students and incarcerated people at the Richmond City Jail.