Aaron Zook will feature “Method in Madness” during this month’s First Friday gallery opening.
Mark your calendars for another First Friday art gallery opening at the Depot! This month’s show “Method in Madness” is presented by local artist, Aaron Zook. He is a self-taught photographer, born and raised in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
The Method in Madness show focuses on the small, quiet moments that punctuate our daily grind. Moments of professionalism, thought, care, routine, and wisdom gained from years of experience are what continually inspire Aaron. In his words, “the world is madness, held together by the fascinating methods of the human mind. This one is for the craftsmen.”
This free event will be held from 5:00-7:00pm on August 5th and is open to everyone. The Gaines Group will provide snacks and refreshments and encourage everyone to RSVP on the event page here.
Everyone who works closely with Charles knows of his heart for serving others and his mission to build a better community. His leadership and efforts were officially recognized by Rotary as he was the recipient of the 110% Award in 2022. This special designation is given to an individual who grows the mission of Rotary, carries out responsibilities exceptionally, and makes significant leadership contributions. He intentionally looks for ways to put #servicebeforeself and shares his intentions with others. He points out that his work is just a small part of what Rotary does for the community and a small part of what the Rotary Club of Rockingham County does in the community.
Charles being awarded the 110% Award.
Whether volunteering with fellow Rotarians or tackling pro-bono architecture projects, Charles is making a lasting impact in our community and we are so proud of him. His efforts are a small piece of the puzzle in creating a stronger, better community and he inspires many of us to do the same. As he says, the power of Rotary is the people you volunteer with and the difference you can make when you all come together.
Deborah receiving her certificate upon completion of the program.
Gaines Group Architects has a graduate to celebrate! Congratulations to Deborah on her recent graduation from the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber Leadership Program! This ten-month leadership program is designed for participants to learn about our community’s past, present, and future all while building valuable relationships. Deborah was accepted into this program in the summer of 2021. She attended monthly community-based meetings that educated her on our community’s strengths and future growth opportunities.
Deborah is a self-proclaimed introvert, and we are proud of her willingness to step out of her comfort zone and participate in this program that required her to regularly engage in a large group setting. She reflected on her experience and greatly appreciates the opportunity to participate in this program saying it has been “a wonderful experience.” She believes the program did a great job of going beyond typical speed networking events (which tend to be difficult for an introvert). Deborah appreciated the opportunity to connect with others on a deeper level during each session while simultaneously learning more about our community. She specifically enjoyed being able to hear from the community, non-profit, educational, public safety, and local government leaders who gave her a new understanding of what it takes for a community to sustain itself and evolve with the times.
In addition to the monthly leadership sessions, Deborah’s cohort worked together on a community service project of their choosing. Her group opened a “pop-up” shop called First Impressions that provided an opportunity for the public to pick out professional clothes for an interview or job transition. Their group collected professional clothes and welcomed anyone to shop, free of charge. It was a valuable experience for Deborah and her colleagues to work collaboratively on an impactful community event after spending significant time together.
Overall, this program is a wonderful experience to engage with our community and build relationships. Gaines Group Architects’ team member Annie Frazier also participated in the same program and is a graduate of the 2017 cohort. If you are interested in learning more about our community and building new relationships, we encourage you to check out the program here.
You did it, you boosted us into the Best of the Valley – Top 5!! Voting has opened now to determine the Best of the Valley and two runners-up. Voting is open from June 25 – July 2 and you can vote daily to show us your support and help our chances. We greatly appreciate you taking the time to help our team.
Gaines Group Architects are included in three different categories:
The best home improvements start with a good plan, so a vote for us here is a vote for planning. We have saved clients countless dollars by designing the right solution, that is efficient to build rather than just guessing at the solution and figuring it out as the project unfolds. We also try to provide valuable information through our blog (here, here, here) so that even those that don’t hire us have the right information before starting their home improvement projects. We humbly ask for your vote in this category.
While many of you have not worked for us, you probably have seen how much fun we have working. We love what we do and have fun doing it. While there are 5 very deserving companies in this category we ask for your vote. There are 12 of use at Gaines Group Architects between the two offices with over 200 years of combined experience and an average tenure of over 15 years. We celebrate each other and try to find special ways to build our team while building our community (here, here, here). We humbly ask you to vote for us as the best company to work for each day through July 2.
There are 5 great gallery options included in this category, but we are in the coolest building. Since this nomination is for the best gallery, I think the choice is clear, vote for the gallery that is on the National Historic Register. Vote for the gallery that includes a display celebrating the history of the Chesapeake Western Railroad and brings life to this 1913 building that we almost lost. Vote for the gallery that has the best food and drink each first Friday of the month supporting a local artist and helping to build a better community. Vote The Depot for Best Gallery Space.
Join us on the patio of the Depot for live music on July 1st, 2022.
This will be a First Friday event you won’t want to miss! On July 1st, from 5:00-7:00pm, we will host musician Lucas Schrock-Hurst for an evening of music on the patio in front of the Depot.
Lucas, also known as “Lightning Lucas”, has been writing catch, poignant, and spontaneous songs since 2008. His work is often called Dylan-esque and falls within the folk category. On July 21st, 2013, he was directly struck by a freak lightning bolt. He lived to appreciate the stage name. Check out his music here and be sure to stop by the Depot to hear him live!
Refreshments and pre-packaged food will be provided. Weather permitting, Lucas plans to play on the patio but will relocate to the covered loading dock by the Gaines Group entrance on the side of the building. We look forward to seeing many of you there!
