by Charles Hendricks | Apr 1, 2017 | citizen architect, community, Harrisonburg Architect, Local Leaders
Harrisonburg Construction at the SVBA Home and Living Expo
Harrisonburg Canstruction is scheduled for April 8th at the annual SVBA Home and Living Expo at the Rockingham County Fair Grounds in Harrisonburg. This food fundraiser benefits the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. This year there will be teams from Blue Ridge Architects and the JMU Engineering school. Last year this event produced over 6,000 pounds of food for the food bank.
Here are creations from the Lynchburg Canstruction event.
Canstruction is an international charity competition where architects, engineers, contractors, and students they mentor, compete to design and build giant structures made entirely from full cans of food. At the close of the competition all of the food is donated to local food banks where the competitions are held.
For a preview of what you will find at the SVBA Home and Living Expo, Blue Ridge Architects have created their structure in advance at the Harrisonburg Municipal building. Stop by and see the chick emerging from an egg.
Plan to stop by both the municipal building and the Home and Living Expo to see these creations and don’t foget to bring your own food donation. There is a huge need in our community where there are families that are going hungry. This local food bank serves an average of 114,400 people per month. Last year they distributed 24.6 million pounds or 20.5 million meals.
by Charles Hendricks | Jan 6, 2017 | citizen architect, community
I have been thinking a lot about the coming year, this one seems different than in the past. The world is different, my life is different, our business is different.
My wife challenged me to come up with a word, one word instead of a resolution. The idea of one word is to focus your life instead of something like “get in shape” you might have a word like healthy. This idea of living purposefully all year-long around a word allows you to make decisions, focus prayer, and inspire others through action. So what should my one word be for the year? I am open to ideas. Let me know what you think.
The word that has come to mind for me is #tribe. What does that mean to me right now. It means community, family, working together, Rotary, Gaines Group, and friends. These are all areas where I need to focus and areas where I need to do work. I want to build better and deeper relationships. I want to strengthen my relationship with family, immediate, and those I have lost contact with over the years. I want to work towards a healthier and more sustainable community. I want to serve better as a Rotarian. I want to know better my Rotarian family. I want to be a better architect, boss, friends at work. However, is this my #oneword365? Does it hold enough meaning? Does it frame my work over an entire year? Should there be more than just a word? Maybe one word painted on a train, this one seems to tell a story pretty well.
My youngest daughter, 10-year-old, has a vision to guide her life. Her sister had a homework assignment to write 10 commandments to live by. She wanted to do this as well, so here is her list. I have to say, her list is certainly well thought out and could be a vision for the coming year(s) for all of us. Maybe I need 10 words to get me through this coming year?
What is your one word? What is your resolution? What are your commandments?
by Charles Hendricks | Jan 2, 2017 | Charles Hendricks, citizen architect, community, Construction Specifications Institute, Harrisonburg Architect, Historic Renovation, In Review, Leadership, Local Leaders, Office Culture, Rotary
I have heard from some of you and I know you agree, 2016 was not the best of years…. There seemed to be a cloud of negative over much of the year. Certainly this happens each Presidential election cycle, but this year seemed somehow more sticky. In addition, I faced some of the most challenging times of my adult life this year resulting in some burn-out through the year. There seemed to be more death this year or perhaps I am just coming to an age where more people who have had influence over my life are passing. In any case, it was sad to see so many go including my Aunt Debbie and my favorite musician of all time, Prince. Violence around the world somehow seemed louder and closer to home this year more than I ever remember – especially through the hate filled comments on social media. Let’s face it, 2016 had a lot of wrong going on.
However, there was good that came out of all the rubble over the last 12 months. There is a silver lining. In face, so much was GOOD that happened in 2016, here are some of our stories.
Right at the tail end of 2015 I ran in the Harrisonburg Glow Run with these folks and had a great time.
I started my year off right with these beautiful souls and a trip to see my mom, dad, brother, and nephews – our New Year Day tradition. Each day I get to spend with them is truly a treasure. I need to make sure I focus on that as I do love to give my time to all sorts of efforts around the community – this is the one that is most important.
Our Rotary Club continues to change the world by putting service above self. We have so much in this community and together as a group of Rotarians, we can share our gifts with the world. This year we raised money for many good local organizations, packed food for the hungry around the world, hosted a Soapbox Derby, and so much more.
We moved into our new office at the DEPOT!!!! also HERE. I have literally fallen in love with this building. I am so thankful to Jim Monger for allowing us to be part of the project and to have our office here. It is such a joy to work in a building like this one.
Harmony Square Dairy Queen opened their doors this past January. Talk about wonderful clients – it has been such a gift to have Jane and Mike as clients. Not only are they wonderful people, they have soft serve ice cream!
We helped to organize the first ever Harrisonburg Homesteading Festival. I hope this becomes an annual tradition and grows this year (at the SVBA Home and Living Expo).
I got to bowl for Kid’s Sake on the SVBA team! I do love events that help kids, this one especially benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters of Harrisonburg-Rockingham County. Want to be part of my team this year?
I was able to go on a field trip with Sophia to Washington D.C. Each day I get to spend with my girls is such a treat.
We helped to coordinate Canstruction Harrisonburg for the second year. This year we were able to raise 6,098 pounds of food for those in need in our community.
Several on our Charlottesville team are now Construction Document Technologists (CDT)! Congratulations on passing this difficult exam Adrienne and Paul!
James continues to serve the Charlottesville community as a Sherrif’s Deputy. Deborah gives her time to HDR to help grow our downtown. Ray continues to volunteer in the Albemarle County School district. Our firm continues to have a strong emphasis on the importance of volunteering in your community. We can change our future for the better if we all work together doing it.
Construction was completed on another design project we did for Innisfree Village. This organization does some great work in the community. We are so proud to be part of their team.
village
Deborah and I were able to teach 5th and 6th graders at Skyline Middle School sketch-up and several finished the design of “dream homes.” On the Road Collaborative is an organization making a difference in our community. Want to support someone doing good – check out these folks.
I was able to assist 6th graders at North Fork Middle School in taking their next step to building a zero-energy science lab.
Progress continues on the townhouses we designed for Preston Lake Community in Harrisonburg.
Deborah finished her Master of Business Administration degree from EMU! She was able to do this while working full-time.
I had a great trip to D.C. including lunch with a wonderful friend (since 5th grade). Thanks for inviting me up to speak at the Department of Energy Mary!
Construction finished on this beautiful farmhouse we designed in Rockingham County. This was another project we did with Beck Builders.
Nephew Jared graduated from high school and started college at PVCC.
We are once again able to host First Friday art openings in our new space and have had some incredible artists in our space this year. I love supporting our art community and it gives us a chance to show off our building each month. Mark your calendar, these openings happen every month on the first Friday.
I helped to organize Valley Business Keynote and it was another amazing event! This year Dan Pallotta joined us. I absolutely love working with this bunch of leaders.
Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance is helping the downtown thrive and grow under the leadership of Andrea Dono. We have now done three jobs downtown and are in our long-term downtown office space – this is my professional home. We have seen such huge growth downtown since arriving in 2004. Eddie Bumbaugh did a great job in building the framework for success. We look forward to seeing where Andrea takes our town.
Michael Sheeler photography
We got to see Jamal Millner play a Prince Tribute Concert. I have known Jamal since before I can remember – literally. He was often at our house when I was very young. This concert that he organized was AMAZING.
Our family took a much-needed vacation to Williamsburg over the summer. It was hot, but I think we all had fun.
I was once again a speaker at Construct, a national building industry conference that gathers people from all aspects of the construction industry to advance construction knowledge. This annual conference continues to be the best I attend each year. I have been an invited speaker at multiple events over the years. This one was in Austin, TX.
I got to see George Clinton lay down the funk in Roanoke. This was the third time I have seen him play live and probably the last time. He remains a great performer, but has lost some his gusto.
We broke ground on our Net-Zero house. This one is being built by Mark Bergman. Our clients make everything else we do possible, I am very thankful for those allowing us to design “green” homes in the community.
I attended City Works Expo and got to hang out with some cool people, learn some new stuff, and see this incredible art. Thanks to Brad for getting me to attend. This conference was inspirational. The oddest part was at this particular conference, I was one of the old guys. I guess it is a sign of the times, but also uplifting to see so many younger than me looking for innovative ways to build community.
I was able to host several school groups at my office and me in their classrooms this year. I am honored to have so many opportunities to share my passion for building science, architecture, and design with the next generation.
I ran a few races, each time improving my time a little over the previous. One of the biggest lessons I have learned this year, I need to take care of me so I can better take care of others. The time has come to stop putting it off.
We marched in Harrisonburg to raise awareness of climate change. Really, anytime I get to hang out with Charlie is a great time, but walking in this parade and showing my girls how much our future depends on them was powerful. We have a problem. We can, I hope, solve the problem. We just need to adjust our priorities.
We broke ground on our Carbon Neutral House. This is another Beck Builders project and another client I am thankful for giving me a chance. I look forward to sharing more with you about this project.
I had a chance to do a BUNCH of energy audit to help folks in the community reduce their energy bills. There is so much work that can be done to reduce your monthly energy bills and our community impact on the environment. I have knowledge about the solutions and I am happy to share it with you. Just call for an energy audit.
I got to spend some special time with this beautiful lady. I need to do this more – I love my family and I need to spend more time with them!
We added staff in both office locations, Ivan, Maggie, and Rebecca in Harrisonburg and Trevor in Charlottesville. Welcome to the team, the biggest our team has ever been. Wait until you see what we are able to accomplish now.
We attended Red Wing Roots! The Steel Wheels have quickly become my favorite musical group. We were in a position this year to be able to sponsor this event that it turns out a LOT of our clients attend. What a fun-filled three days of music and community!
The girls and I went to see this bush cut out in my likeness and to ride some rides .
I had a chance to hang out with Hannah looking at cool art in Charlottesville. It is rare that I get invited to school functions at the middle school – glad I got the invite for this one.
We attended a Tennessee Women’s Basketball game. I do enjoy seeing Tennessee play!
We started the Chesapeake Western Railroad history collection in our building. If you have not been by our space yet, please come and visit. If you are interested in the history of the building stay a while and check out the display.
I got to see this guy wearing this shirt on facebook! I think he may be a UVA Fan now!
This project in downtown Harrisonburg is almost done. We love saving old buildings through design. This new apartment building on South Main street is being renovated by Nesselrodt Construction.
I ended the year with a run – the second annual New Year’s Eve Glow Run and improved my 5K time. Thanks to the guys at VA Momentum for a well-organized and fun event!
I hope you have a chance to remember all the GOOD that happened for you in 2016. Going through this list certainly lifted my spirits. I think I am ready for 2017.
by Charles Hendricks | Dec 29, 2016 | Charles Hendricks, citizen architect, community, Empathy, Leadership, Local Leaders, Office Culture, Rotary, team
One of the best decisions I have made in the last 8 years was to join Rotary. This organization amplifies the good you can do in your community and around the world. Rotary International is a service organization whose stated purpose is to bring together business and professional leaders in order to provide humanitarian services, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and to advance goodwill and peace around the world. “It is the duty of all Rotarians,” states the Manual of Procedure “outside their clubs, to be active as individuals in as many legally constituted groups and organizations as possible to promote, not only in words but through exemplary dedication, awareness of the dignity of all people and the respect of the consequent human rights of the individual.” The Rotarian motto is “Service Above Self.”
Rotarians pledge the 4-way test at each meeting. This is a great reminder of how to live life, serve your community, and simply how to be better.
Our club, Rotary Club of Rockingham County meets each Tuesday of the week (except holiday weeks) at Golden Pony in Harrisonburg for breakfast at 7am. We organize a soapbox derby in Harrisonburg and a car raffle to benefit Generations Crossing and First Step. We partner with other clubs (Harrisonburg Rotary, Bridgewater Rotary) to organize the Harrisonburg Strawberry Festival to benefit parks in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. The Ronald McDonald benefit golf tournament done jointly with Waynesboro East Augusta is always a great event. We donate books to the Massanutten Regional Library, have a grant to help supply food backpacks at county schools, and work to end polio partnering with Harrisonburg-Massanutten Rotary with their Polio Tailgate party. Our weekly meetings raise money for the Collins Center and we have donated books to the Broadway-Timberville Rotary Little Free Library. It is a great group of people dedicated to “service above self.” If you want to visit to see if this club is a good fit for you – let me know. If a 7am breakfast meeting each week is not right for you, let me introduce you to members of one of the lunch clubs. There is work to be done and we need you to be a Rotarian to get it done.
by Charles Hendricks | Dec 18, 2016 | artwork, community, First Friday, Office Culture
Christmas at the Chesapeake Western Depot
We are loving our new Harrisonburg office on the edge of downtown. This was such a great move for our firm. We still feel connected to downtown – walking distance to the holiday parade. We now have a reserved parking lot for our clients. We get amazing sunrises over the building. We have enough space that we have now grown in size to 5 people in the Harrisonburg office.
We can now host First Firday art gallery openings, which we have each Friday since moving into the building. Our friends, potential clients, and past clients all visit to see the new art work on display and hang out. It is a great chance to build community right in our own office space. We have artists signed up for some months in 2017, but do not have the entire year booked – let me know if you want to be in our space.
We get to share space with the creative minds at Estland and the construction experts at Herr and Co.
We also get to have fun making the space our own. This month Rebecca decorated for the holidays.
She found this tree at Mercy House along with a few other decorations.
She made these decorations.
We also got the guys downstairs at Monger’s to join in the Holiday fun and they hosted Santa in their space.
Of you put new Marvin Windows on your shopping list – he was checking out the details while at the space.
My little elfs also stopped by to put their mark on my office. I like where this Xmas list is heading!
Of course my annual Harley Davidson tree made it to the new office to complete the decorations!
Christmas at the Chesapeake Western Depot is wonderful indeed. Stop by this week to see the decorations or just to say hi. We love having visitors to our space!
