by cbhendricks | Aug 17, 2018 | citizen architect, community
I have heard that true service is when you help someone who can never help you in return. It is a call to action to reach out a helping hand to others. It is the Rotary calling card – service above self. It drives us to support one another without worry of labels, politics, or greed. This has become a main focus for my design work through my career. I want to build a better and stronger community through design. This means designing houses for clients that are energy-efficient. This means reducing overall demand on our power grid and our impacts on climate change through fossil fuel consumption reduction. This means capturing rain water to reduce erosion and flooding downstream. This means designing apartment communities in ways that bring neighbors together to meet each other. Design can solve a lot of problems, and it can also build good. To me, this is why I design. As Sam Mockbee said “everyone, rich or poor, deserves a shelter for the soul.” This comes in all forms of service and community work. It comes as drawings of a new project. It also comes in the form of sharing advice on how to improve your building to reduce your utility costs. It comes from teaching young people the value of design. It comes through service to my community. To me community means helping each other without expectation of anything in return.
A story of impact from design
Renew Rocktown arranged for Our Community Place to get a free energy audit through the Sustainable Building Coalition in Harrisonburg. Energy Audits is a service our firm is able to provide in partnership with equipment provided to us by HEC. We offer residential audits in Harrisonburg through HEC and outside of Harrisonburg through our firm. We can also help non-profits and small businesses by providing free energy audits.
The energy audit provided a list of strategies to help this community organization reduce their energy consumption.
OCP then partnered with volunteers to install LED bulbs in their building, the fastest return on investment we identified. Then Renew Rocktown, through the efforts of Jeff Heie helped them get a grant to solarize their roof. This could provide 70% of their energy needs through a clean energy source. For a non-profit, reducing utilities bills allows them to better serve their community. This work that started with an energy audit, then volunteers working on lights, then solar pv on the roof will have a ripple effect in our community for years to come. This is my community!
by cbhendricks | Jun 10, 2018 | citizen architect, community, Rotary
Each year, the Rockingham Rotary Club sponsors the Harrisonburg All-American Soap Box Derby to bring science, technology, and math lessons to young racers ranging in ages from 7 – 21.
The Soap Box Derby is an international nonprofit organization whose mission is to build knowledge and character, and to create meaningful experiences through collaboration and fair and honest competition. The core values learned from this event include: leadership, family engagement, honesty, integrity, perseverance, innovation, entrepreneurship, teamwork, collaboration, and sportsmanship.
There are three classes of racers: stock, super stock, and masters. The winners of each division from Harrisonburg will have the opportunity to move on to Akron, Ohio. Soap Box Derby champions from around the world come together in Akron each year to compete in the First Energy All-American Soap Box Derby World Championship at the world-famous Derby Downs Track.
The day of the race, set up started at 5 am with a few dedicated Rotarians and friends.
The Adult Soap Box Cars are ready for the celebrity race.
Race day t-shirts are handed out with sponsors on the back. We rely heavily on sponsors to make this event financially viable.
Matt starts the race day safety meeting with drivers. We work hard to make sure everyone has fun, but most important is safety.
The parade of drivers to their cars.
Drivers ready for the race day picture with all the cars lined up in the pit.
This year we added a Super Kids race so that kids that cannot drive a car can partner with another driver to race. Our Super Kids sponsor, Harmony Square Dairy Queen will help make it possible for our champion to travel to Akron.
Our track has a curve making it unique. Most Soap Box Derby tracks are straight.
Sophie in the CW Flyer sponsored by Herr & Co. Suter Engineering, and Gaines Group Architects (dad).
Of course Sophie’s car is #girlpowered
On the ramps ready to race.
We added a banner at the start finish line to highlight our sponsors.
Heading down the hill. Our Rotary Club supports Boys and Girls Club by providing cars.
The kids support one another and help everyone have a great time.
Everyone has a great time! I mean everyone, even the out of shape volunteers.
The finish line: the goal to get there first for each driver, but if you do it is simply the start of something else. The kids showed incredible sportsmanship that day. Each encouraged the other to do even better. This is why we do it. This is the heart of Rotary Club of Rockingham County (Virginia) This is service above self.
Time for the trophy ceremony.
Sportsmanship Award
First Place in the Super Kids Race
First Place in Super Stock
Second Place in Super Stock
Third Place in Super Stock
Fourth Place in Super Stock
Fifth Place in Super Stock
Seventh Place in Super Stock
First Place in Stock
Second Place in Stock
Third Place in Stock
Fourth Place in Stock
Fifth Place in Stock
Sixth Place in Stock
Seventh Place in Stock
Eighth Place in Stock
by cbhendricks | May 18, 2018 | citizen architect, community, Rotary
Get your Rotary / On the Road Collaborative t-shirts, they are now available for $20. Let me know how many you want!
“I want to make a difference in the world.”
If you have ever said this but feel like you are limited as to what you can do, maybe you should change your perspective. One person might not be able to change the world, but you can change the world for one person. Hopefully you will decide to change their world for the better. It may be a simple smile but even better if it is an outstretched hand of hope and love.
I believe it is our duty to each day work to serve others. This is my “Why Rotary” story. Why, because we serve others.
Rotary allows me to amplify my efforts and multiply my impacts. I call it the magic of Rotary. This year the Rotary Club of Rockingham County partnered with the Rotary Club of Harrisonburg to write a grant to benefit On the Road Collaborative. We are now selling t-shirts designed by On the Road Collaborative students to help fund the grant. This is where each donation, each community member, each action makes a huge difference. We need you to purchase a t-shirt. We can all come together to help our community by offering students love and support through On the Road Collaborative. Sure the OTRC team offers students exposure to different career opportunities taught by community leaders. They give students strong role models to follow. They show students a path for the future that maybe the students did not think was possible for them. However, what I have seen first hand is On the Road Collaborative staff offers love and support to students in our community that may or may not feel that love and support from anyone else in the community.
So how can you make a difference? Purchase a t-shirt. They are $20 each.
When you purchase one, one will be donated to a student participating in OTRC. That $20 directly supports OTRC efforts. If you get a shirt, it has our logo so you can use it to enter the Gaines Group Architect’s Red Wing Roots Music Festival ticket contest. More than anything, you get a cool t-shirt, designed by students, and you show love and support for a student in our community. Check out the contest HERE.
On the Road Collaborative is a non-profit youth empowerment organization that sets under-served middle and high school youth on the road to college and career by connecting them to dynamic educational experiences and caring adults during the out-of-school hours.
Thanks to Brad Cohen for all his work putting this grant effort together!
A huge thank you to Ted Marrs at Abrahamse and Company Builders in Charlottesville for purchasing the first t-shirt! These guys always go above and beyond for their clients and the community. Thanks Ted!
by cbhendricks | Mar 26, 2018 | citizen architect, community, Rotary
Join Rockingham County Rotary in supporting First Step, Generations Crossing, and the Rockingham Rotary Foundation with a $150 donation per person. This donation gets you into one of the best parties in the valley. There will be plenty of food, drink, and of course some of the best people around. The party is held on the club level at JMU’s Bridgeforth Football Stadium on April 27th at 7:00 pm. The ticket also gets you a chance to win a 2018 Chevy Cruze. This donation also changes lives. First Step gives women that have been abused a fresh start. Generations Crossing brings old and young together providing them with activities and interaction. Rockingham Rotary Foundation impacts our community and our world. Your donation supports all three!
Let me know if you want a ticket!
First Step strives to provide the best possible accommodations for survivors of domestic and dating violence, and their children, who are in need of support services and / or safe shelter. First Step is staffed 24/7 to ensure that safety and availability are their top priorities with a focus on empowering survivors to achieve their goals.
Generations Crossing provides adult and child day care for the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County community. This unique inter-generational program is an opportunity for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school age children to interact with adult participants. Generations Crossing is a non-profit 501 (C)(3) corporation.
Rockingham County Rotary Foundation transforms your gifts into service projects that change lives both close to home and around the world. Our club leverages donations to support local organizations such as On the Road Collaborative, Harrisonburg Soap Box Derby, Love Packs, as well as International projects like Pure Madi.
by cbhendricks | Feb 12, 2018 | citizen architect, community, Rotary
If you want to make a difference, Rotary is the perfect place to start!
I do a lot of volunteer work. I am not saying that to boast, there is a lot of need, I spend a lot of time serving, and it is barely enough to create a ripple in my community. There is so much need. There is so little time. I do a lot of volunteer work and yet there is so much that remains to be done. We live in an imperfect world and we need more good to happen.
A few years ago a lawyer, Travis Vance, in town asked me to lunch to talk about Rotary. He had heard that I was doing volunteer work and wanted to tell me about his organization. I knew of it, but really did not know the full story. As he spoke about Rotary I could see there was something special about this organization. It turns out that Rotary is magical for those that want to transform their community. It allows a small group of passionate people in Rockingham County to help people across the world. His club, Rockingham County Rotary Club helped people in Limpopo Province of South Africa with a ceramic technology that cleans their water. His club also provides SoapBox Derby cars to kids in town through the Boys and Girls Club. It turns out his club also supports First Step, kids at Christmas through DSS, local parks system, On the Road Collaborative, Ronald McDonald House, Valley Business Keynote, Summer Peace Building Institute, and purchases books for elementary schools to build financial literacy just to name a few things. This small clubs makes a big ripple in the community and around the world. Travis welcomed me to the Rotary experience and asked me to give it a try.
What he did not tell me was that Rotary becomes your family. You build friendships each week. You learn about your community. You partner to make your community better for people you may never meet. You do all this with a diverse group of people: men, women, young, old, and you do it as equals, shoulder to shoulder.
Rotary is built on the 4-way test. It is not an exclusive club that only some can belong to in your community. It is a welcoming group of friends that want to help you make our community a better place. Rotary unites people from all continents and cultures. It allows for the exchange of ideas. It builds friendships and professional connections.
I want to invite you to experience the magic of Rotary. I want to invite you to breakfast with a group of my closest friends. We meet each Tuesday morning at 7am at the Golden Pony restaurant in Harrisonburg. Please come as my guest. If that is too early or the wrong day, don’t be discouraged. There are lunch clubs that meet on Monday and Thursday and a dinner club that meets on Tuesday all in our immediate area. If you don’t live close enough to Harrisonburg, there are clubs around the world. Let me know where you are and I will get you an invitation to your local club.
I really do believe if we all read the 4-way test and acted on it daily this would be a better world. I know if we all built friendships based on a common interest of making our community better we would all benefit. I know Rotary is magic and you deserve to experience it. I know that having you as part of Rotary will make Rotary better. Please let me know where you are and I will help you find the right club of friends that will welcome you with open arms.
by cbhendricks | Feb 5, 2018 | citizen architect, community, Rotary
It was a true honor to assist the Eastern Mennonite School We Serve club charter at an Interact Club sponsored by the Rotary Club or Rockingham County. This club of exceptional young leaders is 40+ strong and perform at least one service project a month. The club President, Abby Stapleton, leads by example with a smile on her face.
Interact Club and Rotary Club of Rockingham County joined together for lunch. They had a chance to talk and get to know each other before the Charter was presented to Abby by Rotary Club President, Charles Hendricks.
At the Charter Celebration, the club advisor, Wendy Stapleton, organized a service project. The students and Rotarians joined forces to stuff bags for one of our area homeless shelters. The bags included some snacks, activity books, and hygiene products.
This club is built for service. They are focused and motivated!
Interact Clubs bring together young people ages 12-18 to develop leadership skills while discovering the power of Service Above Self.
What are the benefits?
Connect with leaders in your community and around the wold to:
- Take action to make a difference in your school and community
- Discover new cultures and promote international understanding
- Become a leader in your school and community
- have fun and make new friends from around the world
Can I start an Interact Club?
If your school or community doesn’t already have an Interact Club, you can start one. Here’s what you’ll need to get started:
- A sponsor Rotary Club to provide support and guidance – contact me and I will get things moving
- An adviser from your school’s faculty
- People ages 12-18 from your school or community who are interested in joining the club
- Leaders to organize your club, fine other members, and plan successful projects
Get your Rotary / On the Road Collaborative t-shirts, they are now available for $20. Let me know how many you want!
Rotary allows me to amplify my efforts and multiply my impacts. I call it the magic of Rotary. This year the 
When you purchase one, one will be donated to a student participating in OTRC. That $20 directly supports OTRC efforts. If you get a shirt, it has our logo so you can use it to enter the Gaines Group Architect’s 
It was a true honor to assist the 
